Letters to the Editor
larrfirr
Published Letters: 275 Editor's Choice: 34
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Who's white?
[Read the article: The mix master]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The fact is most white people don't identify as white. They think of themselves as Italian, Irish, Polish, Jewish etc. And if they are purely Anglo-Saxon, they usually don't have much of an ethnic identity. People find more meaning with an identity that is not the majority. And of course there is the fact that identifying with the majority labels you as "passing" and subjects you to being "exposed".
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The emperor
[Read the article: Rep. Kucinich introduces articles of impeachment]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]So, if the emperor is walking around naked but only one little boy says anything, is that news?
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Don't even joke about it
[Read the article: Obama's best veep choice]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]"Is it any wonder that so many interesting, talented young men are reluctant to marry or have turned gay in droves?"
Camille, I know you said that tongue in cheek, but there are are lots of people who believe or want to believe that bad experiences with women turn men gay. Remember, this is the Internet where you can find people who will believe anything.
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Dominated?
[Read the article: Kiss my ass]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]"Watching Lawrence and Garner pleasure each other, those two officers must have understood at some level that they, too, could be entered and dominated"
And I think this heteroseuxal mindset has more to do with sexism than anything else. No gay man thinks that the bottom is by definition weak and vulnerable. Some may choose the play the role of submissive in life or during sex, but the simple fact that you like being penetrated doesn't force that role on you. Perhaps if heterosexuals stop thinking of sex as women submitting to male dominance they would be less homophobic and also enjoy sex more.
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And what about us?
[Read the article: Quote of the day]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]And still out of state same-sex couples can't be married in Mass, something Patrick promised to fix. Well, I guess since couples in neighboring states can't vote in Mass, he doesn't have to care about us.
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Two Czars
[Read the article: Bad Dad Gift Guide]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I'd like to nominate the two most famous Russian Czars, Ivan the Terrible and Peter the Great, both of whom had their first born sons killed because political gain is more important than a paternal love.
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The difference
[Read the article: The wheel thing]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I guess you could argue both ways about bad cyclists and bad motorists, and don't even get me started on motorcyclists. As someone who spent a good deal of time relying on public transportation and being a pedestrian, it was bicyles that annoyed me more. The reason is the general attitude that motorists greedy, selfish people who are ruining the environment for future generations , while bicyclists are gentle, peaceful people who want to save the environment. So I suppose I judge the "gentle, peaceful" people more harshly when they break rules, endanger others and are generally inconsiderate.
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Strange bedfellows
[Read the article: And Obama's veep is ... a Republican?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]This war makes strange bedfellows.
We have Joe Liebermann, a liberal (former) Democrat who supports an agressive policy in Iraq and the Middle East and we have Chuck Hagel, a conservative Republican who is a vocal opponent of Bush's war in Iraq. They are almost mirror images. Bipartisan politics would say you work on areas of agreement, but you don't totally embrace either one, certainly not as a VP.
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I wrote to MoveOn.org
[Read the article: MoveOn, AFSCME hit McCain on Iraq]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I wrote and told them why I wouln't send them money for the ad. This ad distorts the facts and appeals to the emotions. Unfortunately the sword cuts both ways (and already has). I was hoping with candidates like McCain and Obama the campaign would be more honorable and focused on real issues, but that was a vain hope.
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Huxley said it best
[Read the article: A new form of birth control]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Perhaps these people should read Brave New World. Cookie cutter babies coming off the assembly line, each exactly like the other. It would be the end of our humanity. There is so much for an individual to gain and contribute to the world that comes out of being different from the rest.
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Not so unlikely
[Read the article: Opus]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The idea for this came from a website, created by the Philadelphia Inquirer. http;//www.flyderrie-air.com It was a hoax, but was done to gauge public reaction. Obviously many people believed it, since the the opening screen now states very clearly it is a hoax. The fact is Southwest Airlines already does something like this. They require people of a certain size to buy two seats.
The dark side of that rugged American individualism is that as a society we are reluctant to provide for people who have different needs. Fortuantely disabled people have a law to protect their rights, fat people do not. No one questions disabled people weather they were responsible for acquiring their disability, or weather they are taking proper steps to overcome it, yet fat people are denied consideration with the argument that they are responsible for their situation.
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And they are mad because...
[Read the article: Why Clinton voters say they won't support Obama]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Some man wronged them, and it would be sweet revenge to have a woman on top for once.
I'd have more respect for Clinton supporters if there was one single political issue involved, but I have yet to hear it.
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More for more
[Read the article: Opus]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Actually this isn't so bad, as long as larger people get something for their money. I'd be willing to pay 50% more for a seat that's 50% bigger.
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On the other hand
[Read the article: Barack Obama, the experience candidate?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]It's not what you know but who you know that's important. A US Senator knows people in Washington and knows how the Federal government works, or doesn't work. That helped Lyndon Johnson, but then again we've had mostly former goveroners in the White House since then.
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So where's the punch line???
[Read the article: How gay it would be]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The author can't expect us to believe that this is anything but a joke, and a dumb and rather insulting joke at that.
Anticipating the negative reaction is no excuse. Sterotypes are stereotypes, even if you find them appealing.
Before anyone brings it up, I'll say a word about camp humor. The reasoning behind it is very complex (clue: it is actually making fun of heterosexuals) and very few straight people can jump on that bandwagon and steer it correctly. It's like white people trying to use the word "nigger" in a positive sense.