there have been far more "you poor little thing" letters than mean letters, but if you write to CT, expect to be judged. Some people truly are mean, but some just seem impatient because the LW does not do what's difficult by telling people how she really feels. She got married because she felt her family wanted her to so she did it knowing that she is more a love-em-and-leave-em type, which is fine actually, so why get married? Maybe it was actually easier to go along with what the family and church wanted than to tell people what she really felt was right for her. It's difficult yes, but it needs to be done. Yes she is young, but lots of people her age make unpopular decisions or commitments and stick with them.

Someone wrote a long diatribe about how organized religion keeps people from growing or thinking for themselves. Add to that problem extended families. If you want out of the marriage say so. LW also said something about moving away, which I think is a great idea just to get other ideas about what life is about other than from her family. She will feel much freer to pursue her own interests away from that environment, but again it will not be easy.

It seems like some of the difficulties in your marriage could be solved, but if you're not interested don't bother. Counseling is not magic.

are so right. That remark he made to your parents about thinking twice before marrying you is beyond the pale. If you have to continually apologize to him for who you and your parents are, that's so bad that it cannot be fixed. The fact that your parents are paying for this marriage to this godawful man is just too much. No wonder they couldn't be nice to him during your engagement. I couldn't be nice to someone who treated my daughter the way your husband treats you. Your husband is unforgivable, not you or your parents.

on this thread can relate and have been very kind, but some just want to go off and be cruel. It can't feel good. The system is broken and working people and single parents are suffering. To the people who said that she should go back to court to get more child support, her husband must not make a lot of money if the state ordered 600.00 for three children.0 per child. Few lawyers want to take cases to court for such a small sum. Few lawyers are interested in low income cases which is what this sounds like. I am entitled to half my ex's pension when he retires, yet I have to get a special court order to get it which would cost about 600.00. I am not getting it ever at first because I couldn't afford the 600.00, now because I don't want it. Thank you so much for this article, for putting the suffering into words. When Obama talked about people being bitter without jobs and turning to guns and religion, it seemed one of the most honest opinions I'd heard from a politician in a long time. Since then he has tried to appeal to everyone BUT the disenfranchised, so I am also in despair. Good luck to you and your children, enjoy your brie and I'll enjoy my gorgonzola and hope never to see tomreedtoon or timbuktom or whoever it was so he won't punch my face to a bloody pulp. Kindness costs absolutely nothing and it feels so good.

to the author, how are rents in eugene? Portland is outrageous and I'm not the only one who thinks so.

for being so brave. Be true to yourself but listen to Cary and Allie. Hope you stay well for a long, long time.

Really who does care? So funny, I really enjoyed this column. Thanks.

the economies in the toilet, people are dying while this administration guts the treasury, another election may yet be stolen, who cares what she wears

and here we are again debating abortion, death penalty issues, women's rights as if we were not 407 billion in debt with young people dying and being maimed and then treated like garbage while this administration scurries off with their pockets stuffed with cash. To the conservatives who applaud Camille's take on social issues, don't you see that in a free and tolerant society we're all supposed to be able to make our own life choices? I don't care how Sarah Palin raises her family or what church she goes to or if her daughter is pregnant. It's just that a huge number of people in this country are against the corruption and deceit that has gone on for the last eight years and what do we talk about? Birth control, choice, sex ed, promise rings, who gives a shit. And Durianjoe is right as usual.

So succinct. This remark was not a big deal. Everyone's going nuts lately.

For this piece? I mean just at salon, no one else will do it, I feel fairly certain. Why not go nuts? It is after all big news, one would think, not big news in that no one knew before. We all know about the no-bid contracts and the record profits for oil companies, but you know it's never too late.