Letters to the Editor
Cynthia Montgomery
Published Letters: 36 Editor's Choice: 6
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Ah, Lawrence
[Read the article: The fetuses were hung by the chimney with care ...]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I lived in Lawrence for 13 years, and it is quite liberal for a midwestern town - both because of the college and the thousands of old hippies who made their fortunes dealing pot there in the 60's/70's...they invested their profits in starting businesses now considered Lawrence mainstays - funky restaurants, eclectic clothing shops, etc.
It is a lovely little place with a charming, tree-lined downtown of early brick buildings and much artistic flair; with many graceful old homes and one of the most beautiful campuses in the nation. (KU) Of late, a lot of SUV-crazed conservatives have been turning it in to a bedroom community for irritating, obtuse Kansas City suburbanites - complete with the homogenized Border's and Starbucks arriving and killing local shops...a real shame.
Born and reared in ugly, climate-challenged Kansas, I have finally lost hope that it will ever be redeemed from the clutches of the nutjobs. Although the governor is a pro-choice democrat, the state now has a small but definite majority of hard right and center right conservatives -about 55% to the dems and libs 45%. Not encouraging.
The gym manager/owner was remarkably dense in allowing such a divisive display. I'm going to Lawrence for Christmas to be with my daughter - a little visit to see the Fetus Tree and ask impertinent questions seems to be in order.
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quite so
[Read the article: Pride and pathetic]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The trailers made two things obvious - one, that it might be an enjoyable romantic movie - two, that it was not even close to being a true representation of Austen's work.
They played far too fast and loose with the dialogue, which I abhor - (as if the lines from the book aren't perfect, and an integral part of the story) and turned Elizabeth and Darcy into some sort of star-crossed soulmates instead of instant adversaries who gradually develop uncontrollable attractions to each other.
Although I have no cats and am not spinsterish, I'll wait to see it on DVD - maybe by then the mangling of this masterpiece will be less odious.
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sour milk
[Read the article: Breast is best in Massachusetts]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Hospitals are not obligated to give you any freebies, of course. What bothers me is the national drive to make women feel like there is something wrong with them if they don't want to breastfeed.
Do we really think that a woman will change to breastfeeding, or the reverse, simply because the hospital provides some promo formula, or does not provide it? That giving out free formula implies that the hospital thinks you should bottle feed? If that's the case, by giving out disposable diapers are they panning cloth ones?
Our society has gone 'round the twist in how it assumes we are nothing but witless, helpless pawns who can't make our own choices - therefore everything in society must guide, or prod us to the 'right' decisions.
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Read the decision, please
[Read the article: Survival of the unfittest]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The court's decision, totaling 139 pages, is available through cnn's website. I read every page, and recommend it highly to all.
The judge covers every possible ID/school angle in a priceless triumph of wit and legal logic. The broad-ranging decision was obviously written to provide a blueprint for other courts, and to discourage further meddling by the ID crowd in public school science. It's a hilarious yet very informing read that could answer many questions about ID as a 'theory', about evolution's standing with scientists, and what our constitution requires for public schools.
He covers everything from the antecedents, structure and scientific validity of ID (complete with self-defeating testimony from Behe, the most well-known ID 'scientist) to the affect and legality of 'disclaimers and opt-outs' obviously having to do with religion on the students and community, to the dangers of merging the scientific method (inherent in 'science' classes and scientific inquiry) with non-scientific thinking such as ID or 'alternative' texts such as the Panda book. Gems such as the judge's referring to the board's quest to insert creationism in biology class as "breathtaking inanity" and understandably irritated assertions that many of the board members outright lied in court about their real aim to insert religion in science class are sprinkled throughout.
I expected this Bush appointee to give ID the win. Not only did he declare it logically and constitutionally unfit for science class, he did so in a way that other courts will use as a clear model and precedent.
Amen!
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Very Old Dog
[Read the article: My husband's dog is incontinent and I can't stand it]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]There are a lot of vicious people here, apparently.
This dog is much like a 105 year old human, remember. It probably has very painful arthritis, blurry vision, a difficult time sleeping comfortably, and a host of other age-related aches and pains that it suffers in silence.
The incontinence is likely only due to advanced age - at 12, the dog was already quite old...now it's practically prehistoric. Hopefully they will take the dog to a vet for a qualified assessment as to whether the dog can shoulder on with caring accomodations and enjoy life for a while longer, or if it should be put down as a mercy.
I can understand the LW's feelings, and don't see anything that should prompt such vehemence and vitriol...it sounds like the husband isn't living up to his obligation to the dog, and his spotty care and situational neglect is causing larger problems. She is trying to improve the situation for her family, and asking for help. Why attack her?
She admits that she never cared for the dog very much. Well, some of us just aren't dog lovers, some of us don't automatically love every pet in our orbit, some of us don't see pets as equal to humans. She admits that she feels bad for caring about the inconvenience and bad smell. She admits that she is probably not a dog person, and that she should consider that in the future. How many of us are as honest about ourselves?