Letters to the Editor
achilleselbow
Published Letters: 248 Editor's Choice: 15
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There's a difference between explanation and vindication
[Read the article: Military rape a result of "feminist pressures"?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Well, the op-ed definitely seems misogynist for several reasons. But you're not directing any kind of argument against the point you attack except for snide irony. The fact that the writer is obviously sexist doesn't mean that everything coming out of her mouth is wrong. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.
The central fact that comes up here, namely, that there is a culture of misogyny within the military and that male soldiers resent the influx of women and the influence of feminism doesn't seem to me to be either reactionary or groundbreaking. In other words, "Duh!". Unless you cling idiotically to the old "support the troops" line, it should come as no surprise to you that the military doesn't exactly attract the most intelligent, progressive, or self-controlled guys (this is where I diverge from the op-ed writer, who seems to think their misogyny is some sort of justified response to the 'lie' of gender equality). And having established that fact, how can one avoid the conclusion that sending women into that kind of atmosphere is, well, wrong?
Of course, I'm aware that this kind of argument can be used to block any sort of social change. But that's always the issue, isn't it? Should individuals be sacrificed on the altar of social progress? Personally, I have a hard time seeing military service as any sort of 'right' worth fighting for. But I wonder if there's some way of putting pressure on the military to change the existing culture other than waiting until there are so many rapes that they're forced to do something about it. Because, given the lack of public outrage that currently afflicts us, that may be a while. At the very least, every effort should be made to inform women considering military service of the dangers that exist. I'd also say that every effort should be made to re-educate the men, but I'm afraid that it would be done in such an idiotic way (like 'sensitivity seminars') that it would actually increase sexism.
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Two things: copyright and taste
[Read the article: A girl named Metallica]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]First of all, I'm shocked that no one's yet speculated on the fact that this all seems ripe for a lawsuit from those lovable washed-up litigation-happy sellouts. Given their past behavior, I would not be at all surprised if the couple got a cease-and-desist letter, or, better yet, if James and Lars tried to claim custody of the girl as copyrighted property.
Secondly, this seems to be a gamble, to say the least. What if the girl grows up to like Timbaland or Ace of Base? Perhaps they see the naming as some sort of pre-emptive countermeasure, as if the girl will be like "well, I am named after them, I might as well listen to them".
Really, I'm just disappointed in the poor taste of the parents. Metallica outlived their usefulness around 1988. And, being from Sweden, the parents had much better metal bands to choose from. True, "In Flames", "At the Gates", "Soilwork", or "Dark Tranquillity" wouldn't make good names, but "Amon Amarth" has some possibilities...
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Belief is not a choice
[Read the article: Something to believe in]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Can you imagine yourself just deciding one day "I think I'm going to start believing in Zeus"? You don't DECIDE to believe. Belief is something that happens automatically when you have sufficient evidence to think that something is real. Anything beyond that, I would call fanciful dreaming. I don't choose to be an atheist any more than I choose to 'believe' that 2+2=4. I simply have not been shown evidence for it. I can't speak for anyone else. Maybe all those people who claim that Jesus has spoken to them are right, for all I know. But then I'd have to ask, why would a just God who supposedly loves everyone only talk to certain people (not to mention only certain cultures)?
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Dear racist troll (aka Gordon Wagner)
[Read the article: Firing Imus was the right thing]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]"Say, did anyone other than me read that the Duke lacrosse team was completely cleared? Is that not news? Anyone read about the two white kids who were kidnapped, tortured, raped and murdered by blacks? One of those stories that just doesn't seem to merit any ink, eh? Anybody notice the 19:1 ratio that blacks murder whites?"
Yes, other people did read about the Duke acquittal. In fact, Salon covered it on Broadhseet, which you would have known if you actually read this site instead of being directed to the letters section here by a link on Stormfront or something.
And yes, everyone has noticed that ratio, which, interestingly enough, corresponds to the poverty ratio. But you don't buy that, do you? Fine. Just put your hood back on and give us all a break.