Letters to the Editor
kansasgirl
Published Letters: 109 Editor's Choice: 15
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Doesn't sound anti-feminist to me
[Read the article: Single? Hand over your briny vegetables!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I don't think Novak is saying we should take off our shoes and stay in the kitchen, but she is saying we shouldn't try to one-up the man and prove we don't need him. Even sensitive feminist guys want to be an equal partner, not a doormat. Hell, I don't want a man who keeps trying to tell me how fine he is without me in his life. I want someone who wants a partner and who appreciates what someone else brings to the table.
I think some of us single women (and I include myself in this) are still trying to navigate how to be strong independent feminists yet have partnerships with men. We're trying so hard to do things on our own we take it as an insult or a sign of failure if someone wants to help us. I even see this happen in how my girlfriends relate to one another. One of my good friends recently had some medical problems, and despite the offers of many friends to help take her to dr's appointments and help her wade through insurance forms, she was bound and determined to do it all on her own because she's an independent woman. I know I've done the same thing when I should've asked for help. If we do this to our own friends and family, of course we're going to do it to the men in our life. But if we're looking to build a partnership with someone, we need to learn to ask for help sometimes. And sometimes that might mean asking for help when we really don't need it, just so someone feels wanted. I don't think that's so horrible.
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Why not tell the wife?
[Read the article: Have I ruined my karma by sleeping with prostitutes?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I get those of you who think it's cruel and will hurt her...but personally I think it's crueler and more disrespectful to continue lying to her (because, let's face it, that's what he's doing by not telling the truth). The LW has kept an enormous secret from his wife for years, and if he truly wants a good healthy marriage, it needs to be based on honesty. Yes, she'll be hurt. That's life. Better to be hurt by the truth than live with lies.
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Consciousness of dogs
[Read the article: An Olympic disgrace]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The author says "Nonetheless, each one of them is a life, full of consciousness and joy, as anyone who has lived with a dog or cat knows."
I think it's more accurate to say "as anyone who has anthropomorphized a dog or cat believes." Dogs may feel "joy" at dinnertime, but I think it's a stretch (or delusional thinking) to believe dogs or cats are "full of consiousness and joy."
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Anthropomorphizing
[Read the article: An Olympic disgrace]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Jwjojo - I grew up on a farm. I've had pets that I loved very much. I've spent countless hours with cats, dogs, horses, cattle, sheep and pigs. These "relationships" are vastly different than the ones I have with humans.
You say: "there are tons of documented stories about dogs suffering from depression, seperation anxiety, and intense joy (not to mention other feelings)." I'm sure there are stories documenting dogs reacting to events in different ways. I'm curious though, how do they learn if a dog experiences depression or joy? Do they ask the dog? Or do they observe the dog's behavior? I suspect they're observing the dog. Yes, dogs react when a human or other animals dies, or when they are separated from another animal or human they are familiar with. Bees react if you move their hive. Do you think they're depressed? I don't for a minute believe that dogs' depressions, separation anxiety or joy are remotely the same as what a conscious human being feels. I don't believe dogs have any self-awareness, and I do not think they "feel" emotions as humans do.
I understand if you’re a vegetarian and think it’s cruel to eat animals, but if you’re okay with eating cattle you shouldn’t judge others for eating dogs. Cattle can be just as friendly and personable as a dog, they’re just not as cuddly.
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Re: a key point missing
[Read the article: Is Briana Waters a terrorist?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]This does seem to be a very big key point. It makes me question the credibility of Salon's report when the biggest piece of evidence against Waters is ommitted from this article. This is about as fair and balanced as Fox News.
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This letter cracks me up
[Read the article: The strange case of midnight renegade oleander gentrification camouflage]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The LW is obsessing over her neighbor for obsessing over her neighbor.
LW, if your "not-white" (by the way - WTF is that about?) neighbor isn't concerned about the oleanders, why are you? Your husband is right - let it go!
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Re: plenty of reasonable doubt
[Read the article: Is Briana Waters a terrorist?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Seventh, you say you haven't seen any damning evidence and the articles don't point to any. That's my point exactly. This article seems to be the most thorough (among the others I googled) - and this article doesn't mention what seems to be a vital piece of evidence. Now I have no idea what ALL the evidence is, and I certainly don't know enough about the case to know whether or not there's enough reasonable doubt. What I do know is that this article neglected a major fact and seems, to me, to be pretty biased. That's not to say Waters is guilty - it's just to say that I don't think anyone can make a decision about her guilt or innocence based on the selective reporting in this article.
I will say that being young and stupid and a college girl in love isn't really a valid defense for being an accomplice in any sort of crime....and I say this as someone who was once a young stupid college girl in love with a sketchy guy.