Letters to the Editor

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AKA Smith

Published Letters: 6540     Editor's Choice: 93

  • In the spectrum of offensiveness . . .

    [Read the article: Is Oprah the new Imus?]
    [Read more letters about this article: Here]

    Oprah's comments were not offensive at all. She was telling her story. Comes under the category of autobiograph-ing. She's not supposed to talk about her grandmother? Come on. She's not supposed to mentioned her current status as employer rather than being in the maid position her grandmother anticipated? Come on. She's not supposed to mention that "white folks" work for her? Well, they do, don't they? We all own our own stories and have a right to tell them.

    Was Rosie's making fun of Asian speech offensive? Of course it was. She used one of the things that Asian people are most sensitive about to make a stupid joke. However, she is a comedian. She gets some slack for that -- even if it was not one bit funny.

    Imus characterized young women using a (sometimes) racial trait (nappy hair) and a word that stands for whores. Offensive. Offensive. Offensive. Not only is he calling names; he is insulting blacks and women all in the same foolish comment.

    For Oprah's comment to rise to offensiveness she would have had to say something like "I chain those white folks up and whup 'em everyday!" Now that would have been offensive.

  • Calm down MWise!

    [Read the article: Does acting like "one of the boys" make you more likely to be harassed?]
    [Read more letters about this article: Here]

    You and I both know that those whiny fellas could get laid if they really wanted to. They're jus too cheap to pay for it.

    Guys (you know who you are), you need to find the part of town where them gals stand on street corners wearing those short shorts in freezing weather and flinging those tacky feather boas about. I guarantee you will get off as cheap!

    Of course you will jus hafta use some part of yore anatomy besides yore fingers on the keyboard, ya'll hear?

    Oops. Was that an offensive sexually harassing statement? Don't take it personally. All in good fun. Just joking.

    (I never feel like I have been properly baptized unless I have at least one comment deleted. ;) )

  • True Story about Two People

    [Read the article: I don't want more kids but my wonderful husband does]
    [Read more letters about this article: Here]

    I will call them Joanna and James. Both Joanna and James had been married before. When they met one another, both were quite wary about marriage. Long story short, they fell in love and did marry each other. I believe both still sincerely love each other but the marriage itself is falling apart and they are having serious and bitter quarrels.

    When they married, they agreed that neither wanted children. She has a serious medical condition. He has three children by his previous marriage. Two years into the marriage, Joanna became pregnant. Absolutely everyone she knew thought she should have an abortion due to her medical condition. Under pressure -- insistent pressure from James -- she agreed to have an abortion.

    Fast forward to five years later: James and Joanna have a quarrel about money and relatives. In the course of the quarrel, she mentions that James made her abort her baby. James becomes infuriated. A couple with no previous physical violence in their marriage, they come close to physical blows. They actually do get to screaming and pushing and a raised fist.

    Joanna has confided all the above to me. They are close friends to me. I love them both dearly. I hope they can both overcome their anger about this decision of the past which has now become a reopened wound festering between them.

    LW, you do not say what you were doing to prevent pregnancy when you became pregnant. If you were relying upon the endo to protect you from the likelihood of pregnancy, you were operating in bad faith. If your husband kept persuading you not to have your tubes tied or have a hysterectomy because he secretly hoped you would become pregnant, he was operating in bad faith.

    Here are the facts: To you, you are carrying a fetus. To him, you are carrying his child. Cary has some nice hopeful advice. You might consider it and any other nice hopeful advice you receive. I won't give you nice hopeful advice. You carry the potential union of your love for your husband within you. He is your husband. He is not some casual guy that you just dated for a bit. You have made promises to each other.

    Do not mistake me. I am prochoice. I think abortion should be legal, safe, and rare. In your situation, I think you should have this child.

  • Gee, I don't know Anonymous. Just how young . . .

    [Read the article: Does acting like "one of the boys" make you more likely to be harassed?]
    [Read more letters about this article: Here]

    a "female" do you have a yen for?

    If you define any woman of any power at all as a "man-hater, how powerless do they have to be to appeal to you?

    As to the prostitutes I mention, they really are pretty powerless.

  • Anonymous, you did not answer my first question.

    [Read the article: Does acting like "one of the boys" make you more likely to be harassed?]
    [Read more letters about this article: Here]

    Go ahead and answer it and then I will elaborate upon my opinion of prostitution.

  • If PTSD is a brain injury . . .

    [Read the article: Getting blown up, again and again]
    [Read more letters about this article: Here]

    could someone please explain to me how people can have PTSD who have had no physical injury?

    Are we talking here about emotional trauma affecting the physical structures of the brain?

  • Very interesting Anonymous. Real insight into your character.

    [Read the article: Does acting like "one of the boys" make you more likely to be harassed?]
    [Read more letters about this article: Here]

    About prostitutes: I think they do it for the money. No kidding.

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