Letters to the Editor
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Published Letters: 9 Editor's Choice: 1
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Too many assumptions about weight
[Read the article: King Kaufman's Sports Daily]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]What with daily dire warnings in virtually every media outlet about the dangers of weighing at the upper end of the spectrum, it's difficult to fault everyone for simply assuming that football players of course die young as a result of their size. And not because their bodies are pounded into the ground countless times in their short careers. And not because drug and alcohol abuse is unfortunately so prevalent in the NFL. And not because these players repeatedly push themselves to their physical limits, sometimes in extreme heat and extreme cold, and sometimes despite serious injuries. And not because they, in exchange for all the wonderful that comes with playing in the NFL, are under intense pressure throughout their careers.
Does it really surprise anyone given these conditions that football players have higher rates of cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure than the average person, fat or thin?
While arguing to the average person that fat might not be the cause of these players' deaths is like shouting "There is no God!" at a crowded fundamentalist potluck supper, it's time people start looking more critically at the broad assumptions people make about weight and health. Frankly, Charles Yesalis, the "expert" quoted in the article, appears to be basing his conclusion that (quote) "Clearly, these big, fat guys are having coronaries" on the biases he and the culture at large share.
Sandy Szwarc, RN, BSN, CCP, has written an excellent series of articles debunking research and media coverage on fat, and it should be more widely read, especially by Salon readers, who I believe are more thinking than most. Here's a link to the last article in the series: http://www.tcsdaily.com/article.aspx?id=080803C
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Persistence can make a difference
[Read the article: I am depressed, but that's not really the problem, is it?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]There are ways to get mental health treatment without insurance, and being persistent helps. I haven't read all the letters, so apologies if I'm retreading with my suggestions.
Some therapists will work for very low fees or pro bono for a portion of their patients. Contact your state's chapter of the American Psychological Association (APA) or the National Association on Mental Illness (NAMI) to learn wat resources there are in your area. Community mental health clinics are also an option.
I would also e-mail or call the Sidran Institute , which maintains a database of therapists (many of whom work on sliding fee scales) who have experience treating trauma and depression. Although you may not have PTSD, the recent deaths and other events in your life may certainly have you feeling the effects of traumatic stress, one of which is depression. There's a good chance they could also recommend a few books or even give you leads on a support group or two, depending on how close you live to a major city.
LW, I suffered from major depression from early adolescence until very recently -- I'm 31 now. I know well the lack of energy, the deep drain, the facade of being productive at work and in other areas of life. Medication helped me tremendously, as did therapy, acupuncture, and meditation. It *is* possible for you to heal. You need to find your meaning in life and the conviction to live it. Don't give up.
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Attacks on looks, gender, sex status are revolting from any party
[Read the article: The Republican candidates -- and Ann Coulter -- try out their acts]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]If you're as ticked as I am that Coulter is trying to use Al Gore's weight to malign him and referred to Edwards as a "faggot", you won't stoop to insulting Coulter's (or Guiliani's) body, level of attractiveness, gender/sex status. Let's stick to the substance.
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My 2 cents as child of a physically abusive father
[Read the article: He spanks in anger]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]LW, from the time I was a young child to the time I was a teenager, my father grew from a man with a quick temper who occaisionaly spanked to a depressed, angry, out-of-control man who regularly beat my brother and emotionally harmed me and my sister. It was horrfying as a sibling, and I spent many, many nights trying to determine not how to get an adult to step in but whether it was okay for me to do so. My brother didn't have a broken bone, right? Was it really abuse? Was it enough to justify sending my own father off to jail?
I would have given anything for one of my aunts and uncles, all of whom witnessed various beatings and incidents over the years but stayed silent, to have intervened.
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Too bad
[Read the article: Goodbye to the Fix, for now]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Although I realize I can read gossip elsewhere, I don't want to. The Fix was short and sweet and a nice diversion from War Room and everything else I read on Salon. I could read an item or two between bites of sandwich or telephone calls when I needed a break. Longer articles and even a new culture blog just won't be the same. I'm disappointed.
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@Droogoy
[Read the article: King Kaufman's Sports Daily]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]It's true that there's no law mandating that everyone gets to watch, but there should be. Football is subsidized by taxpayers' dollars (e.g., stadiums) and has no business being shown on cable at all.
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Marking Memorial Day Isn't About Being Pro-War
[Read the article: Playing soldier]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The fat men on bikes in the capitol on Memorial Day -- many veterans themselves -- are not pro-war because they parade. They are honoring the men and women who have fought and died in this and previous wars -- a worthy cause. W. should have nothing to do with it. And the last I checked, fat people's honor and respect of the dead is just as real as thin people's.
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Catfight *cringe*
[Read the article: Pipe down, Cindy McCain]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Really? Catfight? Not argument, disagreement, even petty argument?