Letters to the Editor
Published Letters: 8 Editor's Choice: 3
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It
[Read the article: Cheers for tears]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]While I'm all for public displays of emotion, Ms. Berry seeks to neatly sidestep one side-effect of women crying in the workplace: sometimes it can be used to manipulate the actions of those around them.
I've seen both women and men cry at work for very good reasons: loss of a loved one, exhaustion, severe stress and unhappiness, and being fired.
But I have also seen tears used as a way of winning a point in an informal business meeting. I have also seen an incompetent manager burst into tears when confronted by patient employees who sought to meet with her about their concerns. As a result of her emotional scene, she ended up working at her job much longer than she had demonstrated ability, much to the general misery of everyone else in the office.
The fact is, as a man I hate seeing women cry if I think that I've caused it. I think that most men share this quality. And some women make use of this to win points in the workplace, eliciting shame from men and an automatic, even if undeserved, sympathy from other women.
So yes, open up and cry where and when you want. Chances are, I'll be sympathetic and do what I can to comfort you. But not if it's just a grown-up version of the frustration you felt as a child when you couldn't get your own way.
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What's McCain's plan?
[Read the article: McCain to Congress: No more pigs at the trough]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]In 1973, when it all collapsed for Richard Milhous Nixon, who was
Gerald R. Ford? Some guy snuck in from nowhere when the scandal under Nixon took Spiro Agnew.
John McCain is the spiritual heir of Gerald Ford, so that if Bush survives the next three years without impeachment or worse, the Republicans have someone to trot on from the side.
Please, people. Wake up. These are deeply cynical people who are accustomed to manipulating you. The same group that walked the halls in the Nixon and Ford years are back again, very determined to hang on to power as long as it's profitable.
Next time, I almost hope the enemies are fascists instead of these tinpot criminals. I'd rather deal with men instead of these souless creatures.
Don't vote R on the ticket. Don't let your friends. Don't let your family.
McCain is a Republican. A nice Republican, apparently. But don't support nice Republicans. Support tough Democrats.
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too good to be true?
[Read the article: Was the 2004 election stolen? No.]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]As other writers have said, I want to believe, I almost need to believe, that the election was stolen, and not that many of my dear countrymen and women were deluded, fearful, and easily-led enough to elect that awful man again.
But that doesn't make it so.
However I'd echo the call: Salon, please have some of your other writers weigh in on this. I'd fear much more comfortable with coverage of this issue by as many political and stastical smarty-pants as you can round up.
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Bravo Mr. Keillor
[Read the article: San Franciscophobia]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]You touch on my own thoughts precisely and with much greater eloqunce.
I believe that people are waking up to the unpleasant truth that they've been charmed, and bullied, and finally, shamefully, scared into supporting a man that they don't like.
George W. Bush is not unlike a car mechanic of a certain stripe. He's the sort that does only adequate service and is over-priced, but is folksy and speaks with some authority. Then one day you take your car in after it's been making an odd little squeaking sound, and he looks you in the eye and lies that it's the manifold and it's gonna cost you two thousand dollars to fix it. Then and only then, faced with blatant dishonesty and incompetence, are you going to realize that what you thought was personability was in reality a certain craven cunning, and his authority was just his pre-greased overalls.
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a new slogan
[Read the article: Foley pushed child porn bills, asked: "Do I make you a little horny?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]So here's a simple, direct campaign slogan. Feel free to print your own.
The Republican of this Congress are
sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick.
Vote them out.
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who is this tipping point tipping?
[Read the article: The elephant in the room]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Just came back this evening from hearing Brian Mann (author of Welcome to the Homeland, reviewed last week) who made the excellent point that this story may indeed have a huge effect, not by galvanizing Democrats, not even by swaying Independents, but by making the vastly important and disproportionately influential Republican base stay home.
I'm looking forward to seeing the results next month. And to doing what I can to get every Democrat I know to get out the vote.
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What's the mute button for?
[Read the article: With a movie star's help, the Democrats discover a wedge issue]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Surely I can't be the only voter out there who can't understand why ANYONE would change their vote on the basis of watching a 30 second TV ad.
What a depressing assumption about the intelligence of the American people. It seems to me that if we've gotten to a point where our elections are simply who raises the most money to buy the most TV ads, maybe the game is already lost.
Turn off your TVs. Pick up your voter's pamphlets. Encourage others to do the same.
John Longenbaugh
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tell me about it
[Read the article: I used to be in love with Dan Savage]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Those of us who live in Seattle fell out of love with Dan a long time ago. For some it was his defense of the shooters at Columbine (serves those bullies right!), for others it was his declaration that all bi-sexuals were just confused homosexuals. But nearly everyone who may have had a little soft spot in our hearts for Dan had an icky feeling when he came out FOR the war in Iraq.
Because, near as we can figure it, he believed that since Islam doesn't like gays, gay marriage, or gay adoption, all Muslims are opposed to him, and by extension everything good. Therefore, bomb the hell out of the Iraqis. That'll bring them around to our Western values!
Which means that he's as insipid and uninformed a single-issue voter as your most virulent pro-Lifer.
Oh Dan. Go back to being cute and saucy. Superficiality serves you well. Profundity doesn't.