Letters to the Editor
Published Letters: 18 Editor's Choice: 2
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thanks
[Read the article: Cheers for tears]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Perhaps there are women who use tears to manipulate people and get their own way, but those are people who generally will manipulate people by whatever means they have. Why should they ruin tears for the rest of us?
For a lot of people, like me, tears are the natural, honest response to something touching or emotional. When one of my friends tells me the story behind a tattoo that's particularly meaningful for her, I can't help but feel those emotions myself and start to tear up. I cry because I let myself empathize; and doesn't our world of corruption and capitalism and greed need a little more of that?
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Good advice, and I don't think you're crazy
[Read the article: I'm so vegan it hurts]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I don't want to judge the LW; I don't think zie is a bad person, or crazy, or suffering from some liberal delusion.
But I think Cary's advice is right on -- LW needs to explore zir motivation. Why be militant, and why isolate yourself from other activists? What draws you to that kind of behavior?
I've made the leap to veganism over the past few months (after 9 years or so of vegetarianism), and it has helped me immensely to realize why I'm doing it and what it means to me. I've always had strong faith and been a devoted follower of the principles of nonviolence, and Jesus as well as Gandhi, King, Fox, and so on. What I've realized recently is that veganism is, for me, a spiritual discipline like keeping kosher. It is a constant reminder for me to live every aspect of my life in a way that injures as few as possible. It reminds me that there is a better way to live than the McDonalds/Walmart/Cracker Barrel lifestyle, and I don't need to buy into it in any part of my life. It serves all these purposes for me, as well as being a good way to live.
So yes, I am disgusted by most people's eating habits, but I am equally disgusted by war, the current administration, rape and domestic violence, and quite a few other parts of this life. My veganism serves a purpose for me in dealing with all of this -- what purpose does yours have for you?
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I like fruit too.
[Read the article: Let's have a revolution! Does July 14 work for you?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Um hi, Anne Lamott, I pretty much love you.
I will show up with my knitting group. We're taking suggestions for appropriate things to knit...
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so close, and yet so far
[Read the article: Come as you are]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]More than anything, I'm disappointed by this article. I've read a bit about Mars Hill written by people involved with it, and everything I read managed to skip over the controversial bits of their doctrine. When you take that out, it sounds like a phenomenal and inspiring place -- they're right, there is a huge segment of the population that's hungry for something real and true, and religion can be a powerful force in these folks' lives.
BUT, I'm truly upset to hear that they're taking this energy, what could be a really strong force for some justice in this country, and directing it in unhealthy self-destructive ways. If these kids are so desperate for religion, let's bring them some progressive spirituality that will actually be good for them (especially the women...) and good for the country!
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Thanks, Debra.
[Read the article: Colorblind]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I must say, as a white person, I am sick to death of white folks getting stupid and defensive when anything related to race comes up.
Yes, Obama is a "safe" one, both for his immigrant ancestry and for the lightness of his skin. We can point to him and Colin Powell and pat ourselves on the back for being sooo progressive, while at the same time putting a defensive hand on our bags when white folks walk down the street in Harlem. We allow a select few educated 10-percent-African-American folks into power? Okay, doesn't mean much if the vast majority of Black folks are scary to white people and/or in poverty.
You know, immigrants are "okay" because they're foreign, they're other. A Kenyan immigrant in a private white high school is the same as the Bosnian refugee there - he's an example of our "generosity," our "openmindedness." But bring an honest-to-goodness American Black person there?? No one talked to her, except her girlfriend and her queer friends. (myself included.)
We can accept immigrants because they're an example of this backwards "third world," that we can pretend we're not responsible for their poverty. But dark American Black folks represent the failings of this so-called "equality," this "American Dream" -- they represent the fact that the civil rights movement can't be over, that work is not done. We may technically have legal equality, but social equality is a long way off.
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why is DD the racist one?
[Read the article: Colorblind]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]but jebldmm, Obama doesn't have dark skin. Why are you so defensive? Is it too much to think that racism still exists among white folks today? Why do you think an overwhelming percentage of the homeless population and the incarcerated population are Black today? What convenient explanation do you have for that?
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So she's running against Barack and John, right?
[Read the article: Hillary the prudent]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Please, please, for the love of God, stop referring to her as simply "Hillary"! That is the most demeaning, patronizing thing, and everyone is doing it. Please, Salon, rise above it.
I understand the need to distinguish her from her husband, and when there's confusion that's fine, but generally speaking, we know who's running for president!
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the name thing
[Read the article: Hillary the prudent]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Thanks for responding, WS. All I would say is, just because "everyone's doing it" doesn't mean something's not patriarchal, infantilizing, and dumb.
During slavery, a Black person was only addressed by their first name, if that. Because of internalization of oppression (and, oh, the fact that white folks robbed them of their family names), that was the norm and it took a lot of struggle to get out of that habit. Just because it was deeply rooted didn't make it okay.
What I was asking was that Salon take a step outside of the mainstream and show some respect to a presidential candidate who certainly deserves at least some.