...you proved _my_ point. What were your little words of wisdom: "One day you have children, stop naval staring, and quit wasting your energy on being outraged at the unfairness, depravity, and poverty of the world." Do you have any idea how insulting you sound? You might want to look closely at the unmarried/childless people--teachers, paramedics, clerks, librarians, doctors,social workers, etc.--you and your family will depend on at some point and tell _them_ they are wasting their lives or being immature. I will also note that you didn't answer any of the questions I posed you--you just slung insults. Guess parenting is such hard work it keeps one from even coming up with a decent debate response.

>I mean, it's wrong of them to do this to you, and I think you should tell them how you feel very clearly, but they're probably young and freaked out and bringing a baby into the world and they don't need to move right now and you're single and you can just go.<

Because as we all know, single people should just drop dead if they are standing in the way of a happy famblee. Even if said famblee are a bunch of manipulative, exploitative jerks.

>I just don't think the injustice is big enough to merit a battle with a lady who's 9 months pregnant.<

Did you miss the part where she and her SO _started_ this battle? And would you let yourself be pushed out of your home like this? Why do you seem to think this woman is the Virgin Mary or something? LW, I agree with other letter writers--go to Legal Aid/a lawyer; find out who's name is on the lease; and if the name is yours, kick these people out before they take any more of your life, stuff, and time.

...it inspired me to write my first short story ever when I was a kid. And it forever made me love heriones who "used their faults"--who weren't compliant, sweet, and conformist, but stubborn, angry, and intelligent. Viva Meg!

Relatedly, AWIT was made into a woeful TV miniseries by Disney a few years back. L'Engle's comments on it were...interesting to read. To say the least...:)

>The vision of the cookie cutter houses and all the folks exiting at once, etc., scared the bejesus out of us.<

Yeah, boy, among the things that truly frightened me when I was a kid, Camazotz was near the top of the list. (INVADERS FROM MARS--in which the kid-hero's parents are taken over by aliens--was another.) And L'Engle didn't softpedal the effect of that world--she showed a kid put under near-torture for not conforming.

...because NEW AMSTERDAM sounds very much like his novel FOREVER, which also featured an immortal New Yorker.

"You can't kick a pregnant woman to the curb.<

But it's perfectly honkin' okay if single guy takes the bullet, right? For cryin' out loud--just because a woman is pregnant, does that automatically make her a new saint-on-earth? Why do you insist she gets a pass for her rotten behavior? And why do you seem to discount that the LW has rights too--the right to not be pressured out of his place by creeps who are using the "we gotta be a famblee" thing as an excuse to steal his property? God, I tell ya--some of you married folks with kids need to get a frickin' clue. You aren't the only ones on the planet, and you don't have the right to stomp all over everyone else in the name of your "sacred" bond or family unit.

Contemporary movies (particularly comedies) are dominated by guy stories and fanboy "knock up gorgeous blonde and she'll marry me" fantasies. As well, they are written mostly by men (and young ones at that) who not only resent having to understand women, but don't even want to halfway try. What "women's movies" that are out there are usually patronizing, condescending, reek of "famblee values uber alles" or "view" like the writers have never met real women in their lives. If TV provides a balance to that crap--and fantasies one doesn't have to grit one's teeth to sit through--what's the problem?

Apparently, TPTB behind selecting stuff are under the impression that only women up to size 14 buy underwear. And the Gilligan and O'Malley store brand is more filigree than comfort or durability. A shame, considering they could continue to take bites out of Wal-Mart's market if they featured larger sizes as well.

>One does wonder, though, doesn't one, why the ladies didn't like this ostensibly fabulous life you describe, and decided to fight for the right to have that 70-hour/week job.

Any thoughts on this?<

Shoot, watch any episode of MAD MEN over on AMC. That show tells you everything you need to know as to why feminism came about (among other things...). And it reveals the kind of world brightstar and his ilk bitterly resent losing--one where (white) men called most of the shots, and everyone else had to distort who they were just to survive.

>Why do we always hear unhealthy, overweight women deriding "objectification" of women?<

Because that seems to be the only standard some of you less-evolved men want to hold women to. Quit playing disingenous.

>Claiming health standards for lean/muscularity are a conspiracy against them?<

Oh, please--you guys care less about women's "health." Women who don't fit your beauty standards offend your sensibilities but you haven't got the guts to come right out and say it. Quit pretending you care about women when this is all about your selfish demand that all women be eye-candy.

>The last thing I saw her in was one of the Charlie's Angels movies. She looked... odd. It was an odd face and an odd body. She reminded me of a drag queen.<

Ironically enough, her weirdly-frozen face were what made her villain (unintentionally) creepy, not her acting talent.