I don't treat my children "that way" either. But I see many parents who do. My oldest child is going off to college and have had the chance to watch how other parents mold their cildren. We live in a very competitive area where parents begin to strategize how they'll get Suzy or Timmy into Harvard practically the day they see the pink "+". Their children must be stars: 1st chair flute, captain of lacrosse team, found a charity to feed homeless alligators, fluent in 5 languages, winner of Intel science contest, etc. I exaggerate but not much. Just because Ms. Sey's parents focussed their energies on one thing - it isn't different.

Parents who become so enmeshed in their children's lives always say, well, it is not me, this is what Timmy wants. And the children go along with it and probably believe it - what else can they do?

The fact that Ms. Sey's parents ignored the fact that she was depressed and probably suffering from anorexia says a lot about where they were coming from: it was all about their daughter's medals, not their daughter. I don't see how you can interpret that any other way.

I tried to make the point that this is not only about athletics not about gymnastics, not about swimming, or any other sport. It is also not only about children violin virtuosos, baby actors, child beauty pageants, or chess prodigies.

It is about how we treat children (yes, we) in our culture. So, banning gymnastics, whatever, begs the question.

Me too: 51 year old white woman, "one hot flash away from renouncing my demographic group."

The letter writers who think an Obama loss would "teach the DNC a lesson" have swallowed, hook line & sinker, the false narrative created by the Clinton campaign to explain away her loss. The democratic primaries and caucuses, while not perfect, were fair. The Clinton campaign never complained about the process until it looked like Hillary was not going to clinch the nomination by February or March.

What is the point of this "lesson"? That democratics will have an epiphany, run to Hillary as their savior, apologize for doubting her? Just won't happen. The Clintons and the FOB&Hs no longer control the DNC. And, once the DNC have been "taught the lesson" what would you have them do?

What good has ever come from acting out of spite?

I believe that continuing Republican rule will come very close to ruining our country and we must change course. I believe that Obama is the best person for the job. Yet, no Hillary supporter has ever asked me why I believe this. I would love to have been able to engage in a respectful, dispassionate discussion with a Clinton supporter on the merits of each candidate.

Where did the 25% figure come from? Also, it would interesting, but probably impossible, to know how many of that 25% are imposters - Republicans who would not have voted for the Democrat in November regardless of who she/he was.

PUMA is a fraud. The Executive Director and founder of PUMApac, Darragh Murphy, gave money in 2000 to John McCain (campaign contributions are a matter of public record). When asked about this she said that in 2000 she supported Al Gore and thought that McCain would be weaker in the general election. Yet, she never gave Al Gore a penny. And this is a women who lives in Carlisle, MA, an affluent suburb of Boston. Presumably she could have afforded to give some money to Gore. (Can't remember where I read this but I Googled PUMA and got several hits.) It would be interesting to look at PUMApac donors and cross-reference to Republican donors.