Letters to the Editor
ac_in_dc
Published Letters: 64 Editor's Choice: 12
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@thrasher
[Read the article: The comeback chick]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Thrasher,
Obama's blackness helps him sometimes. Where I live, my friends of all races--including asians & latinos, particularly those of us with a motley mix of some kind that defies the check-boxes--can identify with his multiculturalism, as well as, of course, his positive message, electrifying rhetoric, and acceptable stance on the issues.
No doubt, though, that racism in some parts of this country hurts Obama's chances, just as sexism hurts Clinton's. So I sympathize with your frustration and perception that racism made the difference in last night's primary.
That being said, I generally identify as a white woman (despite my motley background), and am deeply offended at the generalizations and characterizations made in your post about "white women". To say that white women, in the end, follow the leads of their husband is equivalent to saying that black men follow the leads of their white masters. Don't presume to know how I think, or how my mother or sisters or white female friends think, okay? I'll return the favor.
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If doctors are worried about misinformation, then help us get the right information
[Read the article: Is there a doctor in the mouse?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Congratulations to Dr. Parikh on embracing this new kind of doctor/patient dynamic and understanding that the medical profession needs to move past the paternalism that characterized it a century ago.
In this brave new world of limited insurance coverage, I must be strategic about what medical care I seek lest I go broke. Most of the doctors I've seen are not at all surprised that I've researched my symptoms before coming to them. They treat my questions with respect.
But I have been duped on-line before. A few years back I was struck with a nasty case of poison ivy, and a series of advertisements for a cure that was not effective were ingeniously imbedded in discussion boards on multiple poison ivy web sites, with extremely subtle product placement that I didn't recognize until I revisited the sites after the remedy didn't work. If one googles "depression" the first site that comes up looks innocuous, but is actually run by a pharmaceutical organization. Not exactly unbiased information for the treatment of a potentially life-threatening disorder.
If the medical establishment is concerned with patient misinformation, than perhaps they could assist us with our research and fact-finding through a network of "AMA Approved" web sites and sources of information. I'd for one would appreciate the help.
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I think naive is OK...
[Read the article: My partner is being stalked by a trolling MILF]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Isn't it OK to respond to the warm cookies email with:
Dear MILF,
Thanks, I'll let [boyfriend] know you were thinking about him.
Need Extra Clarity
Even if it's a lie, it's the Emily Post thing to say. Anything more or less gives her power over you. You don't look dumb with my suggestion; you just look like you've got better things to do than to pursue a pointless dialogue with someone who means nothing to you, but you're too classy to ignore someone's email.
Although considering the number of (pointless?...no!!!) letters I've been writing to Salon lately, maybe I'm not one to advise on pointless dialogue, or monologue, or whatever.
Have fun with the reply, and don't let your boyfriend or this milf mess with your head, ok?
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Congratulations LW, you're on the path to wisdom
[Read the article: I'm a doubting teenager]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]My advice is to thoughtfully question authority while being respectful of your past. That's the key to developing your own moral compass.
Here's an example: I'm Roman Catholic, and I don't agree with the church that homosexuality is wrong. So, I read the bible's teachings on homosexuality, I talked a priest and a sister (nun), and I read some books and articles describing the church's stance and where it came from. I thought about the issue and prayed about it, too. I still don't agree with the church's teachings but I do agree with the principals that lead to these teachings: we should love and respect our bodies in the same way that God loves each of us. I keep urging the church to change its views in any way I can, while maintaining respect for those who sincerely agree with the church without expressing hatred or bigotry.
Depending on how different your views are from those of your church, you may not be able to still consider yourself a Christian (or a fundamentalist christian, or whatever) at the end of your own, unique, spiritual journey. But I hope that, regardless of where you land, you can still respect the way that you were raised. Both your parents and your church have helped to make you into the intelligent, compassionate, and thoughtful young woman that you are today.
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Scientist, redefine the boundaries of your system
[Read the article: I'm a brilliant scientist and I fear for the world's fate]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The LW is looking at the world's problems--peak oil, overpopulation, etc.--with the perception that he is zooming back, examining humanity and the planet using a broad perspective (physics plus economics plus humanities and all of that). In reality, he's using too narrow a lens. The only way to cope with the impending doom of the human condition is to understand that no matter how many disciplines you educate yourself in, no matter how much you learn about the dire future of our delicate planet, you cannot possibly understand all of the forces at work in this world. And even if you could, what about the larger forces at work in the universe, spanning nearly 14 billion years and infinite galaxies?
It's impossible for a single human mind to do comprehend all of this. That's why people just as smart as you, with the same potential for critical thinking and scientific analysis, rely on faith. It fills in the gaps between what they think is a terrible conclusion to this mess we call life and what they hope is an incomprehensible, but ultimately beautiful, order to the universe.