Letters to the Editor
HesterEastman
Published Letters: 210 Editor's Choice: 21
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Screwed up parents all around
[Read the article: Parental consent laws gone amok]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]For all we know, her parents would have been supportive.
I'm guessing if they are willing to sue the other parent and the clinic for "soliciting underage girls for abortions", these are not people who would have been supportive of an abortion. That mother probably knew the parents wouldn't let her have an abortion.
That said, the woman was wrong to forge the document and pretend she was the girl's mother. The charge that she also coerced the girl I find highly suspect. It sounds like something the girl's parents would have to say in order to win a lawsuit. I'm betting the girl was all too eager to have this woman sign the paper but isn't owning up to it now. There's undoubtedly more to this story.
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@ 6stringer
[Read the article: Parental consent laws gone amok]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Quite simply its just another way for people like you to coerce others to behave as YOU would have them behave and do. And getting the law to do it for you.
Did you even read my post? I don't even know what you're talking about. You seem to be reacting to posts you imagine you're reading.
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Coercion
[Read the article: Parental consent laws gone amok]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]many people oppose these consent laws because they are scared that it will lead to these parents talking their child into actually having the baby- something they would object to for their own daughters or themselves.
I don't know - the opposition to consent laws has historically been to protect girls who will not or can not get a consent form from their parents. If a girl knows that her father will beat the shit out of her if he finds out she's pregnant, or they will refuse to sign based on their beliefs, she's not likely to ask her parents to sign. I don't think having an open-minded family make the decision together is really so threatening, no matter what they decide.
We have no evidence this girl was coerced, other than her parents say so in a lawsuit. They may have any number of motives to say or believe that she was coerced even if she wasn't. That doesn't make the boyfriend's mother right in signing the form, but it doesn't mean she was leading a conspiracy and strong-armed the girl to the clinic, either. I think it's safe to say that none of the parties in this situation have acted in the best way.
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Housekeeping toys
[Read the article: Outrage of the day: Children's salon boom]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Kids like to play with toy kitchens, food, vacuums, etc because they like to emulate their grownups. Unfortunately, they don't usually see us at work when they are toddlers, so the housekeeping is what they see. And let's face it, they play with the toys, they don't work with them.
My first child was a boy - he got the toy kitchen, toy food, toy broom (no ironing board, he certainly never saw an adult do that!) and played with it all. So we had all that stuff when my daughter came along and she liked it too. The important thing is we never told her "play with the kitchen so you can grow up to be a good wife" or any such crap. They were considered gender neutral toys, that's the important thing. (Neither of them would ever play with dolls).
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Maybe it does make sense
[Read the article: Baby's first stilettos]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Perhaps the shoes are to distract from the blue growth on the baby's head.
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Broadsheet missed the real offense
[Read the article: "I just want mayonnaise. I don't want guys kissing"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I think it's a cute commercial. The only thing I could find offensive is that the kids appear to be calling their father who makes lunch "mum" (or did I misunderstand?). That's what Broadsheet should be offended by - the notion that a Dad doesn't take care of his children. He fixes lunch? He's either the mother or gay!
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@Serai
[Read the article: "I just want mayonnaise. I don't want guys kissing"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Yeah, I get the "good enough to be a deli" part but I dont' get why the kids call him "mum" and not "dad". That's a stereotype that has nothing to do with the quality of deli sandwiches or mayo. It does have a lot to do with the fact that if two men are married, one must be a pseudo-woman, or in other words, if someone takes care of the kids, he's not really a man.
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What Botox really looks like
[Read the article: The true price of beauty is needles in your face]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Botox does not paralyze your face, make your face look "weird", or remove the ability to make expressions.
Um, yes it does. I doubt anyone would tell you, but Botox does make your face look unnatural and weird. You can see it in any issue of People magazine. I can see it on any number of women when I go to an extended family reunion. The lack of lines or movement in the face is unnatural and to me, that looks weird.
I thought it was a great clip and I'm 43. You don't have to be 25 to not get Botox and plastic surgery.
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Art?
[Read the article: "Anti-Abortion, but Pro-Date Rape"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]So... why are we saying that art that we oppose should not be allowed? Does Amazon also have the right, or even the obligation, to not sell books that you find offensive?
I'm not sure if anyone said it shouldn't be allowed, but Amazon customers should absolutely be able to say "this offends me, your customer, and I won't shop here if you carry such offensive products". Clearly, this is a message that Amazon heard loud and clear and thus took it down. They probably also get complaints about other products that they don't listen to. Amazon can sell whatever they want and their customers can complain about whatever they want. It's a beautiful thing.
And... a slogan on a T-shirt? Does not equal art.