• Letter’s insults far from rational discussion • The main culprit is the media Letter’s insults far from rational discussion A study in irony: “Over reaching power hungry leftist judge,” “condescending,” “stupid,” “fools” and “yellow” were just a few of
• Letter’s insults far from rational discussion • The main culprit is the media
Letter’s insults far from rational discussion
A study in irony: “Over reaching power hungry leftist judge,” “condescending,” “stupid,” “fools” and “yellow” were just a few of the terms used in a recent letter to TGI.
The body of that letter appeared to be intended as support for the writer’s complaint that “God forbid we have a rational discussion about anything or dare to bring up an opposing view.”
This letter itself may be seen as offering a reason why many folks don’t attempt to engage in “rational discussion.”
Suzan Kelsey Brooks, West Des Moines, IA
The main culprit is the media
There was a four-column article in the TGI (May 19) about the “sin” of Kevin Pillar, a Canadian baseball player for shouting an anti-gay slur toward an American relief pitcher at a game. He was punished for his “abominable sin” with a suspension from two games. This is utterly ridiculous, but the fact that Associated Press covered it with a 454-word article and TGI did the same thing is even beyond ridicule.
Let’s just say that it was inappropriate for Pillar to use an anti-guy slur, just like it would have been inappropriate to use any cuss word or cursing towards anyone, but why is this issue given so much attention by the media? Why is the society putting the gays and the like on a pedestal and implying that we have to be much more considerate about their emotional well-being than of others?
A large number of players, sportsmen, even politicians curse in public, and hurt the feelings of other people, but no long and detailed articles are being published about it unless the insulted are black or gay. In this “exceptional” American society women are the ones who are subjected to the most offensive slurs and cursing, and most of them totally undeserved.
Still there is silence about it in the media, except occasional coverage when the insults are accompanied by assaults. But for gays a verbal insult is enough. Why is the media not reporting in 400-plus words the instances when women have suffered these insults? I know. It would require publishing 200-page newspapers every day if the cases were to be reported in such detail.
You don’t have to love or hate gays and their likes just because they are gays. Why is the media trying to protect them like endangered animals that have oversensitive hearts? They have not contributed more to the society than our women. So, do those who offend them deserve more punishment than those who call a woman a whore unjustly? Let’s get down to Earth and without condoning cursing and insults let’s try to act as normal people in a normal society without creating a special class based on imagined and overblown sensitivity.
János Keoni Samu, Kalaheo
