Display of affection brought out prejudice
I am in my early 60s, recently diagnosed with cancer. I thought that I might need to have radiation treatments, so I cut my hair short to not shock everyone when my hair started to fall out. Well, it turned out after the third surgery I did not need to have radiation treatments, so now I'm stuck with short hair until it grows back. But, I am thrilled that I did not need those treatments.
I am married with two grown children and three stepchildren, lots of grandchildren and a few great-grandchildren.
The other night, I went out to dinner with some dear friends, one of whom I had not seen in about a month. When we were leaving the restaurant, we stood up and gave each other some great hugs, the kind of hugs that made the family of four across from us very uncomfortable. In fact, the mother made the comment that "that was disgusting." It was a hug between two loving friends. The mother, I feel, sent a message to her children that it is not acceptable to show affection to someone you have great feelings for.
It is a shame that we live with such prejudice and judgment of those around us. It would be a much better world if we showed more love and affection for those we care about. What the world needs is more love and less insecurity.
Anne Piersanti
Carson City
Paslov leaning hard to the left; hardly unbiased
I had to chuckle out loud when I read the recent letter thanking Eugene Paslov for his "voice of reason and unbiased reporting." Everyone is entitled to their opinion. My view of Paslov is of a very biased, left-wing ideologue who, I would imagine, has never found a government program he couldn't endorse. His column in (the Oct. 3) Appeal is a good case in point.
Note how he weaves into a column on racism the legitimate expression of dissent of those opposed to aspects of health care reform by dismissing their arguments as "irrational noise, misstatements/lies and expressions of violence," when in fact the vast majority of opponents are nowhere close to this characterization.
He mentions U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, as if he knows in this man's heart he is a racist because of his comment (for which Mr. Wilson immediately apologized) at the joint session. When Harry Reid called President Bush a loser and a liar, there was obviously no racism involved, so on what basis does Paslov now label Wilson a racist?
And what about the many thousands who attended the tea parties across the country and were seen on TV as law-abiding citizens in the extreme. Why single out the kooks? The left has them, too.
In his columns, Paslov spins the facts to suit his ideology. He is anything but an unbiased voice of reason.
Thomas H. Grayson
Carson City