Editorial Comments Update

People are just nuts. I got a letter from some little old lady thanking me for my letter to the editor, which is nice I guess, but really? I guess I should just be grateful for the support, because later Friday evening I had a call from an obviously older gentleman who at one point identified himself as a minister, but never gave his name or anything, who took issue with my criticism of Elizabeth Dole. I politely told him that I appreciated his difference of opinion, but that he was welcome to write a letter to the paper as well.

Whatever. People need some hobbies I think.

Editorial Comments

Me, being me, I have discovered the power and joy of venting my complaints by writing letters to the editor.

A couple of weeks ago my local paper ran a letter from a woman praising Senator Dole for her efforts on women's issues over her years in Washington. Liddy Dole may be many things, but she ain't a proponent of women's rights. I conferred with my local NOW chapter and we decided to pen a letter about Dole's true record.

That letter ran today and man you would not believe the emailed comments it has received on the paper's Web site! I have been called a baby killer and a man hater. Part of me is amused and another part is horrified (now might be the time to get an unlisted phone number methinks). I mean some of these letters are obviously written by delusional  nut jobs, some have a bit of coherence to them and others are just plain nasty. But there have been defenders of my letter as well and for that I am grateful. (Just for the record, I don't kill babies and I like most men just fine, thank you!)

I really wasn't trying to cause any trouble, I just wanted to clearly state the facts that during Dole's political career she opposed the Family Medical Leave Act (FLMA); voted against SCHIP six times, before finally saying yes to a health care coverage boost for underprivileged kids; reversed her initial support of the ERA; voted against the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, allowing women more than 180 days to file a suit for pay discrimination; and has been less than inclined to support reproductive rights. See? Bad record on women's issues.

And you thought today's post would be about Hillary Clinton!