Letters 

To begin with, pools have chemicals specifically put in them to keep them clean. How dumb are these people? I had a lot more I wanted to say about this, but it's an utter waste of my time.

Bottom line: The Charlotte World needs to get a life and worry about things that really concern Charlotte, such as drugs and crime, not who is swimming in their local pool. IDIOTS.

--David Moss, Charlotte

Not Enough Research
I enjoyed Laura Miller's article on Greg Crister's book Fat Land ("Welcome to Fat Land," January 15) about how Americans have gotten really fat and how it relates to class and income (ironically I was eating a big stromboli for lunch while I read it). I have to question the information about Title IX in the article, however. Both Miller and Crister seem to perpetuate the misconception that Title IX is only about athletics in schools. It is my understanding (from a recent piece on NPR) that the athletics part is only a small part of Title IX. Title IX applies to all aspects of spending on education. Before Title IX went into effect, it was common for colleges, prep schools, and professional schools (like law and medical schools) to admit many more men than women. The most common argument was that a woman was likely to "waste" her education by quitting her future career to stay home and have children, so why not give her spot to a man instead? Title IX was and is a very good piece of legislation in this area. Because it has been so successful in allowing women equal access to education, many people (those in the media included), tend to focus on the sports aspects of Title IX -- the only part that is still controversial. I feel this puts a bad name on a very good and important piece of legislation. Shame on both authors for not doing better research.

--David D. Reeves, Charlotte

No More Handwringing
Maybe they think it's a video game, but I agree with John Grooms (Another Week Already, "Wretched Excess Dept.," January 15), the media plays too much to our emotions and in the process tries to sell us sadness. One radio anchor said..."21 souls died in the crash." He said that three times and I changed stations. Leave out the heartstrings. It's hard enough to deal with. Let me decide the emotion I want to use. Maybe the fault lies with inexperience. I think of pros like Doug Mayes, Clyde McLain...more recently Bob Inman, Mike Cozza, Bill Walker, even Robert D. Raiford. Be a pro, just give me the facts and leave out the handwringing.

--H. A. Thompson, Charlotte

Sick And Tired
I would like to respond to George W. Thompson's opinion in "Letters" ("Death Penalty Debate," January 15) regarding the death penalty. Mr. Thompson threatens revenge against the "white majority" in the last sentence. I know from experience, racism works both ways. I am absolutely sick and tired of hearing about "race this" and "race that" every time I turn on the news. The problem a lot of whites have, and most will tell you this, is that 21st century whites are so sick and tired of being punished for the crimes of our forefathers that we are ready to puke dayglow.

I truly believe what Tara Servatius is saying when she says "we have come a long way." I do not feel that I owe any blacks or other minorities one thing. I do not persecute others, I work every day, and I mind my own business. Mr. Thompson's editorial would have been censored if he were white speaking adversely in reference to blacks. Let me tell you, Mr. Thompson, the whites (especially southern whites like myself who are stereotyped in the media daily) have memories like elephants also, and we are tired of being held responsible for crimes we did not commit by zealous blacks and other minorities. I spent 12 years in law enforcement enduring every slanderous/racial remark you could imagine (for years, I thought my name was "white motherfucker" or "pig"), and part of the reason I am no longer an officer is because every police official out there is looking for a way to accommodate another minority concern instead of pursuing the truth.

Why can't we look at the progress we have made instead of harping on the past? Tara has more courage than the entire staff of the politically correct Charlotte Observer, and CL is now the only rag I read on a regular basis. Keep up the splendid work, CL!!

--Rick Henry, Monroe

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