Letters

Whole lotta bull
I began reading "The bull market" [October 8] by Mark Donald today. Finally! Someone else who actually has a brain! That "show" was the biggest offering of bullshit ever served. I just wish Mr. Donald had found me for his audience poll. Anyway, just thought I'd let you know I really enjoyed this article. Thanks for the down-to-earth realism.

Justin Montemagno
Via e-mail

In keeping with the boisterous religiosity of the Peter Lowe seminar, let me shout a loud "Amen, Brother!" to Mark Donald's article. Normally, a seminar like that would be the last place I would find myself. However, in an effort to reach beyond my normal self and try something new, I became one of the 20,000 suckers.

My pre-seminar prejudice was that the entire event would be nothing but a glorified book-signing event with a dose of religion thrown in. I turned out to be right.

I did learn something from the event, however. The next time I have an urge to reach outside myself and try something new, I will just say "No."

Alan Kazdoy
Via e-mail

Excellent negative story on the Peter Lowe success seminar at Reunion Arena. I'd say it's about time someone exposed the hypocrisy of some of those fakers by turning a motivational acting show into a religious revival.

It's about time someone told the real truth, because most of those people that put stuff like that on are nothing more than money-grubbing blowhards out for the quick buck, and it has nothing whatsoever to do with Christ or the Bible. (Most of them wouldn't know the real Bible if it bit 'em on the butt.) And then they wonder why I'm living in a homeless shelter without a job, while they're up on stage paying Zig Ziglar $30,000 a pop to speak for two hours when it's not gonna change your everyday life. It hasn't changed mine, and I used to listen to the guy on television. It's just like the cover said--they found themselves a bunch of suckers.

Anonymous
Via e-mail

The first black president
As a professional black woman, I was appalled at your article ["Black like him," October 8]. First of all, the reason black people tend to support Clinton is because he has done a lot for race relations in this country and has come closer than any other president to apologizing for slavery. Secondly, we see Starr and his lynchmen as a bunch of hypocrites. Everyone keeps saying that Clinton has broken the moral foundation of this country and the office of the president. But how many presidents have had mistresses, and more important, how many owned slaves? So don't talk to us about morals.

I personally supported the O.J. verdict, not because I thought he was innocent, but because the prosecution did not prove he was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Therefore justice was served, for once.

One point I did agree with was our view on Monica Lewinsky. Who has asked her to apologize for again setting her sights on a married man and going after him? She was not sexually harassed; she was, by her own admission, the instigator. I see her simply as another white woman going after one of "our" men.

It is probably true that black women are not as sympathetic to feminist issues. Yes, we as black women are seen by the world as black first, women second. We don't get followed around in department stores because we are women, and we don't have to present six forms of I.D. to write a check because we are women. It's simply because we are black.

Allycin Abel
Via e-mail

I read your article about the president being a black man, and I am laughing. You see, you Caucasians will never understand. As an intelligent, degreed, professional black woman, we are always underestimated. We think and act in pragmatic terms; we can't afford not to. You see, we, like Hillary, see a greater purpose for the President. We see the "gotcha" attitude of the religious right, the Rutherford Institute, and Republican laggards. Paula Jones is a little too late with her stuff. We have experienced how affirmative action has really benefited white women and allowed these "cry babies" to perpetrate their agendas through sexual high jinks and emotional outbursts. And since you media types always interject O.J. Simpson--let me tell you the real reason why we cheered, even the women in the battered women's shelter--we knew the story of how Nicole chased this married man, saw him through his divorce, and then became his wife, yet still flaunted herself to other men. We know about her drug use and her family benefiting from O.J.'s money and contacts, so we cheered because we knew this time there was justice for a black man. He didn't "beat" me or any of the women in the shelter--the case was about murder, not spousal abuse.

We support Clinton because we know that Monica was not raped and that she knew what she was doing. She entrapped him with a stained dress, and now she is famous. White women needn't be so outraged, they should instead watch their husbands, uncles, and friends who merely walk down the hallway of their homes to sexually molest their children. Boot Paula and Monica, and let's get on with the business of supporting the guy who won two terms, and you other people should just wait until the next election to vote your guy in.