Reader letters, responses: Label this another ‘notes from hell’
Frank Cerabino
Notes from hell; Volume 97: ■ “You made my day, so funny, your column today about delivering babies on the airplane. I copied it, sent it to all my friends and to Facebook (heart).” Robin Schell
■ “Childbirths do not happen on planes often ... It could have happened to your mother who was carrying you in her womb. Or a daughter or niece or a loved one you know that was pregnant.
“Instead of praising the airline for making sure another life is born to the world, you choose to demean the mother involved and the airline?
“You should be hung for what your wrote.
“Apologize in your next column you ...”
F. Smith
■ “I want to let you know that I have not read any of your idiotic columns since you inaccurately labeled me a ‘loyal reader’ just as you have inaccurately labeled those of us with strong moral values, common sense and conservative beliefs ‘Neanderthals.’
“However, I could not ignore the total ignorance you displayed in a recent column ...” — Bill Posset Dearest Bill: I’m no authority on total ignorance, but I think I’m on safe ground to say that you cannot claim to no longer read my column while also writing to complain about a column of mine that you have just read.
I think even people with strong moral values will agree with me on this point.
As for me tossing around the name “Neanderthal” willy-nilly to describe your political leanings, I was at a loss to remember when I have done this. So I researched it through the newspaper’s electronic library.
It turns out that my most recent use of this term was six years ago, and it was used specifically to describe Gov. Rick Scott’s bad-mouthing of anthropology as a suitable major for college students.
“Is it a vital interest of the state to have more anthropologists?” Gov. Scott had asked. “I don’t think so.”
That drew a sharp response from the American Anthropological Association, which led me to write that the anthropologists were “outing Scott as a Neanderthal.”
Which is more of an anthropology-themed quip than anything else. I’ll bet even F. Smith would be reluctant to hang me