I agree with you about reparations. How do you determine who deserves them and who doesn't, since so many black people's ancestors didn't arrive here until after slavery and so few records were kept? The only people who should get money are the slaves themselves, not their children, grandchildren, etc. And I say that as the descendant of a slave.
But for you to label me and 98 percent of blacks as ignorant shows only your own ignorance. Many blacks are doctors, lawyers, CEOs, etc. As for your half-hearted apology, it had all the charm of a fart in church. Please get an education -- study history, particularly -- so you'll be informed the next time you shoot off your big mouth
May I also say I do not hate or stereotype white people. I know them for the most part to be kind, considerate, loving human beings, as I hope you will someday be. I also acknowledge there are some black racists.
Davey Houston
Lakewood
A Modell Miscue?
Lawyer's suckitude called into question: The 2006 Modell Award to B. Kelly Tompkins is undeserved [December 20]. Aside from the fact that the Woodses did not win a suit against the Akron Schools, Tompkins was not the Cleveland Bar Association president when the UPL complaint was filed against the Woodses.
The issue was simply whether any parent should be in federal court representing anyone but themselves. But the secondary issue was whether autistic children in general are being properly represented by non-lawyer parents, regardless of whether the school system settles.
Mr. and Mrs. Woods were subpoenaed three times to appear to give their side of the story and refused to do so. So while I can appreciate the spirit of the Modell Awards, particularly since I am a loyal Browns fan, I do not think your "award" to Tompkins was appropriate or fair.
Michael P. Harvey
Rocky River
Good News for Jewish Men
Sharon Z. may still be available: Not only does the article "Cupid's Crisis" [December 13] unnecessarily offend everyone it talks about, but Lisa Rab took everything I said out of context. I talked to her for about 30 minutes, and the one thing she picked out to mention was minor in the scheme of the conversation.
She fails to clarify "normal," which I defined to her as someone who shares my personal beliefs on Judaism. My intentions in using the word were not meant to be hurtful. I am so angry that I was portrayed as such a bitch. If I hated Jewish men as much as the article suggests, why would I be at the event in the first place?
Sharon Zaidenras
Beachwood
Sick World, Sick Man
Killing for Hitler is so 1970: This was indeed an interesting story ["Cheating Death," December 6]. This man/woman/girl/boy was, as they said, a "nerd." Nerds are often quite bright, but this one was not, although he/she fancied himself or herself to be. Not even bright enough to stick to a ridiculous story. The Hitler slant is so outdated that it sounds ridiculous. Killing in the name of God or religion is outdated and overused.
This fool has what is called a histrionic personality. He craves attention to insane degrees and will do anything to achieve that goal. In this instance, it was murder mixed with sadistic sexual cravings.
I am quite surprised this little piece of useless flesh has not been pulverized in prison, but then again, he probably enjoys the attention of his cellmates and admirers.
Sick world, sick man. Not crazy, though. Just enough intelligence to work the system. What a shame.
Jennette Vicelli
Lakewood
Fresh Air for Old Pilots
Army of Anyone goes deep and scores: Nice job on the Army of Anyone article ["He's in the Army Now," December 13]. The album is a breath of fresh air and does sound a little like Stone Temple Pilots, but if you like the DeLeo brothers, you take the bait hook, line, and sinker. Pretty cool lyrics too. A little deep, but thoughtful.
Billy Westfall
Akron
Kevin O'Brien: Kook-Genius
Beware of militant treehuggers: Scene calls Kevin O'Brien of The Plain Dealer a "kook" because he mocks the man-made global-warming myth [First Punch, December 13]. But this is backwards, guys. It's the environmental extremists who are the nutjobs.
Here are just some of the instances where eco-radicals, using propaganda and junk science, have created hysteria that ultimately proved unfounded: the DDT scare, silicone breast implants, false fears over nuclear power, and global cooling. (Yes, global cooling. Many of the very same "experts" who now tell us the earth is warming told us just a few years ago that the earth was cooling.)
And let's add the "AIDS crisis" to this list. According to The New York Times Almanac 2007, the top two leading causes of death in the United States in 2002 were heart disease and cancer. Guess how many deaths were attributed to AIDS in 2002? Only 42,136.
And what is the commonality of all these exaggerated crises? It's that their proponents, like Al Gore, structure their arguments in such a way that you must drop everything and turn over a significant portion of your freedom and money to them so they can save the day. Puh-leeze.
Kevin O'Brien, far from being a kook, is a voice of sanity crying out in this politically correct wilderness of ours.
Peter Skurkiss
Stow
