Published: May 13, 2008 11:13 pm            

Readers' Forum: Wednesday, May 14

Racism, sexism die hard in U.S.

A black male and a white woman duking it out for the top prize the very same year!? And beating out all the old pros to boot! Bet on it four, eight, or 12 years ago and you’d clean up in Vegas.

Time to preen our feathers for putting racism and sexism behind us? Why not! Who can be against pride and non-prejudice? But hold the adulation. There’s a flip side to the bright coin and it’s a bit tarnished.

Feminists, like Gloria Steinem, Geraldine Ferraro, and hordes of cohorts, appear to be less than euphoric at being muscled out of their long-awaited moment in the sun. Hence, the angst of Ferraro who seems to feel the prominence of Obama is the result of his skin color.

Could it be, conversely, that many Obama supporters fear that many fans of Clinton will stick with her because of HER skin color? Or because she is a female?

So caustic is the Democratic rivalry that one poll shows that if Obama wins the nomination, 28 percent of Clinton’s supporters will defect to McCain or stay home on election day. And if Clinton wins the nomination, 19 percent of Obama’s supporters will do the same.

Another poll is almost similar: 20 percent of each candidate’s backers will defect if his or her candidate is defeated in the primaries.

Sounds like a scenario for a shoe-in victory for McCain. But who knows whether or not these stats will be validated come November?

What they DO suggest is that — consciously or subconsciously — racism and sexism die hard after four centuries in America.

— Saul Rosenthal

Terre Haute



It’s up to people to reject smears

I don’t fault Joe Selliken for his smear tactics. Any moron can print anything he likes in this wonderful country of ours. The fault is found in the people of Terre Haute who believe such trash and then go the polls accordingly.

Wake up Terre Hauteans … get your heads out of the clouds and recognize lies when you read! Don’t be duped by everything in print as being factual, especially unsigned information, learning too late, that it was lies. Wake up!

I’ve taken quite a bit of flak for things I have written in the past year because I don’t usually write unless I’m really concerned about something, but I do sign my letters. I can take the heat. I am thankful for Tribune-Star editors who can do the same.

— Patricia Goddard

Terre Haute



T-S timid? Not today

Of all the words Joe Selliken could use today to describe the Tribune-Star, “timid” would not be one!

— Vicky Burke

Terre Haute

        

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