Today's Letters: Don't lump all youths together

By LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published October 14, 2007

Let's hope we see the walker soon Oct. 10, letter

In her letter, Shirley Kinor makes two statements that are totally off base: "How can this younger generation be so cruel and do so many bad things?" and "I'm sure many in Hernando County are pulling for (John) Kelly, as I am with all my heartfelt sympathy for the rash behavior of younger people nowadays."

Yes, we all feel terrible about what happened to "The Walker," and yes, the three people who did this are despicable. But lumping all young people into one group and calling them all capable of rash behavior and cruel acts is totally wrong.

I have had the opportunity to work with young people while running a large walk site for multiple sclerosis. I went out to 26 high schools, 6 colleges and several middle schools recruiting walkers, and what I found is a remarkable group of people, doing so many things for others out in the community. It breaks my heart when someone lumps all young people into one group and labels them as cruel.

Yes, there are a few bad apples in the younger generation of today, but there are a few bad apples in the older generation, as well. We should celebrate the youth of today and all the great things they accomplish in our communities.

Ruth Parsons, Brooksville

Familiar, down-home story satisfies Oct. 9, review

Reviewer missed 'Magnolias' point

I was visiting in Spring Hill and saw the Oct. 6 performance of Steel Magnolias at Stage West Community Theater. I thought it was great! I wonder, after reading Barbara Fredricksen's review, if we saw the same play.

The play I saw (performed most skillfully by its actors, especially Morgan Reid) opened a picture into the world of how a woman (played by Reid) totally dedicated to her sick child might get through each day of her life. Further, the performers showed the audience what would save this woman when the purpose for her very being was taken from her.

This play, like just about any other play, is about the successful or unsuccessful interaction of the characters (comedy/tragedy) and the ability of the actors therefore to reach their audience with the playwright's theme. I saw this connection between the actors. I felt this connection. I was brought to tears, by Ms. Reid, as was most of the audience. But Fredricksen never mentioned any of these things. Did she miss them altogether?

Fredricksen mentioned that Ms. Reid "hovers ... watchfulness gets a tad cloying at times," but "she does do a nice job of showing concern." What? Did Fredricksen not understand the character of M'Lynn at all? Thank God Ms. Reid did understand that any good mother of a diabetic daughter with a willful streak would "hover" big time.

If the playwright wanted her to be the loving character, frightened to death and in partial denial, he would have written it that way. Fredricksen might have wanted her to do a nice job of "showing concern." However, she did an excellent job of dealing with her daughter's problems. Fredricksen didn't write the play, did she?

As long as I'm on the topic of Ms Reid, Fredricksen mentioned that she "chewed the scenery a bit much in her big dramatic moment near the end of the play." Here again, she really misses the boat. To my mind, Ms. Reid brilliantly portrayed the only emotional character in the play. Everyone else is in the beauty parlor. Her daughter died! She needed to emotionally save herself by hitting something after she lost her daughter, no matter how hard she tried to save her. Hers was the job of setting up the "Here, you hit Miss Ouiser instead" business, done by Pat Ryan. Didn't Fredricksen get that? Doesn't she see how flawlessly Ms. Reid did that? Brilliant! What a shame it would have been for us, if Ms. Reid didn't make that happen.

Maybe, as Fredricksen seemingly suggests in her review, Ms. Reid should have tapped the table so that the older lady could then say "Here pat Ouiser a little." Hear anyone laughing at that line, Ms. Fredricksen?

Perhaps Fredricksen is tired, or perhaps she just did not understand this play. I really do think she can do a better job at reviewing plays than she did this time. She just really missed the boat, and especially the depth of Morgan Reid's performance. Your readers deserve a better theater reviewer.

Tom Resnick,Farmingdale, N.Y.

Reptiles and amphibians have their place Oct. 5 story

Reptiles poor choice for pets

The fact that people let reptiles loose, causing harm to the ecosystem, is just one of many drawbacks to having them as pets. Reptiles have complex needs that are difficult to meet in captivity. An iguana can grow from 5 inches to 5 feet in 5 years. Countless pet reptiles die due to inadequate care.

Additionally, reptiles carry salmonella. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends children under age 5 and people with weakened immune systems avoid all contact with the animals. The risk is so great that selling small turtles (with shells less than four inches long) is illegal in the United States.

The consequences can be tragic: This year a 4-week-old Florida girl died from salmonella from a pet turtle.

In the interests of public health, animal welfare and the environment, the Humane Society of the United States recommends against getting reptiles as pets.

Beth Preiss, director

Exotic Pets Campaign

Humane Society of the United StatesGaithersburg, Md.

[Last modified October 14, 2007, 00:02:32]