Letters, Letters to the Editor, Opinion

May 19 letters to the editor

More people should support local food drives

I always set out a large bag of food by my mailbox when there is a food drive. After putting out my bag of food last Saturday, I drove up and down Richwood Avenue and did not see any more bags by mailboxes.

I think people should feel good and obligated to help people in need of food or anything else.

I will continue to support future food drives and wish more people would do so.

It would also be nice to have a pet food drive.

Glenda L. Latusek
Morgantown

Curse less? Sure, but don’t bottle up feelings

Regarding Cal Thomas’ column about potty mouths (DP-05-15-24): It’s been a challenge for me to be in situations where profanity is thrown around like candy at Halloween. If you can say what you mean without profanity, why not go for it? Why say “hell” when you don’t know if you believe in it? Of course, there is a good metaphorical use of the word, for instance, to describe war or chemotherapy.

It was his comment about “toilet paper,” though, that got me thinking about all the words and phrases that we are not “allowed” to use. I provide a list here with some euphemisms to see the danger our society is in if we can’t express these concepts. Here goes: child abuse, breastfeeding, AIDS, living on the street, feminine hygiene, birth control, anxiety and depression, drugs, sexual abuse, sex, etc.

We can all add many more terms, but I hope we can also agree that growing up as baby boomers meant not sharing one’s inside feelings and struggles. The expectation was that you would grow up, get a job, get married and have children, and feelings were just an impediment.

I was first introduced to Cal Thomas when he spoke to my high school assembly when I was a teenager, so I have been acquainted with his views for a long time. I oscillate between liking his views and not liking them as much.

To summarize, though, I would welcome less profanity in my world, but not at the cost of having to stuff in all my other questions and struggles. Talking about issues is better than stuffing feelings down.

Steven Knudsen
Morgantown