A straight shooter deserves respect: Thanks for the article on PD columnist Connie Schultz ["Liberal Pukes Like You," September 24]. Long before I met Connie, I admired the authenticity of her writing. You don't have to agree with her to respect her. She doesn't talk down, doesn't hold back, and doesn't seek to entertain at the cost of making a point.
I first spoke with Connie when she was working on the story about Michael Green. Her commitment to justice and fairness is real, and so is her talent. The only surprise was that she didn't win the Pulitzer.
Lorraine Schuchart
Brecksville
Pig Pickin'
Thanks for the nauseating story: I just read the article Sarah Fenske wrote about hogging ["Big Game Hunters," October 1], and I am so nauseated. I am astonished at her willpower in not punching each and every one of those idiots for the horrible things they were saying. What sad, pathetic lives these men lead. Great writing.
Jennifer Coleman
Cleveland
Hogger envy: I wouldn't mind having some hoggers with me when I go out. Maybe they could lure the straight fat girls away from the gay men (or just pry them off, or -- better yet -- separate them with a bucket of warm water), so I could have a date once in a while.
Michael Miller
Lakewood
Subtlety will be lost on the masses: While I can appreciate the fact that Ms. Fenske did not color the article with her personal opinion on hogging in the hopes that she had given the boys enough rope to hang themselves, and I can appreciate the irony of the photo of a man depicted as a pig, I am afraid those subtleties will be lost on the masses.
My concern is for the young man who thinks this is appropriate behavior toward women and feels that his belief that women are to be used and thrown away has now been validated. The misogyny witnessed in this article goes way beyond the fact that the women being mistreated are fat.
My bigger concern is for the woman who reads this article and now believes that she deserves to be treated this way, if she starts to gain weight or doesn't go on a diet. There are very few women who don't believe they are fat. We are culturally conditioned to think that, regardless of our actual size.
But my biggest concern is for my daughter and all of our daughters, who are growing up in a world where not only does this go on, but when it is reported on, there is no clear message that abuse of women is not acceptable.
One in three women are raped, beaten, or abused. You have two choices: Participate in it, or advocate against it. There is no middle ground.
Deb Lemire
Akron
Hoggers are full of deep stuff, all right: I loved "Big Game Hunters." The subject of the article was superficially crude, but at the same time it revealed some very deep human emotions. The conversation between those four guys at the end was great. It's also a good thing you're a woman. I don't think a man could have delved this deeply into the male psyche or been able to deal with the politically correct backlash which surely would have occurred.
Dan Sweeney
Lakewood
Subtlety was definitely lost: I kept reading "Big Game Hunters," waiting for a reprieve, for something to say that this viewpoint was wrong, that fat women -- or any women -- were not something to be used and thrown away. Sadly, I did not find this. The paltry column and a half that you dedicated to this merely stated that a certain doctor felt sorry for the gentlemen who were quoted. What is that supposed to say? Is it that Scene advocates violence towards women? Because Scene did not take a stand against this type of behavior, I can only deduce that the magazine finds it acceptable. Because it reported such behavior in a storytelling format, I can only deduce that the magazine finds human degradation a source of entertainment.
How about, for the next cover story, you do a story about violating the deaf or homosexuals? Wouldn't that be fun?
Christine Grisez
Canton
Don't Snoot the Snazzy
They did it their way: I was fortunate to attend the opening-night performance of My Way at Weathervane Community Playhouse on September 12. What I saw and heard was a musical play with snazzy and sophisticated performances by the entire cast.
Christine Howey's review, "Ol' Black Eye" [September 17], gave readers a dark, negative view of the book, the play, the director, and the fine performances by Weathervane's talented cast. It was appalling that you used offensive words to point out physical traits of the performers.
This musical production was a moving tribute in honor of Frank Sinatra. The cast was excellent in keeping the Sinatra style without impersonating. The comment under the photo reveals your misunderstanding of the concept of the show.
Catherine Klein
Cuyahoga Falls
More in Store?
Thanks for the Portage reportage: In reference to "The Unlikely Triggerman" [September 10]: Unbelievable! Portage County is at it again. Obviously this is an ongoing pattern. How many others out there has this happened to? I am friends with Bob Gondor and Randy Resh. I was naive to think that their situation was an exception, not a rule. How wrong was I?
Keep up the good work!
Patty Vechery-Akey
Painesville
