Letters to the Editor

Regarding Sherry Fair’s article (News, “Teacher incentive,” April 12, 2010, Gazette): There is one major, greatly overlooked reason why teachers’ pay should not be tied to what is cleverly, and misleadingly, referred to as “student achievement.” If such an evaluative tool is to be used, it should be used honestly. If student achievement, or educational […]

In response to the May 5, 2010, article about mushrooms (Greg Horton,”‘Shroom with a view, Oklahoma Gazette), I wish to take this opportunity to alert anyone who might be considering using mushrooms, whether for spiritual, recreational or any other reason: Please beware! My 22-year-old son used mushrooms one time, on Friday, March 13, 1981, with […]

It takes a village to raise a child. A hallmark of civilization is how societies have struggled to solve the evolutionary dilemma of mother’s baby being daddy’s maybe. The biological fact of it is universal while the greatly varied attempts to answer it are an aspect of culture. Social problems are subjective. What is a […]

In the past, the editorial staff of The Oklahoman has proclaimed that Oklahoma City is “recession-proof” and “big league.” If we are, indeed, recession proof, why are they eliminating 57 positions in their organization? Why wouldn’t they just raise the price of the paper (again) and save these jobs? But, on the bright side, Oklahoma […]

To Tom Furlong (Letters, “Defining marriage,” April 21, 2010, Gazette) and other similar self-proclaimed “authorities” on law, our Constitution, human rights and where gays fit into all this: Gay couples do not already have the same rights as other couples, even in a legal or civil union, because most jurisdictions don’t recognize those unions, even […]

Thanks for LeighAnne Manwarren’s article, “State of abortion” in the May 5, 2010, Gazette.In part, the article explained that House Bill 2780 recently became law in Oklahoma but is on hold pending the outcome of a lawsuit filed by the Center for Reproductive Rights, New York.This new law requires that a woman seeking an abortion […]

This is in response to the April 29 Oklahoma Gazette Commentary articles (Bob Gresham’s “Point: Christians and Muslims in Oklahoma” and the Rev. Paul Blair’s “Counterpoint: ‘Proclaiming truth is not hateful’”). The ridiculousness that I hear and see here in Oklahoma against Muslims is appalling. Paul Blair states that Islam is against the Constitution. The […]

The tragic decisions of Timothy McVeigh, 15 years ago, illuminate the terrible consequences resulting when anyone takes it upon themselves to “retaliate” violently, no matter how “justifiable” they believe their anger is. Three people I knew were murdered that day, and the losses imposed on others by McVeigh’s personal mission still stab the hearts of […]

I read with both great interest and amusement Douglas L. Thompson’s letter (“Freedom of religion does not mean freedom from religion,” April 21, 2010, Gazette). His letter makes a masterful statement of the woeful lack of knowledge about history, both American and world. His own statement that as of 1787 that 99.8 percent of the […]

Thank you for your meaningful article on the health benefits of breast-feeding (Malena Lott, “Breast is best,” April 21, 2010, Gazette). You are right in line with the Healthy People 2020 by the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control. This article will reach many of our high-risk young women who have at-risk […]