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I'm disturbed by the tone of some of the posts I have seen today.
"Judgmental" would be an understatement in describing some of what has been
said here.  I know that this list has been discussing many volatile issues
as a result of recent events.  I know what it's like to fear walking into
the school building because I'm experiencing that myself.

However, I don't know that it's our place to condemn Dr. Laura because she
doesn't or didn't (but we're not sure which!!!) practice what she preaches,
or to condemn the mother of one of the teenagers who murdered his peers in
Colorado because she got a haircut the next day.

I fail to see what EITHER of the above anecdotes has to do with libraries or
reading (even though the original discussions were topical, these
digressions are obviously not).

Do we need to judge these people?  Do we have any clue about their motive?
Isn't it possible that Dr. Laura (whom I have never listened to myself) is
trying to help others not to make the same mistakes she did?  Freedom of
speech is for everyone, right?  Including Dr. Laura?  And isn't it possible
that the mother of a teenager who killed himself and quite a few others and
completely terrorized a town and then the nation as we watched it unfold on
TV just needed a break from the whole thing?  That mother's life will never
be the same.  Her son is dead.  She has to live with that.  She also has to
live with the fact that before he died he killed many others and frightened
many, many more.  She has to live with the guilt of wondering what she did,
or didn't do, that led her son to this point.  Let's cut the woman a break.
She is going to live in the media and legal spotlights for quite some time.
If she wants a haircut, let her go get one!  It's not like she tried to flee
the country.  People mourn in different ways and should be allowed to do so.

Please, let's be careful what WE put out there, as we are all concerned
about what others spread around on the 'Net.

"Let he who is without sin cast the first stone."
"Judge not, lest ye be judged."

Barb Szyszkiewicz
Delran HS, Delran, NJ
Homebound instructor
Future librarian

barbsz@home.com
*****  Housework can kill you, if properly done!   *****

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