The American Spectator

Reader Mail

(Page 5 of 9)

: /p> p>I'm curious what the kids did while the schools were closed. Did teens and pre-teens clog the malls and the shopping districts? How many parents stayed home to "protect" their children? In our area, whenever kids get a day off from learning (which seems far too often for educational purposes), they roam the streets and malls in massive throngs. With precious few exceptions, they're shrill, slovenly, disruptive and obnoxious. The only time they stayed home was 9-11-01. br> -- Kitty Myers /p>

Dave Shiflett's essay on the reactions to the sniper in the Richmond area compared to the D.C. area was the wrong interpretation. He charges that the D.C .area held firm by keeping their children in school, while the part of the state that hasn't been tainted by Yankee-carpet-bagging liberals "wet their pants" and pulled their children out of schools.

These reactions are in fact entirely consistent with the political and philosophical bent of the area. You see, the effete, panty-waisted liberals mistakenly believe that the government is responsible for protecting them. They were not told by the government to take any action, so they took none.

The reaction of the Ashland and Richmond area where many people pulled their children from school is a result of understanding that however good the intentions of the police, that in the end protection of their children is the responsibility of the parents. I'll bet that what Dave Shiflett missed is that in the D.C. area the ovine, liberal parents dutifully sent their children to potential slaughter pens, while the parents in "real Virginia" started carrying weapons to fight back if they encountered the sniper, at the same time that they removed their children as potential targets.

p>So, I would say that the spirit of rugged individualism is still very much alive in "real Virginia" and this event proves it. br> -- Mike Rentner br> Formerly of Virginia, but now in Austin, Texas /p> p> I don't live in Virginia, but given the real hysteria these sniper attacks created with real deaths, the fact that many parents were frightened for their children's safety is not "wimpy" but proper parental concern. Your making light of a tragic situation just demonstrates that (a.) you must not have children, or (b.) if you do I feel sorry for them, because you're too busy breaking your arm slapping yourself on the back that you are so witty, and have too little time for them. You are not the soul of Virginia, and you would bring shame to the heroes of the Confederacy for your cowardly, small talent attack.

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