firecat: statuette of sumo wrestler crouching (sumo)
firecat (attention machine in need of calibration) ([personal profile] firecat) wrote2006-09-10 09:42 am

Denver Post published my letter about airlines

I posted here about the letter I sent in response to Al Lewis's column in the Denver Post where he whinges about sitting next to fat people in airplanes. The Denver Post published my letter here:

http://www.denverpost.com/letters/ci_4302766

[identity profile] jb98.livejournal.com 2006-09-10 04:59 pm (UTC)(link)
Yay! It just gets better every time I read it.
ext_26933: (Default)

[identity profile] apis-mellifera.livejournal.com 2006-09-10 05:05 pm (UTC)(link)
You rock like a totally rocking thing! :)

[identity profile] spiderdust.livejournal.com 2006-09-10 05:08 pm (UTC)(link)
Well done!

[identity profile] pyrzqxgl.livejournal.com 2006-09-10 05:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Bravo!

[personal profile] cheshyre 2006-09-10 05:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Woo-hoo! Go you!

[identity profile] queensheba.livejournal.com 2006-09-10 05:23 pm (UTC)(link)
Not only that, but the author of the original column expresses awe that the larger man fits his "20 or 30 inch diameter" into a 17-inch wide seat. Who DOESN'T have a 20-30 inch diameter? I think he's getting his terms mixed up.

[identity profile] porcinea.livejournal.com 2006-09-10 05:27 pm (UTC)(link)
Go you!!! W00t!!!

[identity profile] kightp.livejournal.com 2006-09-10 05:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Outstanding!

[identity profile] clawfoot.livejournal.com 2006-09-10 05:42 pm (UTC)(link)
*wild applause*

Yay!!!!!!

[identity profile] loracs.livejournal.com 2006-09-10 06:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Now all the readers (at least of the "letters to the editor" section) can hear a sane side to this fatphobic argument by this columnist and the airline industry.
snippy: Lego me holding book (Default)

[personal profile] snippy 2006-09-10 06:17 pm (UTC)(link)
Keen. I hope it makes that arrogant f*ck rethink his self-centered attitude. Or lots of other self-centered jerks, that would be even better.

[identity profile] waterowl.livejournal.com 2006-09-10 06:33 pm (UTC)(link)
You go girl!

Thank gods, you said it better than I did

[identity profile] gimpedoutwidow.livejournal.com 2006-09-10 07:26 pm (UTC)(link)
I got labled a "babbler" on the author's blog, for zeroing in on just what you said so forcefully in your letter--the key thing is that only one third of us are 17.2 inches wide or less...and that the airlines have been using the "people are sardines" theory for decades now.

Loved your letter, thank you for it

Jean

[identity profile] liveavatar.livejournal.com 2006-09-10 08:21 pm (UTC)(link)
As someone else said, this looks better every time I read it!
boxofdelights: (Default)

[personal profile] boxofdelights 2006-09-10 10:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Brava.
ext_6279: (Default)

[identity profile] submarine-bells.livejournal.com 2006-09-10 10:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Bravo! It's lovely to see such a well-written and obviously sensible rebuttal to this rather prevalent flavour of bullshit.

[identity profile] blue-sky-48220.livejournal.com 2006-09-10 11:56 pm (UTC)(link)
I think your response is wonderful. I enjoyed reading it when you posted it, and I'm thrilled to see that the Denver Post printed it.

Good for you!

[identity profile] pure-agnostic.livejournal.com 2006-09-11 12:43 am (UTC)(link)
Stef, as long as we're on the subject of attitudes towards fat people ...

you may want to take a look at this article:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003250510_nudephoto08.html

I think the article needlessly points out the weight of the police chief's wife. The police chief's own comments about his wife's size, and his attempts to control her are worthy of feedback. (The kind of feedback you've given to the Denver Post.)

[identity profile] figmo.livejournal.com 2006-09-11 09:53 am (UTC)(link)
One of my comedian-friends who isn't particularly large makes the following joke in her act:

"In China they used to bind women's feet so they wouldn't grow. I'm trying the same thing with my butt. I'm flying coach."

[identity profile] thegreencall.livejournal.com 2006-09-11 01:53 pm (UTC)(link)
I was pointed to this by [livejournal.com profile] blue_sky_48220. Great letter!

[identity profile] ruth-lawrence.livejournal.com 2006-09-11 02:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Yippee!

You rawk :-)