In response to Mike's last column, Grrr! readers let us know just how observant they are, especially when it comes to each other’s comments. Here are just a few of your responses ...
Dan D. replies to Kristi M.'s Sept. 12, 2006 Grrr: So, according to Kristi, unmarried women who have children are dishonest? Why does Brad need to "make an honest woman" out of her? Is she some kind of supervillain and the only way to cure that is to get married? And he cannot respect her because he didn't marry her? So now it is men who do not marry a woman they have children with is disrespectful toward her? Is this woman living in the Stone Age or what? And she says that they don't value marriage anyway, so then why does she care? I guess for some people, forcing others to be enslaved to their way of life is a must.
Amy in Virginia's Grrr to C.J. in Houston's Sept. 12, 2006 response: If the message wasn't for you, why are you asking that woman a personal question like that? Should she have said to you "OK, well can you tell her to call Jane Smith, the recently divorced Jane Davis, in the lab when she returns" so that you wouldn't wonder and ask such an "instinctive" question? I mean, what nerve she has for not explaining her situation to you! You should be told everything so that you won't HAVE to ask questions that the answers to are none of your business! GRR to YOU for being the Obliviot by not minding your own business and then GRRing her because of the response you got!
Cheryn Fasano in San Antonio, Texas, responds to M. Hamilton's Sept. 13, 2006 Grrr: I had to laugh when I read M. Hamilton talking about the Parking Lot Vultures. I agreed with her until she got to the point that she would allow the vultures to follow her, calmly get whatever out of her car, then walk back to the building. I know how annoying the vultures are, but, yes, you DO “wrong them” when you do that. Just because someone is an oblivion doesn’t mean you can pretend to be one as well. As side note, how hard is it to bring in everything you need for the day, and bring everything back out at the end of the day? I can count on one hand how many times I had to visit my car during a work day in the past year. It’s called planning.
Kellie in Kansas Grrrs Loren S.'s Sept. 19, 2006 response: Grrrr for quoting a statistic that is not fact-based. The divorce rate in the United States has steadily declined since 1991 to 38 percent in 2002. The Census Bureau often stated the divorce rate should climb to 50 percent but has recently changed that forecast to 43 percent. Finally, according to statistics, divorce rate also goes down if you possess one or more of the following; 1) you have an annual income over $50k, 2) have a baby more than 7 months after being married, 3) get married when you are over 25 years old, 4) come from an intact family (versus divorced parents), 5) are religious and 6) are educated. On another note, maybe they should put a ban on anyone registered with the Screen Actors Guild getting married. They seem to be the ones tanking the statistics. As a final note, the divorce rate among gays in the Netherlands is equal to heterosexuals.
Todd E. responds to Scott G.'s Sept. 19, 2006 Grrr: You wrote, “Is it 'hypocritical' for him to speak his own opinion on an issue, even if that current opinion isn't supported by his entire life history?” Yes, Scott, it is! That is the classic definition of hypocrisy. Or, if it’s not hypocritical, it at the very least takes away from his credibility. The old adage of “actions speak louder than words” is certainly true here. If Mr. Pitt really cared about marriage, maybe he would show that devotion by, oh I don’t know, actually marrying the woman that he knocked up.
Zada in Philadelphia writes: Mike -- you will be happy to know that my 14-year-old daughter has joined the ranks of your fans. We were in Wal-Mart recently, when a clerk who works there shoved me out of the way to get by me. Not an excuse me, not a sorry -- nothing. My daughter's reaction was "how rude!" I said "Oh we'll just have to forgive her, she's a Wal-Martian." Her response was, of course, "huh?" After I explained to her what it meant, she thought that expression was very cool! A couple of days later, we were in a restaurant when someone cut in front of us in line. My daughter glared at them, then whispered to me "there's another Martian!" I thought it was a hoot and that you might also enjoy the story.
M. McNamee writes: I had the privilege of meeting Mike Straka on my way home from work the other day. I was at the corner of 6th Ave and 48th Street in Manhattan, not too far from the FOX News studios on my way to Grand Central Terminal. I was waiting for the light to change and I looked at the guy next to me, typing away on his Blackberry. I see his Corporate ID card hanging off his belt. I see “FOX News.” I look at the name there he is, Mike Straka, the king of the “Grrrrrr…s.” We chatted for a few seconds and parted ways at the next corner. Just want to say, keep up the Grrrrrs and the good work, and watch out for all the obliviots in this city, it's loaded with them.
Craig B. in Salem, Ore., writes: Here's my Grrr for the moment. The Pope gives a speech and makes comments that anger the Muslims. OK. Big deal. Folks say things that anger folks all the time. But what really Grrrrs me is when the Pope, the leader of the largest sect of Christians in the world, says, "The comments did not reflect my personal views." Well whose views do they reflect? Why were they in a speech if the comment wasn't the view of the Catholic church? And, if the comments were in the speech (which I haven't heard or read) to make a point or illustrate something, then why wasn't it made clear in the speech? I'm sorry, but having the Pope backpedal and whine like a schoolboy caught with his hand in the cookie jar just does not give me much confidence in this world leader.
Victor R. in Houston, Texas: As a person who suffers seasonal allergies, I am very sympathetic toward others suffering with stuffy noses and all the joyful side effects such a condition entails. I also understand that there are times, places and circumstances in which one may need to forcibly clear one's nasal passages into a tissue or handkerchief, but one is unable to get to an area of privacy -- say on a bus or train, maybe even in the middle of a mall. In such circumstances, quietly saying "pardon me" to those in your immediate vicinity just before you turn away as much as possible to get your relief is quite acceptable and understandable. You might even get offered additional tissue by some sympathizing soul who may notice that you're at your tissue's end. Then there are times like I encountered today. I was at my usual Saturday lunch place, a little Vietnamese restaurant around the corner that just always hits the spot, when a woman a couple of tables over with a sinus issue just starts to unload right at her table with loud extended gurgling blasts into her napkin. Again, I understand the necessity of her action, but this is a small restaurant and the walk from her table to the restrooms would have taken no more than 10 or 15 seconds. She could have blown her entire brain through her nasal passages in there and no one attempting to enjoy their meal would have been the least bit disturbed. Instead, she shares one of life's more disgusting necessary actions with the entire crowd rather than taking a few extra seconds to excuse herself and allow the rest of us to enjoy our meals in peace. She did this THREE TIMES in less than 10 minutes. Am I being too sensitive here, or does this just make everyone else want to go Grrrr! Thanks, Mike, for providing this forum.
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