Readers write
Gender identity wasn’t made up by Democrats
Regarding Bill Torpy’s column, “Note to Democrats: Messaging Matters,” AJC, Sept. 4, I agree that truth doesn’t matter in voting, but only the perception of truth. But the straightforward concepts of gender identity were not “invented” by the Democratic Party, as Torpy says, but were rather conceived over 25 years ago by nonpolitical psychologists and incorporated into dictionary idioms before Trump’s first presidency. Similarly, “woke” goes back to the Bible as simply caring about people. The terms were “embraced” by Democrats as truth and then vilified by Republicans, who used the concepts against them by lying about their true meaning. Trump used gender identity as a wedge against the Democrats, and he tries to go backward and ignore all of it, calling Democrats out of touch.
The press and media are totally responsible for not truthfully educating the public that the gender identity concepts are true and not going away, and thus, the press implicitly takes the Republican side of the issue, giving their lies the illusion of truth. College students understood the concepts better than the older generations. It is sad when the truth has to be shelved to win elections, and the media is complicit.
Though these concepts can’t be front and center, they shouldn’t be dismissed or closeted as wrong. The press bears the duty to report correctly for the next election. Polling now isn’t always correct. Who wants more liars? We’ll see.
HAROLD BRODY, M.D., ATLANTA
Just say what you mean
When I read Bill Torpy’s opinion piece (Sept. 4) describing how “words matter,” I agreed that there are words that should never be used. Certainly, “politically correct” word creations are often unnecessary and pedantic. Why say the made-up word “humankind” as a substitute for “mankind”? It reeks of political correctness when everybody knows the word “humanity”. Not only are these words clumsy, but they also require thought about what the word means, rather than quickly evoking emotions.
Even traditional words often take thought and explanation to understand. For example, how does the word “equity” differ from the word “equality”? Why doesn’t the word “inclusion” promote the feeling of belonging? Thank you, AJC, for making me think.
REBECCA ENGEL, ATHENS
Future news clippings won’t leave ink stains
Recently, I opened my “memory drawer,” where through the years I have saved front-page news stories that chronicled momentous events.
These go way back. Every day now, when I open the newspaper, I grieve a bit, knowing that in a very short time, these papers will be only a memory, and we will be left with a choice — go digital or go without. Thankfully, I will be able to access the digital “paper,” but it will not leave printer’s ink on my hands — only memories.
FREDOLYN STITT, SNELLVILLE
