| Picky
eater
Jim Duncan’s otherwise enjoyable article on
the newly opened restaurant Host (“Food Dude,”
May 17) was marred by two rather glaring errors,
neither of which was culinary. Edith Piaf was
given the nickname “the little sparrow” not
because she sounded like one, but because of
her (initial) nervousness and diminutive size,
plus the fact that “piaf” is a French slang
term for a small bird. Also, it is true that
the collective noun for sparrows in a group
is a “host,” but “host” in its meaning of “a
large number of things, or a large army” (referencing
their multiplicity) not in its meaning of “someone
who has guests.” I realize Mr. Duncan’s intention
was to stylistically link the four sparrows
painted on the walls with the name of the restaurant
and its four owners, but, forgive me, it just
doesn’t fly.
John Franklin
Des Moines
No, how dare you, Ms. Morris!
The greatest disrespect done here is your one-sided
take on history (“YourView,” May 17). Mount
Rushmore has a very shady past, and as a citizen
of this great democracy you need to know the
facts. Gutzon Borglum, the primary builder of
the sculpture, was commissioned to do this on
sacred Indian land, totally ignored by most
everybody. In 1868, the U.S. government signed
a treaty with various American Indian peoples
guaranteeing Indian ownership of the Black Hills
forever. Forever? It’s a sad statement but not
one (not one!) treaty was honored or kept by
the U.S. Government. Yes, those men carved into
one of the most sacred places on the earth were
great men in their own way. Personally, I avoid
the carving; it makes me feel shameful for what
this country perpetrated on the Aboriginal people
here. Go to Wounded Knee (Pine Ridge) and the
Oglala Lakota College (Kyle, S.D.) instead.
It will open your mind and your heart. ALL of
our history is important and the most patriotic
move is to know it.
Lora Fraracci
Des Moines
Everyone has been a bully
I figure John Hick’s letter was about “bullying”
because he used a form of the word 15 times
in his ramblings (“YourView,” May 17). Shows
like “The View” can talk about it all day, every
day. It’s so over-used that it can be defined
as everyone who’s ever done anything someone
else doesn’t like.
It started when Trog took a brontosaurus drumstick
off Ugh’s plate and wouldn’t give it back. When
you think about it, everyone who has ever lived
has, at one time, bullied someone else — even
limp wrists like John Hicks. Think about it,
John. As a small kid, did you ever take a toy
away from your smaller brother or butt in line
in front of someone to stand next to your friend?
You bully! It’s a big bad world out here in
reality. Oh, this word will go out of fashion
in a few weeks and everyone will find a new
cause and catchphrase, but in the meantime,
it’s really getting boring. I could write more,
but my wife is bullying me into coming in for
dinner.
S. Mortsgne
Clive |
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