Copyright © 2003 Henrietta W. Hay
Henrietta's Got Mail!
January 3, 2003
It's time to re-read last year's mail, which is always a lot of fun.
One of the greatest things about writing a column is finding that people
read it and then tell me what they think of it. Most of your comments
are friendly, informative, funny or all of the above. There are, of
course, a few who think I'm nuts, but you can't please everybody.
To see whether much has changed over the years, I re-read the 1990
January column. The most amusing complaint was from Denver University
alums. They protested my calling their school the "Street Car College,"
which those of us at C. U. called it in the thirties. They insisted it
was known as "Trolley Tech." Maybe in Denver, but not in Boulder.
Moving up to 2002, I didn't intend to make my Wyoming friends mad at
me. Granted, Wyoming women were in the first in the country to be
allowed to vote in 1869. But Wyoming was still a territory at that
time, so actually Colorado was the first State to grant suffrage to
women when the male electorate voted Yes in 1893. I love the headline
in the Denver newspaper, The Queen Bee, "WESTERN WOMEN WILD WITH JOY
OVER COLORADO'S ELECTION. Come ye disconsolates, come to Colorado and
cast your lot, here there is hope for all women."
As usual, the most unpleasant letters concern either Hillary or
abortion. The winner in that category wrote of Hillary, "She is
despicable, power hungry and lastly, a pig. But as a card carrying
Democrat, we shall expect you to defend the bitch. Good day, Madame."
Yep, Sir, I will defend her. Any woman who can inspire that kind of
invective must be worth serious consideration.
But these are the ones I like. A woman wrote, "Thank you for being the
voice of reason in our community. My husband can always tell when I'm
reading your column because invariably my head is bobbing up and down
and I'm saying, 'Yes, yes, yes." Thanks.
I got some authoritative agreement for my column on patriotism and flag
waving this year. A Reserve Air Force Lieutenant Colonel wrote, "I too
have been upset by the many flag abuses since 11 Sept. I see flags in
the dark at night, and tattered flags on cars. I wish our clothing
manufacturers could be held to the flag code."
And when I wrote about my varsity "C" which I received 70 years late, I
got this response. "As another pre-Title IX jock and the mother of a
current C. U. student, I want to congratulate you on your varsity
letter. Get that letter jacket and wear it on behalf of all of us who
played our 'little games.' You go girl."
But the major surprise of the year was the response to the column on
liberalism. Here in Mesa County closet liberals popped out of the
woodwork all over the place, saying that they thought they were alone
here. But when it appeared in the Denver Post it got on several web
sites and the mail poured in. I quit counting at 200. From Maine to
Florida to Washington State and Hawaii people said thank you.
"Thank you so much for your beautiful essay. A copy is going into the
Christmas stocking of every member of my family."
"Thank you, thank you, thank you! I feel better! I feel renewed. I feel
like shouting 'hurrah'!"
"Thank you I thought I was the only "Liberal" left out here."
"Thank you. I have laminated the article and keep it on my desk.
Whenever my sprits lag I use it as a psychic energizer.
Representative Mark Udall wrote, "You also made the case for civil
dialogue which is desperately needed. Liberals know that a society, if
it is to be as free as possible must also be fair."
I knew it all the time. Liberalism is not dead.