Letters

I'm sure the writers were being sarcastic in trying to trivialize the skinheads, but the writers just came off as callous jerks. It doesn't matter if the hatred comes from an 80-year-old man or an 18-year-old, it all hurts. Get a grip!

Name withheld so I don't get beat up by skinheads.

Name withheld by request

Danke schön: Great article. I loved "There was at least half a cup of Kahlúa in his cream" and your use of the creaking, wheezing Butler as metaphor for the movement. Your German could use just a bit of work, though. For future reference: It's "Sieg Heil" -- roughly, "Hail Victory." Also, "amerikaner Gretel" is a bit of an oxymoron -- "amerikaner" means "male American." You need the feminine ending "in" here: "amerikanerin Gretel."

Chris Menzel
Via e-mail

Earning respect: I have a couple of questions to the authors of the article. I wanted to know if they are going to attend a NAACP meeting and talk bad about the blacks or to a Hispanic heritage gathering and talk bad about them. I don't think they will because they are scared! Why do white people have to earn the right for respect? Wasn't it white people who did the most for the building of this country and the shedding of blood for this country? Don't you realize that the white race may become extinct? You are only helping with this biased article. I demand that you get some balls and be fair and go to a NAACP meeting and talk about how they are gay, etc, etc!!!

Brian Smith
Via e-mail

A psychological ploy: Read your "Barbecue Nations" hose job. I thought this bit was particularly aromatic: "Except for the occasional zieg heils, the festivities were reminiscent of a gay pride picnic, with shaved-headed men merrily romping about with arms around each other."

Oh, I get it -- reverse psychology! Tar the skinheads as "latent" turd burglars, thereby exploiting the "homophobia" of other dispossessed white men who might be tempted to join the fun! Clever!