Readers Write: Dec. 1

Writer should expand view of masculinity

A letter writer wrote to the AJC on Nov. 17 declaring that Harvard’s soccer team being punished for their sexually explicit and demeaning “scouting report” was a “war on men.” However, the real war on men is being waged by the letter writer and those who believe, like him, that masculinity boils down to a pornographic caricature of sexual power play. By limiting his gender identity to the ability to dominate women by having the freedom to openly regard them as sexual objects for his own pleasure, the writer is devaluing men’s role in and contribution to society as one that is purely sexual, as well as framing men’s ability to be powerful as one achieved only through sex. Perhaps if the writer expanded his view of masculinity, he would have less resentment toward the women who have discovered a broader view of their own gender identity than one that is purely sexual.

SARA ELLEN BROWN, ATLANTA

Maybe Trump was inspired by Woodstock

I was listening to some of my old Woodstock favorites today like Creedence Clearwater Revival, Jimi Hendrix, Arlo, Richie Havens, Baez — all who were revolutionaries of the day. It came to mind how ironic it is to see all the young anti-Trump protesters screaming in protest of the purest revolutionary our nation has ever seen. John and Bobby Kennedy would never hold a candle to having the anti-establishment ideology of Trump. No one from “outside the system” has ever penetrated the wall of the elitists in Washington until this President-elect.

Yet amazingly, the generation of today chooses to frantically protest “the movement” and instead favor continuing the old status quo of having the inside, corrupt, secretive, Washington big power players remain in control. Hmmm — Trump, 70 years old from New York/Woodstock Festival in Bethel, New York in 1969 — wonder if Donald was influenced and inspired to be what he is today?

R.B. KUTER, CUMMING