Love-Hate Mail
Preaching to the converted
I loved your article on Dave Ramsey (“The Gospel According to Dave,” May 31)! I was one of the lucky ones to have the opportunity to take his class at Christ Church way back in the beginning stages of his ministry. For those who doubt the effectiveness of his simple debt-free plan, they should tune in to his show just one time and hear the listeners when they call in to announce that they are “DEBT-FREE.” If tears don’t come to your eyes when you hear the huge relief and joy in the voices of those people, then you are not human. Ramsey is a blessing to many people caught in the downward spiral of debt. Keep on preachin’, Dave!
PAMELA ROSSprecross@hotmail.com (Nashville)
Trauma team
Unbelievable! That is the word that springs to mind when I read the article “Rape Trauma” (May 31). Mr. Jeff Woods obviously does not have any personal knowledge of the mission statement at Nashville General Hospital and has never met any of the amazing staff here. I would like to invite him, and whoever would like to come, to our hospital to see for themselves where the over 70,000 uninsured Davidson County residents come for their medical care. Before you slam a place, you really ought to know of which you speak! This place is a great hospital/clinic—just ask any one of the patients who have been seen here. Many medically honored doctors work here practicing cancer treatment, orthopedics, OB/GYN, etc. I have worked at several hospitals and this is one of the friendliest and cleanest hospitals around. The doctors, surgeons and staff do not have to work here, but choose to work here. Ask yourself why?
RONDA J. KOPRA, PA-Crkopra@mmc.edu (Nashville)
Due process
As a practicing health care provider in Middle Tennessee, I was saddened to read your article “ Rape Trauma” (May 31). While I was a medical intern at Nashville General Hospital, I experienced firsthand the professionalism and compassion of the rape trauma team that handles each reported case of sexual assault in Nashville. When the assault is initially reported, the dedicated team meets or escorts the victim to the hospital and proceeds with a careful medical and legal inquiry, which can involve a forensic pelvic exam, photographs of physical evidence, pregnancy and disease prevention and emotional counseling. This process is not rushed and goes at the delicate pace of the victim’s request. Sandy Myers and her team should be commended for the outstanding job they do for these victims. As a provider of women’s health exams, I know a routine pelvic exam can invoke tremendous trepidation and anxiety in a patient. The last thing a rape victim needs at a time like this would be an incompetent rape trauma team that could overlook crucial elements that could alter the course of a criminal investigation.
JILL ROBERSON-BLATT, PA-Cjillroberson@yahoo.com (Murfreesboro)
Not so Out and About
Legislation related to print media distribution boxes was recently vetoed by the mayor of Nashville (“Power to the Publishers,” May 24). While the mayor is courageously defending one avenue of distribution, another avenue is preventing distribution of a quality monthly newspaper.
Kroger, through its agent, DistribuTech, recently began distribution of Out and About newspaper in its Nashville stores. Kroger currently distributes Southern Voice, another primarily gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender (GLBT) publication, in the Atlanta market. Kroger also advertises with Southern Voice.
Almost as quickly as Kroger began distribution, it has temporarily suspended distribution of Out and About in Nashville. Quality independent news voices are important in our community, and I hope Kroger quickly restores distribution of Out and About newspaper so our entire community can benefit from its coverage of events throughout Tennessee.
TODD M. LIEBERGENtliebergen@yahoo.com (Madison)
Word play
I think your article, “The Potato Dumpling Gang” (May 24), is very precise, except for one thing: Uruguay’s national dish is the asado (the short ribs, but cut in strips, not individually like you find them here) and the parrillada, which includes sausages, blood pudding, sweetbread, liver, kidneys, etc. It is exactly the same as in Argentina, except for the chimichurri (we put more condiments in it) and the fact that we do not use lemon with the sweetbreads.
The language in Argentina and Uruguay is the same, except for a few words (mostly slang) that we give a different meaning. One, not slang, is “chivito.” I don’t know why we call that meat sandwich “chivito,” since it really means a baby goat, and that is exactly what the Argentineans call barbecued goat.
JULIETA STREETERsimage@bellsouth.net (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
