Dear Alyse

I need to follow up on what I said yesterday; I thought I covered my bases in terms of my intention not to speak with any binding or wide-ranging authority. In addition, though I was discussing something important, I surely felt some parts would go down easier when leavened with a little humor (the success of which you are free to dispute). And I definitely am not trying to shut down discussion among different groups of people (various groups of women, or men and women); in fact, the opposite is the case. But I definitely needed to say what I said. I'm open to disagreement, correction, and whatever else. That post, however, was my view of things as a relatively young, single, pseudo-evangelical with an admittedly big mouth and a keyboard. My small yet quickly arriving sample size of correspondence on that piece is of two kinds: 1. "How dare you hate on 'Lost'! It's the greatest show ever made/on today/I've ever seen!" And my only comment on that is that you're probably right. I don't care. 2. "Why don't we all wear burkhas then, you fascist!" And I'll get my buns kicked for this, but the only thing wrong with the whole plan is that it covers over (pardon the pun) the second-class nature of being a woman in some places, the abuse of women, and it blames the victim when those abuses occur. "Frumpy" actually has a fairly wide range; it's my shorthand for "modest." It's not a hard and fast rule; all I was saying is that it seemed to me in general that we'd stopped talking about it, and it's reflected in our dress. The wider culture would tell you that you were frumpy or plain if you showed as a woman that you had thought about it. That's generally true. [And why don't you post a link to another country song so AKR vomits her coffee, or at least rolls her eyes?--ed.] It'd be funnier if you hadn't said anything. And besides, I am one of the lost sheep of Israel on this point, and she is resigned to my ignorance. I may well enjoy tons of music of a classical bent in the end, but I can't see ever hating Lionel or Kenny or Martina et al because of a certain simplicity, or late composition, or whatever. On the other hand, Aquinas is probably right that there are infinite grades of beauty, truth, etc. (with God as the end of them all) so there must be some things which are better than other things, though both are not sinful. But it pains me to admit it. I'll probably listen to The Jets as my final act of rebellion. Wow, that side-rant should marked accordingly. Anyway, any offense re: modesty is largely unintentional. ["I Can't Help It, I Must Annoy The Country-Haters" Musical Diatribe/Video: I have always loved this song. I know Patty Loveless got some noise from Christian groups because it could be heard as an ode to adultery or fornication, but I will give her a pass, because I saw a clip of this song where she dedicated it to her husband. Can't argue with that. On the other hand, isn't it funny how when a song says something isn't wrong, it usually is?]