Don’t Hate Haters

Emma Scott Lavin’s Viewpoint in Local & Vocal (“Dear Hateful,” Jan. 26) seemed to be more about scolding (“how naughty you’ve been”) than about reaching out in a spirit of reconciliation. It’s like when someone says, “Don’t be stupid,” it’s not actually calling them stupid, but it’s close. So when she uses words like idiocy, derangement, abomination, shame and horror, it kinda feels like she’s hating the haters.

Now I’m a firm believer in free speech, and I’m against violence, but I think the confrontation at Old Nick’s could’ve been avoided. For one thing, when did oppressed minorities go from demanding “equal rights” to demanding “special rights?” Why do the protesters have to “face and embrace” Lavin’s humanity? Don’t they have freedom of expression? Special rights for one group suggest it’s open season on everyone else.

And another thing, I always thought drag queen shows were a form of burlesque, adult humor like you might see in a bar. I understand that this event was advertised as a Drag Queen Story Hour. But in a bar? Why not a school? Do alcohol-imbibers have to embrace drag queens?

Also, what about the children, did they understand what was going to happen? Did anyone ask them if they wanted to go to a bar to have a man dressed as a woman read them a story? Just asking, the whole situation seems contrived and geared to generate international headlines.

Stephen Cole

Eugene

Editor’s note: Old Nick’s is not a bar, it is a European-style pub and event venue. Drag Queen Story Hour is the nationwide program anti-LGTBQ folks have railed against. Old Nick’s called its event a storytime. Finally, drag shows are not the same as burlesque and not all drag performances feature adult humor.