Disharmonic convergence
I found it amusingly ironic that the Denton Record-Chronicle's editorial page on Jan. 30 posted a column by Ross Douthat and a letter from Alice Gore along with a column by Caitlan Flanagan, who addressed the ludicrous diagnosis of "hysteria" to explain seemingly inexplicable symptoms of young female teens in recent years that simulated Tourette's syndrome.
In this day and age, the use of hysteria in the field of medicine is as archaic and misplaced as the term "moron" was to describe real symptoms of mental retardation decades ago.
This isn't to say that hysteria is not a reality in our modern world today - and here's the irony - but examples of such behavior are more recognizable in the rantings of the usually sensible Douthat column and the off-the-wall comments made by Ms. Gore and her imaginary friend Bubba, juxtaposed on the same page as Ms. Flanagan's piece.
And what's with this attempt by those hateful elements on the conservative fringes in the Denton area who keep trying to undermine the editorial policy of this paper?
The Record-Chronicle effectively walks a tightrope in my opinion to post comments by all political views on its editorial page, yet this isn't enough for some.
Their insistence that only their views and sensitivities should be spared over anyone who disagrees with them also borders on hysteria.
To seriously consider such a notion is like allowing the patients to take over the asylum.
Larry Beck,
Denton
