Every week, The Post runs a collection of letters of readers’ grievances — pointing out grammatical mistakes, missing coverage and inconsistencies. These letters tell us what we did wrong and, occasionally, offer praise. Here, we present this week’s Free for All letters.
But it’s not a “hush money” case. “Hush money” is a slang term that can cover any number of situations in which someone gives someone else money not to speak about something publicly. Paying hush money is not inherently a crime. Mr. Trump has been indicted on charges of falsifying business records to classify repayments to his former lawyer as legal expenses rather than spending related to his 2016 presidential campaign.
Can The Post stop using the term “hush money”? It’s misleading and it trivializes the actual allegation against Mr. Trump, which does no favors to your readers. I doubt The Post ran headlines such as “Charles Manson on trial for breaking and entering Tate home.”
Mark Pukey, Tracy, Calif.
Key word choice shouldn’t be puzzling
It’s a shame that the Feb. 24 Keyword puzzle utilized the term “junkie” as one of the vertical words, with the missing “J” as the first letter of that day’s answer of “jargon.” I ask The Post to strongly consider avoiding language that can be stigmatizing to those experiencing behavioral health challenges, including substance use disorder, even in the informal context of a puzzle. The use of labeling and stigmatizing language can prejudice your readers, promote societal misperceptions about serious, often life-threatening conditions, and can be counterproductive to the recovery process for the individuals affected by those conditions.
The United States is in the midst of an overdose crisis. Nearly 108,000 people died by overdose in 2022 alone. We must do everything we can to make sure anyone who wants to feels able to reach out for help. Many feel they have little to no power to combat the substance-use crisis, but institutions such as The Post can help change pat narratives about addiction with careful use of language.
Some individuals might prefer identity-first terminology such as “addict” or “alcoholic” as a means of reclaiming the identity. In these cases, it is appropriate to allow the individual to describe themselves as they see fit. I am in long-term sustained remission from opioid use disorder, and have utilized identity-first terms in spaces such as Narcotics Anonymous meetings. But I have always avoided such terms in areas that reach large audiences such as journalism, webinars and podcasts. We should all avoid using stigmatizing language in describing others. Our choice of words can make a difference.
Rachel Shuster, Connoquenessing, Pa.
The author is a certified addictions registered nurse and director at large of the International Nurses Society on Addictions.
Spotlight all the victims
In her March 28 op-ed, “In prison, my brother isn’t allowed to read his own words,” Deborah G. Plant bemoans the plight of her brother, who is serving life in prison without parole. Her op-ed makes no reference to the crime(s) for which her brother is incarcerated. We are told that he was sentenced to life at hard labor without the possibility of parole but are left in the dark about what he did to receive such a severe sentence. That’s an important part of this story.
To Plant, her brother is the victim. Period. But were there victims of his crimes? If so, they come across as of no consequence to her in a way that seems unworthy of The Post.
Scott Wallace, Leesburg
We’re mad at the ads
I thought The 7 podcast, and its text version, was very nice, but putting ads in the front is really not a good move. The whole point of The 7 was a brief summary. But when The Post runs an ad for, let’s say cold medicine, at the beginning, it makes me want go to another article. Please don’t mess up a good thing. If you want to put an ad on The 7, put it at the end.
Cliff Howell, West Orange, N.J.
Keep folding in mind
Max Boot’s March 25 op-ed, “Putin fixates on imaginary foes while terrorists attack Moscow,” was excellent. Though the corresponding photograph was interesting, it lent little to the piece. In an op-ed the words are the thing. So why put the picture at the top of the text when that means four columns in the print edition cross the fold? For the reader this means seven flips of the paper to read the words. This gets problematic and perhaps messy when one is eating breakfast.
How many people do you suppose read a newspaper fully unfolded? Please put the picture at the bottom of the article if you must include it.
Bob Bailey, Silver Spring
‘Songbird’ was a hoot, but we have a few hollers
Michael Andor Brodeur’s March 22 review, “Washington National Opera’s ‘Songbird’ is a total hoot,” was missing some important context about the origins of this unusual production.
Jacques Offenbach left no complete score for “La Périchole,” the opera from which “Songbird” is adapted. Instead, “Songbird” is the result of the Metropolitan Opera’s 1956 production of “La Périchole,” and was created by Jean Morel and Ignace Strasfogel. I heard and saw the original “Songbird” at the time it was staged. I also acquired the score and learned it.
La Périchole — in archaic Spanish, apparently “street walker” — was a real Peruvian woman, Maria Micaela Villegas Hurtado, who became Spanish imperial viceroy Manuel de Amat’s mistress. She championed Peruvian causes to him, and their son, also named Manuel de Amat, signed Peru’s declaration of independence.
To tell the version of her story that became “Songbird,” the Met’s staff cobbled together a new score, incorporating music from other Offenbach works, notably “The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein.” In Washington National Opera’s score, I counted at least eight arias taken from the 1956 score and re-worked. The Met’s version was sung by Patrice Munsel and Theodor Uppman, without amplification — even on tour, including in Cleveland’s barn-like Public Auditorium.
Marc Hertzman, Bethesda
Who’s in charge of comments, Semisonic?
It seems that every time I go online to comment on an article that appeared in the print edition of The Post that arrived at my house less than 12 hours earlier, I am told that comments are closed. The practice of closing comments so quickly sends a clear message that The Post doesn’t really give a darn about print subscribers.
Frank Branchini, Edgewater, Md.
Why didn’t we ask about health coverage?
I recently accessed an article from The Post about Catherine, Princess of Wales, and her video announcement of her cancer diagnosis and treatment plan, by submitting one of my email addresses in exchange for free access. Before getting to the article, I had to take a Post survey about my reading habits.
That’s fair enough. The survey presented at least 20 topics in which respondents could indicate their interest. But there was no way to indicate interest in articles about physical or behavioral health, and nowhere to add comments about what survey-takers read in the news. It was a huge mistake, especially on an article about a world-famous woman’s devastating illness that was likely to be of interest to readers keen to know about her health, including people who do not yet subscribe to The Post. Prince William and Catherine are, moreover, deeply committed to diminishing mental health stigma and encouraging greater visibility, awareness and recognition to support mental well-being.
I have dedicated a noteworthy part of my career to health and behavioral health, the latter of which has become a significantly more prominent subject as so many people have experienced mental unwellness and substance-use problems resulting from the covid-19 pandemic, itself another massive health topic.
I think it would be more than significant to add add health and behavioral health topics, namely mental health and substance use topics, so readers can select them when reading the newspaper online or in print — especially given The Post’s own investments in health coverage.
Margaret Fine, El Cerrito, Calif.
What sets The Post apart
I do not get The Post solely for the news (especially since it comes by mail). Recently the front page had articles on supplying energy to the northernmost village in Greenland and creating self-reproducing RNA. Other recent articles were about the World Central Kitchen, facts about birth control and the possible demise of Brie cheese. This is why I sit down with a cup or glass of whatever to read The Post at leisure. The contributions of these authors are what set The Post apart from TV news.
I wish The Post would remember to differentiate itself in every area of the paper. I never look at the Sports page now that Andrew Beyer and horse racing data are gone. Readers in the greater Washington area are interested in sailing, hunting and fishing as well as (blah) team sports. There used to be information about the horses leading up to the Triple Crown; now it’s hard to know who’s running in the Derby. The spring point-to-point season, culminating in the Virginia Gold Cup and Maryland Hunt Cup, used to be covered. A lot of human interest stories could be generated around the local equine community.
Columnists and special interest stories are what set the Post apart. I used to chuckle at Art Buchwald and Dave Barry. And would it break the budget to bring back the Saturday Acrostic?
Patricia Carter, Middletown, Md.
More comics, please!
When I first arrived in D.C. in the 1970s, The Post printed three full pages of comics. It’s time to return to those glory days, and to boost a new generation of comics artists.
The present weekday Post runs six strips that were created by others and continued by different artists under the same titles: “Mark Trail,” “Flash Gordon,” “Family Circle,” “Blondie” and “Beetle Bailey,” which repeat the same stale themes. Reruns of “Peanuts” are timeless, though Garry Trudeau’s “Doonesbury” feels dated.
It would be wonderful to see the Style section run three pages of cutting-edge comics, with a full page devoted to comics by women. There are so many to choose from. To name just a few: Georgia Dunn’s “Breaking Cat News”; “Amanda the Great” by Amanda El-Dweek; “Snow Sez” from T. Shepherd; “Jane’s World” by Paige Braddock; “Half Full” by Maria Scrivan; “Doodle Town” by Melissa Lomax; Nancy Beiman’s “FurBabies"; “The Dinette Set” from Julie Larson; “Flo and Friends” by Jenny Campbell; or Chelsea Carr’s “Curses.”
There are dozens of other comics by women to choose from. The Post could easily increase the representation of women in its comics pages and make readers happy all at the same time.
Lynn Rogers, Washington
Sell out, Sebastian. It would be a sellout.
I read (and reread) “Keith Haring brought art to the streets. But did he sell out in the process?,” Sebastian Smee’s March 18 Book World review of “Radiant,” Brad Gooch’s biography of Keith Haring. Even in a simple book review, I love Smee’s writing — insightful, engaging, entertaining and cogent. When is Smee going to compile and publish a collection of his writing in a book for art lovers and students who need this kind of critical analysis? We sorely need more of it.
Ron Keeney, Takoma Park
Listen up, we just want to read
I wanted to read an article titled “What to expect when you’re expecting an abortion pill argument,” with contributions from the wonderful Alexandra Petri, Ruth Marcus and Amanda Ripley.
When I clicked on the link, I saw the article was actually an “Impromptu” podcast. I looked around the site and could find no way to bring up a text transcript. I can’t listen to podcasts, so something I was very much looking forward to was not accessible to me.
I subscribe to a news media outlet such as The Post because I like to read. It’s true that print media is going the way of the horse and buggy. But some of us still prefer to read.
Amy White, St. Charles, Mo.
Reply from Alyssa Rosenberg, letters and community editor:
I took Amy’s letter to our podcast producer, Hadley Robinson. She told me all “Impromptu” episodes will come with transcripts.
Here’s how to find them: Go to the podcast’s homepage, washingtonpost.com/podcasts/impromptu/. Click on the word “Options” on the right of episode. A menu will give you the choice to read the conversation, or even to listen to it speeded up or slowed down. We love talking here in Post Opinions. But we haven’t abandoned the printed word.
Good buddy news
Michael Errigo’s March 27 Sports note, “Freedom soccer players develop a reading habit,” on Freedom High School’s buddy program, which connects teenagers on the soccer team with younger students, is so welcome. I have no connection to the school, but hooray for coach Juan Vasquez and his players for creating such a beautiful, important weekly connection with students at their neighboring Liberty Elementary School.
Ken Fredgren, Arlington
