Re: 'In response to Terrell's and Zajic's letters' [Village News, Parmenter letter, 5/5/22]

Mr. Parmenter, as an acknowledged young person, should be encouraged to participate in public discussions, but in a civil manner. I hope that he appreciates how fortunate he is to have the Village News print his letter.

My objective here is to offer some thoughts to Mr. Parmenter on how not to respond to a person that you don't know, who has a differing opinion about a subject. In particular, it is your personal attack on Ms. Benson's character, over 'transgender rights.' In time, you'll come to see that the transgender-rights thing is just the latest fad issue and will eventually be replaced by yet another repressed sub-sub-subset of the population.

First, realize that no one is persuaded to your point-of-view by outrageous judgements and accusations, which rather imply that you lack skill in communication and reasoning. Second, as a 'young person,' be aware that you are responding to another who has likely seen and heard it all – before you were born. The importance of that will become evident with maturity, assuming that you become more open-minded. Third, over-the-top rants just make a person look unhinged. This may win approval with the Twitter crowd but appears immature and sophomoric to everyone else.

I suggest that when you offer a rebuttal to someone else's belief, write it logically and in a way that makes sense. This letter's many oddball statements just make you look smug and foolish: "You (Ms. Benson) will pass alone. No children to weep for you"…"you failed as a parent." Mr. Parmenter offers "a glimpse, a grim look at Christmas future" (now you think she is Scrooge?). The letter writer thinks that Ms. Benson's rhetoric is "like grease to a computer mouse. Like sand to the hair" – whatever that's supposed to mean. Apparently knowing who is a male or female is "disgusting" too. All because she (and presumably me) are members of a "lead-poisoned generation."

David Lewis