Reader comments
Readers' forum: Harmon column offensive

Chris | 2:16 a.m. Oct. 9, 2008

I'm also a student at the Y and I thought the article was funny. No need to get worked up

Bengel | 7:29 a.m. Oct. 9, 2008

I was a student at BYU. I'm male, and in my fifty's. I, too, found Harmon's repeated references to things female as negative criticism of the football team offensive. I found the "Midol" reference to be particularly inappropriate.

I am grateful Ms. Randall wrote her letter, and that it was published. However, I do not plan on ceasing to read the Deseret News or Harmon's column.

Dick | 9:24 a.m. Oct. 9, 2008

I read Harmon every day. While I haven't been bothered by his "sexism", I normally find his columns to be full of errors, omissions, and poor grammar.

Comments continue below

Trish M. | 10:44 a.m. Oct. 9, 2008

There's a SpongeBob SquarePants episode where SpongeBob, trying to train his snail for a race, berates him as a "girl," thinking it's a good coaching strategy.

The next day the female character of the show decks him with a punch. My kids don't get the joke, because they've never heard sexist remarks in our house or in the way their father coaches his lacrosse teams.

Face it: Dick Harmon is an old guy, trained in the era when few people cared to understand the potential and strength of women.

Just ignore Dick Harmon. Lots of readers do.

re Cassie | 10:51 a.m. Oct. 9, 2008

I hadn't read the column, but I've read it now.

Do you really think this is any kind of a serious swipe against women? If you are truely offended I suggest you learn to tell the difference between something which demeans and something which is just talkin trash. They aren't necessarily the same.

I don't think there is one person who read this column who afterward has a lower opinion of women that before they read it, it was all in fun and

In case you hadn't noticed, so far as physical strength, women are the weaker sex.

Anonymous | 10:57 a.m. Oct. 9, 2008

The article was harmless. In the last 20 years, American has become too sensitive to just about everything. Almost anything we say or write can be twisted around to be "politically incorrect." It's crazy. Calm down.

Jud | 11:17 a.m. Oct. 9, 2008

Dick Harmon is an example of the sports culture mentality, which ceases to develop in junior high school.

Kevin Olson | 12:03 p.m. Oct. 9, 2008

Cassie,

Ever hear of humor? You may want to rent it.

veedub | 12:52 p.m. Oct. 9, 2008

The way TV sitcoms, advertising and news stories make men look like idiots and women (except strong conservative women, of course)the brilliant ones in our society, I would think Ms Randall ought to consider the possibility that Harmon was complimenting rather than disparaging the players by comparing them to women.

Hypocrisy | 2:00 p.m. Oct. 9, 2008

How hypocritical.

I'm sure that the writer has watched Friends, The Office, and movies that have berated women.

Where were your complaints then?

to Cassie | 2:51 p.m. Oct. 9, 2008

I am a father. One of my favorite shows is "family guy". If I were as sensative as you, this would be my least favorite show because of how the father and the oldest son are portrayed, as dumb very dumb. The mother and the daughter are intelligent and even the family dog is smarter than the men in the family.

You will enjoy life more if you learn not to be offended so easily. Save your offense for when it is really warranted.

What?!? | 2:11 p.m. Oct. 10, 2008

I feel the same way as Cassie. This was over the top and extremely chauvinistic of Harmon to write what he did. Sure, he's an old man, but that doesn't mean he gets a free pass on whatever he says. He should be fired, or at the least, be severely reprimanded. Dick needs to be up with the times, or find a new job.

Real Cougar | 3:15 p.m. Oct. 10, 2008

This is just another of the many examples of why the Deseret News will never compete with the rest of the world of journalism. Writers that lack such integrity, such as Harmon, Jeff Call, James Edward and the likes will prevent the DesNews from ever being a nationally-recognized newspaper.

Despite its extreme lack of journalistic objectivity and homer-ish attitude, I'll still read the Herald. Sorry, Dickie... you should have retired years ago, just like Brett Favre.

Mr. Randall | 7:32 p.m. Oct. 10, 2008

I love my wife.

kudos2Cassie | 10:23 a.m. Oct. 11, 2008

Thank you, Mrs. Randall for sharing your well written thoughts. I am not a BYU student and donï¿½t usually follow college football-GO STEELERS! GO PANTHERS! I got wind of your writings many years ago and know your style, to which I applaud. It seems this time your writing brought out more closet chauvinists judging from some of the comments. How can anyone call sarcasm and mocking as humor or a compliment? What happened to sportsmanship and professionalism? Desnews can only find or afford this poor excuse of a writer named Dick?
I pity Dick. Seems he has carried this burden since sophomore year and his own offensive football team. Reads like his personal issue to me. Hope he feels cleansed now. If this piece had been written about race or ethnicity, Dick would be giving an apology, if he still worked at Desnews. The world has moved on and as race, sexism has no place in such content, unless you are still living the past or you only know how to talk or write trash. If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. Ignorance never apologizes but I agree 100% with you.

Brucer | 10:07 p.m. Oct. 13, 2008

He writes so he can eat. Much of the populace, as is evidenced above, has been slidding for years into the abyss called tolerance. Whether it is one time only, or a hundred times over, I applaud one who decides to make a difference. Thanks Cassie.

A Reader | 10:37 p.m. Oct. 13, 2008

As a female reader I also was offended by the article written by Dick Harmon. I appreciate and applaud the response written by BYU student Ms. Randall. Perhaps DesNews would be better off hiring Ms. Randall to write for them; she seems to have a better grasp of the English language and a much better understanding of our culture. Or, at least what our culture should be!

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