Viewers have sent us a lot of e-mails about Deborah and her show! We’re starting to post some of them here! Send us an e-mail.
On the Pistons-Pacers Basketbrawl
Lost in the story of the basketball brawl is that the ball players are men not animals to be taunted and abused. Throwing food and beverages down on Pacer players is a sad and degrading spectacle... —Charles Rothbaum, Fresno, California
If the NBA commissioner has any guts and wants to step up for the league, he will “lifetime suspend” each player that swung at a fan. That is the only answer acceptable to me. If not, I am through with the NBA. —Stackman
On the nearly-naked ads encouraging men to get prostate exams, plastered in billboards around New York City
Where is the outrage over advertisements and media coverage that women have had to endure for years discussing their bodily functions... How about demanding respect for both sexes, across the board? —Barbara Gillman
You know what you tell your children about those prostate ads? You tell them that when we get home, we’ll talk to daddy about him getting that test because we love him and we need him. Maybe if we get over our fear of talking about parts of the human body to our children, their children won’t have to talk to them about getting their tests done. —Nancy Padberg, Zigzag, Oregon
On the U.S. forces who have refused a mission
Since when in past military history can a soldier choose which mission they will go on? Come on, if that is the case one could say this or that is unsafe and elect not to participate...—Stan Middleton
The soldiers refusing to go on a mission with faulty equipment should not be punished. What needs to happen is to hold the Bush Administration accountable for their failed policy decisions...” —Anthony Mastrangelo, Prescott, Arizona
On the interview with New York Times' Judith Miller
I just keep wondering about how Bob Novak, who broke this story, is free to walk around and Ms. Miller has to go to jail to cover her source. That, as Mr. Abrams said in response to your question, “is the 600 pound elephant in the room.”—Madeleine Dunn
I really like your show. I think you have a pretty balanced show and you try very hard to inform the public... not just promote some agenda. I really appreciate that Ms Miller acts as if she is protecting a source that will be jeopardized if she tells. In this instance, Ms Miller is protecting a source that is perpetrating corruption... She has no right to corrupt the source protection exemption. —Alice Bentley
On the assault weapons ban
Some politicians have asked why the average firearm owner would want to buy an assault weapon. It has nothing to do with "want", it has to do with "the right to." —Steve Nosek, Valparaiso, Indiana
As a street officer, I have never worked with an officer who supported the 'assault weapons ban.' I put that in quotes since the ban had no real effect on guns whatsoever and assault weapons was a moniker put on these weapons by politicians. —Eric, Colorado
Why debate the weapons ban now, now that the law has expired without congressional action? Why weren't you covering this issue instead of the 'he said, she said, he said' of the Bush/Kerry military service? Their truths or non-truths won't kill me or my family…automatic rifles will! —Eleanor Brooks
"To the staff of Deborah Norville; you are doing a very good job being objective. Keep up the good work." —Jerry Pippin
On Mary Kay LeTourneau coverage
It is a disservice to all victims of pedophiles, by using the term “lovers” and such, to describe Mary Kay LeTourneau who is a sex predator—a deviant, sick person, who destroyed her own family, her victim’s life, and the added two children resulting from this sick relationship. —Linda Lombard, Olympia, WA
On the Peterson case
The best thing Peterson has going for him is a public dispute with… publicity hound Gloria Allred, whose role of protecting Amber Frey has expanded to include convicting him (Scott Peterson) of his wife’s murder. She ought to mind her own business… -anonymous
On polygamy
Let me tell you that the Mormon Church “disavowed” Polygamy only when required for statehood. It’s now a total “nod and wink” thing here in Utah… “everyone” I know that has lived here for some time can point out where a polygamist family lives.— Bob Thompson, Salt Lake City, Utah
I enjoy your show immensely. In contrast to you show on polygamy, I would like to see you also show the vast majority of Mormons who don’t practice this lifestyle. This image of Mormons that is portrayed by the media scares the rest of the world about this religion. I knew nothing but bias against it, until my daughter married a Mormon and I got to know him and his wonderful family, as well as other members of their congregation. Trust me! It’s nothing like what’s projected on television. - Dorette Green
I feel you attempt to be both fair and responsible, but during the interviews with Dr. Fischer and the attorney general for the state of Utah, they were positioned with a view of the Salt Lake LDS temple in the background. I would like to re-establish the fact that the LDS church has had an official position disallowing the practice of plural marriage since 1890… -Leonard M. Petersen Jr., Idaho
On an OJ Simpson discussion
I was watching your show tonight re: OJ and wanted to comment on yours and Catherine Crier’s remarks about how odd it was that OJ never talked to his kids about the murder. My own sister was murdered by her husband in a well-known case in LA in the 1990s, and it was witnessed by one of her kids. You can’t even imagine how horrific that is on a family. It is so painful an event that there are many times when I can’t bear to talk about it and I was an adult when it happened. I know it seems crazy, and I wouldn’t have believed it if my own family didn’t go through it, but it is not something we talk about with her kids. It’s hard to explain, but talking about the murder itself can only make the kids feel bad. The murder and the day of the funeral were the worst two days of their lives. There is no good side to talking about those two days. We can talk about her life, talk about our feelings of loss, but to talk about the particulars is just too much. You have to live it to know what I mean, and I pray your family never goes through it.-Name withheld upon request
On Iraqi prisoner abuse
I would like to see some discussions on the role and responsibility of the media in the decision to release these pictures... while we have a military mission going on, on my favorite news station, MSNBC. -Brigid, Niagara Falls, NY
There’s always an officer in command. Where are they? Where are the lieutenants, captains, majors and colonels who were in charge? They’re responsible too, aren’t they? Why aren’t they being interviewed? These soldiers did not act independently - they were under orders from someone in their chain of command and are not solely responsible for this atrocious behavior. There are too many future lives at stake. -John and Chris
I was watching the show on Tuesday and seen the two people that where on the show the male and female. They said that they where never told anything about the Geneva convention, that is bull. Being a person that served 12 years in the US Army, that is one of the first thing that you learn in basic training. -Charlie Creek, Washington Boro, PA
I’ve heard soldiers complaining that they had orders and had not been trained on the Geneva convention rules. Come on! It does not take a rocket scientist to know the difference between right and wrong. And if they had a problem with what they were doing, why were they smiling? -Denise Sheehy
If only our soldiers who were captured were treated well. Instead, we find them hanging from bridges or buried in the desert. -Mark Falcone, NJ
On Kerry medal flap
Thank you for having on Betty Groebli. It was clear she enjoyed being back on television and like past presidents I wish we could hear more from those who came before us. They have wisdom and insight and I thank you for putting her on your show. -Jude, Washington, DC
I too served in Vietnam but stayed in the military and retired after 22 years of service. For those that chastize Kerry for going to Vietnam, serving honorably, obviously winning numerous medals for his bravery (that few in the military ever see), and for coming home and voicing the objections of a majority of Americans in 1971, I say “You are not in touch with reality or history.” Even the President of the United States at that time was saying to his own staff that the war was a mistake. Thanks. -John
There is no difference between medals and ribons. You use the ribbons on your uniform when required, and the medals are worn at a special occasion. John Kerry showed disrespect to all of the men and women who have worn the uniforms of the US and those who have given the ultimate. -George C. Brotherton
On Pat Tillman
He was motivated and ready to go at all times. I think he deserves a medal of honor from the military and also for the NFL. My sympathy to hus family, and to his brother. -Mohamed Kargbo
I am sorry about the loss of Mr. Tillman... regardless of the walk of life of the soldiers, no death should be more publicized and more valued than others, because they all make great sacrifices for our country. -fglorianna
On Mad Cow
Ms.Norville,
Thank you for being bold enough to address the mad cow topic... My father just passed away one year ago from this disease... and I know about four others within IL and MO that have died of this disease, two within this last year. Please keep speaking and voicing about this. You go get ‘em. Noone wants to listen to “regular” people but maybe if enough stink is raised by a high public figure, someone will listen. Thank you. -Barbie Janisch
On Bubba the Love Sponge
Kudos for your interview with “Bubba The Love Sponge”... Who’s to say what decency is?Certainly not the government. Once again, it is all about money. And if Clear Channel, Viacom, and like others want to rule the media... they have to give in order to be allowed to take.- Peter M. Kuhn
I became familiar with (Bubba the Love Sponge’s) trash due to having teenagers who would tune-in. This is not about free speech, this is about disregard for civility. By allowing him to insult and denigrate people we are telling our children it is acceptable. He is no Howard Stern, who i think has a right to say what he does even if i am not a fan of his, this is just plain hurtful , hateful abuse of people. -A. Miles