Benjamin Clark on Dec 10, 2007 at 08:31 PM:

"I couldn't care less." - from Governor Doyle

Best quote on the so-called issue as what the surname of the tree should be. That is, if you care much either way what the tree is called, you are wasting too much over nothing.

Anonymous on Dec 12, 2007 at 07:12 PM:

I've read some other articles you have written and I am astounded that someone will actually publish you. Every article just seems to be you complaining with no actual evidence. However these aren't even well written opinion articles, they're just annoying tangents that are almost unbearable to read. Please stop writing and find a new career.

Anonymous on Dec 13, 2007 at 10:32 AM:

I Agree, I think when you needlessly slander someone over personal disagreements, and threaten a person's job it is going over the line.

Anonymous on Dec 14, 2007 at 08:12 AM:

Haha..you people are so funny...you guys should really look up the definition of slander if you think this article is any form of libel. Keep writing Amanda.

Anonymous on Dec 14, 2007 at 08:27 AM:

Sounds like five thousand other articles I've read covering the same topic almost verbatim, except without your tortured and atrocious writing style, or rather a lack thereof. If you're going to plagiarize, at least do it well.

allie on Dec 14, 2007 at 06:54 PM:

that was possibly the most ridiculous article I've ever read. Do you proofread at all or even write in coherent sentences?

Amanda Throm on Dec 14, 2007 at 08:07 PM:

I would love to know whose points of view these comments are coming from.

First off, it's not slanderous or libelous. I did not defame anyone's character in this article and as I said nothing that should jeopardize a job, defame character of said job, or included a personal opinion of him/her. I don't even know where this is coming from.

Secondly, don't accuse a story of plagiarism just because it "sounds like five thousand other articles" because that's just juvenile and you're obviously angry about something other than my article.

It sounds like what you people are reading is a lack of MLA Style-- which is THE POINT! I'd love to know where you think an incoherent sentence lies in my article since I've read it probably 50 times in the last three days and have yet to find a problem in it. And that's after it's passed through at least four copy editors plus myself and an Editorial Editor. Trust me when I say that if it really were as bad an article as you people claim, it wouldn't have run!

Do you really want to play this game because I don't think think you're all that upset about my article.

Anonymous on Dec 14, 2007 at 08:08 PM:

Oh come on. You guys that are saying negative things about this article are just stupid, frankly. If there were "incoherent sentences," as some of you claim, the article definitely would not have been published. Same with any grammatical flaws... the article would not have been published. It goes through editors, morons, learn how a paper works.

As for slander- umm... what was libelous? There was one quote- not even used to defame someone, just to prove a point. Sounds like you're pointing out something that's pretty petty...

Are you guys just bumming that you flunked a final or something?

There's nothing wrong with the article. Opinion articles are supposed to have unique writing styles. Sometimes fragments and grammatical flaws, if there are any, are allowed. Read the editorials and opinions more often- maybe you'd learn that.

Keep up the good work, Amanda!

Jim on Dec 16, 2007 at 10:07 AM:

It's not poorly written, just a lame argument. Anybody who shops at Wal-mart understands that Christmas isn't entirely religious. That's why you get pictures taken at the mall with Santa, not Jesus.

Anonymous on Dec 16, 2007 at 07:03 PM:

This is such a lame argument, your points are childish and lame. The worst part of it is you are not rational and i don't want to even argue with u because rational arguments don’t usually work on religious people. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be religious people. Let me just point out some stupid points u made in your "so-called article". 1. I think it's hilarious u base your whole argument on this fact, "So, if political parties aren’t allowed to have religious affiliations with their decorations, jargon or religious artifacts, how can the President call his “holiday tree” a Christmas tree?" YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT PRESIDENT BUSH HEAR, probably the dumbest president the U.S. has ever had and you are basing your argument on him?? The president who cant say a sentence without making a mistake and making himself look dumb??? (like to note he celebrates Christmas, so most likely he would use Christmas decorations, just from years of use. If you know anything about other cultures which you don't being you are a stupid American, you would know that new years has been celebrated in other religions and cultures with a tree and other cultures give presents on new years, too. Thus a holiday tree can be used and works. How about you call yours whatever the hell you want and be satisfied with that. I'll leave your with a quote, it might help you along life...."A person is getting along the road to wisdom when they begin to realize that their opinion is just another opinion."

Anonymous on Dec 16, 2007 at 07:03 PM:

This is such a lame argument, your points are childish and lame. The worst part of it is you are not rational and i don't want to even argue with u because rational arguments don’t usually work on religious people. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be religious people. Let me just point out some stupid points u made in your "so-called article". 1. I think it's hilarious u base your whole argument on this fact, "So, if political parties aren’t allowed to have religious affiliations with their decorations, jargon or religious artifacts, how can the President call his “holiday tree” a Christmas tree?" YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT PRESIDENT BUSH HEAR, probably the dumbest president the U.S. has ever had and you are basing your argument on him?? The president who cant say a sentence without making a mistake and making himself look dumb??? (like to note he celebrates Christmas, so most likely he would use Christmas decorations, just from years of use. If you know anything about other cultures which you don't being you are a stupid American, you would know that new years has been celebrated in other religions and cultures with a tree and other cultures give presents on new years, too. Thus a holiday tree can be used and works. How about you call yours whatever the hell you want and be satisfied with that. I'll leave your with a quote, it might help you along life...."A person is getting along the road to wisdom when they begin to realize that their opinion is just another opinion."

Anonymous on Dec 16, 2007 at 07:03 PM:

This is such a lame argument, your points are childish and lame. The worst part of it is you are not rational and i don't want to even argue with u because rational arguments don’t usually work on religious people. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be religious people. Let me just point out some stupid points u made in your "so-called article". 1. I think it's hilarious u base your whole argument on this fact, "So, if political parties aren’t allowed to have religious affiliations with their decorations, jargon or religious artifacts, how can the President call his “holiday tree” a Christmas tree?" YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT PRESIDENT BUSH HEAR, probably the dumbest president the U.S. has ever had and you are basing your argument on him?? The president who cant say a sentence without making a mistake and making himself look dumb??? (like to note he celebrates Christmas, so most likely he would use Christmas decorations, just from years of use. If you know anything about other cultures which you don't being you are a stupid American, you would know that new years has been celebrated in other religions and cultures with a tree and other cultures give presents on new years, too. Thus a holiday tree can be used and works. How about you call yours whatever the hell you want and be satisfied with that. I'll leave your with a quote, it might help you along life...."A person is getting along the road to wisdom when they begin to realize that their opinion is just another opinion."

Amanda Throm on Dec 16, 2007 at 07:43 PM:

If you don't want to argue what made you post the comment so many times and even write the comment in the first place?

By the way-- Love your grammar... It's gorgeous!

And an Editorial article is usually an OPINION. In other words: This article, written by me, is my opinion!

I was trying to make the point that lower-level political systems and major corporations like MAM don't call it a Holiday Tree yet the PRESIDENT can go ahead and call it a Christmas Tree. It simply didn't make much sense to me.

I have no idea how New Years correlates with the use of a Christmas Tree for December 25, traditionally Christmas... Maybe you weren't paying much attention to my article and decided to go off on a tangent of how I'm just a "stupid American."

I honestly have no idea why this story is making such a fuss-- if you don't like it, don't read it!

Anonymous on Dec 16, 2007 at 10:07 PM:

1st off if u have noticed "your christmas tree" and the "christmas decorations" are not just put up on the 25th of december they are put up weeks before and weeks after for everyone to enjoy, not just Christians. So if the use of the christmas tree is only for december 25th than why dont people put it up the night before and take it down the day after.... You need to start looking at the big picture in your "opinion articles". 2nd I like how u take the time to mention my grammer in a argument because you have nothing else to say. I can tell u write for grammer and not the shit u are actually talking about.

And for this part..."I was trying to make the point that lower-level political systems and major corporations like MAM don't call it a Holiday Tree yet the PRESIDENT can go ahead and call it a Christmas Tree" This point was hardly driven in, and again as i said before the PRESIDENT is just one man, that makes mistakes, unfortunately this president makes a lot of them..... he's made worse, people should be talking about those rather what to call your holiday when what a holiday is suppose to do is bring people together.

Amanda Throm on Dec 17, 2007 at 08:00 PM:

Then why are you so intent on bashing my article, when you could be writing for the Post? If you have such strong political leanings, talk about it! At least I have the guts to!

Or are you scared that you'll get someone like you writing comments saying that you're an idiot? I don't think you'd appreciate that.

I mention your grammar because it's terrible and someone in college should at least have some semblance of proper grammar-- not internetspeak. I also don't think that my mentioning your grammar was the last thing I said... Maybe you should be looking at the bigger picture-- that you're opinion of someone isn't the only one.

My article is, by no means, Pulitzer prize winning, but really, you're making a bigger deal than this really is. You're obviously either out of things to do or really adamant on breaking someone else's spirit (which won't happen here, sorry to break it to you), otherwise you would have left your inane comment and left the Web site.

Anonymous on Dec 18, 2007 at 12:02 AM:

I can speak 4 languages...what about u?

Amanda Throm on Dec 29, 2007 at 04:54 PM:

What does that have anything to do with a Holiday Tree?