Celine Dion
I just read your article and was practically in tears! It is amazing how two people can be so in love with each other. I am so happy for both Celine and René and wish them the best of happiness as they prepare for the birth of their baby. They are so lucky to have each other.
Gina Rittatore, Corona, Calif.
Celine Dion and René Angélil are the most self-indulgent people in the entertainment business. Celine would kiss his picture and rub her neck with it, then hide it under her pillow? Come on! The only thing I got from that book excerpt was an upset stomach.
Mary Welsh, Eugene, Ore.
There's no doubt in my mind that Celine and her husband are very nice people, but if I see one more picture of these two engaged in some freakish redeclaration of their love, I don't know what I'll do. Some things are just better when people keep them to themselves.
Kristina Sabol, Sea Girt, N.J.
Lately I have been very disappointed in the quality of your articles. It seems that whenever there is a moral debate, Christianity is trashed. Yet articles on divorce, breakups and a 14-year-old having sexual fantasies about her 40-year-old manager (which changed my view of Celine Dion) get published with great pride. Personally, I would appreciate reading a magazine that covers both sides of the stories without prejudice.
Sonya Payne, Toronto
My first experience with Celine Dion was in 1983, when I was an exchange student in France. I heard her French music on the radio, bought one of her tapes and used to sing along incessantly with her. Imagine my surprise when I heard her English music in the U.S. years later. Now as a French teacher, I use her music to help me teach the language to my students. And I feel a special connection to her. Merci pour tout—thank you for everything, Celine!
Susan Paus, Atlanta
In this age of broken families and rocky marriages, it was great to read about this terrific couple breaking the "famous people" mold and having a solid relationship.
Kristen Gill, Altoona, Pa.
Carol Appleton
Carol Appleton opposes homosexuality—and same-sex marriages—because in the Holy Bible she "goes by" it's not acceptable. Later in the article, however, it is mentioned that she and her husband, Bill, have been married for two years, yet their oldest child is 3. I'd like to have a copy of the Bible that Carol "goes by," because the Bible I read does not allow you to pick and choose which morals you want to live by. Maybe Carol should go back to her trusty Bible and reread what Jesus says about hypocrisy.
Jennifer Krzys, Southfield, Mich.
The Bible Mrs. Appleton "goes by" must be missing a few pages. What about "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone"? Has she never stopped to think that not so many years ago she would have been subject to the same moral indignation as those she is so offended by now? She, of all people, should not sit in judgment of the way others live their lives. So, Vermont, please live and let live.
Madge Fitzgerald, Carp, Ont.
It is so nice to finally have the question answered for me as to why I became a lesbian. According to Mrs. Appleton, it is because as a teenager my "hormones were going crazy," which led me to experiment with homosexuality, and lo and behold, I was converted. Ah, would that it were that simple, Mrs. Appleton. I was born homosexual, yet I married, had four fabulous children and did not act on my true sexual attraction until I was over 40. This is not a lifestyle or deviant behavior; this is how God created me. If you have problems with the product, Mrs. Appleton, why not take your complaints to the manufacturer?
Susan Rae, San Diego
Sometimes "Love your neighbor as yourself" means more than accepting a tragic lifestyle. I hope the majority of Vermonters are like Carol Appleton and her family—willing to take a socially unacceptable stance against homosexuality. We were once a blessed nation, now fallen to a sorry country.
Marguerite Abrahamson, Isle La Motte, Vt.
My advice to Carol Appleton and the rest of Vermont is just sit back, relax and try to take your minds off the upsetting legalized same-sex relationship of Kathleen Peterson and Carolyn Conrad. I totally agree that this union is biblically and morally wrong. However, my guess is this unnatural relationship will follow the footsteps of DeGeneres-Heche and Etheridge-Cypher and will self-destruct before the paint wears off your barn.
Sonya Burton, Port Charlotte, Fla.
Although I am opposed to same-sex marriages and civil unions, my opposition is based on my firm belief in the traditional family unit as the foundation of healthy children and productive societies. However, strident arguments such as Appleton's are on weak footing. Is it any wonder her opponents find her arguments flimsy and bigoted? My plea is that the editors search out more credible advocates, especially when exploring such controversial issues.
Heather Merrill, St, Louis
It's people like Carol Appleton that are holding America back. I am a heterosexual married woman, but I believe people should do what makes them happy. If you don't agree with gay people, don't be one, but leave them alone to live their lives.
Lisa Rice, Fort Thomas, Ky.
Star Tracks
Yes, he is a beautiful baby. Cindy Crawford seems to have it all—beauty, brains and business savvy. But what about common sense? If that were my son, I would have put him in a car seat.
Kimberly Haddix, Bellevue, Neb.
Mailbag
Lighten up, people! Take Sex and the City for what it is—a hysterical half-hour comedy about sex. I don't think its purpose is to teach people morals and values. Most smart adults are not going to let a TV show dictate whether or not they use condoms. If you find the show really offensive, don't watch.
Mary Ellen Werner, Plainsboro, N.J.
I am angered by some of the recent letters I've read in your Mailbag. Case in point, the reader who said she didn't realize she was reading Democrats and Deviants. Ma'am, the magazine is PEOPLE. Not People You Like. Not People You Want As Friends. Not People You Respect. Just People. Lesbians, Democrats, conservatives, heroes, criminals, celebrities, children, all people. You use the label "deviant" when referring to a lesbian couple breaking up. I'll bet these two women stay actively committed to their children forever, unlike many "straight" parents who either don't really know the kids living under their roof or abandon them.
Michelle Miller, Seattle
After reading the barrage of judgmental and self-righteous letters regarding Sex and the City and the Cinema Bébé articles, I am really disgusted. Does the phrase "different strokes for different folks" mean anything to these puritanical tyrants? You may not choose to indulge in an active and varied sex life, and maybe you don't feel comfortable drinking beer as a parent or giving your children popcorn, but do you really expect the world to conform to your beliefs and lifestyle and act the same way?
Ashly Moore Sheldon, Seattle
I am completely overwhelmed by the responses to topics from Sarah Jessica Parker to Karenna Gore Schiff. It appears some people reading PEOPLE need to be a bit more open-minded. To shun an actress because of her role on a TV show and to deny Al Gore a presidential vote because his daughter does more than bake brownies is absurd!
Dana Schaff, Appleton, Wis.
Ron Popeil
When you published your four-page article on Ron Popeil, was any research done as to what customers think of his products? I bought a rotisserie from his infomercial in good faith. After I used it three times, it broke. It took me seven months to get a replacement. This was after spending at least 10 hours on the phone. Mr. Popeil himself cannot be reached by mail, phone, fax or e-mail. I wondered why, and now I know. He is too busy playing at home.
Anne Fuhrman, Palm Desert, Calif.
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