To the editor:

I have been used to associating the word “chastise” with meanings like reprimand or chide — words that bring to my mind a rather gentle reproof. Therefore I was interested in reading in the headline “Limbaugh chastises” — it didn’t seem like his style. My thesaurus solved my dilemma. Other meanings listed were: “hang, string up and punish.”

My view of the dozens of couples, family groups and people of all ages who found their way to the streetside audience in front of Abe & Jake’s Landing (I watched from a shady vantage down the block) was that they were happily participating in the adventure of making politics come a little more alive for themselves, friends and family.

Why does anyone like Limbaugh seek to stir up only resentments and prejudices in his listening audience? There must be a considerable number of Americans who want to be influenced by his rhetoric or he wouldn’t still be talking on the radio.

Barbara Curry,

Lawrence