While not a gardener, I am a great fan of Lynne Irons and her Vineyard Gardener column. She is sharp, and human, and makes me think that I could actually succeed at growing something. However, I do have to take exception to a portion of her March 23 column, a phrase really. In the midst of a dissection of Trump’s dangerous mode of thinking, Ms. Irons talks about the hypocrisy of pro-lifers. She then continues this with this phrase: “Say what you will about the Catholics . . . ” What follows is meant to be a compliment to the consistency of Catholic doctrine, but there is no excusing the derogatory nature of Ms. Irons’s reference. What is it that she wants us all to say about Catholics? It’s obviously nothing positive. I am not a Catholic. I am a Jew. But on behalf of people of any faith or no faith, I am insulted by this language. At this point in time, we cannot tolerate language that denigrates the other based upon religious affiliation, race, or sexual orientation. I am confident that Ms. Irons understands the harmful nature of her words and will not repeat them.

Judith Hannan
Chilmark and New York city