Word choice makes a difference; it can influence a reader’s perception, and reveal a writer’s (perhaps unconscious) expectations and prejudices.

In the two Oct. 17 wire service articles covering the second presidential debate (“Crossfire, face to face” and “Combative Obama emerges”), there’s an interesting disparity between the words that describe Mitt Romney and President Obama, despite the subhead stating that they both “fiercely attack each other’s (sic) policies” — which indeed they did.

Both men were assertive and forceful. But only Obama was called “aggressive” (twice) and “combative” (twice). Romney, instead, “pushed back” (three times).

The strongest verbs describing the two men’s actions:

• Obama: “mounting a drumbeat of attacks,” “repeatedly jumping from his stool,” “bash,” “shot back,” “seemed to bristle,” “jumped in,” “accused.” (Romney also jumped from his stool, shot back, jumped in and bristled, but the writers don’t say so.)

• Romney: “asserted,” “asked,” “strode,” “confront.”

Where stronger verbs apply to Romney, they are equally applied to Obama, such as “interrupted,” “sparred,” “disagreed, forcefully and repeatedly.”

Why this difference — on the part of three writers of two articles — describing almost identical behaviors?

When white men in our culture are assertive, they are seen as strong, confident and competent.

When women and black men are assertive, they are often seen as “aggressive” and “combative.”

We need to be aware of our subtle, often unconscious, expectations and get past them when making a choice as important as our next president.

Karen Lewis Foley

Topsham

House hopeful from Lyman man of utmost integrity

Integrity is in short supply among many candidates running for public office throughout the world. We are fortunate to have a candidate whose integrity is flawless. He is also very intelligent, open-minded, hardworking and has the best interests of his constituents first on his list of priorities.

In fact, if we could clone this man a few hundred times and send them all to Washington to serve in Congress, then we would truly have a government “for the people.”

The man I speak of is Democrat Joe Wagner of Lyman, and I urge everyone in Maine House District 139 (Waterboro and part of Lyman) to go to the polls and vote for Joe Wagner!

Karin Wendland Cole

Lyman

State Senate incumbent: Well-qualified or ‘whiny’?

An article in the Oct. 6 Press Herald exposed the insidious effect of out-of-state special interest money in the state Senate District 11 race for the seat currently held by Sen. Dick Woodbury (“Maine Clean Election incumbent now a ‘sitting duck”‘).

These special interests are spending unlimited amounts of money to defeat Sen. Woodbury and are pushing harsh ideological agendas that do not represent the wishes of Maine citizens.

Sen. Woodbury is an independent senator and candidate, not beholden to the narrow agendas of the political parties. As a Clean Election candidate, Sen. Woodbury owes nothing to those same special interests.

Sen. Woodbury represents the best interests of Maine citizens, because he is solely focused on the best policies for all Maine citizens. Sen. Woodbury has worked on Maine’s most difficult issues, from property tax relief to economic growth. Please join me in voting for Dick Woodbury.

Ben Campo

North Yarmouth

The Portland Press Herald reported Oct. 6 that state Sen. Dick Woodbury was a “sitting duck” due to his decision to run as a Clean Election candidate, taking money from the taxpayers who may not support him in order to extend his time in office.

The intent of the Clean Election law was to give outside candidates a better chance in elections, not to perpetuate incumbents, especially one who has been elected four times already.

Now Sen. Woodbury, an extremely nice, decent and honorable man who, for some reason, has decided to portray himself as a victim after willingly accepting a big fat check from Maine taxpayers, is facing Chris Tyll, a decorated former Navy SEAL and Portland businessman who has raised more than $41,000 — not from the unwitting taxpayer, but from people who believe in him and his policies — and Sen. Woodbury is whining that it seems “unfair” that his “fundraising is over.”

We’ve witnessed the total absence of personal responsibility in the White House as our Blame Gamer in Chief seeks to excuse his failed policies, and I don’t want my state senator (or my U.S. senator, for that matter) to embrace this same lack of accountability.

Chris Tyll is a proven leader under fire, a positive change for good, someone who has served his country and now seeks to serve his constituents, a Naval Academy graduate and small-business owner who is running on a platform of sound economic policies, excellence in education, jobs and prosperity for our state. He “gets it.”

MaineToday Media named Chris as a member of the 2012 Class of 40 Under 40 Emerging Leaders for good reason. Please join me in voting for Chris Tyll as our next District 11 state senator.

Susan Dench

author, speaker and The Personal Responsibility Ambassador

Falmouth

Ex-deputy register ready for Oxford probate post

The probate register deals with wills, trusts, adoptions, guardianships and name changes. It is primarily an administrative position that for some reason is an elected position.

In Oxford County over the past 25 years, few people have been elected with any experience in probate matters. They generally learn on the job, frequently from the deputy register.

One person who has helped train at least one register of probate is Carol Gutekunst, who served Oxford County for more than 20 years in the Probate Court, 15 as its deputy register. She is currently on the ballot in November running for register of probate.

If you were hiring for this position, would you hire a person with little or no experience or one with vast experience willing to come out of retirement to serve the county full time once again?

Carol firmly believes this office exists to serve the public. We have all dealt with government employees who feel that they or their jobs are more important than we are. While serving in the Probate Office, Carol always took the extra step to help those in need of service.

On Nov. 6, please elect the best, most experienced person for the job — Carol Gutekunst for register of probate.

Phil Gutekunst

treasurer, Carol Gutekunst for Register of Probate, Oxford County

Norway

Navy’s protection form of federal aid to oil companies

I am disappointed in some of the letters to the editor I have read and comments from Gov. Romney claiming that alternative energy projects get big tax breaks while the oil companies actually get very little comparatively. I wonder if it is taken into account that the oil companies get a huge amount of federal assistance from the U.S. Navy.

Right now, there is a U.S. Navy fleet parked off the coast of Somalia, protecting oil tankers as they travel to and from the Middle East. The cost of this protection is easily worth billions of dollars, not to mention the fact that our service men and women are putting their lives on the line.

All of this and the oil companies are reporting record profits. I would call this a huge form of federal assistance.

Without the Navy guarding them, it is doubtful these tankers would even pass through there. From this fact alone, I think it is entirely justifiable that so-called alternative energies can get a tax break to level the playing field.

Chris Uraneck

Freeport

York probate judge brings both heart, head to work

You may not have heard of Probate Court Judge Donna Bailey, and that’s as it should be.

Since becoming our Probate Court judge in 2008, Judge Bailey has presided over thousands of cases in the quiet, efficient and respectful manner befitting a judge. No headlines, no publicity, just doing the people’s work with compassion and dignity.

For example, you may remember Laurette Doyon, the homeless woman who lived for decades on the streets of Biddeford until it became too dangerous for her and she faced the possibility of freezing to death on the street.

What you probably don’t remember is that it was Judge Bailey and her decisions that allowed Ms. Doyon to be brought in from the cold and placed where she could be safe, happy and secure.

From what I understand from those involved in the case, Judge Bailey did an outstanding job protecting Ms. Doyon while allowing her dignity throughout the process.

Although Ms. Doyon’s case received more attention by the public, these are the types of cases Judge Bailey oversees day after day in her kind, compassionate, independent and knowledgeable manner.

Those who go before Judge Bailey are impressed with her caring demeanor. Because those in Probate Court are often dealing with difficult family situations — the recent death of a loved one, having to place a relative in a nursing home or assuming guardianship of a grandchild — people are relieved to discover Judge Bailey is not only concerned with the law, but also with the human side of cases before her.

As someone was overheard saying about Judge Bailey and her role as Probate Court judge, the position is one that is “three-quarters heart and one-quarter law, and Judge Bailey has both in spades.”

I urge you to vote for Donna Bailey as York County Probate Court judge, because a judge should be respectful and respected.

Peter Danton

Saco