The fed up and read up get chance to sound off

Dear Readers: It's your turn today. Read on to see some of yourletters commenting on - and sometimes bashing - recent columns:

Dear Diane: Who do you think you are? I am referring to theletter from "Pressure Distanced" about her materialistic boyfriend.

First of all, society's morals have already fallen with thingslike divorce shows on TV, and women's divorce groups (they meet atthe shopping malls). The standards of marriage are disappearing, andthe values and importance of children, and the word "family," arealmost completely forgotten.

Second, due to the present moral chaos, you shouldn't be therehelping to wipe morality out completely. Who are you to tell "P. D."that if she's hashed and rehashed, she should call it quits? Willyou claim that you are a woman of the '80s and that old-fashionedvalues are for women with no will? I guess your small, insensitivemind failed to see that they obviously care for one another ifthey've stayed together through it so far. If they truly love oneanother, they can and will come to an agreement.

Guys eventually get over material things. I know - I am onewith quite a few myself. The boyfriend is probably trying to climbthe ladder of success and he's just concentrating on his financialfuture. I'm also willing to bet that he is doing this for her. (Thisis true of most of the men I know.) There are other things, but Iwon't waste my time telling you. I shouldn't have to do your job foryou. MALE STUDENT FROM OAKTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Dear M. S.: Now, now. I'm sure your girlfriend will see thatyou are just in a materialistic phase while you're climbing theladder of success. (However, if you think you're just doing it forher, you're kidding yourself.) My column shouldn't shake yourprogress up the rungs or your belief in your values.

More than one reader thought my advice to "Pressure Distanced"was right on the money. As for you, my mother used words like theseto answer a similarly outraged critic in 1954: Look, Bub, if youdon't like my column, you can read the funny pages.

Dear Diane: I can't believe your response to "Up to Here," whosefriend says, "How ya been?" every time he calls. That's aconversation starter, or a variation of one used by millions ofpeople around the world. The first thing they teach you in aforeign-language class is how to say, "Hello, how are you?" Thesegreetings show that you care about the latest happening in the lifeof the person you're speaking with. SURPRISED IN CHICAGO

Dear Surprised: Bonjour, comment allez-vous? Et merci pourvotre lettre. (Hello, how are you? And thank you for your letter.)

Dear Diane: This is a message for "All Marked Up," the15-year-old girl whose reason not to have sex was her embarrassmentover stretch marks on her body:

Stupid, stupid, stupid! I don't know what planet you've beenliving on, but haven't you ever heard of the latest result of"casual" sex? It's called death from AIDS. Wake up and realize youdon't have to take your clothes off to have a good time! ALL FED UP IN ARLINGTON, VA.

Dear A.F.: That's telling her! Smart, Smart, Smart!

Send your questions to Diane Crowley, Box 3254, Chicago 60654.