We are in an economic recession.

Gas costs $3.75 per gallon.

The mortgage crisis has people worried about losing their homes.

Consumer confidence hit an all-time low last month.

Families are hurting financially.

This is not the time to be telling people how to spend their money. That, however, is how many people are interpreting what general manager Todd Parnell said recently about the Curve’s sagging attendance.

Parnell didn’t mean it as a challenge to fans; he was merely being honest about his feelings. There’s no question, though, his words angered a lot of people.

The letters on the opposite page offer a couple of examples. Moreover, I have spent the past week gauging opinions from as many people as I know who follow the Curve, and the responses have been varied.