Several dozen people wrote me saying I was being mean to the older set in today's column. Here are a few messages:

"Disagree with you Julia--I'm 47 years old and I was equally appalled by Sullivan's veto. In my opinion, one Sullivan was enough for public office in Alaska-- for all eternity. Further, I bet Jerry Prevo's church is not made up of only the Geritol crowd. Rather, it is a conservative outlook, passed on from generation to generation that explains why this silly veto could ever take place. Some people or protecting a way of life that only benefits THEM."

"Please don't forget how many "old people" were fighting for civil rights long before you were born."

"It is very discouraging to see your backlash – when you want protection from discrimination for your cause, and don’t get it, you discriminate against older people and condem them. Why not take the high road and advocate for fairness and respect for all?"

"Oh Julia....I'm a little disappointed. I am a 67 year old great-grandmother and a member of AARP. I have been in AK. since April 1947. I emailed Mayor Sullivan before and after his wrong thinking decision and pleaded with him to let the ordinance stand. I think his mind was made up a very long time ago and the decision was set in stone before the assembly even voted. I believe that if you took a poll you would find that age has nothing to do with this."

Actually, there have actually been several polls and they all show the same thing: young people are more comfortable with gays than older people. Dogging all old people is really not my message. (I love old people, just ask my boomer parents!) And, experience is important in government. This column is about trend data that looks at attitudes. And baby boomers have different attitudes than those younger than them when it comes to gays. City Hall, (which does have a few younger employees in higher level positions, as some readers have written to tell me), could use a better mix.

Here's a chart of one stat I mention in the column that gets at this trend.