Letters to the Editor

'Deep Throat' did not deserve recognition

To the Daily:

I am writing in response to Lyle Henretty's article in the most recent "Weekend" supplement on pornography ("Presenting the top ten greatest porno movies of all time," 11/16/00). By listing "Deep Throat" among the top ten "classics" of adult films Henretty effectively endorses and contributes to a system which rewards flagrant violations of women's rights with immense profits. The star of this film, Linda Marchiano, was abducted and held captive for two and half years, during which time she was repeatedly raped, abused and forced to perform for the camera at gun-point. All of this is attested to in Marchiano's book "Ordeal" (co-written with Mike McGrady) and by a lie detector test, the results of which are published in Catherine MacKinnon's In Harm's Way.

No matter how Henretty or the Daily's readers may feel about pornography in general, I think we can all agree that those who use rape and coercion to produce entertainment of any kind do not deserve to be rewarded with extravagant wealth or even praise. If this is not reason enough alone for Henretty to rescind his endorsement of "Deep Throat," I ask him to honor the wishes of Marchiano herself:

"I feel very hurt and very disappointed in my society and my country for allowing the fact that I was raped, I was beaten, I was put through two and half years of what I was put through. And it's taken me almost ten years to overcome the damage that he caused. And the fact that this film is still being shown and that my three children will one day walk down the street and see their mother being abused, it makes me angry, it makes me sad. Virtually every time someone watches that film they are watching me being raped." (In Harm's Way)

Melanie June Dorson

School of art and design Justin Tiwald Visiting scholar

Boy Scouts of America promotes 'character and class'

To the Daily:

The first thing that I want to mention is the only reason I ever read the Daily is the same reason everyone else does: It's free. I don't really expect to see anything that isn't totally biased toward the left, but on Monday I was appalled to read an editorial denouncing the Boy Scouts of America ("Deny discrimination," 11/20/00). In only three months here, I have seen the Daily spit out some real B.S., but to say the Boy Scouts of America is prejudiced is ludicrous.

As an Eagle Scout, I take exception to anyone who condemns an organization that builds character and class like the Boy Scouts of America. The editorial applauded the Plymouth-Canton teachers' union for not allowing the Boy Scouts to meet at their schools. The Boy Scouts shape boys into upstanding young citizens.

I never read anywhere in the handbook, or any merit badge pamphlet for that matter, that said for the boys to dislike gays. The fact of the matter is that the parents in the troop didn't want that man to be in their troop. Is it the boys' fault for this? Then why should they be denied the use of the facilities. The Boy Scouts was started for the benefit of the boys. So I say that these young men should be allowed to meet where they please and the Plymouth-Canton teachers' union should allow the Boy Scouts to meet at their schools again.

Nick Soto

Engineering first-year student

'U' should demand a recount after slim Blood Battle loss

To the Daily:

In response to the Nov. 21, 2000 article "'U' Loses Blood Battle By 2 Pints," I feel that it is the best interest of the University, but more importantly America as a whole, to demand a manual recount. The targeted area for the manual recount should be Union, where many students were confused about the blood giving system. The University should also call in Rev. Jesse Jackson to determine whether the students rights were violated by donating officials.

Eric Daniel Frank

LSA junior

Protest coverage was biased against pro-Israeli students

To the Daily:

I am writing to express my dismay and disappointment at the way in which the Daily covered the demonstrations at the Diag on Monday ("Jewish, Palestinian students face off," 11/21/00). Not only was the Daily's coverage biased and one sided, it was also factually wrong.

While the American Movement for Israel was invited to participate in the tribunal, the counter protest was actually organized by a group of students who felt that actions such as the so-called indictment of Israel decrease the chances for peace and also serve to increase the already high tensions on this campus.

Furthermore, the Daily portrayed the Palestinian protest as an attempt to educate, instead of what it was: A public reading of propaganda. Education is fair, objective and unbiased - all elements which were missing from the Palestinian rhetoric on Monday. For example, while indicting Israel for human rights violations, the protesters failed to mention that most of these violations have ceased. They also failed to mention the incredibly poor human rights record of the Arab states in the Middle East including the Palestinian Authority.

While myself and other Jewish students hope for peace and dialogue, both in the Middle East and on this campus, we have found that opening a dialogue isn't easy when you have no partner.

David Livshiz

LSA junior

Protest coverage was biased against Palestinian students

To the Daily:

Laura Deneau's article "Jewish, Palestinian students face off," (11/21/00) is fascinating because encapsulates the greater bias of the United States' media towards the situation in the Middle East. Also, it points to what is wrong with the Daily's coverage.

The headline implies a equal-handed confrontation, as in a debate. What really happened is that pro-Israeli students inappropriately interrupted an event sponsored by students who exercised their public right to express themselves. This was not a "face-off," it was a rude disruption of an event they had the right to sponsor.

Likewise, the mainstream media present the recent violence as "clashes" or "turmoil" while the reality is that Israel is a modern state militarily occupying a group of people whose main crime is simply living on that land before the European Jewish political movement known as Zionism decided it was theirs. It takes what is clearly wrong - a system of apartheid, daily control of the Palestinians' lives, based on the rule of force - and makes it seem like an even-handed battle for land.

The Daily, by covering this as some debate, has obscured the message of the event. By doing that, it encourages pro-Israeli students to continue the loud disruptions and in effect smother the voices of the oppressed. This is not Gaza or the West Bank. They should not be assailed for presenting their views. The Daily should have written a story about the event with a small part dedicated to the inappropriate disturbances. Furthermore, it should take an editorial stand against such behavior on the part of those who cannot handle criticism of Israel.

Will Youmans

University Alumnus