letters

Hooray for Rich Lowry!

“...Fifty Shades of Grey perhaps the most successful anti-feminist movie ever made.”

Well said, Rich!

As a woman who was (and still is) a feminist, I was appalled when I found out what the Grey books were about. Does anyone remember “I Am Woman”? Gloria Steinem? Bella Abzug? Poor Bella is probably spinning in her grave.

In 1972, I started singing professionally. I was in the filthiest industry on earth, basically legal prostitution and pornography. For 30 years. Oddly enough, in the 70s, it wasn’t about sex or shock value; it was about art. We actually wore clothes on stage. There were many of us, women performers who struggled to be more than an 8x10 glossy. We were succeeding, too. Baby steps, but we were gaining Respect. (Anyone remember that song?)

Then came Madonna with “Like a Virgin”. Women everywhere watched our hard won respect erode. Suddenly Barbara Streisand was a man hater and Geraldine Jackson didn’t have talent, just bad skin. It has been a sled ride downhill ever since.

Young women who think of themselves as free today are more enslaved than we ever thought of being in the 50’s and 60’s. At least for us, it was okay to say no to a boy! We didn’t wear naughty sayings emblazoned on our private parts; we had the right to keep our privates to ourselves.

I have never read any of the Shades of Grey books and I don’t intend to, simply because pornography is not my idea of entertainment. Neither is subjugation of women. I tend to get real angry; I’d probably bum the books just for that reason!

As an author and a woman, I am ashamed of the person who wrote this trash. As a feminist, I’m disgusted and sad.

It was different; I know. I was there.

Was it all for nothing?

Jean Flanigen,

Rosalia

Disrespectful

I was extremely distressed to see the political cartoon printed in the February 26 edition of your newspaper. This “cartoon” depicted Franklin Graham, a devoted man of God, as the devil. Showing him with horns on was so disrespectful to him. I am very disappointed in your newspaper for printing this so called “cartoon.” There are many evil people in this world; but Franklin Graham is not one of them!

Marjorie Starr,

Spokane