The facts about Capote’s “In Cold Blood”
Re: “My ongoing relationship with Capote,” Dec. 26 Colorado Voices column.
Chuck Reyman’s column reminded me of my own relationship with the subject of a recent cinematic biography. Mine, however, was more contentious than his. Unlike Reyman, I read Truman Capote’s “In Cold Blood” very carefully when it was published in The New Yorker and again as a book. Although it was touted as a new literary genre, a non-fiction novel, I knew that Capote got part of his description of my native Kansas wrong. I knew this kind of work required a new kind of criticism, with a close eye to factuality. I wrote to Capote asking for his cooperation; his gracious, handwritten reply said he was too busy but he wished me all the luck in the world.
I made a trip to Holcomb and Garden City, Kan., to interview principals and search for relevant documents. What I found was a set of facts significantly different from Capote’s account. My version was published as an article, “In Cold Fact,” in the June 1966 issue of Esquire only after a research assistant at Esquire double- checked my evidence.
One of the main changes Capote made was in the characterization of Perry Smith. Unlike the suffering poet who didn’t know what he was doing when he killed two of the Clutters, the real Perry Smith, as captured in his confession by a certified court stenographer, was a semiliterate, obscene and cold- blooded killer, who described how he deceived Mr. Clutter at the moment he cut his throat. Smith was transformed by projection into a sympathetic, sensitive underdog.
The title of the book refers not to the murder of the Clutters – Capote wants the reader to believe their killings were a result of schizophrenic eclipse – but to the execution of Perry Smith. These and other important distortions are unfortunately repeated in the three films made from “In Cold Blood.” At least the current film, “Capote,” presents the main character’s tendency to mendacity, a fact noticed by more than one reviewer.
Phillip K. Tompkins, Denver
The writer is a professor emeritus of communication and comparative literature at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Political activism on college campuses
Re: “College rallies shift to the right,” Dec. 26 news story.
It’s nice to see Republican activism returning to college campuses; liberals have grown complacent in that all-too-accepting environment and need their beliefs challenged. And it’s nice too see junior GOPers being creative to make their point – Lord knows today’s conservatives are a dour bunch and their message, “the end of the world is nigh due to liberal shenanigans,” is growing old.
But when they start infiltrating liberal protests for sport (e.g., planting false protest signs to influence public opinion), they reveal their unbridled desire to imitate their GOP elders by dipping into the conservatives’ “Big Old Bag o’ Dirty Tricks.” Pretty soon they’ll be staging protests at election offices to stop vote recounts, falsifying data to start wars, outing covert agents to embarrass their critics, and ignoring laws in order to eavesdrop on fellow citizens.
Play nice, young conservatives! Don’t be seduced by the dark side. Argue your case openly and cleanly without carrying on the nasty traditions of your political heroes.
William Autrey, Boulder
Proposed design for Colo. welcome signs
I’m saddened, but not surprised, to hear about a proposed new design for Colorado highway welcome signs. There’s always money to be made replacing a timeless design with a passing fad. A decade ago, we tried “colorful” signs whose garish, dayglow mountains resembled a bad acid trip. Now we’re considering plain white signs with 10 cents’ worth of typography. It’s bland beyond belief, suitable for any corporate letterhead of your choice.
The current wood-and-stone signs could stand 100 years and still look appropriate. They have a charming retro aspect. Most of all, they resemble the signage style of our national parks and forests, which are the real reason most visitors drive into this state. Tell the state’s PR office that this is the distinctive and well-known “brand identity” we should be exploiting.
John McMillin, Wheat Ridge
Accuracy in headlines
Your headline for a story regarding an Israeli air strike (“Palestinian militant base attacked by Israeli jets,” Dec. 28) was misleading and borders on bias. The story states that the attack was in response to an unprovoked attack by Palestinians against Israeli civilians, belying the slant of the headline. A more accurate headline would have been, “Israel responds to Palestinian attack with air strike.” As it reads now, the headline leaves the reader to assume Israel took this action unilaterally and without provocation.
There is enough wanton disregard for the truth and accuracy by media around the world when reporting on Israel. We don’t need newspapers like The Post joining in.
Steve Feld, Englewood
Smoking bans
Letter-writer Stephanie Steinberg, chair of Smoke-Free Colorado, opined (Dec. 18 Open Forum) that smoking bans are not about banning smoke but are rather about breathing clean air in bars and restaurants. But this makes no sense in light of the fact that available and commercial air filtration systems can render air quality in bars and restaurants where smoking is allowed equal to (if not better than) the quality of air in venues where smoking is banned.
Steinberg then revealed that smoking bans are not about banning smoking but are instead about public health. But that makes no sense in light of the fact that numerous epidemiological studies found no causal relationship between secondhand smoke and lung cancer.
Steinberg went on to say that smoking bans are not about banning smoking but about liberating people who are forced to work in smoke-filled bars and restaurants. But this makes no sense in light of the fact that slavery has been constitutionally outlawed for well over a century. Those hospitality workers who perceive smoking to be a threat to their health have ample opportunity to work in non- smoking establishments which far outnumber smoking establishments.
In reality, smoking bans are about sanctimonious busybody organizations such as Smoke-Free Colorado and their incessant need to use police enforcement of their lifestyle values on others.
Raoul De Chant, Parker
Mothers who use marijuana
Re: “Grass roots; 58,866 Denver residents voted to legalize pot – among them, these moms,” Dec. 27 Scene story.
I applaud The Denver Post for its story about responsible mothers who happen to use marijuana. For too long, marijuana smokers have been portrayed as the criminal element or losers. One in three Americans have admitted to smoking marijuana and about one in 10 use it regularly. Nearly all marijuana smokers are responsible, taxpaying citizens.
As with any substance, including alcohol, the few bad apples will always taint the bunch. However, it is a national disgrace that we incarcerate tens of thousands of people every year, wasting millions of tax dollars, locking up people who have done no harm to others by using marijuana. Despite the recent victory in Denver, reefer madness is still strong in Colorado, where growing one marijuana plant for personal use carries the same penalty as a sexual assault. Why should law-abiding citizens be subjected to the humiliation of arrest and being processed by the court system for possessing small amounts of marijuana?
Sean T. McAllister, Breckenridge
The writer is chairman of the board of directors for Sensible Colorado.
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