Watching movies only if they’re PG or cleaner
Re: “Too much R in Oscar,” Feb. 21 Colorado Voices column.
Rachel Ophoff has every right to boycott Hollywood for whatever reason she chooses. Her reasons – too many R-rated movies and too much sex and violence – have just as much merit as anyone else’s reasons. Personally, with the exception of “Little Miss Sunshine,” I found this year’s best picture-nominated films to be dull and just not very good.
That said, had Ophoff applied her reasoning throughout the history of the Oscars, she would have boycotted the following winners and countless other nominees: “Midnight Cowboy,” “The French Connection,” “The Godfather,” “The Godfather II,” “Deer Hunter,” “Platoon,” “Silence of the Lambs,” “Unforgiven,” “Schindler’s List,” “Braveheart,” “The English Patient,” “American Beauty” and “Crash.”
I think these films qualify as the “decent entertainment” Rachel asks for in her column. Had she had her way, none would have made it to the screen.
Steve Feld, Englewood
…
Rachel Ophoff laments the excessive violence, vulgarity and sexuality found in so many films, yet is unwilling to view the few that utilize these elements to effectively convey the difficult and complex nature of human existence.
To flatly reject seeing Oscar-nominated films such as “Babel” and “Letters from Iwo Jima” simply because they are R-rated and thus contain violence, profanity and/or sex is remarkably close-minded.
Perhaps Ophoff should stay at home and avoid having to face anything outside her frame of reference or moral framework.
Chris L. Winningham, Westminster
Army’s desire to expand Piñon Canyon site
Re: “Land grab gives Army bully image,” Feb. 19 David Harsanyi column.
David Harsanyi raises an issue that concerns every citizen in the U.S. The United States military wants to exercise the power of eminent domain to acquire 418,577 acres, much of it privately owned ranch land. That should not be surprising under a socialist system, but it shouldn’t happen in the democratic nation we claim to be.
The Department of Defense claims one-third of the increase in President Bush’s $2.9 trillion proposed budget for 2008. The “losers” in the budget include items which provide basic human services vital to the well-being of all Americans.
The present administration in Washington now commands by far the most powerful juggernaut in the world, and the leading producer and exporter of weapons and major warfare now seeks even more power at the expense of a healthy civilian population and economy. Now is the time for every good citizen to stand up and say “no.”
Dean Farringer, Denver
Focus on the Family protesters arrested
Re: “Lesbian couple accused of trespassing at Focus HQ,” Feb. 20 news brief.
Hats off to Dotti Berry and Robynne Stapp for their civil disobedience and speaking out against Focus on the Family and James Dobson’s distorting facts regarding gay and lesbian family structures and the welfare of children in these families.
Dobson’s recent article in Time magazine, “Two Mommies Is One Too Many,” has been repudiated by sources cited in his article. One source, Dr. Carol Gilligan, characterized his reference to her research as “a complete distortion of my work.”
Dobson seems to be mired in a combination of religious fervor and 1950s psychology. His conclusions about gay and lesbian parenting are not supported by any credible current research. The American Psychological Association’s website presents a positive outcome of gay or lesbian parenting with some studies indicating superior parenting skills exhibited by gays and lesbians. These positive outcomes are also supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Focus on the Family does many worthwhile things to support its followers, but it is unfortunate that these positives are overshadowed and drowned out by homophobic distortions.
Paul Hesson, Masonville
Closure of DPS school for potential dropouts
Re: “DPS to close charter school for dropouts,” Feb. 16 news story.
Thank you for your article about the students at the Life Skills Center, an alternative charter school in Denver that the school board has decided to close. The article accurately reflected the myriad challenges that are facing these young people. Although I’m not usually a proponent of charter schools run by corporations, this school serves a unique purpose in Denver and offers a final chance for these students to receive a high school diploma. The flexible, go-at-your- own pace curriculum allows these students with often chaotic lives the chance to earn a high school diploma. The school was closed because of low attendance rates, but of course the school has a low attendance when students have sick babies to care for and parents to bail out of jail.
A school board member accused the adults at this school of failing these kids, but one has to ask how these kids got to this point in the first place. Some of these kids came to Life Skills after Denver Public Schools closed Manual High School. What message is this sending to kids? DPS was ultimately unable to meet their needs in traditional school settings, and then they vote to close Life Skills without offering a viable alternative to these students.
Stacie Hanson, Denver
N. Korea nuclear treaty
Re: “Might diplomacy work with Iran?” Feb. 16 Trudy Rubin column.
Trudy Rubin gives much too much credit to the Bush administration’s diplomatic efforts in its standoff with North Korea. The recent success in getting Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear ambitions occurred because we stopped threatening and demonizing North Korea and essentially got out of the way, letting China carry the (heavy) water.
And, by the way, getting out of the way may be the wisest course in Iraq as well.
Robert Porath, Boulder
RTD park-n-pay-n-Ride?
Re: “RTD’s pay-for-parking idea advances,” Feb. 15 news story.
The proposal by RTD to start charging to park at its parking lots is really a bad idea. As we all know, the state is earnestly encouraging us to use our vehicles less (if possible) to conserve fuel and reduce so-called greenhouse gases.
The metropolitan area of Denver has probably one of the best, if not the best, bus systems in the country. With the added present and future light rail lines to be completed by 2016, the populace will have the choice of using public transportation, as long as they can park their vehicles at a transit station free of charge. I hope legislators will vote this proposal down.
Richard I. Walden, Broomfield
Metro State basketball
Re: “Coach ‘B,”‘ Feb. 18 Mark Kiszla column.
You made our day: Our favorite sports team in Denver on the front page! The Metro State players and coaches have been great role models for my children. They have attended their basketball camps and just about every home game the last three years. Given the choice between going to a Nuggets game and a Metro game, Metro is picked every time. My husband brings his basketball team to the games to see these guys, who give 110 percent effort. It’s also been great to see so many of the players recognized for their academic achievements. After the games, the players even come out and shoot with the kids.
I better quit bragging on them; otherwise we may lose our front-row seats. Go, Metro!
Meribeth Amundson, Littleton
TO REACH OPINION EDITORS
Phone: 303-820-1331; Fax: 303-820-1502; E-mail: openforum@denverpost.com (only straight text, not attachments)
Mail: The Open Forum, The Denver Post, 1560 Broadway, Denver, 80202 or PO Box 1709, Denver, 80201
Letters guidelines: The Post welcomes letters up to 200 words on topics of general interest. Letters must include full name, home address and day and evening phone numbers. Letters may be edited for length, grammar and accuracy.
Archives: Missed your favorite columnist or the latest Mike Keefe cartoon? Archives available at The Denver Post Online (www.denverpost.com)
