Reader Mail, 12/23

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December 23, 2002

(Page 2 of 13)

Blaming Vancouver

Don't discount cost as a reason for choosing bad guys. First of all, a Serb can be played by just about anybody. Arabic and Arab-looking actors are fewer on the ground. Second, "the former Yugoslavia" looks an awful lot like Vancouver, as far as most Americans are concerned. Third, the 90's saw a lessening of Middle Eastern violence against the West and an increase of violence in Eastern Europe (at least as far as the major media were concerned). This meant that "Serb" became a good shorthand symbol for "bad guy that must be stopped at all cost" which saved all that pesky plot work and left more screen time for nifty explosions.

Warren Way

Everybody's a cartoon

In the article titled "Unreel Claims" you write:

"You don't need an encyclopedia to demonstrate that Hollywood presents cartoonish and hostile images of Arabs, but the book's 900 entries make the point in the starkest possible terms."

Is there one minority, from Arabs to Zulus, including Jews, Italians, Irish, blacks, conservatives and (oddly enough) liberals (although probably less than the other groups) that Hollywood *doesn't* present at best a cartoonish image of?

Petro

Re: Left, Right, Left (12/13)

We couldn't even make Taki's bottom drawer

Can it be that your rather bitchy whine fest about the American Conservative is fueled by jealousy? The American Conservative has gotten a lot of attention, while Reason continues to wallow in well deserved obscurity.

Kenneth Robinson

Re: Hazy Reasoning (12/13)

Your arms too short to box with Bloomberg

Please do not give me that loss of freedom argument on banning smoking. My husband's college professor defined rights in a basic way. Hold out your arms and make a complete circle, and you will know where your rights begin and end without encroaching on someone else's. The professions you mention harm only the individuals who choose (the key word choose) to practice them. Smokers are like people who urinate in a swimming pool. It affects everyone who swims in the pool. Freedom and rights come with responsibility. That seems to be a word that has no meaning in this country starting with the very top of government. PS: I have asthma and allergies. I will not frequent anywhere smoking is allowed. Have you heard that Italy is thinking of banning smoking in public places?