(June 19, 2006)
[Ed. As a reminder to Letter writers: If you want your letters to be published, you must include your first and last names and your city and state of residence. Also, please, enter in the subject line of your e-mail "letter to the editor," and specify the article or the subject on which you are commenting. Thank you.] Janus-like authority structures: Charles Marowitz's Decoding The Da Vinci Code To Charles Marowitz: Thanks Charles, for the best and simplest review of this impossible topic. You've hit the nail on the head about people not trusting Janus-like authority structures being the driving force behind this controversy. I am also profoundly amused about the legitimacy of "scholarly opinion" being claimed by the debunkers when we know that the doings of First Century Christianity are a blur at best. My intuitive sense is that the Church knows very well that Leonardo was a Johannite Gnostic. One who used the symbolism of the alchemical androgyne, popular with Renaissance intellectuals who hoped that Hermeticism would spark the awaited classical and scientific revolution. But true to form, as you have aptly pointed out, the Church's outward "happy face" imperative cannot give up Leonardo as a super-pious son of his mother Church. So back we go to the "art scholars" now, who seem to know nothing of the ferment behind the humanist movement. Perhaps you would find this astoundingly obvious alternative to Dan's scheme yet another senseless twist to this story. If so, it can be seen here: http://altreligion.about.com/library/texts/bl_differentdvc.htm Fred Foster North Carolina, USA - June 5, 2006 "Remember, take hold of your time here. Give some meanings to the means to your end." --Interpol ********** Minimalist praise: Gilles d'Aymery on Handke and the witch hunt Dear Gilles d'Aymery, Wow, I'm impressed by your articles, and your ability to sum things up in a nutshell. Just the kind of reader we need! I'm pleased you could make good use of our feuilleton summaries. As you'll see by putting "Handke" into our search function, we have done one or two pieces on him in our "Magazine Roundup" as well. All the best, and pass it on! Regards, John Lambert Editor-in-Chief signandsight.com Berlin, Germany, June 8, 2006 To the Editor: Great piece: "The Hanging Of Peter Handke From The Orthodox Gallows," Gilles d'Aymery, Swans, June 5, 2006 David Peterson Chicago, Illinois, USA - June 5, 2006 ********** The Italian press covers Peter Handke To the Editor: You might like to know that La Republica devoted more than a full page to Handke in its June 3 issue. (It's one of the three big Italian national dailies and of a center-left leaning.) A paragraph on the front page continues inside taking up the whole first page of the "Cultura" section. It's basically a translation of an article by Wim Wenders: "Why I defend Handke" with the description: "The director sides with the Austrian writer censored for his pro-Serb positions." There's a paragraph detailing projects the two have worked on together and a big colored drawing of Handke by Tullio Pericoli. Maybe Wenders has sent the same piece to Der Spiegel, which I understand is publishing Srbljanovic against, Botho Strauss and Wenders for. Peter Byrne Lecce, Italy, - June 8, 2006 ********** The Cruise Line Left: Louis Proyect on The Cuba Petitions To the Editor: I just googled for "Cuba" and "the Nation Magazine" and found Proyect's great article. Thank you. (Zinn and Chomsky never had the same esteem from me after that. Now Parenti, on the other hand...!) Carolfrances Likins Los Angeles, California, USA - June 5, 2006 ********** Want change? Make it happen...and, please, help us help YOU make a difference.
********** Feminist ruse? Alma Hromic's I Am Not A Womb, I Am A Woman To the Editor: Alma A. Hromic needs to find a more worthy feminist cause. I cannot outline in a brief letter how badly she mischaracterizes the CDC's preconception initiative, but let me mention the most egregious ruse: nowhere does the CDC try to cut women of childbearing age who are not pregnant and have no intention of becoming pregnant from drinking a glass of wine with dinner. Stephanie Strand South Hadley, Massachusetts, USA - June 10, 2006 ********** Questioning the questioning, spelling aside: Milo Clark's Oh, Gawd! To the Editor: Please thank Milo Clark for citing my dad's But Is It True in his column. I'm not sure which piece of info he relies on the book for, but I'd be happy to find out! Please note that my father spelled his name "Aaron." Adam Wildavsky New York, New York, USA - June 5, 2006
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