Madness in the mid-west
The following Letters to the Editor were published in the Morris Sun Tribune on Wednesday 11th May 2005.
MAES leadership out to lunch
I regret that I was out of town at the time âCootie Shotsâ? was presented at the University of Minnesota, Morris. It must have been a wonderful way to teach tolerance.
I even more deeply regret that the leadership at Morris Area Elementary was out to lunch when their students were invited to the performance.
Darlene Ross, Benson
âCootie Shotsâ has lessons for all ages
I would like to respond to an article in the April 20 Minneapolis Star Tribune, regarding the University of Minnesota, Morris production of the play “Cootie Shots.”
I am proud citizen of Morris, Minnesota, and a member of the Morris Area School Board. My comments are personal, and are not the comments of the school board. However. I will publicly state that the comments in the April 20 article (âSchools cancel tickets for ‘Cootie Shots’ play amid gay concernsâ?) were also not the comments of the Morris Area School Board.
In one sense, I am glad the play âCootie Shotsâ? resulted in controversy. If the controversy had not arisen, I would not have attended the production. For me it would have come and gone without recognition. When I saw the reaction generated by this play I was curious. I was also disappointed by the fear and anger circulating through the community. How ironic that a play teaching tolerance and civility would itself be censured.
So on April 23, I took two of my children, ages 7 and 4, to “Cootie Shots.” I was worried about taking such young children to the play, not because of the content but rather because I wasn’t sure they would sit still. As it turned out, they were so engrossed in the play they hardly moved — except when the audience was invited to participate. The three of us had a wonderful time. The lessons in âCootie Shotsâ? were timeless. Don’t tease. Be proud of who you are. Accept others who are different. Be nice.
Could my children have been influenced in a negative way by “Cootie Shots,” in particular the controversial âParable of the Stimplesâ?? Absolutely not. This was actually my son’s favorite story because the characters made loud, funny noises (something most children enjoy). Could an adult have read content into the play that was not overt? Sure. If that was your desire, you could see hidden meaning. But maybe the lesson for those adults — for those members of the community who were so opposed to this production — is this: look at the play through the eyes of a child. Enjoy it. And be nice.
Amy Doll-Wohlers, Morris
July 5th, 2005 at 3:22 pm
W/R/T Hats off in Mourning
Dear Pete:
Yes, I agree. Sadly, Mel Foss is a smalltime self-appointed minder of the moral structure of the US, something he does from his lofty position as a weekly columnist for the Norwood/Young America Times (circ. ~2400). Unfortunately, he represents most of what is repugnant in American Christianity today: self-righteous, bigoted, judgemental, and just plain unpleasant. I’ve read his column periodically and he loves wrapping his little local prejudices selective Bible quotations as if that made them more palatable. Mel exemplifies the statement “You can tell a Christian, but you cannot tell him much!”
A lot of my friends are gay. One of my kids is a lesbian. She’s getting her Ph.D, on full scholarship, no less. Her partner, who already has her Ph.D., is doing very well in her chosen profession (”Good, good, you married a doctor!” ). I am as proud of her as I am of the other two kids. Life is short and people should find whoever they can to bond with that makes them happier and fills their lives with love. The plumbing doesn’t matter.
Mel’s attitude, both as stated here and in his columns, that she and anyone like her deserves whatever they get because they’re a moral blight on the face of ‘Murrka is both un-American and un-Christian. While he has a right to his opinions and to state them, I am also reminded that the problem with free speech is that you have to put up with a lot of c***.