Letters: Dec. 22, 1967

(3 of 4)

Sir: Bonnie and Clyde [Dec. 8] is not a film for adults, and I believe that much of its degradation has come from that fact. Adults are used to being entertained in theaters—coming out smiling and humming the title song—but our generation (I am 18, a college freshman) was brought up in an era of documentary movies and television. We can accept documentation, tragedy, human frailty and downfall on a Saturday-night date to the local theater. The reason it was so silent, so horribly silent in the theater at the end of the film was because we liked Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, we identified with them and wanted to be like them, and their deaths made us realize that newspaper headlines are not so far removed from our quiet dorm rooms.

LYNDA BENDER

Peoria, Ill.

Sir: I realize that you must report the facts, but I'm afraid your article on "the new in films" only serves to further condition us to receive, with minds at half-mast, future movies on the acceptance, tolerance, even the glorification of violence. I'm certain many of us look forward eagerly to such productions as the life of Adolf Hitler, the poor misguided Austrian paperhanger, complete with scenes of a Nazi unconcernedly dashing a child against a brick wall and Use Koch making lampshades of human skin—all in glorious Technicolor, of course.

Now how about a feature article denouncing violence for what it is—the real obscenity on the American scene?

W. E. LITTLE Richmond, Va.

Stuffing the Ballot Box

Sir: This year there can be no question who will be the Man of the Year, if not

Man of the Century: Lyndon B. Johnson, for standing firm on Viet Nam despite the vilification and protests of people here and throughout the free world, the same ones who in more reasonable and peaceful times will owe him gratitude for a safer world.

ROBERT COREY Brockton, Mass.

Sir: The man who most affects the thoughts of today's millions of urban dwellers: the street criminal.

W. A. CARRELL Detroit

Sir: Primitivo Garcia and the people like him are the real Men of the Year every year. As long as a few of his kind remain, there is still hope for humanity.

MIKE MEAGHER Chippewa Falls, Wis.

Sir: The Shah of Iran, who lifted Iran into the 20th century.

S. JOSEPH Teheran

Sir: Cyrus R. Vance, a top diplomat, and peacemaker, for his superb work in solving the Cyprus crisis.

J. T. DONTOPOULOS

Athens

Sir: George F. Kennan, whose intelligence, vision, insight and unparalleled wisdom deserve a much wider audience.

MARION HARRIS Parkersburg, W.Va.

Sir: Charles de Gaulle.

STEPHEN J. DONAHUE San Francisco

Sir: Robert Kennedy.

MAUREEN ALYCE SHUL Cherry Point, N.C.

Sir: General William Westmoreland.

SONDRA HERREID Sioux Falls, S. Dak.

Sir: Pope Paul VI, of course.

JUAN GONZALEZ-MORENO Manhattan

Sir: America's public school teachers.

WILLIAM A. AMMERMAN Clarion, Pa.

Sir: The American farmer.

JOHN D. WOODRUFF College Corner, Ohio

Sir: God, from whom all our blessings come.

MRS. SHERRY HOWARD REEDY Geneva, Ill.

: The Devil.

W. E. NAWROCKI, M.D. Wenatchee, Wash.

: Billy Graham.