ustxtxb_obs_1991_06_28_50_00017-00000_000.pdf

Dialogue Continued from page 2 ist. Ralph Ellison is heavily indebted to James Joyce for some of the technique in his superb novel, Invisible Man. Suppose these geniuses had been denied contact with “dead white males” through some sort of curricular segregation? The most pernicious aspect of the “political correctness” dogma is the notion that African Americans, for example, cannot relate to Shakespeare and whites, for example, are not qualified to teach Zora Neale Hurston. Is every black Ph.D. in English relegated to Black Studies and every Chicano to Hispanic Studies? Such assumptions deny one of the most important functions of literature: the celebration of common humanity between reader and author that permits the reader new insights into his/her own life and that of others. Such new insights often occur when learning from experiences vastly different from one’s own. Steve Salinger Kansas City, Missouri Listening to the Observer Martha W. Allen’s letter in the April 5, 1991 issue calls attention to the plight of millions of Americans who have lost access to the incredible amount of information disseminated daily by the printed word. We at Houston Taping for the Blind Radio broadcast 18 hours a day, seven days a week with programming tailored to listeners who cannot read normal print for one reason or another. Our programming consists of volunteers reading from newspapers, magazines, and books, including, of course, the Texas Observer. Though we hope in the future to broadcast on the AM or FM dial, at this time we go out on a sideband of an FM frequency, and our listeners can pick up our signal on a radio that we loan them free of charge. Perhaps Ms. Allen or some other of your readers would like to know more about our service and others like it across the state. They Pamela K. Parker . HTBR Station Manager Houston No More Bentsen Bashing The continued criticism of Lloyd Bentsen is perhaps too hasty. As conservative as he has been, Bentsen has lately done yeoman duty for the liberal community. His campaign in 1982 created the coattails that brought the first slate of progressive candidates into statewide office in Texas, removing Bill Clements from the governor’s chair for a crucial four years. Later, his opposition helped defeat Robert Bork’s nomination to the Supreme Court; he helped carry the South against Bork. And while the Dukakis campaign in 1988 was floundering because Michael Dukakis would not stand up for his liberal beliefs, Lloyd Bentsen used the occasion of his debate with Dan Quayle to mount a stirring defense of economic populism; asked about the prosperity of the country in 1988, he responded, “I could give the illusion of prosperity if I could write $200 billion worth of hot checks a year.” Too late in the campaign, Dukakis seized on the issue of economic opportunity for all; it helped the Democrats maintain their advantage in Congress when Dukakis lost. Perhaps Lloyd Bentsen can never completely rehabilitate himself for his character assassination of Senator Ralph Yarborough. However, when Democratic candidates have been reduced to cowering in the closet, I feel that at least Lloyd Bentsen will take the fight to George Bush in 1992. And that, more than anything, is what Democrats need. Geoffrey Baskir Burke Virginia Help bring our technology out of the Stone Age! If you can help the Observer find a used Macintosh-compatible laser printer free or cheap \(per haps through a tax-deductible Support The Texas Observer THE TEXAS OBSERVER 17