A man voices an opinion as if his point of view is the right one: “White women should not appear partially clothed in the paper — it’s indecent” or something. He makes an attempt at a feminist and anti-racist argument for the abomination, which, personally, I didn’t follow, then he holds up as a comparison the outrage we, the public, would feel if a “naked” man were splashed on the covers of the Recorder in a similar fashion (which they were on both Aug. 6 and Aug. 8). So City Councilor Jasper Lapienski stirred the outrage machine and at the same time failed to make a good point. It becomes front-page news when people offering a fuller range of perspectives on the intention behind the photographs express outrage at Mr. Lapienski’s opinion. Some suggest he should be removed from the council. I’m sorry, but that is also ridiculous. It is not, what you might call, a proportionate response. We cannot operate as a society if every time someone expresses a stupid opinion we demand reprisal to the highest degree. Present better ideas, show the harm in the ideas he expressed, talk to the man, but don’t shut him down. And, of course, vote for someone else if you want.
Peter Scherer
Buckland