- CRAIG MITCHELLDYER / PORTLAND TIMBERS
CALL IT WHAT IT IS
RE: “Sorry, GOP. Pretty Sure Terrorism Was Already Political.” [News, Dec 2], in which Megan Burbank responds to conservatives’ criticism of their liberal counterparts for politicizing the recent shooting at a Planned Parenthood in Colorado.
ATTENTION MEGAN BURBANK—While I wholeheartedly agree with you on the points of your article, your rant lost me with your continued use of the term “abortion clinic.” Planned Parenthood is a women’s health care clinic last I checked. You referred to Planned Parenthood and other women’s health care clinics as “abortion clinics” no less than five times in your article, which made the article sound more like Fox News or GOP presidential candidate talking points.
Jerry Manuell, DC
LYSISTRATA
RE: “Chi-Raq Is an Insult” [Film, Dec 2], Ijeoma Oluo’s disgusted review of Spike Lee’s newest film.
DEAR MERCURY—While I had no intention of seeing Chi-Raq even before I read Ijeoma Oluo’s negative review, it seems only fair to the filmmaker to at least mention that the movie is a modern version of Lysistrata. Chi-Raq may indeed be an awful movie, but an acknowledgment of the allusion to an ancient satire may have tempered the reviewer’s disdain.
Jefferson Ranck
DEAR EDITORS—In the time spent bitching about Chi-Raq, Ijeoma could have read Lysistrata, the fabulous Greek satire Spike Lee is obviously adapting in his film. Please make sure your writers do their homework.
Ny
SENIOR EDITOR ERIK HENRIKSEN RESPONDS!: It was my decision not to mention Chi-Raq is based on Lysistrata….