Dear Leslie,

I would be interested to hear about the conflict of what I view is an
ethical "ideology" and your ideals as an artist.  It is true, I'm afraid,
that I am arguing for value-connected judgment of artistic material.  But
that's really what always goes on anyway, isn't it?  Otherwise, why don't
we see more retrospectives of famous Nazi artists (in a politically neutral
forum, mind)?  Why do we wince when Wallace Stevens uses the "n-word"  (At
least, I do), or speak of Nietszche or Aristotle as having been
women-haters,
rather than taking their unforgivable comments as true to the core?  I think
it is because we always have made value judgments on art, we always will,
and to the extent that we protect ourselves from demons and false prophets,
we are right to do so.

I know that the fear is of censorship, or artistic repression.  I think,
though, that in most of the artists whose work I love and respect-  which
includes Mapplethorpe to the extent of his artistic (as opposed to socio-
political) endeavors- have not felt driven to be full of hate or acid, and
have avoided by their own choice the glorification of inner darknesses.

I'm a great fan of Twain as well, and have read everything I could find
by him.  It is sad to me that Huck Finn seems flawed the way it is, because
I would really love for that not to be the case.  I feel, however, a
respons-
ibility to put his work in a broad human perspective:  at the heart of
things,
I find Finn has failings.  I believe the book supports my descriptions of
Jim significantly, and that alone is enough that warning is in order.

Since this is often a book used in schools, it is especially important to
look at its strengths and failings relative to education.  I imagine, for
instance, that the Southern blacks in the Georgia high school I attended
would not at all have sympathized with or been amused by Jim, and it is
a terrible thing to give the Southern whites the idea that reconciliation
between races will occur as a result of enough "noble blacks" like Jim.
Even if artists do not agree that they should have ethical considerations,
the question of ethics in teaching is of critical importance.  Twain's book
has every right to exist; it is not so clear that it has equal value as
an educational tool, especially among inexperienced readers.  At best,
I can imagine it used as a contrast-  showing Jim to be a pale caricature
beside the more "black" images of, say, Alice Walker or _Roots_.

Please note, by the way, I was not attempting to criticize Bill Cosby
himself, but rather the characters on the TV show.

J. D. Stahl, I appreciated the comments regarding Ralph Ellison.  He has
a very clear vision of the workings of implicit racism in his fictional
work; I will certainly try to find that essay.

I saw that Tonight Show, too, Michael M., and it made me sick.  I kept
waiting
for something to happen to redeem Leno for all the discomfort he was
creating,
and it never happened.  As best I can tell, it was a poorly orchestrated
(couldn't resist!) attempt to embarrass Cosby, who maintained his dignity
and kept his temper admirably.  Leno looks something like a rodent with
those high cheeks and that toothy smile, doesn't he?

Daven