Re: [sixties-l] Re POW-MIA post

From: Randy Fertel (randy@fertel.com)
Date: Fri Jul 07 2000 - 02:34:49 CUT

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    on 7/6/00 7:38 AM, Virginia Laffey at vlaffey@edgenet.net wrote:

    > Mr. Lauter argues that these women were organized by the Nixon
    > White House and truly they were not. Co-opted, yes, organized no. The
    > implication I read in Mr. Lauter's post was that Phillip Daniels' film is yet
    > another instance where the well meaning but naive families of POW/MIA are
    > being exploited, being "used for very cynical political purposes." Rest
    > assured, this is not so. Better yet, don't take my word for it, watch the film
    > and then make a judgment. Just because the topic is a sensitive one does not
    > mean that a filmmaker/historian/scholar cannot handle it with fairness and
    > accuracy. Mr. Daniels does this admirably with his first installment and I
    > look forward to future episodes.

    It would be helpful if you addressed Mr. Lauter's suggestion that one needs
    to read Bruce Franklin on the POW/MIA issue. Have you read Franklin? Is
    your appreciation of Daniel's documentary despite having read Franklin? Has
    Daniel read Franklin and does he address his charges? Since I for one find
    Franklin's argument extremely compelling, it's hard to imagine handling this
    issue "with fairness and accuracy" without dealing with Franklin's charges.

    I'm sure you are right that we should watch the film and judge for
    ourselves. Still, in the meantime it would be nice to know where you and
    Daniel are coming from. . .

    Thanks,

    Randy Fertel
    Tulane University
    419 Walnut St.
    New Orleans LA 70118
    randy@fertel.com
    http://www.fertel.com/
    504-862-0707 (voice)
    504-862-0040 (fax)
    504-450-9178 (cell)



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