Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.latimes.special From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: AN OUTSIDE OPINION Date: Mon, 16 Nov 92 07:57:14 EST Message-ID: HEADLINE: AN OUTSIDE OPINION Publication Date: Sunday November 15, 1992 BYLINE: How unkind of you and your staff to further stigmatize people who suffer the agony of chronic mental illness ("The Outsiders," by Tessa DeCarlo and Susan Subtle Dintenfass, Oct. 11). Your exploitative approach was surprising and unconscionable, from your choice of the sensational subhead ("The Art of the Insane") to your use throughout the article of pejorative terms ("lunatics," "mad artists," "madhouses," "more than a little crazy") and smug quotes ("A lot of these people, to be honest, looked strange.") The result of stereotyping is always the same: It dehumanizes. That permits easy dismissal of another's pain and paves the way for human cruelty. GLENN COTHAM, PRESIDENT ALLIANCE FOR THE MENTALLY ILL Van Nuys This article is copyright 1992 The Los Angeles Times Home Edition. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM