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Mailbag - Winter 2011
Hollywood Left and Right
In his piece on politics and Hollywood (“Little Caesar and the McCarthyist Mob,” Autumn 2011, p. 16), Steven J. Ross states that the “longstanding conventional wisdom that Hollywood has always been a bastion of the political left is wrong on two counts,” those being that Republicans were the first to establish a “political beachhead in Hollywood,” and the Hollywood right has had a greater impact on American political life, citing Ronald Reagan. Sorry, though Hollywood may have been more politically conservative in its earliest stages or populated by a few notable conservatives over the years, this does not deny the fact that Hollywood has been an active and effective monopoly of the political left for more than half a century. As evidence, count the flood of dollars from the Hollywood community to left candidates, the high-profile Hollywood activism on behalf of left causes and the impact of content promoting the political left. Weigh these against a barely perceptible trickle to the right. Or, better yet, try working in Hollywood as a conservative.
Constance Dunn MA ’06
LOS ANGELES, CA
Campaign for USC
In your article, “Fas Regna Trojae: The destined reign of Troy” (Autumn 2011, p. 12), your chart conveniently omitted the University of Texas-Austin endowment of $7.2 billion as of 2008.
Editor’s Note: The chart that appeared in the article only highlighted other private universities for comparison to USC.
Darrell Hanshaw MBA ’72
AUSTIN, TX
Pats & Pans
Love the online version of the magazine. My wife, Bobbi, and I met at USC and married during our senior year. Three members of our family also attended USC, and as of last year, we have a great-grandson – a future Trojan. With my mother still living, we have a five-generation Trojan family!
David N. Hepburn Jr. ’64
HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA
Have we made no progress since 1950? “His Stress, Her Stress” (Trojan Beat, Autumn 2011, p. 7) was sadly archaic. The opening repeatedly describes how wives do the chores and husbands don’t. I like to hope that heterosexual couples are moving beyond this stereotype. Saxbe’s final statement, that it is healthy to divide housework fairly with your partner, seems to be the true kernel of the article. Yet the author continues to dwell on the “war between the sexes” rather than writing a forward-thinking piece using Saxbe’s research.
Heather Pennington ’07
LOS ANGELES, CA
What a pleasure to see that the USC Alumni Club of London is active (Family Ties, Autumn 2011, p. 38) and no doubt will be more so when the Olympic Games go to London in 2012. When I was in London in 1968 at the founding of the club, I wondered, would it still be there decades later? The answer is clearly a resounding “Yes.”
Louis C. Kleber ’51
LAS VEGAS, NV
The beautiful Autumn 2011 edition spends many pages praising the new $6 billion dollar fundraising campaign. Meanwhile, the many past students who gave for years to the university through tuition moneys are relegated to name, city and age at death (In Memoriam, Class Notes, p. 46). They deserve more consideration.
William Leavenworth ’51, MA ’67
SAN DIEGO, CA
One of the sections my alumni friends and I have enjoyed over the years was the obituary. You eliminated a tradition. Although the full obituary can be pulled up online, to many older alumni, it may not be as easy or accessible. The old obituary form allowed us to read about the life accomplishments of alumni. For the sake of this great magazine, the only contact for some to the university, don’t forsake tradition: Bring back the old obituary form.
Donald Young ’57
VISTA, CA
Per“Soni”fied
Those three letters criticizing Dr. Varun Soni (Mailbag, Autumn 2011, p. 4) reflect a level of misunderstanding that permeates Americans’ beliefs today. The first letter ignores our diversity. Although our forefathers were predominantly Christians, religion in the U.S. is characterized by a diversity in religious beliefs. In the second letter, the changes that Dr. Soni helped those spiritually wanting to achieve are a deeper understanding of spirituality. As to the third letter, I agree that you cannot “study anything ... without dealing with spiritual meaning.” However, the reader may have taken this out of context, as the following sentence suggests the need for spiritual inquiry within the classroom environment.
Joseph Giuliano MS ’66, PhD ’70
LOS ANGELES, CA
It was with interest, but ultimately sadness, that I read your portrayal of Varun Soni, USC’s official “spiritual leader” (“The Un-Chaplain,” Summer 2011, p. 18). Soni is part of the mysticism-embracing, multicultural gobbledygook that renders religion and spirituality meaningless. His fusion of Buddhism and Hinduism represents hundreds of “gods,” and while it may sound hip to be an Eastern mystic, Soni’s message of experience over doctrine is the kind of message that leads students astray.
Greg Halvorson MPT ’95
PORTLAND, OR
Notice Board
I am writing a history biography of the late Dr. Frank Baxter, USC English professor and famed TV/film educator of the 1950s and ’60s. I’m seeking former students who might agree to interviews, by phone or writing, on Baxter both in and out of the classroom. Anecdotal stories and memories are welcome. Contact enideros@yahoo.com or 4252 Solar Circle, Union City, Calif., 94587.
