FEEDBACK

The unresolved male identity

It certainly is courageous for Kathryn Bigelow to take on asymmetrical warfare and male identity as her subject [“Redeploying Gender,” Feb. 28], but while she presents the male dilemma, she offers no solution.

Such a breakthrough would be impossible in a culture of violent death where all men must accept the macho-militaristic role model or die trying. Machoism, together with fear of the solution, namely a peaceful role for American manhood, keeps male identity always unresolved.

Asymmetrical warfare makes the insurgent into the citizen soldier fighting for his country and family to rid himself of the foreign invader while the American soldier is a professional “doing a job.” One cannot imagine a thing more self-alienating.

Geri A. Mellgren-Kerwin

Neytiri and Sully in ‘Avatar’

Betsy Sharkey makes many good points in her article on James Cameron [“In James Cameron’s Worlds, Women Lead the Charge,” Feb. 28], but she seems to have missed some dimensions of “Avatar.”

The character of Jake Sully does not “give up everything” to be with Neytiri, and he gladly leaves his disabled human form to run freely in the form of a Na’vi. No, the movie shows how Neytiri helps Jake find his real moral compass.

Jake makes his way into the warrior culture of the Na’vi on his own effort and surpasses their expectations. Neytiri leads him in the beginning, but he understands the evil potential of human society far better than she.

Richard Kesler West

Get facts straight about Marines

As the author of the authorized biography of Sgt. John Basilone, I must correct you on a serious mistake in your account of HBO’s “The Pacific” [“Our Half-Forgotten War in the Jungles,” Feb. 28] citing Basilone that will likely offend most Marines, service people and citizens who value Basilone’s legacy.

Sgt. Basilone did receive the Medal of Honor for his actions leading his men on Guadalcanal but did not “single-handedly” hold off 3,000 Japanese troops. He in fact commanded three machine gun emplacements manned by 13 men, five of whom were killed over three nights in the Battle of Bloody Ridge.

Sgt. Basilone would be outraged that his men were not properly acknowledged.

Jim Proser

Playa Del Rey

Proser is author of “I’m Staying With My Boys: The Heroic Life of Sgt. John Basilone, USMC”

::

You might want to tell David Ferrell that Marines are never referred to as soldiers. Soldiers are in the Army. Marines are in the Marine Corps.

Writers can refer to Marines as troops, naval infantry, infantrymen, riflemen, gyrenes, leathernecks or even jarheads, but never, never as soldiers.

Warren Cereghino, USMC Res. Retired

Photographs that look alike

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Mr. Leong’s prints [“When Artists Borrow,” Feb. 28] sell for as much as $25,000.

As an amateur photographer and former student in both Paris and Venice, I have taken pictures that are virtually indistinguishable from the two featured (“Seine 1” and “Canale della Giudecca I, Venezia”).

While I appreciate the creative talent of those that capture stunning places and moments in time, I don’t believe quarreling over ownership and copyright is warranted when it is, in fact, the scene that lends itself to art, less so the talent of the artist.

Mark D. Sugi