LETTERS: INTENDED TRIBUTE WAS CONDESCENDING

To the editor:

On Jan. 19, the Southeast Missourian printed a letter, "Betty Simms: A life remembered." It contained a poem written as a tribute to Betty Simms by an individual for whom Mrs. Simms worked many years ago. As the writer stated, he "wrote it in the hope of transcending, in some fashion, my personal relationship with Betty Simms in order to reflect on broader themes." Although the writer may have been well-intended, I must say that I was troubled by the unmasking of this inept, condescending and crude group of words which he called a poem.

To begin, the "poem" had the tone and expression of material being written during slavery times. The writer spoke of "in the part of town where colored people lived." These very words bring up images of a civilization long gone such as the culture portrayed in "The Color Purple" or "Gone With the Wind." They are clearly not of this generation. Does the writer not know that "colored" went out when the separate water fountains did?

Sadly, the writer stated that the remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday was the appropriate time to publish this "poem." As we all know, Dr. King taught that people should not be judged by the color of their skin or physical characteristics. Instead, Dr. King felt that people should be judged by the content of their character. The writer's comment that Mrs. Simms "was as big as a house and thick as an armored car" is not only offensive, it goes against everything Dr. King taught. Dr. King taught us to value others' differences whether they are the color of our skin and hair and, yes, even the size of our bodies. Indeed, the writer did not show sensitivity to and awareness of issues on diversity or differences.

A tribute should show acknowledgment of gratitude, respect and appreciation to the person being honored. It is meant to be positive and uplifting as opposed to negative and demeaning. If the writer truly meant to pay tribute to Betty Simms, he would have focused on the positives such as the bigness and thickness of her heart instead of the size of her body. Also he could have focused on the gourmet meals she cooked instead of the one piece of toast she burned.

Like Dr. King, Mrs. Simms may not have had material goods, but she too will someday leave behind a committed life -- committed to her family, her work and her community. This is the image of Betty Simms which I would like Cape Girardeans to remember. It is shameful that the writer chose to remember her in the disdainful manner in which he did.

VIOLA STAFFORD

Wildwood