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By D Magazine |

Aikmania

The article on Troy Aikman (“Troy Aikman Won’t Dance,” Sept.) caught my attention by the picture, pose and posturing. I’ve never been a football fan because of its superficial glory. Yet the article kept me interested and riveted. I was even inspired to re-read it, highlight it, re-read it, etc., and to write a letter to Troy Aikman. It’s great to find such a fine young man with some honest principles left in the world.

P. ANDERSON

DALLAS



What I want to share with you is yet one more example of how special this extraordinary guy [Aikman] can be.

It was during his second season with the Cowboys that I finally got up enough nerve to write him a letter. I simply wanted to know how a single girl went about meeting somebody like him. No response. I wrote again, and the next time my letter accompanied two dozen blue and silver balloons that were delivered to his locker room. Again, no response.

Then he was hurt in a game with Phoenix and ended up with a shoulder problem that required surgery. Now he was in a situation that was bordering on something very familiar to me-nursing. I had a huge aspirin (a paperweight, but an exact replica of a Bayer aspirin). Perfect! So. I sent that, too, along with a little poem.

Lo and behold, Troy Aikman called and thanked me for that aspirin!

We probably talked a good 10 or 15 minutes.

1 remember asking him if he liked to dance. He said he liked to go to the various clubs and sit around listening to the music but never danced.

I guess I am one of the “few” who have been lucky enough to have their lives touched by this unusual, caring person.

MALEA LAMPIER

LANCASTER



When current times provide no excitement and when those who aspire to political office can offer no leadership, we must look elsewhere. Troy Aikman may be only an athlete on a professional sports team, but he certainly makes Sundays more fun. It’s so refreshing to see someone whom kids (and grown-ups) can look up to and know that what you see is what you get.

BETSY BROWN

MESQUITE



It is wonderfully refreshing to have a man like Troy representing Dallas’ pro football team. What an extraordinary young man, to be in the limelight of “pro football stardom” and remain so, well, normal.

In response to that woman who was so absolutely disgusting as to lick his face: It’s apparent you were not taught proper manners as a child.

DEBBIE VAN REEDEN

PLANO



Reality 101

I have little sympathy for Ruth Miller Fitzgibbons’ sleepless nights fretting over which private school to send her son to (“All the Right Schools,” Sept.). I, too, have sleepless nights. But mine are over how to pay exorbitant insurance premiums, make the mortgage and have enough left over for groceries and new school shoes.

While I believe a number of readers can identify with Ms. Fitzgibbons, I think the vast majority cannot fathom spending $5,000-$10,000 on private school education.

Her anguish is not an option shared by many people I know.

SUSAN AGUREN

DALLAS



Twenty years ago, as a single working mother, the task of rearing children in troubled times was daunting. To my great surprise, this proud parent now has a son who is a pilot and a daughter who is a doctor at Baylor Medical Center. The surprise is because I may be the only parent in the last decade not to stress the importance of a college education. My continuing emphasis was on character: dependability, responsibility, maturity.

Mike and Lisa didn’t learn French at the age of 6 or become computer wizards at 12. They attended public schools and colleges because that was all I could afford.

I am personally disappointed with the popular perception that an expensive education is an elementary ingredient to the road to success.

LINDA LEE ANDUJAR

IRVING



The Line on Lena

I invite you to look over your article (“The Law and Lena Levario,” Sept.). There is an error within the content of the article that I wish to point out. Unfortunately, the mistake is in reference to me.

I have not, nor do I ever intend to represent a dog-butchering case. I have three dogs myself. I would find it very difficult to represent someone who has done harm to these creatures.

I did not leave the public defender’s office over this case or any case for that matter. Among other reasons, I left the office because of low pay.

OLIVIA BLEDSOE

DALLAS



I had the distinct pleasure of Ms. Levario’s acquaintance while she was an undergraduate at Texas Tech. We used to wax philosophically about “changing the world.” From day one, Ms. Levario’s goals were nothing short of noble. She set out, undaunted, to correct the injustices in life, and her vision is now realized.

I can further attest to the fact that she has “cajones” (that would put most men to shame) and the tenacity of a pit bull. She will always remain a true inspiration to me.

RICHARD ZAPATA

LUBBOCK



Toss Perot

I thought Chris Tucker’s “Farewell to the Wimp” (Sept.) was quite courageous. In fact, it looks to me like Chris Tucker has considerably more courage than does Ross Perot.

SUSAN D. KAMMINSKY

ADDISON



Arts for All

Re “Elitism in the Arts” (Sept.); If Porter Anderson had spent any time at the museum, he’d know that the Dallas Museum of Art already practices the “new” approaches he suggests Dallas arts organizations adopt to combat elitism. A few examples:

● 15,000 people responded to our invita tion to “bring a blanket and a picnic” to the free Jazz Under The Stars concert series.

● 4,000 came, dressed comfortably, to the Video Festival to see new videos and participate in hands-on workshops.

● On weekend afternoons, scores of children and their parents participate in free drop-in art activities.

● Porter, but not 6.000 others, also missed the Zawadi festival of African and African-American Art in February and the Japan Festival in June.

● Come stroll through the galleries any day and see schoolchildren sitting on the floor and diversity of people and dress.

● Furthermore, the DMA is one of the few remaining free museums in the country- and we have never required anyone to make a reservation.

MEG HANLON

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

DALLAS MUSEUM OF ART



This last summer my son saved some of his “blue collar” salary and purchased a ticket to one of the Beethoven Series concerts, drove three hours to Dallas, went to an area mall and asked for advice on the proper symphony apparel, purchased his selection, changed in a gas station, parked our ’82 Buick next to a Mercedes, found his seat in the $30 or less section, drove back home, arriving at 3 a.m. in time to get ready for his job at the local grocer’s.

Most probably, his credentials as a symphony patron fall short: He is 17, he can’t sing, he can’t play a musical instrument of any kind, and we obviously are not wealthy. But luckily he did not know what was “required,” and no one told him that he may feel uncomfortable or unacceptable in the symphony environment, and so a love for classical music and his enthusiasm to experience a live symphony led him to the front doors of the Meyerson.

As the evening turned out, he was surrounded by beautiful sounds, inspiring architecture and charming people who made him feel welcome. His first concert will be the beginning of a lifelong patronage, and his passion for music will not be diminished by the humbling knowledge that he wasn’t “gala” material.

If the elitist criteria for the patron was applied to the creator, many of our finest artists, past and present, would be unable to attend the “galas” held to honor their own achievements.

SHARON DRAHN-THOMPSON

TEMPLE



To me the solution to the dilemma faced by the arts is simple. It’s all about being welcome, comfort and vanity. And the fix is easy-just assign an “attendance dress code” to each presentation. By promoting three revolving comfort levels such as opening night is dress-up, second night is casual and third night is family, then the attitude of pomp and Sunday dress would disappear, and the public would come.

BILL HOARD

DALLAS



Re: “The Truth About Art” (July) by Porter Anderson. I think nothing more eloquently demonstrates what is wrong with the Texas arts scene than Anderson’s inept and patronizing commentary. His arguments against funding parity for minority arts groups like Teatro Dallas are weak and uninformed, but they are significant because they express so clearly and concisely the gross contradictions which have beset the arts in Dallas for years.

First, if Councilman Garcia has chosen to make minority arts funding his personal political football, it’s about time somebody did. At least he has drawn attention to the fact that minority artists have been horren-dously underfunded.

Second, Garcia’s hometown satirists aren’t chicken, most of them have just left Dallas. In the 10 years I lived in the city, I witnessed most of the state’s finest actors, directors, writers and producers leave the city for more supportive turf elsewhere.

Finally, it does no good to attack Cora Cardona for the glaring needs of her theater. If her productions are lacking, it is because she doesn’t have the funding to do them right. I find the attack on her vision particularly pernicious. It was her vision which gave me the first opportunity ever to write and produce a play and get paid for it.

I keep this article in my wallet now, so that when people ask why I left Dallas, I can just pull it out and let them read for themselves.

OCTAVIO SOLIS

SAN FRANCISCO, CA



Curtain Call?

Re “Is It Curtains For Theatre Three?” (August): As a former employee of the theater, 1 can certainly understand the turmoil it is in. What a shame the oldest professional theater in Dallas cannot have a supportive and decent board of directors.

Mr. Anderson has never given Theatre Three its due. I can remember much hardhitting, serious theater done at Theatre Three. Remember “Voices Unsilenced,” “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” and “Stringbean,” Mr. Anderson? How dare you insult the artists that do their work there. One cannot really compare the Dallas Theater Center and Theatre Three because of the funding the Theater Center so adequately gets. If Theatre Three, too, had that funding, then you would be able to compare them fairly.

SHANNETTE HOELSCHER

CORPUS CHRISTI

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