OPINION
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Tuesday, April 13, 1993
5
CORRECTION
Editor's Note: Due to an error in editing, the context of the letter was significantly changed when it originally ran. The corrected version of the letter follows.
In her letter on the film "Body of Evidence," Wendy Doyle takes great liberty with the facts. Willem Dafoe's character was not a victim of rape. He was aware of his chent's sexual tastes, and
although the candle treatment was clearly painful, he did not object. Further, the assumption that "all men enjoy pain and force in sex" is hardly common in popular culture. Madonna's character, on the other hand, is shown struggling quite determinedly — if briefly, before giving herself up to ecstacy. This is typical movie fare. Madonna "didn't react like a rape victim" because she was a
character in a movie, following a host of other movie women who say no but mean yes, yes, yes! The scene "needs to be considered within its context," says Doyle. Fine. Dafoe's character, angry at his client for calling his wife, retahates with rape. But the real context of this scene is a society in which it is a typical portrayal of female sexuality.
If in doubt about a partner's consent, say the
Heather Devlin Lawrence junior
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Insurance companies give pit bulls a bad reputation
2829 Iowa
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842-2191
come by or call
Fabian is never going to win any blue ribbons in a dog show.
For one thing, he's not purebred.
He's mostly Rhodesian Ridgeback,
but due to an ancestor's romantic
bloodline, he is part of Stafford-
shire terrier mixed in.
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Mostly he roams around the Theodakises' spacious grounds in the Chicago suburb of Bannockburn, chasing squirrels, sniffing the ground and coming in for a nap with the cats.
But he's never bitten or gummed anyone, and probably wouldn't', unless it was a stranger coming through a window.
In other words, your run-of-the-mill family dog.
None of these flaws bother his owners. Helen and John Theodosakis. Fabian, 9, is a good munt. He's playful, loyal, barks at sounds in the night and can look ferocious, even with the gaps in his teeth.
And there's his dental problem. When he was young, he chompped too hard on a bone and broke off four of his front teeth. Fortunately, dogs don't smile or he'd be quite a sight.
Barb's Vintage Rose 927 Mass. 841-2451
or so the Theodosakises thought.
Recently, they learned that they were wrong.
Mon - Sat.10-5:30
Aetter came from the company that has provided their home owner's insurance for 22 years telling them that their coverage was being canwas too honest and shouldn't have told them that. I guess I should have lied."
Reading the letter closely, they found the reasons for non-renewal: "Due to increased liability exposure of vicious dog (pit bull) in home."
Which meant Fabian, with the gaps in his front teeth.
"When I read that, I remembered," said Mrs. Theodosakis. "Last year, they sent a questionnaire and it had a question about pets. I put down Rhodesian Ridgeback with a trace of American Staffordshire terrier, which people call pit bulls. I guess l
COLUMNIST
I guess Mrs. Theodosakis is right.
When she told me about the canceled insurance, I found it hard to believe. Is she sure the dog never chomped a neighbor's kid?
A call to the Great American Insurance Companies in Cincinnati brought an odd response. Terry Maley, a spokeswoman for the company, laughed heartily and said: "That's the first time I've ever heard anything so amusing."
"Absolutely. We have 17 acres, and he never leaves the property. Sure, he's large andooks fierce, but he's never bitten anyone in his life."
Laughing again, she said: "I really can't comment. I'm the highest level you are going to get, and there will be no comment. It is company policy."
The suburban police chief confirmed it, "I asked my men. They've never noticed the dog, and we’ve never had report or any kind of complaint."
responses from corporate ninies.
So I called an expert on pit bats.
I met the owner of the National American Pit Bull Terrier Association, in Vancouver, Wash.
(And it is my policy to print idiotic responses from corporateNMN.)
Well, we try to amuse, but is there an explanation for canceling this policy?
Dog experts kept explaining that pit
And it turns out that pit bull phobia still exists in this country.
bulls are no meaner than other dogs. If treated decently, they are fine pets. Because some morons raise them to be vicious fighting dogs, the whole group got a bum. With enough attention Frenzied poodle can be turned into a weapon.
So let's consider this a consumer affairs column. And my advice is this: If your insurance company sends you a questionnaire, tell them, yes, you own a pet. A parakeet, but it only attacks on command.
But apparently insurance companies choose not to believe this.
As Ms. Gaines-Stephens, the pit bull expert, said: "It's nationwide, and it's gotten out of hand. Insurance companies send questionnaires asking what breed of dog you have. People don't realize that if they put down American pit bull terrier or American Staffordshire terrier or anything with the words 'pit' or 'bull', their policies may get canceled.
"The state of Washington is even thinking about banning certain breeds. I have seven pit bulls, but there are some places where you can't even drive through town with one of my dogs or they'll be confiscated.
“It’s ridiculous. This is a breed that a real loving, devoted dog. It just wants to please its owner. They obey like you wouldn't believe. But when I walk my dogs, people ask what they are and when I tell them, they say things like: You don't look like a pit bull owner. Where are your chants and leather and tattoos?”
Pit bulls are even blamed for things that other dogs do. "Boxers and other shorthaired dogs are called pit bulls. I've been training dogs for years, so I was asked by a pound to take a look at a mean dog they said was a pit bull. It turned out to be a pure Labrador retriever."
Mike Royko is a syndicated columnist with the Chicago Tribune.
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