Our Bad
The title of Joe Manning’s April 25 column on the death of musician Levon Helm should have read “Last ride of the Midnight Rambler.” LEO regrets the error.
Perpetuating the Cycle
In regards to Anne Marshall’s April 18 LEO Weekly article “Derby Traffic”: First, I really appreciate such an honest and eye-opening article, especially one that has the potential to be controversial. I have nothing against the article, or the author, however, I cannot understand its place in LEO. The article boasts a firm stance against sexual exploitation and trafficking, specifically raising awareness around Derby time. Marshall writes, “… But just like so many modern industries, commercial sex exploits, especially the vulnerable, poor and young.” I hardly think anyone would disagree with this statement. But I’m confused by all the ads in the back of LEO. Don’t they play right into the hands of those who would use these escort services and “exploit the vulnerable, poor and young”?
Déjà Vu, a strip club that is advertised in the back of LEO, is mentioned in the article; it was the scene of a police-setup tryst that ended with three perps behind bars. My question is: Will LEO continue to support these advertisements or will they drop the advertisements and the money and stand up for the “vulnerable, poor and young”? I fully recognize that Marshall says, “LEO stopped running ads overtly peddling escort services in 2008,” and that’s good, but it’s only one step, when many more can be taken. Would LEO really lose that many readers if they dropped these ads? Even if they did … wouldn’t it be worth it
Emily Speight, Buechel
Artistic License
Though I am both a fan of LEO and artist Robby Davis, I do not think combining the two to tackle the issues of sexual abuse and exploitation of children has been a wise decision on the part of the LEO staff (regarding the April 18 cover). Is the image of what appears to be an older woman with a juvenile hair bow, racehorse number and nipples standing poised to run out the gate really the image that best introduces the severity and horror of the topic? This by no means is an attack on Davis’ fine art, but I do not think I am alone in my observation, since this is the second time LEO has decided to pair Davis and the sexual abuse of children.
Donovan Robinson, Germantown