We Need To Tell Kids Flat Out:

When I Began To Read, I Began To Exist

We Need To Tell Kids Flat Out: Reading Is Not Optional.

One Of The Lessons Learned During The Vietnam War Was That The Depiction Of Wounded Soldiers, Of Coffins Stacked Higher Than Their Living Guards, Had A Negative Effect On The Viewing Public. The Military In Iraq Specifically Banned The Photographing Of Wounded Soldiers And Coffins, Thus Sanitizing This Terrible And Bloody Conflict.

Reading Is Not Optional.

I Had Seen The Ballet Of Swan Lake As A Child But It Was As An Adult, When I Saw A Production Featuring Erik Bruhn, That I First Noticed How Significant A Part The Ever-present Threat Of Violence Played. This Juxtaposition Of Great Beauty And Grace With A Backdrop Of Pure Evil Stayed With Me For Years.