_______________ THE ROOTS OF THE CLINTON SMEAR BY GENE LYONS (02/05/98)
	Thank you for Gene Lyons' enlightening report on the dubious characters and credulous reporters responsible for President Clinton's apparently undeserved reputation as a sex maniac, and the current persecution of him by so-called "family values" conservatives. This does a lot to make up for Salon's gleeful acceptance of the allegations concerning Monica Lewinski, when they first came out. -- Jim Crutchfield
_______________ THE LADY IS NOT A TRAMP BY JENN SHREVE (02/06/98)
	For the first time in my life, I feel compelled to contact a publication regarding an article, and I must admit, it's a unique mix of anger, frustration and disappointment. I read Salon on a regular basis and thoroughly enjoy your work, yet reading today's Newsreal, I was surprised that such a poorly founded opinion made its way into your publication. Assuming the piece had been edited, I wonder how much more juvenile it had been in its original format? Unfortunately, Ms. Shreve comes across as your typical angry, hostile, Gen-X, postgraduate feminist -- the kind we all experienced during college who never shut their mouths long enough to open their minds, and who seem to spend the bulk of their energy getting back at the male-dominated society that has repressed them. It's a shame that Shreve hasn't moved on beyond these impulses at the age of 24 (and writing for a top-notch online publication, nonetheless!), and worse yet, that they dominate her thoughts to the extent that nothing else can be gleaned from her work, because she clearly is a talented writer. As a 20-something novelist who also does a bit of freelance journalism, I found myself angry not at her opinions or material, but that such a poorly written work existed outside a freshman journalism course. I, myself, would be embarrassed to turn in such a piece to an editor. By the way, Ms. Shreve, at 26, I know plenty of women who aren't "tramps" -- certainly at least not by your definition. While I don't deny the over-rampant emphasis and obsession with sex in Washington, and our country in general, I refuse to let you reduce it to the base, stereotypical description you use to brush it under the carpet. How dare you speak for the women of your generation simply because you identify with Lewinsky! By this, am I in the right to lash out at your arrogant, preposterous comments on behalf of every male in our generation? Of course not, but that's how you've come across with your seen-it-all, done-it-all attitude. Ms. Shreve, please, you clearly are an intelligent, well-spoken person, don't let your emotions get the best of you as a journalist/commentator. Either that, or turn to fiction. -- Allen Plummer SALON | Feb. 9, 1998

R E C E N T L Y+| DRUDGING ADMIRATION BY MIKE GODWIN

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