Letters: Fellini and Facebook
Re “Is it art or is it obscene? Facebook takes a stance,” Column, Sept. 7
David Lazarus’ column about the woman whose photos of her minor daughter were banned from Facebook for possibly being suggestive brings to mind Federico Fellini’s short film, “Le Tentazioni del Dottor Antonio.”
In it, a billboard that said “drink more milk” — with a photo of Anita Ekberg spilling out of a low-cut dress, and children dancing around it singing the billboard’s jingle, “drink more milk” — drives a highly moral elderly man mad, until he has delusions of drowning in her breasts.
Perhaps I thought of this film because the woman who complained about the photos on Facebook lives in Italy, or perhaps because we lack a Fellini who can draw fine moral distinctions in our strange and complex modern era.
David Del Bourgo
Woodland Hills
Facebook appears to lead when it comes to not allowing nude or nearly nude pictures of young girls. Too bad it and the rest of the media show women in “come and get me, I’m ready” poses.
But remember, sex sells, and America is a nation of voyeurs. Blame it on Puritanism or male politicians who demonstrate a love of controlling women and their bodies.
Roger Newell
San Diego
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