Art was meant to be thought-provoking

To the editor:

Why does Sally Mason feel compelled to apologize again for another incident on the University of Iowa campus because students were offended? The artist achieved his purpose while exercising his First Amendment rights. It seems to me that Robert Mapplethorpe was able to get people talking not too long ago. We have discussed the race issue ad nauseam. Why can't people simply suck it up and get used to living on a planet where people say things every day that might be construed as offensive?

I wish Mason would simply be allowed to get on with her work and stop being pressured to apologize every time someone's feelings are hurt.

Norman Lear had us all laughing at Archie Bunker as he paraded his foul bigotry and ignorance. Now we are all being conditioned to be offended as every comment or apparent injustice that is recorded by the media is parsed to the point of absurdity. Can Archie ever, sincerely apologize for who he is?

Evan Vulich

Cedar Rapids