Rep. Stark’s Comments About Louis Sullivan

Your editorial, “Stark’s Idea Is Basically a Racist One,” was right on the mark.

While at UC Berkeley--one of the most supposed liberal campuses in the nation--I often met with incredulity and cries of betrayal to my sex and race whenever I expounded on my staunchly Republican and conservative political-economic views.

Many of my peers exclaimed that because I was female and of Filipino descent, I should morally and ethically have been a bleeding-heart liberal.

After graduation, I continued living in Berkeley, a town supposedly known for its progressive attitude. Local city, county, and congressional district candidate meetings were often marked by many Berkeley residents loudly heckling Republican candidates.

I particularly remember one incident where a Republican candidate--female and African American--was attacked as “Aunt Jemima.” Interestingly enough, this was not reported in any of the local papers.

Now that I reside in Malibu, I don’t encounter racist sentiments concerning my political beliefs. Instead, everyone thinks I’m the maid whenever I answer my front door. They repeatedly ask to speak with the lady of the house.

Sign me naturally tanned and decidedly conservative, but still answering my doorbell.

SONIA ANN OTTUSCH

Malibu