Disturbing Commentary

Reading The Times the other morning was a disturbing experience. First, I was told by Bill Desowitz in his Calendar article on “Hollow Man” that one of “our primal fantasies” is rape as long as it’s presented in not “too silly” a fashion (“Why ‘Invisible Man’ Appears More Substantial,” Aug. 9).

Then, in the Metro section, I read the account an illegal Mexican immigrant gave of her two-day ordeal in which she and her aunt were “repeatedly raped and sodomized by members of a smuggling ring” as their leader directed and enjoyed the scene and taunted her and her boyfriend, who had been beaten and bound and forced to watch.

Mr. Desowitz, just who in that scenario--the woman, her aunt, the members of the smuggling ring, the leader and her boyfriend--is included in the “our” in your article?

FRANCES McCONNEL

Claremont