Tipper Gore

* Your Aug. 17 Convention 2000 section featured Tipper Gore and her zealous quest of 16 years ago in behalf of the Parents’ Music Resource Center, for greater discretion in the lyric content of music recordings. I remember, because I was there. I was her key adversary in my role as president of the Recording Industry Assn. of America. We ultimately compromised our differences, respecting the merits of our opposing positions.

Now, retired at age 81, I still recall the issues that challenged us, but above all I still remember Tipper Gore. Who she was and how she was--she still is. Dedicated. Articulate. Intelligent. Persuasive. Reasonable. Personable. Her words and convictions resonated with fairness. All those attributes qualify her as our first lady. I know, because I knew her as a lady first.

STANLEY M. GORTIKOV

Los Angeles

*

You were off base to state that the Grateful Dead’s music features drug-laced lyrics. It’s true that the band was closely linked to the hippie subculture, that its members and perhaps most of their fans used drugs. But I can’t think of a single lyric which explicitly promotes the use or even describes the effect of any drug.

Most Deadheads probably don’t care about this distinction, but in the context of an article about music censorship I wanted to set the record straight. Tipper Gore, much to her credit, apparently understands.

JIM VAN SCOYOC

Los Angeles