GIRL ON GIRL

I am writing in response to your article on Femme-inism (“Out There,” October 6, 2000). I am a woman in my 20s, so I suppose that this article is intended to be representative of the generation of women that I belong to. Well, I hope that most of us aren’t as arrogant and shallow as we seem from your point of view.

First of all, I’d like to remind you that feminism not only has to do with issues around relationships and housecleaning preferences. It also has to do with issues around gender-based violence, rape, economic inequality, the scapegoating of single mothers, women’s sexual, reproductive, and psychological health, abortion rights, etc. Some of these issues have touched my life directly, some I have mainly witnessed other women dealing with. All of them are important to me, and they are important to many other women of our generation as well.

I think knitting is fine, and I also don’t mind being called lady, chick, girl, etc., when the intentions are good and in the right context. Personally, I clean my dishes because they get dirty, not because of some repressed wish to be more like June Cleaver, but it’s fine with me if some women are more into this activity than I. Whatever. “Third wave” feminists have already discussed the reclamation and recontextualizing of traditionally feminine activities and lifestyle choices through and through; what you say here is nothing new or challenging, so get over yourself.

While I also have found myself disagreeing with the older generation of feminists over certain issues, I think that its very important to pay homage to them for the sacrifices they’ve made and the fights they have fought for all of us women. Your admittance of feeling “on odd sense of power” at their expense makes you sound like a bratty daddy’s girl who doesn’t have much big to think about. Maybe its time for you to learn real power from within and grow up.

April Schaile
Portland

PICTURE THIS

I don’t suppose the editor, Sam Smith, wishes to try to corroborate Dan Kennedy’s ridiculous claim in his recent article “The imagemakers” [October 20, 2000] that Columbia University Professor Edward Said was photographed throwing a rock at Israeli police would he? If there is such a photo I would like to see it.

Martin Shields
Scarborough

Editor’s note: The photograph ran in the July 24 issue of the New Republicand can be found at several places on the Web, including the magazine’s site, www.tnr.com/072400/notebook.html.

COUNTER INTUITIVE

All of us at Coffee By Design appreciate the recognition as Best Coffeehouse as well as the wonderful photo of our roastery in action [“The Best,” November 3, 2000]. It has truly been an amazing year for us receiving both local as well as national awards.

We would like the opportunity to address your comments about the long line situation at our 620 Congress Street coffeehouse. It’s hard to believe that a little over a year ago there was concern about the future of our upper Congress Street store with a national competitor moving into the neighborhood. Thanks to everyone associated with Coffee By Design’s hard work, staff members’ dedication to excellent customer service and the offering of consistently outstanding freshly roasted coffee, the coffeehouse is thriving. We are pleased to continue our commitment to the Arts District neighborhood where we first opened our doors almost 7 years ago. We recently renewed the lease at our Upper Congress Street location and are in the process of completing an electrical upgrade which will make the installation of faster coffee brewers in addition to air conditioning for next summer possible! We are experimenting with an expanded condiment station which offers twice the space. We often remark on what a difference two extra feet of width in the shop would make. We have tried as we make improvements in the shop to make sure that those customers in the wheelchairs have easy access into and out of our shop.

As we grow our business, we hope that the lines of loyal customers will continue. Our goal is to move the line quickly while serving our customers well. Outstanding customer service does take time so please forgive us if the pleasantries get in the way. From what we hear, the way in which we connect with people is one of the reasons that so many folks keep coming back.

We are a work in progress. We strive to represent ourselves and the state of Maine well. A most heartfelt thanks to all our customers, staff members, and vendors who have believed in us from the start. We hope that as we grow we will continue to earn your business.

Mary Allen Lindemann and Alan Spear
Portland

Corrections: Carried away in the sheer joy of publishing last week’s “Best” issue, we let a few things slip: the Web address for the Best Non-Commercial Web Site is mediaartist.com; the correct phone number for belly dancing instructor Josie Conte is 828-6571; and the tireless folks at Coffee By Design roast 1200 to 1500 pounds of coffee a week, not 12,000 to 15,000. We apologize for the errors.

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