RENT: Decide merits for yourself

I'm writing in support of Lake City Playhouse presenting the musical "Rent." According to some letter writers, plays whose characters include homosexuals and transvestites should not be produced. This criticism assumes that homosexuals are evil people. 

Negatively stereotyping a group of people creates misinformation and breeds hatred. It is more productive to assess individuals based on their contributions to our society.

Art holds a mirror to our society, and insisting that art hold to a negative stereotype (i.e. homosexuals are dishonorable people), or that it exclude members of our society, is insisting on distorting that mirror. Whether "Rent" is art, entertainment, positive or negative, etc. is up to each individual audience member.

I applaud Lake City Playhouse and George Green for expanding the offerings of the Playhouse and providing us the chance to see the play and come to our own conclusions.

I'm also gratified that the greater community of Coeur d'Alene has again rejected blind hatred by filling up the theater to see the play for themselves, not basing their decision on a narrow, misinformed stereotype.

JOE JACOBY

Coeur d'Alene