RE: Ask for help

[Louie Crew <lcrew@andromeda.rutgers.edu>]

Regarding "Thriving  as an Outsider, Even as an Outcast, in Smalltown
America? --  http://www-rci.rutgers.edu/~lcrew/pubd/thriving.html

-----Original Message-----

Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2008 6:28 PM
To: lcrew@andromeda.rutgers.edu
Subject: Ask for help


Mr. Crew,

This is Sunny from  .... .Tdday in our English class our instructor shared
the information that you returned one of our classmate's email. It is a
great idea to communicate with author.

 I am writing an essay related your very famous essay "?Thriving as an
Outsider, Even as an Outcast, in Smalltown America?. If I am lucky, could
you tell me what do you feel and think when you and your partner act as
outsiders and outcasts?

My attenative thesis is:
Outsiders, dissidents, or outcasts are easier to see the society's
limitation; they should fight their rights with knowledge and great courage
to improve society because social change takes time.

My topic sentences are:
1. Insisting a different perspective of view to see the world differently, a
dissident or outcast can see the society's limitation clearly than insiders
of a society.
2. The successful dissidents or outcasts who fight for their right have to
be knowledgable to achieve the efficiency.
3. Taking actions in fighters' lives need not only professional knowledge
but also great consistent courage.
4. As human beings, people should broaden their understanding and be able to
comprehend the differencs and challenges of lives because our world and
society enable to move forward by accepting differences and people get
raised up by challlenges.

Could you help me with your view of this idea? Thanks a lot! By the way, I
saw the nice pictures that shows you and your very intellegent partner on
the website.

Sincerely,

Sunny

====================================  

I am now back in NJ.

I will be 72 in two weeks.  "Thriving" was first published in
1981, 27 years ago, when I was 44 or 45.   Likely you are nearer than I to
my age when I wrote it.

I am no longer an outsider.   I left the lobby of the Episcopal Church
(TEC) for a seat in its legislature  back in 1994.   Since then, three
seminaries of TEC have awarded me honorary doctorates.   I served six years
on Executive Council of TEC, the highest rank any lay person can hold in
TEC.

My perspective has not been that of a dissident for a long time now.  Those
who do not approve of me are the dissidents.

That does not change "Thriving" or the points that I made when I wrote it.
It does change my own authority to speak about it definitively.

Once an item is published, the author is not the sole authority, nor even
the best authority, on what the text means.   At this point, I see the text
through much older eyes, you through younger eyes.

Any text is the best authority on itself.  Those who want to speak most
persuasively about a text must base their insights closely on the text.

In short, while I might give an 'inside scoop,' your own insights will serve
you better.  Try to answer your questions by looking at the details of the
text.

Best wishes with your project.

Have a good holiday!

LC
Louie Crew, 377 S. Harrison St., 12d, East Orange, NJ 07018.  973-395-1068
http://queereye4lectionary.blogspot.com/ Queer Eye for the Lectionary