L. Douglas Wilder
900 E. Broad St. Room 201
Richmond, VA 23219
Dear Mayor Wilder:
I just read about the slavery museum you have planned. Mr. Bill Cosby has put out a call for each American to contribute eight dollars toward the effort.
Although he has received some criticism for statements he has made in the past year or so, particularly regarding the African American community, when Mr. Cosby speaks, I, and surely many others, listen. When I was growing up he was in my living room regularly, as one of the funniest and most respectable fathers on television. His reputation can not be shaken by a few controversial comments. On the contrary, I feel that as we get older, we have an obligation to become more outspoken, opinionated and crotchety.
Mr. Cosby is quoted as saying he thinks that this sort of campaign is seldom successful. However, two school projects for holocaust memorials have had astounding success in recent years. One school solicited six milliopn paper clips, and more recently a school brought in a million and a half pennies.
Although Mr. Cosby will not convince me to buy Jell-o (my diet is free of horse hooves), I feel compelled to respond to his paternal nudge and send off a few bucks for a good cause. You will find eight dollars enclosed.
Truly,
Liz Mann
