(N.O.W) Letter to Censorship Committee)

Shaun Bauer

National Organization for Women (N.O.W.)

1100 H Street NW, Suite 300

Washington, D.C. 20005

March 19, 1950

Barack Obama

Censorship Committee

1395 Lexington Ave

New York, NY 10128

Dear Mr. Obama,

It has come to my attention that you and your committee have refused to publish the short story “The Storm” By Kate Chopin. I believe your decision was made solely because of your sexist views. As a member of the National Organization for Women (N.O.W) I have decided to write this letter to explain why I feel your decision is unjust and wrong.

Your reason for denying this piece of work publishing is that you feel the work is “unworthy filth that should not be published for the world to read. “You also stated that this work “transgresses the virtuous, moral and social structure of American literature and that it clearly depicts women in a negative light”. All the above is an absurd description of this story. The N.O.W does not support acts of adultery, but that is far from the point of this story. If any member of your committee actually read and intellectually analyzed the piece without the sexist non egalitarian views that you all have. You would realize how far your comments are from the truth.

In the story the main character Calixta seeks spiritual and sexual freedom due to being oppressed and repressed by the male dominated society. This piece should be published to show men and women what problems are bound to arise in an unhealthy marriage. Calixita felt she was being mistreated and she was unhappy thus leading to her cheating. This story also shows how Calixta’s actions helped her view on her marriage. She realized that she truly loves her husband and family and was able to live a better life. If Calixta’s husband would have fulfilled her sexual and spiritual needs se never would have cheated. If husbands of today stopped oppressing their wives they would live happier and have more success in their marriages. Today women are expected to cook, clean, and attend to their husbands every want and need. If women were allowed to show any bit of freedom, physically and mentally, things like adultery wouldn’t take place.

There are much worse examples in the literature of today that demoralize women and men that have been published without hesitation. Every piece of erotic literature that has been published that has any hint of adultery or sexually interaction is just as bad or worse than “The Storm.” If this story would have had Calixta’s husband at home cheating on her and Calixta at the grocery store, the story would have been published and this letter wouldn’t be in your hands. There is so much to gain from someone reading Chopin’s story and I hope you can see it as much as we do. Thank you for taking the time to read my letter. I hope to hear back from you soon.

Sincerely,

Shaun Bauer