Caricature OK

Re: Taking The Indians Out Of Cleveland, Oct. 12. One of the distinctives about being a member of a mature and grown- up group — be that group social or political or even ethnic — is the ability to receive, accept and handle caricature. Just think of the British bobby, the American cowboy, the East Coast fisher( man, woman, person) or, as in my case, the Anglican priest, and we see scores of ways in which stable and even- handed groups manage caricature. I doubt we serve any community well by protecting it f rom caricature: such seemingly well- considered defence surely harms their growth toward the full maturity that we would wish all groups to have. Yes, even Indians. Michael Pountney, Victoria.