The Wall Street Journal-20080215-Warm Tune- Chilling Idea In Loesser Book Review

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Warm Tune, Chilling Idea In Loesser Book Review

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In his review of Thomas Riis's biography of the composer and lyricist Frank Loesser, Mark Steyn states: "I'm a reasonable chap, and I'd be willing to meet the Islamists halfway on a lot of the peripheral stuff like burqas for women, nuking the Zionists, beheading the sodomites and whatnot. But you'll have to pry 'Baby, It's Cold Outside' from my cold dead hands and my dancing naked legs. A world without Frank Loesser . . . would be very cold indeed." ("Baby, He's Gold Inside -- Composer Frank Loesser Might Not Be a Household Name, but His Music and Lyrics Still Glitter," Books, Feb. 2.)

I understand that Mr. Steyn was trying to humorously express his desire for Frank Loesser's song.

But I not only fail to see the humor in that quote -- for many reasons -- but see a very real danger.

We may shortly be living in a world in which the head of a country (Iran) will be able to make good on his stated intention of "nuking the Zionists." Perhaps Mr. Steyn could have avoided the use of mass murder as a punchline.

Steven H. Shapiro

Highland Park, Ill.