THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Sunday, February 9, 1997              TAG: 9702070018
SECTION: COMMENTARY              PAGE: J4   EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: Letter 
                                            LENGTH:   22 lines

ON HUCK, JIM AND GUY

Guy Friddell has done us all a service with his Feb. 4 column on Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. I grew up in Norfolk on Willoughby Spit in the '50s. As a youngster, ``Huck Finn'' was one of my favorite adventures. Inherent throughout the story was Huck's acceptance of Jim, a black person.

This acceptance wasn't so well- practiced in the Norfolk of my youth. I liked this element of the story and it certainly wasn't racist. On the contrary, as Mr. Friddell pointed out, it ``smacked'' at prejudice in those times as well as now.

In these days when it's ``politically correct'' to denounce so much, Mr. Friddell's article brings things into perspective and points at the real demon - ignorance. Thank you, Guy. We do find angels in the darnedest places.

JOE COFER

Suffolk, Feb. 5, 1997