Author: Flyer Readers

Equine Scatology

To the Editor:

I was thoroughly disgusted by your favorable cover story about Hickman Ewing Jr. (“Me and Bill and Hillary,” May 10th issue) and the Whitewater investigation. His assertion that “the whole matter would have ended if Susan McDougal had provided required testimony” is equine scatology. Ken Starr blatantly extended his legislated authority, anointing himself as some sort of latter-day Cato the Elder, and wasted more than $50 million in a calculated witch hunt to find something, anything, with which to bring down the president, a Democrat.

Sure, Bill lied, but what was he lying about? A tryst that bore no relation to his capacity to govern the nation and that really wasn’t our business. And that’s why he was acquitted by the Senate. The most revealing event of the impeachment process was when that Dimsdale, Robert Livingston, stepped up to the podium and ceremoniously fell on his sword. I regret that this was the result of evidence that Larry Flynt paid to obtain; albeit no slimier than the slush-fund that kept Paula Jones, and therefore Starr, in the news.

Your portrayal of Ewing as a charming gentleman lawyer conceals the fact that he, as Starr’s minion, tried to usurp the Constitution. Atticus Finch he is not.

Ben King, Cordova

Nashville vs. Memphis

To the Editor:

I just picked myself up off the floor from laughing so damn hard at Rebekah Gleaves’ piece on Nashville (“Why I Left Nashville,” May 10th issue). Absolutely hysterical.

I grew up in Middle Tennessee and went to school in East Tennessee before moving to Memphis in 1993. I’ll be the first to admit that it was indeed a culture shock — not a negative one, just a different one. Memphis is a great city with an unmatched history (both good and bad) but an unfortunate self-esteem problem.

Nonetheless, I have never read an article about the two cities from someone who has actually tasted a little of both and enjoyed the realism of Memphis as opposed to the wannabe urban chic that Nashville believes it has.

Jeffrey Phelps, Memphis

To the Editor:

The silicone vs. real thing analogy in Rebekah Gleaves’ piece was particularly apropos. Misconceptions abound with residents of both cities and it’s a shame that there can’t be better understanding, considering that both cities’ distinctive flavors are derived from their contributions to our musical heritage. Having lived in both for extended periods of time, I’d like to offer the following observations:

1) Most Memphians’ visions of Nashville as a soulless, money-driven, status-seeking, rhinestone cowboy of a town, though not entirely inaccurate, are over simplified. There are an incredible number of talented and artistic people living there and the selection of quality music of all kinds on the local level is quite amazing. The ratio of bands/artists to clubs is much higher than in Memphis, which, of course, makes it almost impossible to make a living working in clubs (hence the preponderance of “singer-songwaiters”). The 300-pound gorilla of “country” music (as well as the 200-pound gorilla of “Contemporary Christian” music) sucks a lot of these talented people in, stifling creativity and nuance in the name of corporate profit.

2) Most Nashvillians’ visions of Memphis as a simmering armpit of racial division, crime, and slow-cooked pig meat are way over simplified. It used to grate on my nerves to hear white Nashvillians (most of whom had never set foot in Shelby County) prattle on about how everything in Memphis was “racial.” Easy words from people in a city whose white to black ratio is 80/20, where black people have virtually no say in local affairs. Memphis has a long way to go in race relations, but we’ve come a lot farther up that mountain than Nashville has even bothered to attempt. The Nashville media feed into this not-so-subtle racism by reporting mostly unfavorable news about Memphis, playing up the supposed “jealousy” Memphis has toward Nashville, and wishing that we’d be annexed by Mississippi.

Memphis has nothing to be jealous of and Nashville has no cause to feel superior to us, except that they have more money, a pretty shallow reason. Sports teams don’t make cities better places to live; educated, culturally aware, civic-minded people do. And my Rev. Al Green greatest hits CD sounds pretty good back-to-back with my O Brother, Where Art Thou soundtrack CD.

Ross Rice, Memphis

A Bad System

To the Editor:

The current “system” for open enrollment for the Memphis City Schools is ridiculous. What are single parents supposed to do? What about poorer families that cannot afford for either parent to take a day (or days) off work to stand in line or answer the roll-call.

When you have a process like the one in place, it will inevitably break down. Why not use a simple lottery system? If you want your child to go to a certain school under the open-enrollment plan, you put your name in the pot and hope it is called. This is the only method that is fair to all parents of children in the school system.

Nancy S. Pearson, Memphis

The Memphis Flyer encourages reader response. Send mail to: Letters to the Editor, POB 1738, Memphis, TN 38101. Or call Back Talk at 575-9405. Or send us e-mail at letters@memphisflyer.com. All responses must include name, address, and daytime phone number. Letters should be no longer than 250 words.

More NBA

To the Editor:

Now is the time when we all need to pull together and support the
NBA in Memphis. We can’t just sit and watch Memphians continue spending the
entertainment dollars in Tunica. We must provide more high-profile
entertainment.

Even more importantly, an NBA team will help other employers
recruit top-level talent to the city. If the NBA comes, we’ll be the only city
within a six-state radius to have a team. We are a city ready for growth. We
have a local group, and FedEx, who are ready and able to invest in this
project.

We can’t let this opportunity pass us by. A new arena is needed,
and the pursuit team has already developed a financial plan that creates a
viable and effective public-private partnership. I urge you to support the
efforts to bring an NBA team to Memphis.

Michael H. Thompson, Chairman and CEO, Thompson & Company,
Memphis

To the Editor:

To the professional, testosterone-driven corporate supporters of
the $250 million Grizzlies arena I offer a deal: I will vote “aye”
and work hard for a referendum that irrevocably ties a publicly financed arena
to a consolidation of county and city — administration, courts, police,
health department, schools, etc. The savings from a unified metro government
like the one in Nashville would probably pay for the white elephant arena in
25 years.

It’s not the lack of a money-sucking, declining sports team that
makes us a small town but rather a racially divided, patronage-driven,
inefficiently run government.

Gene Katz, Memphis

To the Editor:

The arena could be built in exchange for letting the public own a
minority share of the NBA team. Offer 5 million shares at $50 each. A pursuit
team with an ownership group of 500,000 people would send a powerful message
that Memphis is ready. NBA Now.

Teddy King, Memphis

Dog Deaths

To the Editor:

I just finished reading your puff piece on the Memphis Animal
Shelter (“A Dog’s Life,” April 26th issue). You say that they are
doing the best they can under the circumstances and the problem will be fixed
with a new building.

The problem with this city murdering 13,000 dogs a year will not
be fixed with a new building, though I suspect they will become more efficient
at what they are doing. Las Vegas has adopted an aggressive “zero
euthanasia” policy for its animal shelter, as have Dallas, New York, and
Phoenix. A new building won’t cure anything without a fundamental change in
thinking on the part of our city managers.

Your newspaper could be a voice for the 13,000 dogs who die each
year. Instead, you preach that things will be better in the “sweet by-
and-by.”

Clark D. King, Memphis

Festival Moments

To the Editor:

You won’t see this in the CA, I bet: When Bob Dylan’s bus
came down the Riverwalk to the south (AutoZone) stage at the Beale Street
Music Fest, the full moon was shining down. And in the bus’ front windows
three “full moons” shone upon us as well!

That’s okay, what a great show they put on!

Dan Spector, Memphis

To the Editor:

It’s no wonder that America is losing its war on drugs. After
attending the Memphis in May music festival Sunday afternoon, it appears that
we have already surrendered. I had expected to see the usual sloppy drunks
down there but was surprised to be surrounded by kids smoking methamphetamine
in glass pipes, adults selling drugs, and the air saturated with dope smoke.
There were no signs of any attempt to curb the open use of drugs. This was
particularly disturbing when I saw very young children with their parents.
What are they thinking when they see teenagers doing this?

I suppose that like everything else in our culture today money is
the supreme ruler. Perhaps calculations have been made indicating that not
allowing drugs into the festival would cut attendance and reduce profits.
Reduced profits are no longer an option in our society, for any reason.

This will be my last visit to the festival.

Roy Tamboli, Memphis

The Memphis Flyer encourages reader response. Send mail to:
Letters to the Editor, POB 1738, Memphis, TN 38101. Or call Back Talk at 575-
9405. Or send us e-mail at letters@memphisflyer.com. All responses must
include name, address, and daytime phone number. Letters should be no longer
than 250 words.

Flagging Interest

To the Editor:

The people of Mississippi have spoken. They had the chance to take off the dunce cap, but, just like the jock afraid that getting the question the teacher asked right will make him seem uncool, they decided cool is better than smart, or for this matter, decent.

Whether we as white people ever realize and admit it or not, there definitely is a debt owed to the black people of this nation. Part of the foundation of the economic prosperity we enjoy today was built upon the subjugation of an entire race of people.

If we want to take history for what it is, which seems to be the case for so many advocates of the Confederate flag, then we must do so wholly and without exception. Maybe the flag in question was not originally intended to be a symbol of oppression, but that is what it became, and that is what it stands for today.

And this is the symbol the people of Mississippi choose to represent them. Maybe it was poetic justice that on the same day this vote was cast I learned of the government study that ranked Mississippi dead last in education.

Kevin Vaughn, Memphis

Air Ball

To the Editor:

While your editorial (April 12th issue) raises some legitimate questions about the NBA arena financing, I believe it missed in two important ways.

Who cares if Gayle Rose and Pitt Hyde aren’t life-long NBA fans? They are trying to help Memphis realize a long-held dream of bringing a major-league sports team to the city. You may argue with the deal they propose, but your assertion that they aren’t “really hardcore basketball fans” seems a petty criticism.

And you write that there has been no appreciable demonstration of public support. True. But I don’t think that means the deal is artificial. I believe what it really means is that Memphians, having been disappointed and embarrassed so many times before by the teams we did not get, are going to hang back until we see that it is real. Just six weeks ago, no more than a handful of Memphians could even imagine landing an NBA team. Now, even though the deal seems close to reality, it’s still hard for most Memphians to believe it will actually happen. Just give it a little time to sink in. I predict people will be celebrating in the streets.

Let’s get answers to the remaining questions, cut a reasonable deal, and get this done for Memphis.

Carol Coletta, Memphis

Utility Peculations?

To the Editor:

While public officials were busy pillorying the Flyer for its overstatement of the amount taxpayers have had to pay for our sheriff’s peculations, an article of major importance apparently escaped the attention of both our elected officials and the community at large. Rebekah Gleaves’ article about the MLGW winter heating bill rip-off (“The ‘Perfect’ Storm,” April 12th issue) was first-class stuff and detailed the gouging Memphians have received at the hands of their public utility.

Where is the outrage of our public officials about the fleecing we all knew we were the victims of, and what steps are being taken to call the utility to task and force it to be accountable for its fraud (i.e., telling us it was magnanimously reducing our winter bills knowing we would instead be experiencing a 100 percent or more increase)? When can the rate-payers expect that action will be taken to return the millions of dollars in excessive charges we were forced to pay by a utility that seems more interested in feathering its own nest than in serving its constituency? And where was our newspaper “of record” during all this? Dutifully acting as MLGW’s lackey, of course, passing along, with every self-serving bit of the utility’s public relations pap.

Thank goodness for the doggedness of Ms. Gleaves’ investigation. Look out, MLGW. You’re being watched.

Martin H. Aussenberg, Memphis

Burning Bush

To the Editor:

Richard Cohen said it best in his article “An Arsenic Era” (Viewpoint, April 19th issue): Bush may be as dumb as we thought he was. It’s nice to know that if there’s money to be made, Bush is going to do his best to make sure he and his buddies get it. Forget our environment, what’s important is that Bush gets every drop of oil from the Arctic Wildlife Refuge and anywhere else he sees fit to drill. The air is still breathable, so why do we need to sign the Kyoto Treaty? What we really need to do is make sure none of the corporations lose any money because of the restrictions the treaty would place on them.

It must be terrible if you’re a CEO and you see forests that need to be torn down, air that needs to be polluted, or toxic waste that needs to be dumped, but you’re unable to do so. What do you do then? Well, obviously Bush has the plan: You appoint those CEOs — the people who contributed the most to your campaign fund — as our leaders. Corporate leaders control our media, jobs, and lives, so why shouldn’t they do the same with our politics.

Joe Stanley, Memphis

The Memphis Flyer encourages reader response. Send mail to: Letters to the Editor, POB 1738, Memphis, TN 38101. Or call Back Talk at 575-9405. Or send us e-mail at letters@memphisflyer.com. All responses must include name, address, and daytime phone number. Letters should be no longer than 250 words.

Pearl Before Swine

To the Editor:

I found it irritating that the review of the live Pearl Jam album Memphis 8-15-00 (“Shortcuts,” April 12th issue) was written by a person with such disdain for the group. To call the live albums the band released from every stop on their past tour “virtually indistinguishable,” an “affront to discretionary income,” and “one of the most horrifying acts of consumer fraud I’ve ever encountered” is merely the opinion of a writer who clearly hates the band. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I think calling the band’s decision to give their fans what they want a horrible thing is a bit unfair. I have bought four different concert recordings and have enjoyed them immensely.

Dan Kurina, Memphis

Only $7 Million

To the Editor:

With due respect to Commissioner Buck Wellford, the fact that $7 million of taxpayers’ money was paid out to settle lawsuits against the county over the last five years is, in his own words, “irresponsible” (“Letters,” April 12th issue). It is not $40 million, but it is an amount that taxpayers should be up in arms about. He states that any settlement over $50,000 must be approved by the county commission. As a county commissioner he has approved the wasting of taxpayer dollars on lawsuits that should be paid by the guilty party. Our illustrious sheriff has had two sexual harassment lawsuits settled. Why should the citizens of Shelby County pay for the affairs of our sheriff? Numerous other lawsuits have cost the taxpayers, as Mr. Wellford’s figures indicate, millions of dollars. Why not demand that no money be paid out? If you did that, we would not have articles written about waste in our city or county government.

I also wonder if the raise that Mayor Herenton wanted for Herman Morris was justified? It seems as if Morris does not know how to run a public utility (“The Perfect Storm,” April 12th issue). It is obvious that our leaders at MLGW were not on top of things.

Keep up the good work, Flyer. You are a voice for those who have none.

Fred Sheron, Memphis

Wrong Orientation

To the Editor:

I have been a longtime weekly reader of the Flyer and I find your perspective refreshing and pretty humorous. However, in the April 12th issue, I was deeply disturbed by Susan Harrell’s restaurant review (“Wealthy Tastes”). I found her use of the term “Oriental” offensive and appalling. Using Oriental to describe anything aside from a rug is not just politically incorrect but ignorant.

Oriental comes from the Latin “orient,” meaning “east of.” “The Orient” was so named because it was east of Europe and at the time Europe arrogantly considered itself the center of the world for trade and culture. Today, many people, including Asians, find this concept ridiculous. Scientists and scholars have discovered that China and Africa have been around thousands of years longer than Europe. Therefore, the Orient really is not “east of” anything, and thus is no longer appropriate

Referring to a type of food, person, music, or art as Oriental needs to stop.

Nora Boone, Memphis

Diverging Opinion

To the Editor:

While we appreciate Chris Davis’ coverage of the UrbanArt Commission’s Diversity Forum (“City Reporter,” April 5th issue), the very nature of the event made it difficult to cover with the detail and sensitivity that it warranted. The event itself was conceived as an informal discussion where people could express their ideas and concerns about our programs. Taken out of context, many of the ideas expressed seem extreme and perhaps controversial, when, in fact, the discussion often led to a better understanding of the issues and the facts by the audience as well as the panelists.

The Diversity Forum was the first step in what we hope will be an ongoing dialogue to address issues of diversity within the UrbanArt Commission’s programs. Prior to the forum, we noticed that we had not received as many submissions from the local arts community as expected. This was particularly true of minority artists. To our best estimate only 20 percent of the applications received to date have been from minority artists. While 20 percent of the artists selected for projects have been minority artists (suggesting that the selection process reflects the diversity of the pool of applicants), it is clear that a large number of artists, minority and otherwise, are not applying. We wanted an open dialogue to find out why.

While many different opinions were expressed at the forum, I believe almost everyone left with a better understanding of who we are, and we left with the clear message that we need to do a better job of communicating to the local arts community, not only about the type of opportunities we offer, but also about our commitment to diversity. Our success depends on the diversity of our projects — diversity not only in the race, color, creed, national origin, sex, and age of the selected artists but also in the style, subject, and medium of their work.

Carissa Hussong, Executive Director, UrbanArt Commission

Memphis

The Memphis Flyer encourages reader response. Send mail to: Letters to the Editor, POB 1738, Memphis, TN 38101. Or call Back Talk at 575-9405. Or send us e-mail at letters@memphisflyer.com. All responses must include name, address, and daytime phone number. Letters should be no longer than 250 words.

Errors of Fact

To the Editor:

Last week’s cover story (“Prescription for Disaster”), which stated that Shelby County taxpayers have “paid out $40 million to settle lawsuits filed by jail inmates” over the past five years, is irresponsible. As the chairman of the county commission’s Law Enforcement Committee for three of those five years, I can assure you that the amount paid by the county for such claims is nowhere remotely close to that figure.

Any payment by the county must be made in a manner that is disclosed as a matter of public record. Any settlement of over $50,000 must be approved by the County Commission. There have been less than 10 such payments, to my recollection, over the past five years, and probably closer to five. According to the county attorney’s records, since 1996 the county has paid less than $7 million for all claims against all departments of county government, whether by settlement or judgments.

In addition, and importantly, the county’s contract with CMS, its third-party health services provider for the downtown jail, contains an indemnity provision requiring CMS to carry at least $3 million in coverage per year for any such claims. It lists the county as an “additional insured” under the policy. Any payment made by the county for CMS’s negligence is going to be made by CMS’s insurance company, not the county. I don’t believe we have exhausted the $3 million limit at any time under the agreement.

I contacted the reporter for this piece, who has apparently left for a job with another publication, in order to see where she got the information for her inflammatory assertions about the CMS contract being “an especially costly pill for Shelby County taxpayers to swallow,” since all of the things referenced above are easily accessible through public records. She at first agreed to show me her documentation but then declined on the grounds that sharing her notes would not be “ethical.” I can only assume that she confused the amounts inmates seek in legal filings, which is an arbitrary number that means nothing in and of itself, with payments made by the county. This, frankly, is incredible and if true, absolutely indefensible. I suppose the “taxpayers” should consider ourselves fortunate that some prisoner hasn’t made a claim for $100 trillion, because, under your reporter’s reasoning, we would all be in big trouble.

There are plenty of problems with the downtown jail that can and should be the subject of media scrutiny. Making up numbers about taxpayer payments in order to draw attention to one aspect of the jail’s operations, however, is quite another thing, and that’s essentially what the reporter of this piece appears to have done.

I am a regular Flyer reader. I find its political reporting generally first-rate, and sometimes the Flyer finds an angle on a newsworthy issue that other local media outlets miss. You seem to be relying, however, more and more on young journalists with limited experience on important investigative pieces, and you are going to have to do a better job of double-checking some of their assertions. This particular reporter had an obvious talent for observational reporting. She is a good writer. That does not make her a good reporter, at least not yet, as this piece demonstrates.

The article warrants a retraction of the “$40 million in taxpayer money” message. I hope the retraction will be as prominent as the cover of your last issue.

Buck Wellford, Shelby County Commissioner

Editor’s note: Shelby County, as Commissioner Wellford asserts, has not paid out $40 million in lawsuit settlements for inmates, as last week’s cover story reported. Please see this week’s “Viewpoint” (p. 13) for more information.

Environmental Feedback

To the Editor:

The United States is now the last major nation of the world refusing to sign the Kyoto agreements (“Deja Vu All Over Again,” April 5th issue), agreements that do very little very late. This is outrageously arrogant for a nation that produces many times its share of greenhouse gases and pollution. By refusing to sign on with the overwhelming majority of nations around the world, President Bush is not only the quintessential tool of the fossil fuel industry, he is a traitor to our country and economy and he is a traitor to the planet.

The truth is that the recycling of our obsolete fossil- and nuclear- fueled technology and the building of new, appropriate, cleaner, safer technologies, fueled with renewables, could be a boom to our economy like no other in our history. If we allow this oilman and dimwit to get his way, we truly are “the great Satan” of the earth.

Don Johnson, Minneapolis, MN

To the Editor:

In Bruce VanWyngarden’s “Deja Vu All Over Again” he recognizes that the pursuit of truth is what our democracy embraces, not an “us” against “them” mentality when it comes to environmental issues. In Andrew Wilkins’ “Poisoned” (April 5th issue) it’s obvious that the bottom line of industry should not be more important than the health of the common man. Can’t we as citizens bond together to produce a common working relationship where both parties gain? We can if people take an active role in our democracy and prevent the far right from instigating yet another war that doesn’t realize the gray areas! Common sense is not universal unless parties agree on respect for debate to achieve truth.

Ran W. Foster, Memphis

The Memphis Flyer encourages reader response. Send mail to: Letters to the Editor, POB 1738, Memphis, TN 38101. Or call Back Talk at 575-9405. Or send us e-mail at letters@memphisflyer.com. All responses must include name, address, and daytime phone number. Letters should be no longer than 250 words.

Hoops, We Did It Again

To the Editor:

Why do so many of us feel like Bill Murray in Groundhog
Day? Despite a list of failed pro sports ventures longer than the personal
bankruptcy filings in West Tennessee, we get up every morning and the same
politicians and civic boosters (who earn 10 times the average local wage) are
telling us we can easily afford $1,600 season tickets to watch one of the
worst teams in pro sports. They are “excited” about the opportunity
to cough up $200 million of our money to build a new arena for a
multimillionaire owner. Everyone will respect us more, we’re told (just as
Vancouver is so highly respected now?).

If we’re lucky, Groundhog Day will soon be over and,
miraculously, viable life will resume in Memphis without these latest sports
mercenaries.

Richard Massey, Memphis

To the Editor:

I just read the very informative March 7th article (“Hoop
Dreams”) concerning the NBA. Now I have an idea of who’s really for the
Grizzlies coming here and who’s against it.

John Calipari echoes my opinion concerning the relocation, and I
especially appreciated his candor. He knows it could damage his endorsement
opportunities here but feels the potential for improved recruiting at U of M
outweighs any personal financial benefits. Even though the Grizzlies are a
pretty bad team, their arrival would put this city on the national sports
scene. The Jazz were garbage when they left New Orleans for Salt Lake City in
the early 1980s, and the then-Oilers were mediocre when they left Houston for
Nashville four years ago.

R.C. Johnson’s comments pretty much show what side of the fence
he’s on: “As the [U of M] athletic director, I have absolutely no desire
to have any major-league sports team here.” I respect his honesty, but I
vehemently disagree with his statement. The U of M Tigers are the dominant
force in the Memphis sports scene, but Johnson’s regarding Memphis as his
sports fiefdom is in line with the provincial thinking that has stalemated
this city while Atlanta, Charlotte, and Nashville have expanded.

Memphis also needs to go ahead and start planning the financing
for a new arena. The Pyramid has long been obsolete by NBA standards. For
financing, I would propose the city, county, state, and corporate communities
split the costs four ways over the course of several years. The two local
governments could impose a special lodging tax on hotels and motels so
tourists would feel more of the brunt than the taxpayers living here.

The arrival of the Grizzlies could really be a source of civic
pride, something that finally transcends the racial and class barriers we
Memphians seem to enjoy imposing on ourselves and each other.

Derrek Paulk, Memphis

Lottery Lover

To the Editor:

I moved to Minnesota four years ago. There is a lottery here and
every year I have been here the state has had an extremely large surplus. I
disagree with the way a lot of Memphians want to point out the negatives and
fail to mention the positives of a state lottery. Minnesota’s elected
officials run their state much better than their counterparts in Tennessee,
and it shows in the quality of life here. Tennessee should look to other
states that are doing well for solutions to its revenue problems.

Stan Fogg, Minneapolis, MN

Bad Taste?

To the Editor:

I was disappointed with the February 22nd issue’s “Fly On
the Wall” featuring Brimhall Foods’ new product line targeting the
growing Latino population of Memphis. Chris Davis mused: “It is not known
if Brims will develop a line of fried chicken or watermelon-based products
aimed at Memphis’ burgeoning African-American community.”

I wonder what prompted this reporter to pen such a line. I know
Mr. Brimhall and have some experience working with his staff. I cannot imagine
why a responsible reporter would cast aspersions on this man and his company,
which produces quality products and employs many Memphians.

This is a gratuitous misuse of the First Amendment freedoms
granted to all citizens and explicitly to the press. Unspoken in the grant of
such freedom is the responsibility to use it judiciously and without malice. I
believe that Davis and the editorial department of the Flyer have
failed their community and their profession and caused unnecessary harm to
this man, his business, and to all the employees of Brimhall Foods.

Richard Mumm, Cordova

The Memphis Flyer encourages reader response. Send mail to:
Letters to the Editor, POB 1738, Memphis, TN 38101. Or call Back Talk at 575-
9405. Or send us e-mail at letters@memphisflyer.com. All
responses must include name, address, and daytime phone number. Letters should
be no longer than 250 words.

Squashed and Squinty

To the Editor:

You imply nefarious motives behind Editor Angus McEachran’s non-disclosure of the potential cost savings of the change in size of The Commercial Appeal‘s pages (City Reporter, February 22nd issue). I imagine most CA readers, unlike perhaps Memphis Flyer readers, are sophisticated enough to read between the lines. Cost savings go to the bottom line in any business. Far better for the CA to redesign its format and cut its newsprint usage than to resort to the traditional slash-and-burn methods of other industries. Sure I now have less paper to throw out, but I also get some new features, like the color comics. I haven’t noticed a reduction in news content, as you imply.

When I get out my ruler and lay a copy of the reformatted CA alongside the Flyer I find that the “smaller” typeface of the new CA packs 16 characters per inch while the Flyer stuffs a whopping 17 characters into an inch. The CA looks far more readable to me than the squashed, squinty type of the Flyer.

Adam F. Carr, Olive Branch

Perfect Timing?

To the Editor:

Regarding last week’s Viewpoint (“Lottery Yes!” March 1st issue): I hope Senator Cohen and his compadres in the state House and Senate will do a better job of educating the public about the lottery and the need for it in this state than they did with the state income tax, which we need even more. Unless House Bill 273 is passed and enacted before the lottery bill comes up for vote in 2002, their job lobbying for the lottery will be made harder by the fact that our education tax dollars still support multiple school systems in even the smallest of our state’s counties. Jackson Baker may be mistaken when he thinks HB 273 appeared out of nowhere. I think it was a remarkable case of perfect timing in the legislature.

Anne R. Galloway, Knoxville

A Broken System

To the Editor:

Thank you for publishing such an important article (“Nobody’s Children,” March 1st issue) that reveals a broken system that produces damaged lives. Now, please, for those of us who care, tell us what we can do about it.

Lisa Trenthem, Memphis

A True Hero

To the Editor:

Your article about activist pastor Brooks Ramsey (“The Lion in Autumn,” February 22nd issue) was a fitting tribute to a true hero in our midst. Dr. Ramsey’s courageous faith should inspire us all to challenge the comfortable assumptions of the society in which we live, assumptions which can and often do mask injustice. We at Prescott are proud that Brooks and Rebecca Ramsey years ago cast their lot with our congregation. They remain two of our most esteemed members.

Tom Walsh, Council Chair

Prescott Memorial Baptist Church, Memphis

To the Editor:

Many thanks for the fine article on Brooks Ramsey, a treasured citizen of this city. Brooks is both a gentle soul and a man who has never turned away from life’s difficult battles. On a personal note, Brooks was with my family and me the day my father died. His presence and words brought us comfort at a time of great sadness. Brooks, thanks for all you do!

John Marshall Jones, Memphis

Preserving Choice

To the Editor:

Consolidation will reverse the small attempt to have choice in education realized by those who choose to move to the suburbs. However, when Republicans demonstrate that the only voters they care about live in suburban havens, they and we lose. Unless the opposition offers something for all those who vote and who care about the future, the result will be a Democratic majority for the speaker’s bid to become governor and the election of a Democratic administration in Shelby County.

If Republicans responded by proposing choice in education for all Shelby County citizens, their counterattack would win the day. All citizens, especially poor Democratic-voting Memphians, want to send their children to the school of their choice. All parents want the power to be taken seriously as market-makers in education, not just those who have the money to move outside the city. If the suburbs supported choice for everyone, as in charter schools or voucher programs, then the rest of us might care about preserving choice for them.

William W. (Bill) Wood, Memphis

Art Critic Criticized

To the Editor:

I just finished David Hall’s interview with Dave Hickey (“Arousing Dissent,” February 21st issue). Let me see if I’ve got it: 1) Art is not art or isn’t “validated” until someone, preferably someone with money, “likes” it. What if one rich person likes a piece and another dislikes it? Is it art then? Maybe the galleries in Memphis could start handing out ballots for their wealthy visitors to record their opinions. At the end of the evening they could tally up the totals and let everyone know which pieces are the works of art and which are not.

2) The point is moot in Memphis (and all other cities that are “not L.A., New York, and maybe Houston”) because art can never be “a serious, contentious, visual practice” there. I don’t know whether people in Memphis look at art and talk about it seriously or buy it, but I do know quite a number of artists living and working there who are serious about creating it. Some of them even (believe it or not) make certain sacrifices in order to do so. I’m sure other artists do the same in small cities and towns all over the world.

It’s probably true that any artist has a better chance of making a living from their art in a large city where patrons tend to have more adventurous tastes. But most artists realize that their chances of being rich and famous are slim no matter where they live, and most have other motivations, besides money, for producing art. If becoming rich were the primary goal, there are much easier and surer ways of achieving it than becoming an artist.

Finally, as I’ve recently come to realize after making the big move from Memphis to New York, there is good and bad art everywhere, as well as serious and lazy artists. Art doesn’t become “valid” just because the artist lives that much closer to the publishing offices of Artforum. We apply standards to the visual arts that we apply to no other creative field. Can you imagine some hip critic for The Village Voice writing that the Back Street Boys are the world’s most valid musical artists because they happen to have the number-one selling CD and that anyone not selling as many CDs is incapable of making music that matters?

Paul Behnke, Brooklyn, NY

State Money for the NBA?

To the Editor:

I know that most Memphians are excited about the prospect of bringing an NBA franchise to the Memphis area. While there is plenty of local support for bringing the NBA Grizzlies to Memphis, I wonder if the state of Tennessee will do for Memphis what they did for Nashville.

When Nashville made its bids for the NFL Oilers and the NHL Predators, Governor Sundquist and the General Assembly readily opened up the state treasury to fund the construction of Adelphia Stadium and Gaylord Entertainment Center. If our governor and state lawmakers want to convince us that they don’t show perpetual favoritism toward Nashville, they’ll be willing to do the same for us.

Write your state representatives, state senators, and Governor Sundquist today and make sure they support Memphis’ bid for the NBA the same way they supported Nashville’s bids for the NFL and NHL — with cash.

Joseph L. Keene, Colllierville

Likes the Fly

To the Editor:

I find Chris Davis’ “Fly on the Wall” column to be witty, as well as informative. Regarding his recent story (“Shootout at the Circle-K,” March 1st issue), I would ask that you research the statistics of people with legal handgun permits who commit crimes. You’ll find that extremely few legal handgun permit holders perpetrate crimes of any kind. Those who feel it necessary to carry a handgun and go to the trouble of obtaining state certification and licensing tend to be quite law-abiding. I have no fear of a licensed handgun-carrying citizen holding up a liquor store. I do fear the criminals who obtain and carry handguns illegally. We need to focus on stopping the availability of illegal handguns and punishing those who use them in the commission of crimes. I do not buy into many of the NRA arguments regarding gun ownership, but I do support enforcing the many laws that are currently on the books.

Senator Steve Cohen’s argument that a customer with a gun could help prevent a robbery is ridiculous. A weapon should only be used as the last defense of one’s life, never in the defense of property. No one wants a vigilante state, least of all handgun permit-holders (atleast those I know).

D. Jeff Lord, Collierville

The Memphis Flyer encourages reader response. Send mail to: Letters to the Editor, POB 1738, Memphis, TN 38101. Or call Back Talk at 575-9405. Or send us e-mail at letters@memphisflyer.com. All responses must include name, address, and daytime phone number. Letters should be no longer than 250 words.

Who Knew?

To the Editor:.

This week Action News 5 “investigative reporter” Rudy Koski discovered naked women dancing in Memphis topless clubs, complete with concealed camera footage. It must be sweeps week.

I have to laugh every time Rudy comes on. I suppose when he went “undercover” for his hard-hitting report he hitched up his tie and donned a sports coat to hide the suspenders. If this report is any indication, I suspect we can expect more startling exposes in the future.

Koski discovers thousands of fish living just below the surface of the Mississippi River.

Koski finds poor people living in Memphis slums.

Koski uncovers thousands of fleas living on a junkyard dog.

And finally, be sure to tune in as investigative reporter Rudy Koski gets behind the scenes at a city-owned prison for wild animals in Overton Park.

The funniest part is that Rudy seems to take himself so seriously. At least [Channel 3’s] Mike Matthews seems to understand that he’s only playing a reporter on TV.

Bob Koenig, Memphis

Liberal Hypocrisy

To the Editor:

It’s nice to see that liberal hypocrisy has overtaken conservative hypocrisy with this week’s Eminem flap and the recent Viewpoint column (February 22nd issue) against a state lottery.

So let me get this straight: Marilyn Manson is okay, even lauded, when he attacks and scares white suburbo-conservatives. But when Eminem does the same thing targeting a liberal cause all hell breaks loose. I thought it was just music. I thought the things we see and hear on TV and the Internet and in movies don’t really affect behavior.

Never mind that Eminem explains the whole thing is a persona/joke more than Alice Cooper, Ozzy Osbourne, or Manson ever did. He even comes out in favor of gay marriage on one track. It’s hilarious to see gay activists and liberals occupying the same moral ground as Adrian Rogers and Dr. Laura.

Along those same lines, here comes the moral left to save us all — well, the poor and minorities — from the evil lottery. The last time I checked, no one holds a gun to your head and makes you buy those tickets. Whatever happened to defending choice and expression even when those things might be dangerous, such as drinking, smoking, gambling, or legalizing marijuana?

(And don’t even get me started on the underrepresentation of whites, Asians, and Latinos in the NBA players association.)

Chris Wood, Memphis

The Real B.S.

To the Editor:

In reply to Mark A. Nolan’s comments (Letters, February 1st issue) on the “B.S.” of police and jailers in Shelby County, I would say the real blight on the city is that Memphis is the true crime and bankruptcy capital of the free world. I have retail stores in eight Southern cities and the crime we endure in Memphis is 10 times more frequent and severe than any other city. Half the people of Memphis are working hard. The other half are working hard to rip off the first half.

I’m sure most of the police in Memphis are very professional. They are just overwhelmed with the volume of crime and the lack of respect. I agree with Nolan’s statement that we need more jails and better paid jailers. However, we also need zero tolerance for criminals and more rights for victims.

Bruce H. Carlock, Music City Record Distributors, Nashville

Boomers Rule, Dude

To the Editor:

In Chris Herrington’s review of the Beatles’ classic movie A Hard Day’s Night (February 15th issue), he writes: “I’m sick of the never-ending cycle of baby-boomer nostalgia cluttering a culture that should be more concerned with the here and now.”

Perhaps the “here and now” isn’t offering very much in popular music, unless one gets off on recycled sociopathic rap or over-produced lightweight teen acts. Today’s disposable music scene is sadly lacking in originality, excitement, experimental musical innovation, and social importance.

When it comes to rock-and-roll and generation-defining youth culture, baby boomers pretty much wrote the book. Most musical trends since the 1960s youth and musical revolution pale in comparison. That is why the music of that era is called classic rock — it transcends generations and keeps on having an impact on present day youth.

Randy Norwood, Memphis

Corrections: In last week’s Steppin’ Out interview with Dave Hickey (“Arousing Dissent”), a paragraph by writer David Hall was not italicized, which gave the impression that it reflected the thoughts of Hickey. The paragraph in question began: Well, I know the Memphis art community is rather inbred. There is often a relationship between getting one’s work in the marketplace and having some other kind of credential. …

The Memphis Flyer encourages reader response. Send mail to: Letters to the Editor, POB 1738, Memphis, TN 38101. Or call Back Talk at 575-9405. Or send us e-mail at letters@memphisflyer.com. All responses must include name, address, and daytime phone number. Letters should be no longer than 250 words.

A Worthy Alternative

To the Editor:

The Friends of Shelby Farms wish to add to the statement made by Mayor Rout in The Memphis Flyer (City Reporter, February 1st issue). We agree with attorney Richard Glassman that Alternative F is worthy of serious consideration. We anticipate further discussion once the roadway is presented in specific detail. It is important to note that this latest alternative, like its predecessors, is subject to the federal laws pertaining to roads through parkland. The citizens of Memphis and Shelby County should have the final decision.

Steve Eppel, Friends of Shelby Farms, Memphis

In Defense of Ashley

To the Editor:

I am writing in response to a recent letter to the editor (February 8th issue) in which Ashley Fantz was taken to task for her article on Grandmaster Fu Wei Zhong. I too had a strong negative reaction when I first read an article by Ms. Fantz months ago. However, after I read and re-read that particular article (of all things to get irked over, it was a book review), I felt that my criticisms were perhaps not entirely fair and held back on firing off the two-page letter I had written.

I have subsequently read Ms. Fantz’s work with a somewhat skeptical (albeit amused) eye and have found that, while I do not agree with everything she writes, I find her work to be relatively balanced, well written, serious when needed, humorous when appropriate and simply fun to read. Sadly, it’s predictable in today’s oversensitive society that when you skewer a few sacred cows — even when done with tongue-in-cheek humor — those on the receiving end have a hissy fit.

Chris Leek, Memphis

Bogus Logic?

To the Editor:

John Branston’s Viewpoint column (“A Bogus ‘Choice,'” February 1st issue) posed the question, “Why do 118,000 students stay in the Memphis City Schools?” He uses the number of children enrolled in the Memphis schools as evidence to refute the idea of vouchers. He says that choice exists in Memphis through the optional schools, the Memphis Opportunity Scholarship Trust, and the ability to move to a desired school attendance zone. Well, what’s bogus is Branston’s analysis.

First, the vast majority of Memphis City Schools’ student population lives in poverty. People in poverty need before- and after-school care, free breakfasts, free lunches, transportation, etc. The schools located in the depressed areas of Memphis offer those services through a designation as an “entitled” school. Many optional schools do not provide these additional services.

Then there’s Branston’s idea that transportation is a small issue. He must not live in a household that has only one or even no reliable automobile. Reliance on public transit is problematic at best. When on a limited income, the additional time and expense of getting a child across town for school and then getting yourself to work are huge hurdles. Such parents do not have any options; even their housing is usually limited to the rentals that are eligible for government subsidy.

Second, the Opportunity Trust limits its assistance to low-income persons. Has Branston looked at the cost of the city’s top schools — Presbyterian Day School, St. Mary’s, Lausanne? A $1,500 check doesn’t go far for tuition, and tuition is just a portion of the costs for private schools. Would Branston feel the same if the waiting list for scholarship aid contained 116,000 names instead of its present 2,000?

Third, I’m one of those “mobile” folks who chose his school by buying a home miles from his workplace. Did I have any influence over Mayor Herenton’s annexation frenzy? My mobility has gone the way of doubled taxes and a neighborhood with “For Sale” signs and foreclosure notices everywhere. I was forced to go to the school board building three times last week: once to sign up for a spot in the 900-plus-person line, a second time for a roll call to keep my number 369 place in line, and a third time at 5 a.m. to languish in line until 8:25 a.m. This, just to hand in applications for my two oldest children for a chance to attend an optional program miles from our home. And, since few optional schools include kindergarten, who knows where my rising kindergartner will be next fall?

Last, Branston countered his own view by noting that the economically advantaged have fled to Germantown, Collierville, and private schools, leaving the poor to MCS. Doesn’t that clearly indicate that over 100,000 students do not have a choice? Branston concludes that my children will be in Memphis schools because I do not believe MCS is a poor choice for my children or I choose to ignore its problems. It is neither. My children will be in Memphis schools because I make too much money to get scholarships but too little income to send three children to private schools or buy a more expensive house in an “annexation free” Shelby County area.

By the way, does Mr. Branston have children in Memphis City Schools?

Raymond Miller, Memphis

(Editor’s Note: John Branston has two children in Memphis City Schools.)

To the Editor:

Mr. Branston with his Viewpoint column “A Bogus ‘Choice'” unfortunately defends the failing status quo against vouchers and charter schools and tax credits for private and parochial school tuition. Branston basically grants in the column that many public schools are largely failing. Branston also seems to grant that teachers’ unions and bureaucrats might rule the public schools. Branston is then struck by the fact that 118,000 students “choose” to attend public schools in Memphis. (Branston has obviously never heard of the mandatory school attendance law in Tennessee.)

Branston then diverts our attention to another bogus notion: that Memphis City Schools has sufficient “choice” through its optional school program for gifted students. But the point of Mr. Bush’s programs, as I understand it, is to expand the choices to all students, whether gifted or not. (And this doesn’t mean that elite students could not enroll in the Memphis City Schools optional program under Bush’s programs.) The heavily taxed citizens of America and their children deserve a greater range of choice. So, now, who is really missing the more important point?

Phillip Stephenson, Memphis

The Memphis Flyer encourages reader response. Send mail to: Letters to the Editor, POB 1738, Memphis, TN 38101. Or call Back Talk at 575-9405. Or send us e-mail at letters@memphisflyer.com. All responses must include name, address, and daytime phone number. Letters should be no longer than 250 words.