Crouching Tigers
From what I have seen of Coach Justin Fuente on the sidelines and at practice, he really is a crouching tiger — fierce and determined to impose his will on his U of M players (“Crouching Tigers,” August 29th issue).
Looking at the 2013 schedule, I can see five, maybe six, winnable games for this team. I know that win total won’t impress the local SEC fans, but I really believe our own crouching Tigers are on the verge of turning this long-troubled football program around. Go Tigers go!
S.L. Andrews
Memphis
Gay Marriage
The Flyer is a beacon for moral decay, but I laughed until my sides hurt seeing the two happy fellows on the cover of the August 22nd issue (“Nice Day for a Gay Wedding”). Mind you, I have plenty of friends who are gay, and I am not offended in any way by the gay lifestyle. Hell, if I could afford the wardrobe, maybe I too would be gay, but I digress.
The concept of gay marriage is bizarre. The mere fact that it has to be given a special label to differentiate it from normal marriage is in itself a clear indication that the concept is off-the-scale goofy.
Heterosexual marriage doesn’t require entering through an exit or the purchase of hardware. It is natural, normal, and pre-engineered by God. Tennessee lawmakers deserve applause for not giving in to this bizarre concept.
Tommy Volinchak
Memphis
I enjoyed Bianca Phillips’ recent story on gay marriage in Tennessee. It’s great to see the progress that has been made in achieving equality. Hopefully, the recent Supreme Court decisions regarding DOMA will pave the way for gay marriage in all 50 states. Living in a red state limits many of our freedoms, but hopefully the courts and more enlightened judges can get around the draconian laws that hold sway in these states. Even now, in Tennessee, about half of our citizens favor legalizing gay marriage. It is my hope and dream that by the time Hillary Clinton is sworn in as president in January 2017 there will be no states left that deny this right to its citizens.
Jim Brasfield
Memphis
Traffic Ticket
In his recent editor’s note (August 22nd issue), Bruce VanWyngarden describes receiving a ticket for a violation he was not guilty of. It’s incredible that this is the first time this has happened to him in Memphis, a city we love but one which cozily employs cops who are often out of control and not chastised for it.
As an example, during Memphis in May, while checking into the Westin Hotel, which was overbooked, six large male cops roughed me up in the crowded lobby — for trespassing!
I’m encouraged that VanWyngarden will dispute this charge and report on it, because, as editor, he could create change in doing so. My suggestion to him is not to utilize his wife’s legal position or his own powerful role as an editor to beat the charge. Why not approach it as one of us and see the problems in the system from the inside, like the rest of us have to do? Going “undercover” would make for a far more provoking piece.
Keep up the good work, Flyer.
Eva Morris
Memphis
Chris Herrington
I just read that Chris Herrington is going to the dark side, or maybe it’s just that he’s “taking his talents” to The Commercial Appeal. He’s a great writer. I wish him well and will miss reading him in the Flyer. I hope he doesn’t disappear behind the “wall.”
Shawn Lichtfield
Memphis
Editor’s note: Chris is a very talented fellow and a good guy, and we will miss him when he leaves us later this month. We wish him all the best in his new endeavor.