Base Was Here First, So Quit Whining
I would really like to share your tears and be sympathetic regarding your home's potential loss of resale value, but the question arises: How long has Davis-Monthan Air Force Base been in its present location, and how long have you lived in your present location ("Flight Fight," Currents, Sept. 23)? If you don't like airplane sounds, then why on Earth did you purchase a home there in the first place?It was this same kind of mentality that got the Tucson Rod and Gun Club evicted a few years ago when some folks knowingly built new homes in the vicinity and later complained about the noise and perceived danger.
Near my home in the area of Old Spanish Trail and Houghton Road, they just erected a new Target store and Walgreens shopping center, against heated objections from homeowners concerned about the eyesore and the loss of resale value. We sure didn't want these ugly buildings here, but we lost the fight; yet at least when we complained, we could argue that we were here first.
Jim Bogard
A Letter From a Libertarian Martyr
First off, I'd like to thank the Tucson Weekly for printing, and subsequently validating my layman's assessment of the "Weakly" as just such ("The Simple Life," Currents, Sept. 9).Media in general is under much scrutiny these days when it comes to objectivity, so it might have served the "Weakly" well to take the latent humor/hostility of my comment in stride. Instead, Tim Vanderpool chose to create an op-ed piece not-so-cleverly disguised as a "news story" about Mike Badnarik's visit to the UA campus, seemingly out of spite.
In its "coverage" of this event, the "Weakly" failed to mention key points of Badnarik's message which may have resounded quite positively with many of the Weekly's readers. Instead, you chose to engage in near-smear journalism because I prettied-up your name.
Grow the f%$k up.
Vanderpool, in quoting me as I went about my duties at Old Main, provided what I think is an inaccurate caricature of both my appearance and philosophy. Afterall, he was at the time effectively quoting the equivalent of a Bush/Cheney or Kerry/Edwards roadie. How often do their comments, or Vanderpool's fashion critique of their attire, make it into your little "paper"? Just curious.
I'm rather disappointed that he didn't give me more "rope" to hang myself with, as after laboring in the 100-plus-degree heat setting up the stage just about single-handedly, I was a little punchy. But he wasn't doing me a favor by not probing further. He simply exemplified the first rule of the media: Do as little as possible ... and distort facts and meaning whenever you can get away with it.
To the editorial staff at the Weekly who let this garbage through: Shame on you.
Rick "Scruffy" LaPoint
Next Time, Leave Out the 'Token Conservative'
How magnanimous of the Weekly to give voice to its "token conservative," Emil Franzi, regarding the "Project Censored" article in the Sept. 9 issue. His commentary was so insightful, too! The difference between "censored" and "underreported" certainly is an important one. Censorship is something that happens in tyrannical regimes somewhere else in the world--but there, the stories gain attention and power by the very act of being forbidden. Our leaders have learned it is better to merely dismiss dissent rather than prevent it--exiling embarrassing stories to the media's "lunatic fringe" of conspiracy Web sites and free alternative rags. So we not only don't know what's really going on; we don't know that we don't know!And just in case there's anyone who has the time and curiosity to push past the mainstream media smokescreen of celebrity gossip and the "pretty white dead girl of the week," we have establishment humbugs like Mr. Franzi to further marginalize the information by banishing it to the realm of "yeah, so?" and "wacked." I mean, really, environmental destruction and systematic degradation of civil rights has so been done already. And who but a commie wingnut would dare suggest that corporations are anything but upright moral entities that strive to bring peace prosperity to all peoples of the world?
Now I'm all for "dissenting opinions," but Franzi's viewpoint has been adequately represented in just about every other media outlet in the country. The Weekly should embrace its status as a truly alternative news source, and not feel the obligation to provide "balance" when the scales are already so heavily tipped against you. I imagine Emil would be happier covering mall openings for the Daily Star or something, anyway.
Dallas Crum
Props for Pan of PAN
Jim Nintzel gave one of the best descriptions of Proposition 200 I've seen to date ("Welcome to PANdemonium," Sept. 16). Proponents of Protect Arizona Now, in their anger over how much money undocumented immigrants take from our state in public benefits, have created an initiative that would cost us far more than it could ever possibly save. Proposition 200 would accomplish nothing, except offer proof that anti-immigrant racists aren't very bright--and it would make the rest of us pay for their stupidity.Matt Peters
Borders Closed for a Reason
In response to J.T. Kennedy's letter. "'Other Than Mexicans' Article Promoted Paranoia" (Sept. 16): Just tell me one thing: If the border is "open," how come you will get thrown in prison if you sneak into Mexico? Looks like "open" is another pro-illegal activist lie."Immigrants" is another lie. Real immigrants obey the law and wait their turn. Illegals don't give a hoot about the law, and buy phony documents and commit fraud--a felony! Every country has laws to protect their country from being invaded by hordes of people.
Illegals bring drugs, prostitution and crime. There are tons of foreign violent criminals among them, as well as people with contagious diseases. You don't get that when people come in the right way. And there is nothing stopping people from coming the right way!
They will leave voluntarily if they can't find American jobs, and Americans could get their jobs back, i.e. the whole industry of meatpackers in Iowa, and so many millions of other jobs Americans had before the big corporations laid them off and hired illegals who get low wages and no benefits. These are jobs Americans had and wanted.
I, too, was once a bleeding-heart liberal, but sometime or another, you've got to put your feet on the ground and see what's really happening before it's too late!
Laura Leighton
Co-op Needs to Ask: Why Are Customers Leaving?
My husband and I have been members of the Food Conspiracy (Co-op) for more than 20 years ("Organic Planning," Currents, Sept. 16). During that time, we have observed the effects of a group of people, be it the board of directors, staff or members, "disinclined to look long" into the future of the Co-op.(General Manager Ben) Kuzma's sole focus on the existing store may contribute to the Co-op's demise: The new floor covering looks great, but where are the customers? The bountiful produce? The familiar faces?
While recently shopping at a local competitor, I noticed that most of us who had gathered around the soymilk to chew the cud were familiar faces I have seen at the Co-op: a previous department manager, a previous board member and a current Co-op employee. Later, I would wonder what compelled us to shop at the competitor and not the Co-op?
Kuzma, the board of directors, staff and the members of the Co-op should be asking themselves this question as well as many other questions. When questions like this one are addressed, then the Co-op can plan for the next seven generations.
Mare Hodshon Yates
