FEAR AND LOATHING IN N.C.
Thank you so much for the "Parrots of Doom" article! (Boomer With Attitude, Sept. 6) You described exactly what I have been thinking for so very long: By bombarding all the world with the word "terrorist," morning, noon and night, the Bush administration is actually feeding the terrorists' energy and intention, as well as creating more and more of the terrorists we are supposedly "fighting" to destroy.
Keeping "fear" in the air means the population will be kept in a "fear-based mode" where they can be led more easily. I agree that there are fewer and fewer people who are buying into the whole fear-based message and seeing through all the bullshit. Again thank you for your thoughtful article.
-- Jey LeCompte, Charlotte
ROCK AND RULE
In response to your Sept. 20 cover story, "Rocks Off," I am in total shock at some of the omissions. How could you possibly have left off "Layla and Assorted Love Songs" by Derek and the Dominos? Many other albums merit inclusion including "USA Union" by John Mayall, "American Pie" by Don McLean, "Sticky Fingers" by the Rolling Stones, "Paul Simon," "Tapestry" by Carole King, and "Blue" by Joni Mitchell to name just a few. I am also partial to "Battle Hymn" by Wild Turkey. Some of your picks simply defy belief, but that is for another letter.
-- Robert Yost, Charlotte
CITIZEN CRITICISM
After reading Tara Servatius' column about how we need to buid more and broader highways to handle our traffic congestion ("Reality 101," Sept. 27), I wonder why she is referred to as "Citizen" Servatius. My understanding of the word "citizen" is that it applies to someone "of the people." In this column, and in many others, Ms. Servatius sounds more like an apologist for the highway "spend and build" lobby than any sort of advocate for the "people." Does "Citizen" Servatius not find it ironic that three of the four cities she mentions as being egregious victims of highway congestoin (i.e. Washington D.C., San Francisco and Chicago) are considered by many to be among America's most desirable places in which to live? Perhaps that is because their city elders chose to support a pedestrian and rapid transit future for their communities rather than an automobile dominated future characterized by 23-lane highways. Ms. Servatius' vision for our city sounds more like my nightmare.
-- Michael Alexander, Charlotte
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Get it Gilbert: This is artical ("Endangered Nation," Oct. 4) is correct in every way! Gilbert is a crook and he needs to be put in prison! It is that simple. This is not gossip this is fact and it took a small paper to do what the big guys were afraid to do...Tell the truth! I am very happy to read this article.
-- Robert Smith
What kind of argument is this? As I read between the lines of rhetoric and usage of big words ("The Enemy is Osama," Sept. 20), the general meaning of this seems to be finger pointing. The illegal immigration issue is a PROBLEM. The war on terrorism isn't the only problem we face. It is a weak stance to say, "Why bother with us when you have other, much more serious problems?" More often than not, undocumented workers are also undocumented and ILLEGAL RESIDENTS. Where is the praise for immigrants, whether Mexican or any of a hundred other nationalities, that have gone through the proper channels to gain naturalization status? I personally work with a young man from Somalia, who managed to get his entire family legally documented and are now LEGAL U.S. citizens. When an immigrant is placed with the tag "illegal", the illegality is no different than breaking any other law such as DUI, drug possesion, larceny, illegal gun posession or assault. All of those crimes have different levels of punishment, but none of them are ignored because of a bigger picture. Should police go soft on drinking and driving during the Christmas season because shoplifting is more rampant? A very short-sighted and self-serving article. Stop playing the pity card and encourage legal residency.
-- Mike