Liberal and Christian
I was astonished to read Bill James’ comments about how liberals “just make it up as they go along” because they lack “the anchor of Christianity,” and “espouse some of the views they do” because of an “inability to accept that Christ is the only way to God” (“Holy Wars,” by Frye Gaillard, July 7). In other words, he and “most evangelical Christians don’t [can’t? won’t?] view liberals as being Christians.”
Whether James and his fellow evangelicals believe it or not, many Christians are indeed liberal! I, for one, consider myself both. There’s Jimmy Carter, Mario Cuomo, and Anna Quindlen, who recently wrote a Newsweek column on being both. There’s also the former pastor (now retired) of a church I used to belong to. He had an interesting collection of political buttons, my favorite of which read, “Friends don’t let friends vote Republican.”
Quoting Quindlen’s column: “The connection between politics and religion for me lies in the motto of Cornelia Connelly, the Philadelphia wife and mother who founded the order of nuns by whom I was lucky enough to be educated. Actions, not words. Touch the sick, the poor, the children, the powerless, as Christ did, and never mind quoting Leviticus.” I’m afraid Bill James is too busy being “the proverbial salt in the wound” to ever consider such a notion.
— Carl Edgren, Matthews
Wise Up, Women!
Thank goodness someone else noticed (“Summer of the Vacuous,” by Shannon Reichley, July 7)! I was starting to become nervous that I was alone in my thinking.
I really worry about the mentality of an entire country that is fascinated by the likes of emaciated porn star Paris Hilton and her drugged-out sidekick Nicole. Let’s not forget the lovely Jessica Simpson. I mean, like, really, so OK, she doesn’t know the difference between, like tuna and chicken, but OK, I mean she’s soooo pretty!
I can only blame women for how we are portrayed. We are allowing the media to exploit and “whore” us by flashing our porcelain veneers and plastic boobs at even the dumbest football player for a chance to “fall in love and ride off into the sunset.” MSN polls show that more women watch The Simple Life and Newlyweds than men. On The Bachelor, women influence each other into cattiness as they strive to be the “One” chosen over all others. If we are going to change the way we are viewed and portrayed on television, then we have to start at home with our preteen girls and educate them on being a real woman. We must teach them to dodge the bsh*t that is hurled at us in 23-minute increments, 24 hours a day by the executive apes in TV land. Perhaps one day soon, our 14-year-olds will be discussing how stupid boys are, instead of figuring out how to be stupid enough to get one.
— Tiffany Wright, Charlotte
Good Knight
I want to let you know how much I enjoyed your story about Joe Borchard (“The Knights’ Joltin’ Joe,” by Timothy C. Davis, June 30). As I have met Joe personally and know a lot about him through my daughter and son-law (Tim Hummel), I appreciated the angle that you took for your story. Joe is a great guy. When my daughter visited her husband, when he and Joe were roommates in Birmingham and Charlotte for three seasons, she got to know Joe and his then girlfriend (now wife), Erin. The four of them became very close friends, even though they live on opposite coasts.
We know how hard Joe has worked to overcome the pressure and stress of meeting the expectations of MLB/White Sox, in addition to the pressure he has put on himself. We hope for his success and watch for his place on the major league roster to open. I know for a fact that my son-in-law misses him as a teammate and a friend, and wishes they could play on the same team again.
— Trish Thomas, Whiteford, MD
Art Institute’s Link
I enjoyed Tricia Childress’ article, “Connecting the Dots,” (CL, June 23). If she had done more research she would have also found links to The Art Institute of Charlotte’s culinary school and its chef-instructors and students also.
To cite an example: A la Carte Instructor-Chef Tany Hashmonay, under whom our students cook at Artisan (our teaching restaurant open to the public), is the former Sous Chef of Bistro 100. One of his students when Artisan opened, Michael Bailey, who also cooked at Myers Park Country Club while in school, now is Sous Chef of the new Salute on Providence Road. The Chef of Salute is a graduate of The Art Institute of Houston where he studied under Chef Joseph Bonaparte. Chef Bonaparte now is Culinary Arts Director at The Art Institute of Charlotte.
It’s too bad that so many in the Charlotte media are so star-struck by Johnson & Wales they consistently omit the fact that our students have been cooking — both in school and throughout the community — for two years now. Perhaps Creative Loafing can be the first to correct the omission.
— Susan Jetton, Director of Public Relations, The Art Institute of Charlotte
This article appears in Jul 14-20, 2004.
