Revenue Is The Goal
Tara’s article on the speed camera scam (“Speed Camera Sham,” by Tara Servatius, July 14) was right on! Once again the city of Charlotte has found another way to freeload off the growth areas of their annexed suburban jurisdictions for their benefit. The city of Raleigh tried a similar camera program to prevent accidents at high risk intersections and failed miserably only after the traffic engineers revealed that accidents went up 1000 percent after the cameras were installed. But, from the cities’ point of view, the main focus was on revenue and not the alleged safety that we are supposed to believe in. Now, they know otherwise. I wonder how many accidents will occur in the Charlotte area before the city wakes up and tells the camera manufacturers to take their business elsewhere. I’m sure those statistics won’t be available to the public without a freedom of information lawsuit against the city. Any way you look at it, everyone knows it’s nothing but a revenue scam just as you pointed out in your excellent article.
— Tom Scott, Charlotte
Don’t Trivialize Prostitution
To Quinn Cotton: While I normally enjoy your contributions, I was disturbed by your piece in the July 7 edition of Creative Loafing, titled “A Whore’s Dream.” At first, I wasn’t sure if it was your pointless meandering or your dehumanization of these women that bothered me most. Your comment that “…whores will survive along with the roaches, scrabbling out of demolished civilization’s cracks in those incredibly stacked Lucite heels” tends to support the latter.
However, what really bothered me is your trivialization of this issue. Add the fact that Creative Loafing turns a buck from massage parlor ad revenue and this piece represents the height of hypocrisy. Please do not misunderstand me. Clearly, neither you nor Creative Loafing is responsible for the conditions that result in such pain and sadness.
But take a stand, for goodness’ sakes! Do you believe in safe and legalized prostitution? What is your opinion of the johns or the type of businesses advertising in the back section of this and other alternative newspapers? Without a position, your musings are sophomoric and condescending at best. In my experience, I’ve come to expect higher standards from you.
— David Gersfeld, Charlotte
CMS’s Business Is Not Education
Tara Servatius writes of, what many would consider, mismanagement in CMS (“Students as Sex Offenders,” July 21). A student found guilty, I presume, of sexual predation is allowed to continue attending CMS, being moved from one school to another as the situation suits CMS administration. Ms. Servatius expresses bewilderment, ending her tirade with the statement: this is unacceptable. Well it may be to her, and there may be thousands of people in Mecklenburg County who agree with her, but as CMS is not in the business of taking care of and or educating children, Ms. Servatius’s concerns, when expressed to CMS administration and the Board of Education, will generally fall on deaf ears.
Certainly there are the unusual few who would do something if they could, but they are in the minority, and will continue to be in the minority as long as the voters in this county continue to elect people who are concerned with their personal appearance and saying the right thing instead of with children and education. Make no mistake, I am not referring to teachers, I am referring to administration and elected officials.
The goal of CMS administration is the perpetuation and growth of administration. The goal of the majority of those currently elected to positions on the BOE is rubber-stamping the policies presented them by CMS administration and, more importantly, re-election. Their goals do not concern children or education, but only the appearance of concern about education.
The point being, nothing will be done. Maybe in this particular case, but in general, nothing will change and the bureaucracy which gives us this problem will continue with others of similar type, and nothing will change until the voters take voting seriously.
— Lewis Guignard, Charlotte
Bush Supporters Delusional
In reference to the letter from James C. Signorile (“Gene, Thou Shalt Be Judged,” July 21), Mr. S. needs to quit watching Fox (Faux) News and join the real world. His views of what has been happening in Iraq and around the world are nothing if not delusional. Iraqi oil is under Iraqi democratic supervision?! Yeah, maybe if theirs was an actual government and not a powerless US hand puppet. And sorry, but no matter how many times neo-cons and their prophets like Sean Hannity and mind-slaves like Mr. S. keep repeating it over and over, the evidence is definitive that there was no collusion between al-Qaeda and Saddam Hussein. Are these people on drugs? Nearly 1000 American soldiers are dead because many people like Signorile believe anything the Bush crooks and liars tell them.
— Larry Oliver, Fort Mill
This article appears in Jul 28 – Aug 3, 2004.
