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Radio Head
I know. I’m way behind writing this three months after the fact. But I just found Timothy C. Davis’ article “Radio Free Charlotte” (August 28) online. Thanks for writing about WDAV both past and present. I’m a veteran employee of the station and got my start as a DJ for the great, late-night show, Flipsides. I’m always amazed, and of course pleased, when someone remembers that program these days. It was such an important vehicle for interesting new music at a time when Charlotte didn’t have much to offer in that arena. There were only a couple of clubs (the legendary World Famous Milestone was the best), and only a few good bands. As far as I’m concerned, Flipsides has never really been adequately replaced. We can only hope some good old-fashioned college radio will someday emerge.
Thanks again for the article. All the stations you mentioned deserve more and good publicity.
–Rachel Stewart, Flipsides Music Director “85-’86 & Director of New Media Planning and Development WDAV 89.9, Davidson
The James Gang
As a lifelong and loyal Democrat, I always thought that muck monger Tara Servatius wrote her articles on City Council prima donna Lynn Wheeler’s kitchen table! However, after reading her sloppily researched and highly partisan article (“Betrayed Again,” November 13), I am now fully convinced that Miss Servatius is merely an “organ” of the Republican Party and it appears her spiritual leader Bill James wrote most if not all of the article for her! What is disturbing from a professional standpoint is that instead of waiting for the Board of Elections to fully complete and release the actual precinct voting statistics segmented by race, sex, and party, Miss Servatius chose to make up her own conclusions using raw, incomplete and generic data that can be easily manipulated to fit whatever partisan goal she has in mind. In actuality, an easier conclusion to draw from the raw precinct data from the November 5 election is that robotic white conservative men in Southern Mecklenburg County voted in overwhelming numbers for safe, white, conservative men (remember, “businessman” Dan Ramirez ran as Tom Cox’s endearing “white shadow”) and threw the balance of power in the County Commission to seven men versus two women.
–Dan McCorkle, Charlotte
Race Based Voting
Until reading the article about Darrel Williams by Tara Servatius, I’d considered her a true professional — meaning objective — a rarity among you media types. I was surprised to find she considers it acceptable behavior for some Democrats to vote for a person because of race and others wrong to vote against a person because of race. It is obvious that if one votes for anyone because of race he is voting against the opponent because or race and vice-versa. Sort of seems un-American for anyone (or group — the most obvious are the Klan and NAACP) to vote or encourage voting because of race. It should be frowned on by all!
–Ron Hayes, Charlotte
Laughing Again
After reading the article about “Betrayed Again” I kept having one thought cross through my mind…”WAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!” Geez, I know your magazine is ultra liberal, but come on…trying to blame others for one’s own shortcomings is so passe’.
Anyways, it was a very comical article… thanks for the laughs, Tara!!
–Bill Green, Charlotte
Good Old Boy System Lives
I usually agree with Lucy Perkins’ articles, but I feel that she is a little out of touch with South Carolina and its politics (“Goodbye to Governor Yokel,” November 13). The “good old boy system” has nothing to do with trailer trash rednecks, as you seem to imply. In fact, the “good old boy system” consists mainly of rich, conservative Republicans. Mark Sanford is the “good old boy system” poster child. So there wasn’t any breakdown of the good old boy system this past election. The “good old boy system” did break down when Gov. Beasley lost to Hodges during that election. This was mainly due to the fact that Hodges agreed to allow the citizens of South Carolina to vote on the lottery. Governor Hodges did not bring the lottery to South Carolina, as you claim. He simply allowed the residents of South Carolina, as a democratic society, to decide on the lottery for themselves. This is something that your state of North Carolina won’t give its residents. I also detect a sense of elitism from you towards the people of South Carolina. Do you think you’re better than us dumb hicks in South Carolina? I guess you can stereotype with the best of them. Maybe you know more about the “good old boy system” than I am giving you credit for.
–Jim Corn
This article appears in Nov 27 – Dec 3, 2002.
