Mailbag

Copenhagen: You Owe Us, Readers Apology for BOT Blurb

I am pleased and honored that the readers of the Tucson Weekly once again have picked Copenhagen Imports as their favorite furniture store in Tucson. However, the piece that was written in the Best of Tucson^TM issue about Copenhagen does not reflect the opinion of the readers that voted for Copenhagen, nor does it have any truth to the statements made. It was written in poor taste with total disregard for the readers and for Copenhagen as a local business. We work hard to provide our customers with a quality product in good contemporary design at a great value. Twenty-seven years in Tucson and still growing is a good indication that we are succeeding.

The story compares Copenhagen to " ... a male model who performed sex acts on stage. Then, when a new, youthful and really good looking presence found its way into his life, he suffered performance problems. (Copenhagen's fate should Ikea ever open in Tucson)." This analogy is not only in poor taste, but also bad journalism. Little does the writer know that the best thing that could happen to Copenhagen would be to have a giant like Ikea across the street. As it has been proven in other markets, stores like Copenhagen benefit from the advertising, drawing power and the increased interest in contemporary furniture which Ikea creates with their powerful advertising. We can easily compete with the quality of merchandise we offer and our personal service.

If the editor and the management of Tucson Weekly have any integrity left, and expect their paper to be taken seriously, they owe an apology not only to Copenhagen but to the readers and the people who voted in their survey in good faith.

Jorgen V. Hansen
President, Copenhagen Imports Tucson, Inc.

We Have One Every Week; It's Called The Skinny

Every year, the Best of Tucson^TM has the exact same results unless a new business opened up in town. How many years must we find out that Magpie's is the best pizza in town? It is time for the "Worst Of" list. The worst used bookstore, the worst service, the worst Mexican food, etc. The "Best Of" list is getting boring and predictable.

Michael McConnell

Appalled by Tuttle, the Media and Other Things

The recent column by Connie Tuttle on Tucson's weather (Sept. 16) had to the most boring and mundane article I have ever read in my whole life. It seems that Tuttle has run out of ideas and subjects to write about. The ONLY thing you can say about weather in Tucson is HOT and SUNNY, period. End of topic.

The fact that we do not have any exciting weather here is why everybody wants to live here. So what is the big deal? The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, and Tucson's weather is what it is. Now let us talk about something interesting. Surely, Tuttle could have found another subject to write about, and maybe one about which she actually has a little knowledge. She certainly does not know much about weather, and for that matter, neither does the majority of the Tucson media. For example, there is NO SUCH THING as a monsoon in Arizona! A monsoon is a specific seasonal wind pattern which occurs in the tropic latitudes. The majority of the United States has a summer thunderstorm season, including Arizona. In fact, our summer storms here in Tucson are nothing compared to the summer storms I have experienced in other parts of the country. And even on those days when we are lucky enough to actually have an afternoon storm, the rest of the day is hot and sunny. And by the way, we DO have days of gentle, soaking rain lasting all day--only in the winter. Also, the autumnal equinox was on Sept. 22, not Sept. 21.

Having studied meteorology and atmospheric sciences quite extensively in college, I am utterly appalled at the ignorance displayed by the local media on this subject.

Eric Simpson

One Republican Speaks Out Against Sweeney

With the exception of the Weekly, Tucson has ignored a cancer for years, and now in 2004, it has exploded into our system. Joe Sweeney's been around for 25 years, and he's run for office as Republican, Democrat and in other parties, but it's always the same sickness. Sweeney regularly uses insulting terms for Jews and Mexicans like "wetbacks," "little monkeys," "Bolshevik Zionism," "amateur Jew" and other terms from fever swamps of racial hatred. The hatred is foul, but the sheer ignorance is absolutely insulting to all of us who value our American political system ... not to mention how much this candidate damages our reputation as a community.

Sweeney beat a fine man, Lou Muñoz, in a primary to face Congressman Raul Grijalva. He did it by keeping silent and letting residual name identification work for him. Also, Joe Sweeney knew the daily newspapers would ignore him the way they always have. Recall how the Citizen didn't bother endorsing either Muñoz or Sweeney, and how the Star endorsed Muñoz, but was largely silent on Sweeney. Journalism failed its calling. And we've all failed by ignoring the metastasizing tumor in our midst.

I denounce Sweeney and everything he stands for. Sharing a ballot and an honorable political party with Sweeney repels me and does injustice to my party. He's an ignorant racist, and we all can wonder how he got this far. His long-term sickness has become presumptuous, a stench in all our nostrils. So isn't it time the whole community--society, political parties and newspapers--cut open the rotten tumor and expose the sickness for what it really is?

Bill Heuisler
Candidate for Pima County Assessor

Who Would Jesus Vote For?

Jesus favors Kerry!

Jesus wants benefits for the poor and taxation for the rich (The Range, Sept. 30).

Luke 18:22: Sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven. Matthew 5:40: Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee don't turn away. Matthew 6:12: Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

Matthew 6:19: Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth. James 1:10-11: The rich will pass away like the bloom of a wild plant. The rich man will be destroyed while busy conducting his affairs.

Luke 6:27-9: Love your enemies, Do good to them which hate you. Bless them that curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other.

Norman Stone Soifer

Don't Like Howenstine? Go Somewhere Else

In response to the "Have a Hart" piece (Currents. Oct. 7): The last time I looked, Howenstine High School was a magnet school, which means students attend voluntarily. If Patricia Kline is so unhappy with the school, or feels it is such an "unsafe" environment for her daughter, then she has the option to pull her out and put her back in her neighborhood school.

What specifically does she want the school to DO now? Mr. Hart and staff followed district-wide procedures. It would have been a better article had Chris Limberis interviewed other staff and students at Howenstine and had gotten their opinions on how "safe" they feel at this site. Students were actually picketing at the same time Kline was, stating that the whole incident has gotten "ridiculous" and that indeed things are being done to assure the campus is a safe place. It seems as if Kline and company have a hidden agenda, doesn't it?

Cheryl Palen
Speech pathologist, TUSD