Mailbag

Thanks for Putting the Smack Down on McCain

Thank you for having the cajones to call Sen. John McCain the old gasbag he is ("Get Out of Town!" Dec. 15). He has been in Congress and the Senate for more than 23 years and has not done a damn thing, and now the dude is again eyeballing the presidency.

Sadly, when McCain fails in his bid for the presidency, the voters will return him to Washington as a senator. If the people keep returning the same old deadbeats to Washington, things will never, never change in this country.

Patrick Bishop

But We Homos at the 'Weekly' Think Show Tunes Are FABULOUS!

In a recent issue you used that tired stereotype about gays listening to show tunes ("One Last Dive Into 2005," Dec. 29). You thought it was funny, I suppose.

How about making a New Year's resolution to can that nonsense? I'm gay. I hate show tunes. Yes, even Les Miserables. I also do not wear an ascot and drink martinis while discussing Judy Garland's best movies. While I do own two poodles, I have not named them Fifi and Muffin. Furthermore, they are actually ungroomed and usually dirty.

Oh, and the little slur about Matt Damon: I mean, come on. Grow up. You two boys need to get a room and get yourselves laid.

You need better writers. Get rid of those dimwit heterosexists (and while you're at it, those writers who still believe in make-believe sky gods). Maybe if you paid a little more, you could afford someone who puts intellect into your paper's humor.

Oh, and not all black people play basketball, eat watermelon and tap dance, just in case you were thinking that might be funny, too.

Jim Ru

Your Blurb Teasing Southside Presbyterian Was Disappointing

As a faithful reader of the Weekly, I was more than disappointed in the "We Love the Poor Migrants ... as Long as They're in Somebody Else's Backyard" blurb ("One Last Dive Into 2005," Dec. 29). Please get your facts straight regarding Southside Presbyterian Church and their relationship with day laborers and migrants on their property. The church has a long-standing, biblically based tradition of welcoming those who are not welcome elsewhere in our society. As a friend of the congregation, I know that this is not an easy task, but they have been--and will continue to be--committed to Christ's ministry of hospitality.

You were referring to the Arizona Daily Star article where a parishioner expressed frustration about the challenges this commitment to hospitality poses. (Interestingly enough, this same individual--despite the challenges--faithfully leads the Southside Shower Program, which twice weekly provides meals, clothing and shower facilities to anyone who shows up, whatever their nationality.)

Why not follow up with the leadership of the congregation? You would learn that parishioners are concerned about Border Patrol roundups of migrants in their neighborhood. You would also learn that the congregation is deepening its commitment to supporting day laborers on their property.

Ben Larson-Wolbrink

Why a Trolley? To Distract!

My response to Paul Cragle ("What Good Would a UA-Downtown Trolley Do?" Mailbag, Dec 15) is based on my 35 years of researching Tucson-area transportation issues. I served on four citizens' advisory committees.

While we citizens had little influence on the plans adopted, I learned a lot:

· The growth businesses have dominated the process since citizens rebelled against the regional area transportation plan in 1970.

· Residents of the inner city pay the economic and environmental costs while outer city residents get the benefits--a major reason that several city and regional sales-tax-for-roads plans were defeated.

· The current Regional Transportation Authority plan differs from all of the others. Our elected officials surrendered control to this nonelected body that is not answerable to us. And they allowed RTA to set an election date without requiring an objective study of the costs of widening Grant Road and Broadway Boulevard--like homes made uninhabitable and the destruction of many tax-paying local businesses. The answer: The streetcar is essential to ensure that these "inconveniences" to Grant and Broadway citizens are overlooked.

Ruth Stokes

You Were Too Nice to Pig Ranchers

After reading the article "Space Restrictions" (Currents, Dec. 29) about the Humane Society's ballot campaign, I was left wondering one thing: Why did the reporter let the proponents of the intensive confinement of veal calves and pregnant pigs off the hook? He wrote that they "refused to talk about the stalls directly," but that's all this initiative is about!

I guess cramming animals into spaces so small they can't turn around, lie down and extend their legs for virtually their entire lives is pretty hard to defend, so corporate farming and its lackeys want to talk about anything but. The language of the measure is available at www.yesforhumanefarms.org. Maybe the simplest way the media can educate the public is to print the language of initiatives and let the readers decide for themselves.

Jamie Massey

Article on Simcox Ignores the Real Danger!

I have always heard: When you can't find anything to discredit a group, always try to discredit their leaders. Mr. Vanderpool ("The Minuteman's Tale," Dec. 29) may not be able to write very well, but he excels at slander. Instead of educating the American public on the "real threats," he vilifies the only people (grandmothers, veterans, etc.) risking their lives to save this country from Mexican drug/people smugglers, terrorists, violent criminal aliens and the millions stealing American jobs.

These (Minutemen) put their lives at risk sending a message to our government to do their job. Illegal aliens are not "immigrants."

Vanderpool could have written an article on why our treasonous Bush administration refuses to secure our borders in a time of war after 3,000 Americans have been murdered, with 10,000 unknown illegals invading daily. Bush could secure our borders in 24 hours with the military but refuses.

He could have written about Bush's first step to the One World Government by combining Mexico (statistically the most corrupt country in the world) with the United States and Canada by 2011. The plan: Get rid of our sovereignty and our borders so he and Fox can rule. A nation without borders is not a nation. Eighteen million Americans are unemployed. Notice the shortage in agricultural workers? Why should illegals take agricultural jobs when they can get Americans' jobs, cleaner/better-paid? They don't care if Americans lose their jobs!

He could have written about anti-American, Mexican groups such as Aztlan, a pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic organization said to be helping terrorists, whose goal it is to take seven U.S. states, including Arizona. Where's the real information?

Laura Leighton

Too Much Credit ...

I wanted to let you know that in the article that you wrote in "Local Heroes" (Dec. 22), you stated that I "established" the SAFE and ATS programs. These programs were not created by me, as they were here several years before I started here at the school. I believe that you misunderstood me when I was talking about the new programs that we were developing with the juvenile court systems.

Margaret Eller, STAR Academic Center

We apologize for the error.