Letters for June 17, 2004

Donation control

Re “Radio control” by Cosmo Garvin (SN&R Cover, June 10):

Your article on public radio failed to cover the other quality public-radio station, KVMR. This is the station that received my public-radio donations.

This is the only public-radio station that allows direct participation by the public, beyond collecting money. The broadcast content is locally focused, insightful and entertaining. Even the pledge drives are much more gentle and humane than those of Capital Public Radio.

Madera Roja de la Secoya
Sacramento

Pomp, circumstance and distraction

Re “Reagan country” (SN&R Editorial, June 10):

I’m surprised at your incredulity at the way Republicans and the media are playing Ronald Reagan’s death to the hilt, with an awful lot of pomp and circumstance for an ordinary guy who was president.

I just took a walk into town to ask around and find out what other people thought of this proposition. “Of course [Republicans and the media] are exploiting it,” was the unanimous answer, like I should be so incredulous to ask.

Disgraceful, shameless and denigrating come to mind to describe this choreographed spontaneity, which is a distraction at best to deflect attention away from the current White House scandals and a Bush war. My survey may be slightly skewed, because the area I live in is very conservative.

Ron Lowe
Nevada City

Finding art the easy way

Re “Art map: The guide to Second Saturday” (SN&R Insert, June 10):

SN&R is doing a great job with the Second Saturday listings and map. I applaud your decision to inform locals and out-of-towners with the resources you provide in your maps and written listings.

I have often referred folks to your publication as a definitive guide to Sacramento arts, especially the scene on Second Saturdays.

Keep up the good work!

Jodi deVries
Sacramento

One man’s noisefest …

Re “Cartoon” by Kloss (SN&R Opinion, June 3):

Well done by SN&R’s political cartoonist, Kloss. Finally, someone calling out Sacramento’s annual Jazz Jubilee for what it truly is: a one-note noisefest for elderly white folks.

William J. Hughes
Sacramento

… is another’s ‘happy music’

Re “Cartoon” by Kloss (SN&R Opinion, June 3):

This cartoon depicting the Jazz Jubilee as an event for older white people is somewhat off the mark. This year’s Jubilee included 17 youth bands, one from as far away as Vancouver, British Columbia. Several bands included men and women of all ages and races.

The Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society is very concerned about keeping this music alive by providing a music camp for young musicians. Scholarships to camp are available, and music lessons are provided throughout the year. The society has been the spawning ground for groups that have gone on to national and international success. In keeping a cultural heritage alive, the society has been very successful.

Traditional jazz goes against the norm of a pop-driven culture that seems to be obsessed with music that expresses rage, depression and defiance. Madonna needs trapeze acts and other gimmicks to make her music sell to the masses, at a very pricey cost.

Traditional jazz is a happy music. Large crowds of people enjoyed many concert sites, with few problems of muggings, shootings or disorderly groups of people destroying property. The price of a weekend badge was a financial bargain, when you consider the many concerts that could be attended during the Jubilee. I know; I was there for the four days.

My only complaint is that the Jubilee doesn’t provide any counseling or clinics that would help some of us transition back to the realities of everyday life.

Larry Tyrell
Rancho Cordova

Location, location, and did we say location?

Re “Much ado about nothing” (SN&R Editorial, June 3):

Your editorial on Hooters was way off the mark.

Our informal group in Natomas is opposed to the location of the restaurant, not the restaurant itself. Had you done the slightest bit of research, you would have learned that fact.

Indeed, we have repeatedly stated that this is not a moral issue. In fact, we only want the restaurant to move half a mile or so down the road (that is, closer to Arco Arena or Interstate 5).

We are opposed to it being located in a family shopping center. Would you want to look at a Hooters restaurant every time you get your groceries or dry cleaning? We object to its location across from the new high school.

As a fan of your paper, I am very disappointed by the lack of research on your part into this story. Instead of finding out what’s really going on, you made a bunch of assumptions that have no basis in fact.

Melissa Jones
Sacramento

Taxicab confessions

Re “Much ado about nothing” (SN&R Editorial, June 3):

After reading about the folks complaining about a Hooters restaurant moving into their area because of “family values,” I recalled the 12 years I drove a cab in Sacramento.

Come on. What “family values” in Sacramento? I covered the whole county, and I experienced everything from no-pays to a drunk hitting me on the head with a quart bottle of champagne. This is just the tip of the iceberg.

In fact, if Hooters’ employees took a turn driving a cab on the night shift, they might be scared of some of these so-called family-values folks. Of course, this was back in the 1960s. Maybe the town has quieted down since then.

W. Bain
Sacramento

Fair game, blame game, whatever

Re “Where does the blame start?” (SN&R Letters, June 3):

It is not “pathetic,” as the writer of this letter suggests, to compare current and former presidents and their responses to terrorism. Criticism of public officials, past and present, is fair game.

Such criticism works best, however, when it is backed up with examples and sound reasoning. A glaring example of cheap criticism is to assert that the current administration has committed “miserable actions” without providing a single example.

Gregg M. Wardrip
Sacramento

Get the dead guy a lawyer

Re “Gift-horse puckey.” by Jim Lane (SN&R Film, May 20):

I must take vigorous and indignant exception to Jim Lane’s review of Troy. The assignment of a fair-faced popcorn container is ill-advised. The poor-faced popcorn container would be more appropriate!

I am writing to Homer, recommending he file suit immediately against David Benioff and Wolfgang Petersen for fraud.

Fred Harvey
Woodland

Corrections

Re “Radio control” by Cosmo Garvin (SN&R Cover, June 10):

The student station at California State University, Sacramento, was originally at 90.7 on the FM dial, not 88.9 FM.

Also, National Public Radio offers some of its programming on Sirius Satellite radio, not XM Satellite Radio, as the article stated.

Re “Sister act” by John Dicker (SN&R Words, May 13):

In a review of Pledged: The Secret Life of Sororities, SN&R repeated a charge made in the book by a sorority member who filed a lawsuit claiming that her sorority sisters spiked her drink and arranged for her to be raped. In fact, the woman’s lawsuit was dismissed after being settled through mediation.