Letters for March 22, 2001

Blame you

Re “Death Trip” by R.V. Scheide (SN&R Cover, March 15):

Punks like David Scott Daniels deserve whatever they get; I hope he bleeds to death. They want something for nothing and murder those in their way. They are vampires sucking the innocent life blood of humanity without a care. To them, life is a joke and a game where cheaters come up.

Blame it on being fatherless? Blame it on being poor? Blame it on rap? Blame it on drugs? Blame it on being black? Blame it on “the system,” blame it on the president of the United States, but don’t blame it on the perpetrator.

I have been clean over three years; nobody got me hooked and nobody got me clean. It was all me. And screwing up was all David. It takes a real effort to get straight, but nothing worth having is ever free.

R.V. Scheide’s story doesn’t have a point. How about a story on one of the countless ghetto kids who went on to achieve true greatness, not infamy. Sex, guns and drugs will always sell on the streets and now in the SN&R.

C.T. Perez
via e-mail

Thriving DJs

The article “Bring the Noise” by Amy Paris (SN&R Cover, March 8) was an enjoyable read—it really gets me excited to think about all the wonderful growth Sacramento is experiencing (and will continue to experience).

The article did bring up some questions in my mind, however. I haven’t seen any articles in your paper on the electronic music scene in Sacramento that focused on DJ talent (forgive me if I just missed out). I am wondering why you wouldn’t bother to look into this, considering Sacramento boasts some of the most well-known and talented DJs in California. Indeed, DJs from the Bay Area are looking to the Sacramento scene for support in the same way the indie/punk musicians are. Even more fascinating, Sacramento has the rising female star in this state—DJ Dragn’fly. I think you would find her talent, among others here, both fascinating and uplifting as indications of a New and Progressive Sacramento artists’ scene.

Thanks for supporting the artistic community, SN&R writers! We need you!

Terri Young
via e-mail

Snotty elitists

Re “Bring the Noise” by Amy Paris (SN&R Cover, March 8):

As a participant in Sacramento’s indie/punk scene for years now, I’m very eager to see what the influx of Bay Area musicians will do to it. However, what I’m not eager to see are snotty attitudes like Chandra Tobey’s. Her quote that Sacramentans are “people with frosted hair, really gross long nails, mullets and trucks; lots of overweight, out of shape, pale and greasy people and lots of people who are much less educated than we are” was really out of line. If Chandra was as educated as she likes to believe, she wouldn’t have made such an ignorant, stereotypical and classist comment.

It’s ironic that someone who got pushed out of San Francisco because they could no longer afford to live there would be so rude to people who can barely afford to live here. In other words: your similarities bring you together, don’t let the little differences come between you. If they keep that in mind, they might succeed in keeping Sacramento’s diverse punk scene united, rather than an imitation of the segregated and “what’s-trendy-now?” one in San Francisco.

Name withheld
via e-mail

Can’t we all just …

Re “Before the Slur” by Georgette Todd (SN&R News, March 8):

I appreciated Georgette Todd’s inquiry into circumstances concerning the controversy involving former CSUS Library Dean Patricia Larson. It was hard for me to believe that a single public speaking reference to “Japtown” (in historically accurate context, I believe) was the sole cause of her firing. Now it appears that much more was at play—a pattern both of insensitivity by Ms. Larson and strong reaction by Dr. Richard Ikeda and others from the Japanese-American community, prompting CSUS President Don Gerth to act as he did.

I am left uneasy by the way in which this situation was (mis)handled and the implications. The polarization and public shaming and sacrifice that evidently took place in this case are likely to create more wounds than wisdom. Yes, as Dr. Ikeda says, we “move on.” But what have we learned about one another and how to coexist fruitfully in a challenging multicultural world?

For those interested in pursuing such learning in an interesting but very different context, I recommend checking out the Hmong National Conference, which convenes March 30-April 1 in Sacramento. Information is available through the Hmong Women’s Heritage Association at (916) 394-1405 or www.hmongwomenheritage.org.

Ira Saletan
West Sacramento

Truer words

Re “Soldiers in the Literary Battlefield” by Robert Lawley (SN&R Letters, March 8):

Mr. Lawley states two points on which he should be called. First, that the Community News is “falsely” portrayed as “imbued with tenets of bigotry, hatefulness, and condescending rudeness,” and second, that Community News somehow “discusses controversial issues with a distinct sense of intellectual aptitude and honesty.”

On the first point, Mr. Mueller’s publication speaks for itself. Minorities are described as “the scum of other nations,” “testosterone high macho immigrant males who get their mates pregnant,” “lack ethics, morals, and principles,” are “primitive and violent cultures,” and “Mexicans and blacks are the biggest domestic violators one can find,” “beating their wives and girlfriends openly on the street is part of their culture,” and finally, “A simple gathering of more than three men of either Mexicans or blacks quickly turns into an aggressive gathering of rival lions. Yelling is their preferred tone of voice, drinking and smoking pot is a must in these gatherings, and loud music seems to always stimulate their juices. Their tribal calls can be heard blocks away.” (January Issue, page 2). The reader of these quotations is left to judge for themselves whether Mr. Lawley is applying some of that “intellectual honesty” when he states Community News has been “falsely” portrayed.

On the second point: Again, Mr. Lawley’s argument does not hold up. There is no discussion, nor any attempt to discuss the issues from an “intellectual[ly] … honest” standpoint. In fact, as the article, “Where’s Walter” states, intellectual honesty is not even part of their bylaws—“We make no attempt to give you both sides.” This is a very “distinct” sense of intellectual honesty indeed.

Mr. Lawley would have us believe that Mr. Mueller’s Community News is something it isn’t. By lying to protect Mr. Mueller, he has only succeeded in tarnishing his own reputation and credibility.

Kevin Schultz
Sacramento

Mueller: A liberal mole?

A guy I know thinks that Mueller is a liberal mole and that the Community News is an elaborate satire of right-wing ideology. Maybe one day the gag will be unveiled in the pages of The Baffler.

At any rate, Mueller does add some much needed local color to your paper. Hey everybody, raise your hand if you think the SN&R has gotten deadly dull lately? I’ve said this before, but let me repeat myself: Being a Baedeker for discretionary-income types doesn’t cut the mustard. You’ve got to take some risks if you want to live up to your claim that you are Sacramento’s alternative weekly. You need another H-bomb. She [Amy Paris] made your paper a little bit unique. She was fun.

Anyway, I’ve gotten off topic. Bottom line: Wally, you’re either an impostor or a jackass; SN&R, quit boring me!

Jeff McCrory
Sacramento

Cops need hookers

Re “Prosecution is the Oldest Profession” (SN&R Editorial, March 8):

Prostitution is not called the Oldest Profession for no reason. It has been going on since almost the beginning of time. The idea of stopping prostitution one way or another is probably just about as old. By making these impounds (legalized theft of property, especially since they can seem to do it without making even a conviction) is not an intent to stop the “crime.” It is a blatant and successful way to generate money for those who get it, the cops and prosecutors. After all if they were able to stop prostitution (or drug abuse or whatever else they may think up) then they would be out of a job, and what benefit would that be for them? That is why actually curing the need of the hooker is not the plan, because that is not the issue to them.

Don Riley
North Highlands