Love-Hate Mail
Just following the catechism, brother
Thank you for one of the most honest, straightforward opinions I have ever read on the subject of priest sex abuse (“Memo to Bishop Choby: Ditch the Diocesan Denial,” Feb. 2). This is what the leadership of the Church needs—gloves-off, no-nonsense, down-to-earth conversation. As an informed victims’ advocate, let me say how rare it is for an editor of any paper to write such a compelling piece.
MARK BELENCHIA
SURVIVORS NETWORK OF THOSE ABUSED BY PRIESTS
snapmiss@yahoo.com (Jackson, Miss.)
Let history not repeat itself
Finally, someone with the courage to speak the truth. Thank you for your “Memo to Bishop Choby” (Feb. 2). You do reflect the thoughts and feelings of a large percentage of Catholics, and others, in Nashville and throughout the state of Tennessee. We admire your integrity and insight in expressing the voice of the people, many of whom remain too intimidated to speak up. We join you in entreating Bishop-elect Choby to stand for truth, justice and the compassionate concern for all involved. We must inform the people of the real truth of this scandal in Nashville and across Tennessee, and elicit their participation in correcting the problems if the church is ever again to regain its moral integrity. Until the continued cover-up of what occurred is openly admitted to the people, until the people involved in the complicity are removed, until people instead of money becomes the major concern of the people of God, the scandal will continue. People cannot heal, and the church cannot regain its integrity and move forward, until the truth of what was done is acknowledged in its totality for all to understand and address. As long as people are kept uninformed, are led to believe all is well, denial perpetuates continued abuse.
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Above all, we must do everything in our power to protect children and vulnerable adults. We must all be accountable for using every means available to stop these criminal perpetrators from continuing to offend. We are not now doing so. From this point on, that onus falls squarely on the shoulders of the new bishop, and singularly so, if we are not all included. We await his honest and open approach to this problem. We earnestly pray for a swift acknowledgment of the truth and the plan to prevent a repeat of history.
ANN BRENTWOOD
3142 Harrington Court, Maryville
Come fetch for cheap
As a devoted reader of Kay West’s column every week, I was thrilled to see her review of The Grape at SPACES (“Purple Haze,” Feb 2). I wanted to let Scene readers know that, although Kay is correct that many of the stores at SPACES carry high-end products, the average price of pet stuff at come.sit.stay is $18. Now if you want “bling for your bitch,” it ain’t cheap, but there are more affordable items as well.
ROBIN COHN
comesitstay@comcast.net (Nashville)
Grips aren’t greedy, just hungry
As a person who makes a living working in the film industry, here and elsewhere, I’m glad that the Bredesen administration is taking a look at updating the incentives for a rich industry like the motion picture industry (“Camera Ready,” Feb. 2). The fact that Gov. Bredesen is pro-business is proof enough that the film industry should be targeted as a prize catch for Tennessee.
Business incentives for the auto industry certainly have worked for Tennessee, but some of those employees are losing their health care. The simple fact that it takes no infrastructure changes such as roads or free land leases should be enough reason to throw money at Spielberg, to paraphrase David Bennett. Security is the reason. That’s the difference between a Louisiana grip and a Tennessee grip. The Louisiana grip has established health care and a defined pension plan.
Security and quality of life are the issues here. Isn’t that what we should be talking about when government incentives are on the table? What do we get for what we give out? The net result is the goal here. Good-paying jobs with quality benefits that anyone can be trained to do. New trucks aren’t the answer.
DARRYL WILSON
goodgrip@earthlink.net (Nashville)
Not to generalize, but…
I must have missed it. I would think that, for all the fuss about the cancellation of a show, somebody would at least have mentioned in passing whether it was any damn good. Does nobody care that this was a show that you could see wasn’t worth watching from the clips alone? Has ideology totally swamped our concern for content?
It takes profoundly deep mediocrity to stand out in the ocean of specious commentary this incident has elicited, so take a bow, Brandon Frazer (Love/Hate Mail, Feb. 2). My friend, the adverb-clumping product placement shtick wasn’t that funny the first time. Why don’t you flag-waving, Bush-worshipping, Hummer-driving, Freedom Roast-drinking, Coulter-fantasizing, gun-collecting, FOX-watching, camouflage-wearing, judge-hating, Rush-listening, yellow-ribbon-displaying flatlanders find something new to say?
JEFF PITCHER
jeffpitcher@bellsouth.net (Nashville)
O Brother, Where Art Thou manners....
Don’t know why I am just discovering Mike McCall’s piece “Wrongheaded Rednecks” (Nov. 24, 2005), but I’m so glad I did. Rowdy and fun is one thing, but some of this stuff is—shall I say—offensive. I am speaking for myself, of course, since there seems to be a market out there in defense of the offense. Thanks anyway, Mike.
DEBBIE HUPP
debbiehupp@comcast.net (Nashville)
Correction
Last week’s food column (“Purple Haze,” Feb. 2) indicated that The Seller wine store is owned by an Atlanta-based company. The store is in fact locally owned.
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