Love-Hate Mail
Forgive us our ugliness
The writer of “Barbie Girls” (Suburban Turmoil, Sept. 14) should be flogged with her own typing mechanism, whether it be her computer or her Christopher Latham Sholes typewriter—which is what she must be using, considering her ideas are so old-fashioned it makes me, as a woman, want to puke! When your journalists do a story, do you bother to check the “facts,” as she called them? A few she got correct, as a “flipper” is a set of teeth. But, to suggest these little girls are anything like strippers, or playboy playmates, is just journalistic crap written to interest the uneducated and ill-advised. Well, you lost this reader, and anyone else I can tell about your horrible publication. And, by the way, I am a nationally recognized pageant coach, and these children do not “undulate” to the music. They do nothing more than dance routines, and the makeup they wear is for stage; they do not wear it down the street. Give me a break. The tanning is no different than what competitive cheerleaders wear. These children are straight-A students, accomplished musicians, black belts in karate and other martial arts, football players, baseball players and basically very beautiful little girls who love what they do onstage. But every once in a while, they have to endure the criticism of feminists, uneducated idiots or just plain jealous people who couldn’t cut it on stage so they have to put down those who can. Have a nice day in your fantasyland, because that is the only place this piece of fiction could be believed.
ANGEL CROSBY
amichellecrosby@aol.com (Hoschton, Ga.)
Pro-choice
Well, all I have to say about the pageant scene (“Suburban Turmoil: Barbie Girls,” Sept. 14) is that it is our choice and if you don’t like it, don’t do it! My daughter actually chooses to participate in pageants. As for, as you called her, “Kennedee Belle,” that is not her name. And her dads—yes her dads—are great. And we love that little girl. Just have to say, we love pageants and love fake eyelashes, fake hair, lots of makeup and fake teeth. Love our coach and hair and makeup artists. As long as McKinley wants to compete, we will. Good luck in whatever you choose to do.
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MELISSA WINHAM
MckinleysMama@aol.com
Life’s rich pageant
Hi, I am a pageant mom from West Jefferson, N.C. The story “Barbie Girls” (Suburban Turmoil, Sept. 14) is ridiculous. Don’t judge us. We don’t judge you because you don’t do pageants. I have one daughter who loves them and one who doesn’t. I am not mean and ugly to the one who doesn’t want to do them the way you are being in this story to the ones who do want to do them. There is nothing wrong with pageants for those who want to do them, so long as the child truly wants to do them. Pageants are no worse than a cheerleading or dance competition—the costumes or the actual competition.
JESSICA SHEETS
my2queens@skybest.com (West Jefferson, N.C.)
Perfect strangers
I’ve seen Kay West ax some well-deserving area eats in the past, but last week’s review was just not true (“Faux Pas’t,” Sept. 14). First of all, everyone at Past Perfect, including the “Chicago Lads,” will tell you Past Perfect is a bar! Thank goodness they don’t serve the standard bar fare. We have eaten there on many occasions and have always had great service and a wonderful experience with the food. We have eaten the Past Perfect Plate, which is not meant to fill you up—it’s an appetizer, with plenty for two. The burger was very tasty and not at all flavorless. The Filet Cabernet and the Chicken Nathanzola, which you will not find on any bar menu in town, are both to die for. Kay West, get your taste buds out of your wine glass and get real. There are other places in Nashville besides your home turf of 12South that have good food. You went too far and you don’t speak for all of Nashville on this one. The place was packed on Friday night—the crowd listened to some great Nashville music and enjoyed the wonderful Past Perfect bar food. Past Perfect is comfortable, the wait staff is the best, the martinis are the best around, and the food—well Nashville, you better try this one for yourself, because Kay West is dead-wrong this time around.
ALISON ROBINETT
AliBlair@Comcast.net (Nashville)
Color blind
I’m sure it was a “throwaway” line, but I feel compelled to call out Collin Wade Monk for the opening paragraph of his Scenecast episode 46 intro (Sept. 14). He wonders if the media should forego the now traditional red/blue distinctions of the two parties, and then, in an effort at humor, I guess, suggests that yellow be used to accurately reflect the Democratic Party’s stance on national security. A quick perusal of the military records of leading Republicans would have shown him that Dennis Hastert, Dick Cheney, Bill Frist, Karl Rove, Mitch McConnell, Tom DeLay, Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Perle and Rick Santorum all managed to develop their brilliant national security positions without the time and trouble to actually serve in our country’s military. At least our commander-in-chief could phone in the bulk of his training.... I now wonder if Mr. Monk owns a yellow shirt; it seems an appropriate color for someone who stands on the sidelines and disparages an entire political party for cheap laughs.
RICK CASARES
freespeech43@yahoo.com (Greenbrier, Tenn.)
Trading up
To add to your list of female potential candidates (Garrigan: “Draftus Interruptus,” Sept. 14) —and I’m really glad you finally realized that perhaps Nashville deserves some female participation—Martha Ingram, Colleen Conway-Welch, Jaynee Day, BrendaWynn, Gayle Ray. Let the drafting begin!
TODD M. LIEBERGEN
tliebergen@yahoo.com (Nashville)
Pet smart
Liz, thanks so much for the mention of Trouble’s passing (Garrigan: “Remembering the Mayor of Beaman Park,” Sept. 14). He was so much more than a dog to Bob Brown, my neighbor of many years, to Nashvillians and to park lovers and conservationists across Tennessee. Pets can often times be so much more than animals.
EMILY EVANS
5evans@comcast.net (Nashville)