Love-Hate Mail
Holy crap
Nice
article on Mr. Virus (a.k.a. Elmer Virula)—notario, attorney and CPA
(Confederacy of Dunces, March 13). One other title this dunce uses is
Reverend Virula. He claims to be a pastor of the Iglesia Samaraia de
Jesus Cristo. Yes, that is a church of Jesus Christ on Nolensville
Road. What kind of scumbag would prey on poor immigrants seeking his
legal, accounting and false spiritual guidance? But being a verdadero
dunce, this guy moved into the former offices of We the People on
Thompson Lane that were also shut down by the attorney general for (surprise!) unauthorized practice of law. Brilliant move, cabron! You should have asked about the prior owner.
SEAN LEWIS
Sean@SeanLewisAttorney.com (Nashville)
Rock on
I
was so elated to read the “Kid Rock” Suburban Turmoil (March 13). I’m
not a mother, but I’m a music fan for life. Adam and the Couch Potatoes
(A+TCP) are headlining a genre of music that historically has been rife
with sugary lyrics and bells. But it needed spice—zany lyrics mixed
with addictive beats, a range of harmonies and the magic touch of rock
’n’ roll. And as a personal friend of Mr. Selzer, I can assure you this
gifted gentleman is going far in life. Thank you for sharing this with
others so they can listen to music with their kids without feeling like
it’s kids’ music.
DANIELLE BARRANGER
dkukura@hotmail.com
(Waterford Works, N.J.)
Missing persons found
I
am a big fan of John Baeder. Ms. Browning comments that it is strange
that there are no people in Mr. Baeder’s diners (“Icons of Roadside
Culture,” March 13). What is really strange to me is that I count eight
people in his painting of San Francisco’s Fog City Diner. Perhaps a
closer look at his work is warranted.
PHYLLIS GORDON
pl.gordon@comcast.net (Nashville)
Partisanship plays no part
The Scene’s
article on Gus Puryear’s federal judicial nomination covered many of
the bases but missed one important detail (“Elephant in the Room,”
March 6). If people want to learn more about this inexperienced,
less-than-qualified, conflicted and controversial Bush-nominated
judicial candidate—and perhaps want to do something about it—they
should visit the website againstpuryear.org.
Otherwise the Scene did a great job. The issues related to the death of Estelle Richardson, Mr. Puryear’s lack of experience and conflicts of interest, his membership in the overwhelmingly white Belle Meade Country Club, which does not afford voting rights to women members, and Mr. Puryear’s employment with CCA (the nation’s largest for-profit prison firm) go far beyond partisan politics.
Mr. Puryear would be unqualified whether he was a Democrat or a Republican, whether Bush or Clinton nominated him. He’s not qualified and not the right man for the job, which transcends politics (or at least should).
For
those who know Mr. Puryear, they may not know he is a man of
contradictions. Contradictions between what he says and does and
between the whole and entire truth. That isn’t a quality we want or
need in a federal judge. The residents of Middle Tennessee deserve
better, but they won’t get it unless they make their voices heard.
ALEX FRIEDMANN
VICE PRESIDENT, PRIVATE CORRECTIONS INSTITUTE
stein919@gmail.com (Tallahassee, Fla.)
Strict-constructionist criticism
Having
15 years of courtroom experience practicing criminal law, I feel
compelled to point out that Sarah Kelley’s reporting on criminal
justice matters shows that she is way out of her depth.
Her piece “Death Row Lotto” (Feb. 28) is only the latest example, with statements about prosecutors handing out death sentences and sentencing defendants.
Prosecutors don’t have the power to sentence anybody; judges and/or juries determine sentences.
Kelley also has a disturbing tendency to make sweeping generalizations—for instance, her statement that Tennessee’s district attorneys just don’t find it problematic that “doling out death sentences is a crapshoot.” This kind of group condemnation is not only manifestly untrue, but is the kind of thing one would expect to read in some undergraduate college publication, where attitude and partisanship are considered superior virtues to accuracy and nuance.
If this is what the Scene considers serious journalism, I can see why you don’t charge for your paper: You get what you pay for.
PAT GEARY
pgeary6001@aol.com (Bellevue)
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