Love And Hate Mail
Back in the day
I'm a former McGillite (2000-2003) presently living in Austin, a place that has many of the qualities I loved in McGill. I wanted to thank you for Claire Suddath's brilliant article on the Vanderbilt dorm ("Where the Freaks Are," Aug. 26). She has captured my feelings about it perfectly. What a wonderful reminder of the fun I had. Thank you so much.
Jessica Lonsdale
jjlonsdale@hotmail.com (Austin, Texas)
Amen, sister
In the Aug. 26 issue, this was Metro Council member Buck Dozier regarding his opposition to the nominations of Maria Salas and Eileen Beehan to appointed positions of Metro service: "I don't oppose the people, never have, never will. But the lifestyle, coming from a Christian perspective, is something I disagree with" ("Maybe, Possibly, Why Not?").
I don't know why I never became accustomed to the shallow, bigoted views of our elected officials. No wonder Tennessee, in general, and Metro, in particular, function as backwater, highly illiterate, prejudice places to live.
Heaven only knows why these holier-than-thou Christians refuse to work for the best interests of the citizens of Davidson County (and Tennessee). The potential duties of Salas and Beehan had nothing to do with the former being a lesbian and the latter supporting equal treatment for the gay community.
I can hardly wait until Muslims dominate the council so that pork can be eliminated from restaurants and grocery stores and the law provides prayer breaks throughout each day. How about Hindus in office, so we can eliminate beef as an entrée choice. I resent the Christian movement imposing its beliefs on the diverse citizens of Metro rather than working for the benefit of the entire community. Government should not regulate the spiritual life of our citizens.
Elaine Hackerman
ejhackerman@aol.com (Nashville)
Uh, that's what an upset is
I enjoyed your article in last week's Scene regarding the next mayor's race ("Maybe, Possibly, Why Not," Aug. 26), but Howard Gentry did not "upset" Chris Ferrell in the 2002 vice mayor's race. Howard Gentry beat the hell out of your former Wonder Boy by 10 points in the runoff.
Rusty Michael
rusty@fatcityartists.com (Nashville)
There's free will, after all
With regard to "Letters From a Kentucky Prison" (Aug. 26), your writer extols the humiliation and harsh reality of prison life (albeit from a minimum security perspective) and how terrible things are for him. Well, am I to feel sorry for him?
Just because he's somebody's grandfather and a minister who is obviously bound and determined to go right back to the acts of civil disobedience that got him incarcerated in the first place doesn't make him a martyr (as the Apostle Paul, whom he seems so inclined to quote, was). The only thing I took away from the piece is what every other adult should already know: prison and confinement in any scenario sucks, and you don't want to do anything to end up there.
Richard Smith
1515 Bridgecrest Dr., Antioch
Trumpet, don't criticize
The Aug. 26 Critics' Picks submissions included a "preview" of the Flecktones, Yonder Mountain and Keller Williams' show. I believe it is small minded of Mr. Levine to use this opportunity to criticize the Flecktones' recent studio release, as if he did not already have the chance to trumpet his disdain. This preview also slights the participation of the Yonder Mountain String Band in the tour. I think that items in this segment of your paper should be assigned to writers who are interested in promoting a great event, rather than venting their spleen. It is not appropriate to use the opportunity to diminish the work of any artist.
Mary Condon
zappa8@earthlink.net (Nashville)
Not gettin' any?
The cover of your recent College Survival Guide brought back some fond memories (Aug. 19). Upon viewing the scantily clad model reaching for a book while being ogled by the half-naked stud in the shadows, I recalled my own undergraduate days at the University of Chicago. Especially on cold winter days, I enjoyed few things more than throwing on my bikini and racing down to the Regenstein Library for some random sex in the book stacks. What fun! Indeed, isn't this what all college women aspire to, as your cover implies?
Ah, college life; it's not just about the pursuit of knowledge anymore. Thanks, but no thanks, for doing your part to further the cause of women (and men) in higher education.
Monica J. Casper
Director of Women's and Gender Studies, Vanderbilt University
monica.casper@vanderbilt.edu (Nashville)
Our defense: witness the buff dude, please
The other day I came across a recent issue of the Scene containing the College Survival Guide (Aug. 19). When I saw the cover, I was absolutely appalled by the picture portraying a girl wearing a bikini while studying in the library. At Vanderbilt University, where I currently attend, I know for a fact that girls do not walk around the library in their bikinis. Furthermore, as a woman, I find the picture on the cover of this issue, which portrays women as symbols of sex, utterly demeaning and belittling.
I hope that, in the future, the Scene will show more respect toward women, and people in general, for that matter, in the way that they portray them, and also put greater consideration into the messages you are sending out to the public. Thank you for your time and understanding.
Lizz Wright
citygurl44@msn.com (Nashville)
