Love And Hate Mail
Not singin' our tune
Elder's Bookstore may very well traffic in obviously stolen merchandise, but your lazy reporting was nothing to be proud of (Cover Story, Sept. 30). I do wonder if the Scene is capable of writing a hatchet piece without the cowardly use of so many unnamed sources? Name at least some of the whistle blowers, or have the integrity to hold the story. Should you hang a man just for looking guilty?
Collin Wade Monk
vivamonk@hotmail.com (Franklin)
All the news "unfit" to print
I'm quite appalled by the cover story this week ("Stolen Books," Sept. 30). If there's illegal activity taking place, then the "story" belongs in the hands of the police and the legal system. I should think Randy Elder would sue your paper for slander, and he would have my support in doing so. Comments from former employees and competitive bookstores have no place in this news report, but then, you wouldn't have a four-page article without it, would you? This very public attack without any arrests or convictions for theft is wholly unfit for print.
Nancy Kirkland
nancyki@bellsouth.net (Nashville)
So biting
I'm one of the three unidentified Music Row Democrats that Matt Pulle alluded to in his Desperately column last week. (The other two are Susan Collier and Bob Titley.) The thrust of Mr. Pulle's remarks is that the three of us snookered FOX 17 by failing to disclose our political affiliation. That's strange. Since the entire FOX story was about the theft of our Kerry/Edwards yard signs, it would seem that our party connection was implicit. But obviously not. So here's the key, Mr. Pulle: people who display Bush/Cheney signs are generally thought to be Republicans. Those who brandish Kerry/Edwards paraphernalia are almost certain to view themselves as Democrats. Perhaps you should laminate this note and keep it handy in the event of future puzzlement.
Edward Morris
stormcoast@mindspring.com (Nashville)
We only run debate letters from Ben Folds
Watching the first presidential debate, it became obvious that we were seeing the next president of the United States, and it wasn't Bush. Kerry spoke more eloquently, more confidently than President Bush and supported his attacks well with facts and confidence. Bush appeared flustered and confused. I would have thought he could take more than that. He could barely form a proper sentence. He repeated himself desperately and randomly.
Kerry is president material, and after the debate I have much more confidence in his ability to clean up in Iraq than I do in President Bush's. Although he's been painted otherwise, I found him to be very concise and clear about his positions.
I honestly don't understand how any paper or media outlet could dignify Bush's performance with the kind of post-debate discussion I've seen and read today. He came off like a lightweight, and I'm going to vote for John Kerry.
Ben Folds
2214 Belmont Blvd., Nashville
Very cerebral
In response to Gore's quote on the editorial page ("Miscellaneous," Sept. 23), he's absolutely correct. There are different kinds of intelligence. The kind that makes a person realize that one must kill terrorists before they kill you, and the other kind that makes you say (and probably believe) that you practically invented the Internet when your name is Al Gore. That same type of intelligence makes a person say that President Bush "is a coward when confronted with a force that he's fearful of." Does Gore even hear himself speak? Hey Al, I have a dictionary you can borrow. The definition of a coward isn't someone who destroys terrorists in defense or offense. A coward is a tree-huggin', weed-smokin', liberal sissy who doesn't want to protect his own country unless France and Germany say we can. Why didn't Tipper spend a little less time censoring Twister Sister [sic] albums and a little more time teaching Albert to shut his pie hole? Al said in a speech this year that "George Bush betrayed our country." Hey, Albert, do you recall whom you worked for?
Standing by with a thumb in one's anus while terrorists are trying to kill this country's citizens would be betraying our country—the exact thing Gore would do if (God forbid) he were in the White House. Put down Clinton's bong long enough to hear yourself speak.
By the way, I can't believe that around the Scene's water cooler the informal polling shows Bush as the favorite. Did the cornucopia of lefties that work there have that day off?
JD Dohnal
jddohnal@hotmail.com (Nashville)
Clarifying a case of confused identity
The book-thieving Ray Anthony Story, 35, mentioned in last week's cover story ("Stolen Books") is not to be confused with the 58-year-old Ray Anthony Story who is a partner in a residential homebuilding business and president and CEO of a local manufacturing company. We apologize for any confusion.
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