Love And Hate Mail
Praise deserved
Charlie Strobel—what a wonderfully deserving choice for Nashvillian of the Year (Cover Story, Dec. 23). We were high school classmates (Father Ryan, class of 1961), and Charlie at age 61 is the same as he was in '61. Besides, I learned from your story that he is 19 days older than me, and we must respect our elders. Congratulations, "Sunshine."
John Furgess
7421 Hallows Dr. (Bellevue)
Second that emotion
There are a few things I know for sure about Charles Strobel (Cover Story, Dec. 23): he is the most humble and giving person I have ever met; he shuns attention given to him by the bestowing of honors and titles of all kinds; and he would want this publicity to underscore the fact that there is still a great need for those he serves.
The climate at the Campus for Human Development is one of kindness, generosity and appreciation. Those who are there for help are polite and extremely grateful; those who cater to them are most patient and helpful. I have been a Room in the Inn volunteer for several years, and I encourage everyone's involvement. In this season of giving and receiving, of resolutions made and broken, I urge all of us to do better in the coming year at caring for those who are less fortunate, in honor of our Nashvillian of the Year.
Jenny Clough
Jenny.Clough@Pulte.com (Nashville)
St. Charles
We were delighted to read Kay West's story on your Nashvillian of the Year—Charles Strobel (Dec. 23). It's an honor Father Strobel (sorry, we can't get used to calling him Charlie, especially since he officiated at our wedding back in 1991) richly deserves and one that's long overdue.
We do have to quibble with a reference in the story to his inability to tell a joke—which implies his sense of humor is lacking. Actually, Father used to keep us in stitches back when we volunteered at the original Room at the Inn on Demonbreun. Strobel does dead-on impressions (his Ross Perot was a favorite during that presidential election) and he has an impish wit. We still recall a little routine he used to do called "flash card theology" and a true story he told us during our pre-marriage counseling sessions (conducted over dinner at a local restaurant) that included a very funny impression of a redneck. But beyond his humor, there is his courage—we've seen him face down belligerent and drunk guests (as the homeless are called and considered in the Room in the Inn program) with the firmness of a barroom bouncer and the gentle understanding of a loving parent.
Through the years we've known him, we've come to believe Father Strobel defines what a saint really is—a human being who gives his all for others and never, ever, considers anything or anyone a lost cause. The Catholic Church may never accord him the honor of sainthood, but anyone who knows Charles Strobel and his work knows he is indeed a miracle worker.
Angela and Virgil Fox
awfox@earthlink.net (Nashville)
The Scene gets something right
While I'm not an advocate of the Scene's apparent propensity for allegedly abetting vice activities aimed at certain anti-woman victimizations in Nashville, I am an advocate for giving kudos when you get things right where it really counts. Kay West got it so right in her story about Charlie Strobel. The Scene got it so right when they chose him as Nashvillian of the Year. He is the only man I ever knew, except for Tom Seigenthaler, his late brother-in-law, who was and is grace personified. I love him as a brother in Christ. He is my friend till I am no more. He is what we should all try to be: a poor but striving imitation of Christ. God bless him, and may God bless his good works, such as aiding the recovery of women from lives of prostitution and associated illnesses of that lifestyle.
Bill Hamblin
patesfordbill@bellsouth.net (Murfreesboro)
Strange bedfellows
I am a right-wing conservative, and I'm appalled at the arrest of Mr. Noseworthy ("Sex, Lies and Audiotape," Dec. 23). What a waste of resources. The Metro police under Serpas are good at busting whores and writing speeding/DUI tickets; two easy targets, but they cannot seem to solve murders or find missing girls. Also, since the war on prostitution began, guess which crime has risen dramatically in Nashville. If they keep this up and manage to close the nude bars, they will not have to worry about building a new convention center.
Lloyd Williams
williamslloyd@msn.com (Nashville)
Sweet on Maple
I was puzzled by your choice of words in Critics' Picks (Dec. 16) on U.S. Maple.
"Infuriating and involving," "creep(ing) inexorably," "many weeds strewn with crumbled dirt," "damned plodding and self-serious" and "like the gutteral grunt that accompanies some bodily excretion" (pooping?). Wouldn't it be more honest to just label Critics' Picks "writers bashing bands we as frustrated musicians may be jealous of"?
I went to hear U.S. Maple, and found them to be not only amazing musicians—something not often found in today's indie-rock sect—but hilarious as well. There wasn't a thing about them that seemed all that serious. In fact, the audience had a good time by yelling silly stuff at the band, overturning chairs, using beer bottles as noise makers, and performing David Lee Roth karate kicks. There are some local bands you write up whose music is funny, excluding musical ability, yet you give them tons of credit.
Perhaps the Scene, and other local publications, would do well to hire more writers, and music/art lovers, instead of local posing musicians/artists who write flattering things about only those bands/art shows that they and their friends are involved with.
Miles J. Island
mscherrywaffles@yahoo.com (Clarksville)
Correction
We need to correct several items in last week's Annual Manual:
♦ Tennessee drivers are now required to carry liability insurance, with minimum liability requirements of 25/50/10.
♦ The Web address for Volunteer State Community College is www.volstate.edu.
♦ Students completing eighth grade at Wharton Arts Middle School aren't automatically granted admission to Nashville School of the Arts, but they may audition for admission.
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