A “Very Wretched” Place
To the Editor:
The few times that I have had to venture into the purgatory zone called Hickory Hill [cover story, April 23rd issue] have always left me feeling profoundly depressed and sorry for the misguided individuals who reside there. For the aesthetically sensitive, it is indeed a very wretched place. No wonder it has become a violent locale; there was little humanity used in planning the community. The energy that was used to create this and other such stretches of ugliness should have been diverted back into preserving and revitalizing the older historic neighborhoods of Memphis.
Where are its oases of park, shade, old-growth trees, gardens, fountains, and pedestrian areas? These are things of beauty that make a community peaceful. The housing is for the most part cheaply constructed, designed by hack architects and greedy developers. The busy street of Winchester is one long “hell hole” of franchise restaurants, gas stations, car lots, and strip malls sweltering under noxious car fumes and angry drivers.
Suburbs are notorious for bringing out the violence in bored, unconnected people, so here are a few suggestions on how the Hickory Hill citizens can spend their precious tax dollars to fight crime:
Remove at least two lanes of Winchester and plant hundreds of shady trees. Include a bike path and sidewalks. Invest in health gyms that offer yoga as well as boxing to divert violent energy. Add a few town squares with open-air cafes and live music. Preserve any natural waterways and turn them into park areas. Boycott franchise restaurants and support Ma-and-Pa joints. Plant wildflowers in every front yard to cut down on the drab sameness of each street. …
And for those that fear that the citizens of South Memphis are taking over their white-bread neighborhoods: “You can run, but you can’t hide.”
A. Starks
Memphis
Keep Museum’s Focus
To the Editor:
The small share of global civil-rights focus at the National (repeat National) Civil Rights Museum is with good reason [Commentary, April 23rd issue]. Dr. King’s dream was for the full integration of blacks into American society in a manner that immigrants of European descent have enjoyed. The first step was civil-rights issues – simple recognition as humans. The second step was for economic integration so that we could participate and contribute in all aspects. Dr. King was slain in Memphis crusading for sanitation workers. The war on poverty in America was his next step and a major part of the dream for black citizens.
Opening up the museum toward Main Street is a great idea and a metaphor for the direction of future expansion efforts. Please do not allow the museum to lose sight of the dream of full integration by looking so far into the problems of other nations that we, once again, sweep the issue of race in America under the rug. …
Portia Trass
e-mail (Memphis)
Thank You
To the Editor:
This is in response to your Editor’s Note [April 30th issue], in which you point out that the Flyer is animal-friendly because it offers free classified ads for pet adoptions and other animal-related ads. I say, Amen to that!
I want to thank The Memphis Flyer on behalf of all animal welfare groups, individuals who are involved in animal rescue, etc. for printing our “Pet of the Week” in every issue. Hundreds of homeless cats and dogs have found wonderful homes as a result of this ad.
The Commercial Appeal, on the other hand, charges groups like ours a commercial rate (approximately $100 for four lines), while it charges breeders, who contribute to the pet overpopulation problem, a family rate or residential rate of $13.50 for the same four lines!
Again, we are sincerely grateful for the Flyer’s support, and so are the animals!
Seena L. Walker
Animal Protection Association
Memphis
Special Grace
To the Editor:
I wish to thank Jackson Baker for “A Brief Essay on Grace,” in the April 23rd issue. He wrote of the “… special grace some among us have had to summon up for the rest of us by way of example.”
Experts tell us how to do everything, but too often they leave out “the special grace” shared with us in that meaningful way.
A person I once knew was given a recipe by an old friend. The recipe told how many cups of this and how many spoonfuls of that were to be used and the length of cooking time, and then the friend added, “However, if you want the recipe to be truly a success, you must add grace.”
This applies to everything. To act with honor, intelligence, and common sense is admirable, but to know the true meaning of life, we must add grace, “the special grace” Jackson Baker wrote about.
Arthur Prince
Memphis
CORRECTION: In “Food Notes” last week we misspelled McEwen’s on Monroe, the restaurant at 122 Monroe Avenue. Also in a photo caption we incorrectly stated the date of the Outdoors, Inc. Great Mississippi Canoe and Kayak Race. We regret the errors.
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