Letters to the Editor Fantasy-Filled Editorial To the Editor: I don’t know where you people get your information, but I have a sneaking suspicion you are either talking to The Commercial Appeal or Shelby State (Editorial, February 10th issue). Either way you people don’t know what you are talking about regarding the retesting of the nursing students at SSCC. You are too damn recreant in your reporting to find out the real truth, but then again Memphis has always been afraid of the truth. This editorial (and the one last year) is filled with a lot of fantasy regarding what transpired two years ago. First, Joe Towns in no way influenced or coerced my decision regarding the “offered make-ups under ideal conditions.” The conditions were only ideal for Shelby State instructors. Shelby State refused to tell who was writing the test, and I had no guarantee that there would not be two tests — one for those who did not rock the boat and one for those who did. Shelby State’s silence spoke volumes. Second, I did not “flunk” exams. Should you continue this erroneous reporting of the same I will take legal efforts to make sure it ends. Third, Mr. Towns did not organize “a kamikaze attack,” and I resent your publication’s implications that he did. Surprise, I can think for myself and I do not need the government or the media to do my thinking for me. Should you like to get the facts correct (which I doubt you will since my first e-mail went unanswered), I am more than willing to talk with you. If you continue to report facts incorrectly I will be forced to talk with legal counsel in what my future action will be against this publication. Wendy Morgan Memphis Good Riddance To the Editor: In your article “Will He Stay or Will He Go?” (City Reporter, February 10th issue), you ponder the issue of V. Lane Rawlins moving to Washington State. I ask: Have we started looking for his replacement yet? In my opinion Rawlins has outlived his usefulness at the University of Memphis. It’s time for him to go. He’s done all he can take credit for here. The powers that be at Washington State may be impressed and give Rawlins credit for inevitable changes, but any person worth his salt would have done the same. (The folks in Washington seem ecstatic at the prospect of Rawlins taking the job, crediting him with the U of M’s name change, increased use of technology, tripled research funding, and $100 million worth of renovations and new construction including the main library, a student activities complex, a performing arts center, an emerging technology complex, and new athletic facilities. The WSU Web site lauds Rawlins for successfully developing and implementing strategies for bringing the university and community together.). Rawlins just happened to be on board with a group of professionals to advise him in the right direction. Remember, a leader is only as good as those who advise her or him in this case. I say call him history and let us move ahead. Let’s get some fresh new “local” blood in that office. Obviously I’m not impressed with Rawlins, and I think it’s time to get a college president who is more in step with the community it serves. Jodi Melbourne Memphis AIDS Story Unfair To the Editor: Every Wednesday I look forward to getting The Memphis Flyer. I read News of the Weird and Hot Properties first, then I look through to see what else might be interesting. I was recently pleased to notice that your cover story was on HIV (“The Forgotten Disease,” January 20th issue). That is, I was pleased until I actually read it. It seemed to be mainly an unfair smear job on Vince Glover and Delois Bolden, two energetic people who have done quite a bit to promote HIV education and testing in our community. Ms. Bolden has been active in HIV education for many years and is unflagging in her efforts to change the apathy that until recently surrounded this disease. Mr. Glover has had his job at the Health Department for one year, and in that year he has done a lot of community outreach to increase the public’s awareness of the epidemic among us. He has dealt with budget cutbacks and a chronically under-manned department (Why don’t we fund the Health Department better?) with innovative programs and through writing grants for supplemental funds from government agencies. His help was invaluable to me when I was writing a grant for the Adult Special Care Clinic at The Med, a grant which has brought $750,000 to The Med to help with the care we provide to more than 1,200 persons with HIV and AIDS. There is still a lot to be done, and I think we would be better served if we pulled together to get the work done instead of fighting among ourselves. Try to present a more balanced picture next time. Melissa Appleton Memphis Cabaret Disappointment To the Editor: I just picked up a copy of the February 10th issue of the Flyer and read with interest your Steppin Out article regarding the Orpheum run of Cabaret. Having attended the performance on Thursday, I felt compelled to respond to your article. Jon Peterson may put his own spin on the Emcee, but at the very least the audience should be able to understand what the character is singing and saying. That is not the case with Mr. Peterson. His “German brogue” is so poorly done that virtually every word from him is unintelligible. I also found it disconcerting that Joely Fisher did not perform, especially after having just read Pat Halloran’s comments in the “Marquee” that he makes certain this doesn’t happen very often. I have only seen two shows in recent years at The Orpheum (Miss Siagon and Cabaret) and both times the show’s lead performer did not appear. It was also interesting to note, when my husband and I stepped outside for a breath of fresh air during intermission, the large number of people who were leaving the performance. Could this have been due to the inability to understand the performers, Ms. Fisher’s “no-show,” or the fact that the theater was so uncomfortably hot? Perhaps it was all three. I know that after the last two experiences, I will think long and hard about spending almost $100 for such another experience. Bettye Lasley Germantown Televise City Council To the Editor: Perhaps a better solution than those suggested in Fly on the Wall (January 27th issue) for solving the council’s image problem would be to have WKNO televise the meetings. To be able to watch the local council in action was one thing I missed most when I moved from Nashville to Memphis. Also changing the meeting time from 4 in the afternoon to 7 p.m. would make it easier for the public to attend meetings. Emily Jorgensen Memphis Distinctions To the Editor: During an interview after the Southern Miss game at Hattiesburg, a U of M basketball player said the Tigers erred by letting the crowd get back into the game. Forget the crowd, guys. Keep the opposing team from getting back into the game and the crowd problem will take care of itself. David Lyons Memphis Overrated To the Editor: It’s about time Memphis has a perceptive journalist that will actually address the structure of a play without making meaningless jabs at actors and directors or making asinine comments about a useless role that other journalists in this city who pretend to know something about theatre would do — did. Fortunately, Chris Davis saw through all the hype of the overrated script of Master Class (Theater, February 3rd issue). I am virtually certain that playwright Terence McNally would agree that this play is essentially a “personality piece.” In fact, the rumor in NYC is that McNally meant for this play to be a one-woman vehicle for diva Caldwell who histrionically refused to do another one-woman play. Billy M. Pullen Memphis Rocker To the Editor: In response to Chris Wood’s letter about Major League Baseball’s actions to punish John Rocker, comparing it to what Charles Barkley had said to a reporter regarding white people (Postscript, February 10th issue). If you didn’t know — Mr. Barkley ’s wife is white; they have been happily married for years. Regarding athletes and fans, Latrell Sprewell of the New York Knicks had choice words for a fan and it cost him $10,000. Anyone trying to defend Rocker needs more help than he does. Lenonn Pearson Memphis McCain Endorsement To the Editor: Just a note to express my satisfaction with John McCain’s successes (Cover Story, February 10th issue). Republicans have insisted that throwing money at a problem is not the way to solve it. I say: Doctor, heal thyself. Throwing 50, 100, or 500 million dollars behind W. Bush is not going to give the official candidate (or emperor) new clothes. Morally, W is not even a faint reminder of his parents. His “mistakes” have not been redeemed by a higher understanding of the human condition. As a governor, his position on drug-related mandatory sentences reveals a frightening ignorance of his own experience as an addict. It is well known in recovery circles that addicts never heal from their disease but rather surrender to a higher power. Bush’s refusal to acknowledge the reality of his “youthful misconduct” as a legitimate character issue is very telling about his vulnerabilities. Instead of telling the general story of his conversion into a healthy, principled, spiritually based individual, he stonewalls and flaunts his money-based fortress, coming across as a defensive, perfectionistic, cocky, and spoiled child of privilege who doesn’t even understand his own life. Is W’s definition the definition of true reformer that the GOP wants to sell to the American public? For the sake of this generation of Republicans, I hope not. McCain has had the courage to assert his principles even in the face of his own party’s rejection. He is the Republican candidate that middle America is hoping for, not because he is perfect but because he can be trusted to stand on principle while he champions the conservative legacy. Even though I am a Democrat, I see McCain as somebody who by mere virtue of his candidacy brings common sense and reason to the political debate in this country. I hope he succeeds in the long term. I may disagree with some of his ideas, yet his position in the campaign-finance issue is a wonderful credential. The country would very much benefit from a McCain-Gore contest for the presidency. Those are the cards we need on the table of national debate. Claudio Perez-Leon Memphis The Memphis Flyer encourages reader response. Send mail to: Letters to the Editor, POB 687, Memphis, TN 38101. Or call Back Talk at 575-9405. Or send us e-mail at letters@memphisflyer.com. All responses must include name, address, and daytime phone number. Letters should be no longer than 250 words.