Letters to the Editor The World According to … To the Editor: Mr. Biggert is a scofflaw and should be fined until he is made to obey the law (Cover Story, March 2nd issue). Unfortunately, the police will do nothing unless they catch him in the “act.” I’ve thought about taking his signs down myself, but believe it is too dangerous to stop where they are posted. I wonder what hazards Mr. Biggert imposed on the public thoroughfares to post his personal beliefs. And I wonder why Mr. Biggert thinks of himself as a hero and a patriot when he’s nothing but a common thief. He’s just another one of many thieves who steal our right to an unobstructed view. Hopefully, some farmer having the same views could do as the French and haul a manure spreader to the curb of Mr. Biggert’s front lawn and give him a taste of his own crap. William Cox Memphis Starting Young To the Editor: Great article on cheerleading (Cover Story, February 24th issue)! I thought you might be interested to know about the youth squads that help develop the “Teen Spirit” you wrote about. I am a proud coach of the award-winning Bartlett Panther Pee-Wee Cheerleaders who are the ASC National Champions for two consecutive years. We are a branch of the non-profit organization, Shelby Youth Sports (SYS), which consist of nine areas in all. I am sure several of the young ladies you wrote about began their cheerleading career at either one of the SYS teams or possibly at one of the all-star squads around the Memphis area. … There are other winning cheerleaders in the Memphis area that are much younger than the high schoolers you wrote about. I feel those winning squads you wrote about would not be half as good as they are without the youth cheerleading in the Mid-South. I know I would not have been as successful in my cheerleading career and coaching without my early experience in the Bartlett program. Thank you for attempting to make more of the Memphis community aware of the popular sport of cheerleading in the Mid-South. Karen Johnson, Coach for the Bartlett Pee-Wee Cheerleaders Venal Politics To the Editor: Re: the mean streak in campaigning (Editorial, February 24th issue): You ask why a presidential campaign should be any different. The answer is that it could be different, and what’s more, it used to be different! Believe it or not, venality was not always a part of American politics! Apart from the Harding administration, the first instance of venality on high was Sherman Adams’ acceptance of a vicuna coat from somebody, and he was on Eisenhower’s staff, which was not that long ago. Admittedly, that was just one more Republican president in a long line of non-admirable ones. Looking at Senator McCain I had begun to hope that a Republican president might come along whom I could genuinely admire: It’s a long time since Theodore Roosevelt! George Martyn Finch Memphis Memphis’ Problem To the Editor: Memphis has no pro teams of any real caliber because the demographics of pro sports require a strong customer base of upper middle-class families. Nashville and Jacksonville, while smaller cities, still have a larger upper middle-class income base (http://www.census.gov). Why is this? Some people will tell you that there are 12 families who own most of the city of Memphis, and that they’ve been fairly successful at keeping labor unions, small business growth, and other wage-increasing factors from affecting the population. One of the chamber of commerce’s slogans is “America’s Distribution Center.” It’s easy to see why so much commercial distribution occurs in Memphis when it’s one of the few cities north of Mexico where you can legally, and successfully, hire people to operate a forklift truck at minimum wage with no benefits. The voting base of Memphis is also gerrymandered to weaken the political effect of the town’s population on state policy and law. When I voted as a resident of Memphis in the early 1990s, my voting district included a narrow wedge around the University of Memphis, stretching out for five counties east. Gubernatorial and congressional elections are hallmarked in Memphis by the ongoing neglect of candidates to make personal appearances in Memphis. Some of this neglect is certainly due to the irrelevance of Memphis’ electoral base due to gerrymandering. … So, Memphis, want pro sports? Demand higher wages and redraw the voting districts. Basil White Fairfax, VA CLARIFICATION: Gov. Ned Ray McWherter was governor when the state of Tennessee moved from Medicaid to Tenncare. An item in Fly on the Wall last week may have been misleading. 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.