Letters for October 22, 2009

Letter of the week

Don’t bash Michael Moore!

Re “So much Moore” by Jonathan Kiefer (SN&R Film, October 1) and “Get a clue, Michael” by Tim McGarry (SN&R Essay, October 1):

Who needs enemies when we have “friends” like the SN&R’s Jonathan Kiefer? Not to mention the attack on Michael Moore by Tim McGarry.

Luckily, I ignored the semi-smashed-faced little popcorn box in the SN&R’s review and made my way to the Crest Theatre to see Capitalism: A Love Story with my 19-year-old daughter. We found a movie that actually was jampacked full of much-needed information that allowed us to connect the dots in regard to many missing links and unanswered questions in regard to “how we got ourselves in this mess.”

If Mr. Kiefer felt that Michael Moore’s film crammed “all the scraps of artillery into one big cannon of a movie with one too-big target,” may I ask, did anyone at SN&R proofread Mr. Kiefer’s review? I am a jewelry designer, not a writer; however, in my opinion, it is Mr. Kiefer that perpetrated the above. Maybe Jonathan Kiefer should take on something that fits his own proportions and think about writing for “Inside Sacramento.”

Why is it that “mainstream” media is more interested in building bridges and providing people with solid, inspiring information (“knowledge is power”) than folks like Jonathan Kiefer and Tim McGarry (who, in my opinion, took all of Mr. Moore’s quotes on the newspaper industry out of context)?

Maybe these two gentlemen (Kiefer and McGarry) should have a chat with your very own R.V. Scheide to gain a little insight in to why it is so important for each side to quit attacking one another, especially when that attack is from within (am I wrong in thinking that SN&R should be trying to promote the information that Michael Moore is trying to deliver?).

From where I sit, Mr. Kiefer and Mr. McGarry are writing for the wrong publication. Both attacks felt to me like these two gentlemen were trying to throw their elaborate vocabularies around in debate class by playing the devil’s advocate game. The messages that Mr. Moore is trying to deliver are much too serious for any of us to play that game, and I believe that SN&R has too much responsibility to its readers to allow such a childish game to be played out on your pages.

Shame on you, SN&R.

Pam Tuohy-Novinsky
Sacramento

Don’t make divorce illegal!

Re “Goodbye, Tammy Wynette” by Ted Cox (SN&R Frontlines, October 15):

Can we stop wasting money on dignifying absurdities? There has always been divorce, not to mention that some churches, like the Episcopal Church, were founded so there could be divorce.

Separation of church and state, anyone? How about protecting the Constitution, Mr. Marcotte? How about protecting people stuck in abusive relationships?

Caring about what happens to people in real life is more important than protecting ideals that have never had a place in a functioning society.

Tyler Glimstad
via e-mail

Is it parody?

Re “Goodbye, Tammy Wynette” by Ted Cox (SN&R Frontlines, October 15):

Oh, what a delicious piece of living satire by John Marcotte! And it would surely serve the “family values” crowd right if it were taken seriously. As has been noted before, right-wing behavior is so “out there” already, how will anyone be able to recognize a parody?

Jan Kline
Sacramento

Help legalize pot

Re “Measuring medical marijuana” by Skip Jones (SN&R Frontlines, October 15):

Great story, and it is good to see quality control emerging for cannabis.

This and labeling are included in the Legalize, Regulate and Tax Marijuana Initiative online at http://californiacannabisinitiative.org. This is the all-volunteer initiative that really does legalize cannabis for adults 21 and up and provides new revenues to the state by taxing sales only. Medical and personal use are not limited or taxed under the CCI measure.

[We are] circulating petitions now and seeking volunteers to help. Meetings are held every Friday at 6 p.m.; the office at 2993 Fulton Avenue, Suite D (near Marconi and across from Trader Joe’s, upstairs in the northwest corner of the building), is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Please call ahead to make sure a volunteer is there: (916) 889-6130. We need your help now!

Tim Castleman
Sacramento

She likes the fresh thinking

Re “Thinking fresh” by Jeff vonKaenel (SN&R Greenlight, October 8) and “Wiki constitution” by Jon Li (SN&R Essay, October 8):

I really enjoyed reading Jeff vonKaenel’s article on the collaboration between community-supported agriculture farms and high-school students to create a win-win-win situation. What a healthy and delicious alternative for generating extra funding for schools.

Also, Jon Li’s article on an inclusive process for rewriting the California Constitution presents another excellent example of moving beyond the “here’s what’s not working” frame. We are invited as citizens of California to focus on what we do want to create. I will certainly be checking out the “Viable System Model.”

Please continue to publish articles like these! And I really like the profile pictures.

Bernadette E. Murray
Woodland

Don’t slow it down—stop it!

Re “Nestlé slowdown” (SN&R Editorial, October 8):

Americans have always considered access to clean water to be a basic right, and due to a tradition of strong public health standards for municipal water supplies, tap water is generally considered safer from contaminants and cheaper than bottled water. In addition, water marketed in plastic bottles, while convenient, has been shown to be of low value and high cost, due to tacked-on profits, use of petroleum-based plastics with a low recycling rate, shipping charges from plant to consumer and potential toxic contamination from the plastics themselves.

Now we learn that Nestlé, a large Swiss corporation, is building a bottling plant in south Sacramento to open in January 2010. It will sell citizens our own Sacramento River water, which we already get through city and county agencies. Though Nestlé describes its product as a “rapidly renewable resource,” we are in the third year of a drought necessitating homeowner-use restrictions.

Why is Nestlé being allowed to take our tap water and sell it back to us at 1,000 times their input cost? And why has the city of Sacramento been silent on this issue, with no environmental impact report required?

John McCormack
Sacramento

‘Outrageous’ LeBeouf

Re “The age of LeBeouf” by Daniel Barnes (SN&R Cinema Scoped, October 8):

Thank you to Daniel Barnes for “The age of LeBeouf.”

We haven’t been to a movie in ages, because the decline has been so dramatic. In the words of Shia LeBeouf, it’s “outrageous.” (In one brief interview, he said that word at least six times.)

I own a French Film Festival shirt that says, “J’aime le cinéma.” Yeah, not so much anymore, and it’s very disappointing. Shia isn’t alone in his worldwide tour.

Daria Stoner
Sacramento

Switch up the favorite word

Re “Rebel music gets bad rap” by Joey Garcia (SN&R Ask Joey, October 8):

Between “Oh, sweetie!” “Comprende?” and “Joey eats Oreos while smarming in her water bed,” there’s just … something. About. Joey.

Maybe if she just changed her favorite word “comprende?” to “entiende”? Maybe that would help.

Kat
Sacramento

Bravo for the poet

Re “Empty Nest” by Bonnie Antonini (SN&R Poet’s Corner, October 1):

Bonnie Antonini’s “Empty Nest” captures a delicate moment, one of those fleeting blips in time that open a view of a whole world. With an 18-year-old son in tow, the speaker is suddenly shocked at how far her life has come since she was in the market for infants’ wear.

Thank you for publishing this poem.

David Jacobson
El Dorado Hills

She won’t outgrow Moore

Re “So much Moore” by Jonathan Kiefer (SN&R Film, October 1):

I am from the Bay Area and not familiar with the work of film critic Jonathan Kiefer. Per his comments on Michael Moore’s new film, Capitalism: A Love Story, I think he should be replaced by someone with a brain, eyes and heart.

My family and friends have lost homes, jobs and health care. I do not feel Moore’s film “patronized” me or made those affected into “caricatures.” The people featured watched their “American Dream” crumble, and the film exposes the reasons and people that let this happen. I will never “outgrow” the need to watch his well-researched films, works that bring the audience to tears as well as laughter.

Linda Aguirre
via e-mail

Misunderstood pits

Re “Pit bull makeover” by Rachel Leibrock (SN&R Frontlines, September 24):

I have a rescue pit bull (actually an American pit bull terrier), a misunderstood breed. Our dog has a loving home and belongs to a loving family, which includes two young children who absolutely adore her, and she cares for them as if they were her own puppies.

The irresponsible dog owners who perpetuate the stereotypes of this breed need to be held accountable. Dogs should not be bred to fight or hurt each other. I feel the same way about the senseless people who shoot up roosters with steroids to fight.

Bottom line, my analogy for misunderstood neglected pit bulls is the same regarding weapons: “Guns don’t kill people; people kill people.”

Stephanie Lorenz
Fair Oaks

Great ‘douche’ dictionary

Re “’What’s a douche?’” by Rachel Leibrock (SN&R Arts&Culture, September 3):

Bravo on your piece regarding “douche” and all its forms and uses.

My office/cube mate and I have had conversations about this very term. We think it fits to a T the identity of and actions of one who is but vile and overly supreme in their lameness (we are equal opportunity; we believe it can fit for both men and women, but feel more men do deserve it than women)!

When I was living in the Midwest, “fag” was a term very commonly used. But since moving to California 11 years ago, I now have many gay friends and have tried to curb the use of that term, replacing it with “douche” (this usually happens during work-time traffic to and from) out of complete respect for my gay brethren (and sisters)!

I applaud all that keep it alive and well and use it liberally, for there is many a douche that walks amongst us.

Thanks for such a great, insightful article!

Feeling daisy fresh,

Wade Lucas
via e-mail