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WELL, DUH
Four words: Commie Girl for governor.
Mason
Huntington Beach
DISGUST-AVO
Someone should tell Gustavo Arellano [“Brown Peril, Part Dos,” Aug. 8] that when a small group of Latinos gets into an argument with a small group of Marines, and then returns with a much larger group of Latinos with knives, that is referred to as a gang. Get over it, Gus. I don't know of any upstanding Latinos that would be driving around in the wee hours of the morning picking fights with Marines. And who other than a chickenshit gang member can go find several other knife-wielding idiots at the drop of a hat? Come on down to Capistrano, Gus, and you'll find lots of Latino gang members tagging fences and walls, just dying to get into a fight with some outnumbered jarheads, because, well, what else is there to do when you're a gang member who's not in Santa Ana?
Frank LaMancha,
Ex-Marine in San Juan
Thank you for the article on Rosemarie Avila [Gustavo Arellano's “Notes from the Banana Republic of Santa Ana,” Aug. 1] and for letting your readers know who these folks are that are against government-funded after-school programs, free lunches and bilingual education! As a young parent, I feel and experience the challenges your article presents. My only question is, where can I send a check to show my support?! It is hardworking, insightful preservers of future generations, education and a unifying American culture that really are the modern heroes of today, and tomorrow. Long live Rosemarie Avila! Her support is legion, for they are many!
Gary Williams
Via e-mail
I was very disappointed to read your article about censorship of classic movies on television [Gustavo Arellano's “Whitening Blackface,” July 18], primarily because I agree completely with its premise. Unfortunately, your reporter got the facts wrong, at least with regard to Turner Classic Movies. As the senior vice president of programming for TCM, I can tell you categorically that we do not edit films that have offensive content. In fact, some of the specific examples that were cited (The Jazz Singer, Birth of a Nation, the Mexican Spitfire and Charlie Chan movies) often appear on our channel—completely unedited. While we don't take pleasure in showing things that some viewers find offensive, we agree that these films are an important part of our cultural history, and that it would be a mistake to ignore them. A simple phone call to our office (or a look at the television listings) would have provided the reporter with this information.
Charlie Tabesh
Senior Vice President, Programming
Turner Classic Movies
I have to agree with Aldo Gutierrez [Letters, July 25] that Gustavo is lacking a real education. He drove his Chevy Impala to UCLA just so he can say that he went there. His education is from a very low-class college. I graduated UCLA and absolutely no one from the university writes like that. Hey, Gold Tooth Gustavo, this is American Indian territory not Mexican Indian so fly your weak flag in your own land. All you Mexicans keep screaming “Viva Mexico!” If you love it so much, go back home. Stop invading my country with your over-breeding, Mexican lingo and weak flag. Go home, Gold Tooth Gustavo!
Nyoka Whitefeather
Lakewood
I, ANONYMOUS
The only thing Incredible about Moses Leroy [Dave Wielenga's “More Order, Less Chaos” Aug. 8] is that he's not selling shoes somewhere.
Anonymous
San Diego Jethro Tull responds: Moses Leroy is not the name of a person, it is the name of a band. By the way, nice nuts not giving your name. Afraid of a little alt-rocker slapfight, are we?
This is to the child-hating moron who wrote anonymously (of course). Children have the right to be any place their parents choose—post offices, planes, the World Series. Don't like it? Too bad. They are the adults of tomorrow. What would you suggest the parents do? Use a gag? I sometimes wish I could stand and scream my head off to release tension, preferably within your earshot. May you never be blessed with a beautiful bundle of screaming pleasure.
Anonymous
Via e-mail
ANGRYISH
Just so you know, some surfers do care. I got ahold of this article [Dave Wielenga's “Bored Competition,” July 25] up in Santa Cruz, and while it may be different down in Orange County, I was frankly offended that the work of Surfrider Foundation, Surfers Environmental Alliance and Pack Your Trash never got mentioned. There are some of us who put in the time and energy to work for clean water, waves and beaches for the rest of the apathetic crew. The surf industry may not be involved, but actual surfers, not industry execs, are. To say none of us care negates the 10-plus hours a week many of us put into these organizations. Yeah, I wish there were more of us, and the surf industry could help, but it's important to recognize that there are some of us.
Teresa Ish
Treasurer, Surfrider Foundation
Santa Cruz
COPY COKER
Matt Coker's celebration of Spike TV [“It's a Man's World,” Aug. 8] was clever and quippy—or rather, The Daily Show With Jon Stewart was clever and quippy a few weeks ago. Maybe Coker saw that episode, assimilated it seamlessly into his subconscious and didn't realize when he wrote the article that his lines weren't original. That kind of thing happens all the time. Or maybe he just tapped into the zeitgeist, just like Comedy Central did back when the story was timely. Maybe Coker is just that good.
David Malki
Via e-mail
