Letters

Contact us via e-mail le*****@oc******.com">(le*****@oc******.com), regular mail (Letters to the Editor, OC Weekly, P.O. Box 10788, Costa Mesa, CA 92627) or fax (714-708-8410). Letters will be edited for clarity and length. By submission of a letter, you agree that we can publish and/or license the publication of it in print and electronically. All correspondence must include your home city and a daytime phone number.

THE POINT BEING?

I am duly offended by Gustavo Arellano's article (“Live Like an Illegal Immigrant” May 17). Was he trying to insinuate that illegal immigrants live better than white people in Newport Beach? On behalf of all those rich white people down south, I would like an apology. Legal white people clearly live better than their “Chicano” maids and day laborers. The idea that people in the “barrio” might have just as nice a car as people in Irvine is clearly insulting. You should think twice before you compare the elite of the county to those without status, wealth, quality health care, clean food and a bed.

Patrick Reetz
Anaheim THOSE WHO CAN'T READ PLAY PAINTBALL

I wish to question Matt Coker's journalistic integrity after receiving this e-mail from the monthly paintball magazine, Action Pursuit Games (APG):

“The unfortunate death of Gary Holdren in Orange County, California, where he was skating, fell and hit his head, was reported early on to be related to youths shooting paintballs. However, the police department had not concluded this to be fact. A coroner's report concluded Mr. Holdren had not been hit by paintballs. Meanwhile, the media continues to blame paintball. A typical commentary said “it was only a matter of time before youths and out-of-work security guards wandered from designated paintball courses and into polite society. But since the sport is training future real marksmen, don't look for any bans; surely the National Rifle Association is already cranking out bumper stickers declaring, 'I'll give up my paintball gun when they pry it from my cold, paint-spattered fingers.' ('Diary of a Mad County' by Matt Coker, OC Weekly, April 5, 2002).”

Being a journalism student myself, as well as a paintball player, it is frustrating that writers like Coker bash paintball without checking their facts. Now, I will be honest with you, I personally cannot check these, since I live across the country. But I trust APG. I believe they would check with the coroner for evidence of paintball damages (they can leave welts and bruises, after all). Also, the police found no evidence, although paintballs have this nasty habit of leaving colored paint where they hit. So where do you find paintballs to blame? Is it just that in your search for a scapegoat to blame for this poor kid's death, you must tarnish paintball, a sport enjoyed responsibly by hundreds of thousands every year? Please check your facts before you spew any more garbage.

Erik S. Salmi
via e-mail

Matt Coker responds: Mr. Salmi, if that is your real name, I don't want to dash the ambitions of a budding journalist, but had you checked your facts you'd know “this poor kid” was 54, that it was the police department that initially blamed paintballers, and that I wrote my story before the coroner's report came out. The last time I checked my facts, police were still seeking three paintballers for questioning.

HAIKU AND THE HORSE YOU RODE IN ON

For Rich Kane (“Haiku-O-Rama,” May 24):

Snobbish and prissy

Pseudo-intellectual

Asshole rock critic

R.J. Beaumont
Costa Mesa MEXICAN-DO!

In the May 24 A Clockwork Orange, Matt Coker and Nick Schou proved that your publication just can't get it right. Instead of stating that they were afraid to describe Atlachinolli Front, they should have just simply called us what we are: Mexicans, plain and simple. I understand that they thought it would be zany and witty to take a deliberate stab at our insistence not to be called “Latinos” or “Hispanics,” but the humor was lost on me. We have explained the reason behind this to Mr. Schou so many times that we are starting to get blue in the face (instead of our usual golden-brown color). Lastly, the comment that the school board considered removing us to Israel was totally inappropriate. Shame on you.

Leonela Rodriguez
Atlachinolli Front
Anaheim

Matt Coker responds: For the record, Nick Schou had nothing to do with that particular Clockwork item. He was out picking off joggers with a paintball gun.

WORST INTERN APPLICATION EVER

I read the article “Couched in Ignorance” (Lost in OC, April 19) written by Jim Washburn and concluded it was poorly researched and written. Is there any discussion associated with editorial pieces before they are run, or are you only interested in myopic minds that are able to complete a sentence? Ultimately, Washburn's article failed to offer any new insight whatsoever other than he might want to lay claim to a new nickname: Eddie Haskell, Beaver's friend who always could be relied upon to twist the truth or simply lie. If you are interested in an editorial intern, let me know.

Tom Olds
via e-mail WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW IS BOOBS, FAKE BOOBS

After listening to all the continued bullshit about my bar, the Huddle, being labeled as a place where racists run rampant (“Commie Girl,” April 5), I am going to set the record straight. The ONLY thing all-white, when I work, is the whipped cream. My customers and close friends come in every size, color, shape, age, height, weight, real boobs, fake boobs, etc. . . . That's what makes the bar rock—everybody comes and has a great time together. As Dennis Rodman always says, “It's all about love, baby.” If you have a good heart, that is all that matters.

Dana Wildes
Costa Mesa IT'S A DIVE

I object to allegations of being seen at “creepy dive bars” in Dana Point (“Commie Girl,” May 24). I can be seen at creepy dive bars throughout the entirety of Orange County and Long Beach.

George Fryer
Costa Mesa