YOUR RACIST CLAP

TO THE STRANGER: The satirical piece on former governor Gary Locke that appeared in the Last Days (my freakin' favorite) section of the current issue of The Stranger [May 29] has me contemplating my childhood growing up in the South and dealing with racist humor on a daily basis. If you're going to go down that road, why not make it topical and go for a relevant politician such as Obama? Maybe throw in some Jim Crow references and some jokes about fried chicken and watermelon? You have the balls to rip on Asian stereotypes, but I'm willing to bet you'd think twice before printing the same type of joke for African Americans.

This type of drivel you're printing reminds me that, in fact, Washington really is a homogenous state. You guys are just like UC Santa Cruz—a bunch of hacky-sackin' educated white people with dreadlocks talking about how liberal they are. See? I can make jokes, too! Motherfuckers.

Arsenio

DAVID SCHMADER RESPONDS: Thanks for writing, Arsenio, and let me explain: The Gary Locke piece was a parody of the SIFF opening film Battle in Seattle, a dramatic retelling of the WTO riots directed by Stuart Townsend, in which the character of Governor Locke was inexplicably given a ridiculous, English-as-a-second-language chop-socky accent.

The Locke parody movie poster was meant to make fun of Battle in Seattle director Stuart Townsend, not Gary Locke or Asians in general, but I fear our failure to more explicitly contextualize the joke confused and infuriated a number of people.

Sorry for this, and for what it's worth, the online version now includes the info that might've helped the print edition make more sense: "If you liked Stuart Townsend's inexplicable portrayal of Governor Gary Locke in Battle in Seattle, you'll LOVE..."

HACKED TO BITS

TO BRENDAN KILEY: I wanted to thank you for your thoughtful review of the film I directed, Graduation [Film Shorts, May 1]. I always thought Graduation was more about the four kids facing the end of their high-school days together, and that the heist was, essentially, a fun metaphor for the world facing them, and you saw that. And I have to applaud any review that uses the word "hack" that many times. Well done.

Mike Mayer

HOW DO YOU JEW?

HELLO, STRANGER: Your latest food review was vastly weird ["The Chosen Food," Angela Garbes, May 22].

Mentioning a Reuben in a discussion of Jewish food is rather like talking about a steak in a review of a vegetarian restaurant. Making it the "goal" of a search for Jewish food is pretty much insane.

Just to make it clear, speaking as a somewhat knowledgeable goy, you don't get much less kosher than a Reuben. The rules that might let you eat shrimp or pork if you were starving (based on the number of times it's forbidden in text) pretty much have a no-go on milk and meat together (mentioned way more times).

Now, if you want to talk "New York Jewish–style," it's still pretty weird; Reubens are from Omaha, Nebraska, for pity's sake. In a Greek diner, you get a Reuben; in a Jewish place, you get corned beef on rye and bowls of pickles... And the creamer for coffee is #$%##! pareve and tastes bad. That oy! is Jewish food.

The Grumpy Goyim's Goy Guy

FIG LEAVES OF GLASS

TO CHARLES MUDEDE: In reading your "Leaves of Glass" article on the new Four Seasons, I found myself somewhat perplexed [May 29]. I read Alexandros Washburn's quote about contemporary virtue "being a concern for nature" as referring not only to the aesthetic aspects of a building, which you celebrated, but also to the functional aspects of the building, which you omitted.

I looked around online and found no mention of any "sustainable" features of the building and, assuming this is indeed the case, I would have to conclude that the building's cladding merely projects the image of being concerned with nature, when in reality it only serves as a barrier between the affluent dwellers and the people on the street. Even though the courthouse was built before LEED silver was required of all federal government buildings, I understand that it incorporates technology to reduce its impact on nature.

I understand you wrote this article as a visual-art piece and agree with you that the colors and textures of the skin bring to mind the natural beauty of our region, but I see no virtue in a Janus-like facade that advertises one thing while hiding another.

Admittedly, I could be wrong; the Four Seasons could be a LEED platinum haven for the millionaires, but I'd think they'd be publicizing that information, since that is one of our virtues in this corner of the world.

Keith Harris