TO THE STRANGER: I didn't expect to check out The Stranger and see your reporters shilling for Dino Rossi. ["Down with the Count," Nov 25.] Sandeep Kaushik says Christine Gregoire should concede if she loses the last recount (which she did, by less than 50 votes), citing the cost and the time necessary to conduct a more thorough hand recount. Kaushik conveniently overlooks the fact that the Democratic Party must pay the cost of any recount it requests. Second, state law clearly grants the right to request a hand recount in any race in which the margin of victory is less than 150 votes. The Stranger has published several articles over the years espousing the importance of voting, arguing that one vote CAN make a difference. Now, when one vote actually can make a difference, The Stranger tells Gregoire she shouldn't bother making sure all the votes are counted and counted accurately. Thanks for showing us that the conservative media does not have a monopoly on logical inconsistencies.
Darren
LOVE THE 'BURBS
DEAR EDITOR: I'm 25, single, educated, I just moved from Belltown to Woodinville, and now consider myself a suburbanite. To flip Jennifer Vogel's thesis ["Fuck the Suburbs," Nov 25], city life is a perverted response to the perceived problems of the suburbs. For every gross generalization Vogel accuses white suburbia of wielding (we fear the "darker faces" ready to fleece us of our shopping carts and prized SUVs), she busts out equally tired sophomoric clichés about suburbia (Wal-Mart, Olive Garden, Riverdance, and Zima). Put down your soy latte (or insert other city-folk stereotype) and come visit sometime; see some ethnically diverse and cozy neighborhoods in Legoland.
I am quite the leftist myself. Yes, we lost the election. When Saul Williams was at Neumo's on Election Night, he stated that we must cope and prepare to fight the good fight. Don't be divisive, Jennifer. Don't lash out like a dumb wounded beast. Life in the city, in the 'burbs, and in general, is not so black and white. Grasp some fucking subtlety.
Pat O'Neil
NATE'S THE SHIT
TO NATE LIPPENS: Re: "Shit or Get Off My Face: The Return of the Culture War and Polemical Art" [Nov 18]. As someone that fought in the culture wars in Seattle, thanks for the writing. Instead of anger, I felt a little intellectual and emotional release. I need it facing the next 20 years.
Glenn Weiss
TINY BALLS OF SHIT
TO THE EDITOR: While I agree with Nate Lippens' distaste for reactionary, politically charged art and their opponents, I think he generalizes a bit and in particular unfairly lumps Chris Ofili together with performance artists and propagandists such as Karen Finley, Barbara Kruger, Andres Serrano, et al. His focus on Ofili's use of elephant dung in his paintings is sensationalistic itself. Unless you were told that the glossy fibrous brown balls were in fact shit, one would likely see it as a sculptural element to what already are fabulously beautiful pieces.
Sean Kinney
TAKE THE LUMPS
DISTINGUISHED EDITORS: I was going to write this great letter ripping "What Are the Odds?" [Charles Mudede, Nov 25] for being poorly written and ill-conceived, but hell, even I ended up falling for the false mysticism of Rick Camat's life.
But I can't excuse a glaring reach made by Mudede: Any delusional soul who wins the lottery knows that the "wise" thing to do is to consult a financial adviser who in all likelihood would suggest taking the lump-sum payment so as to let the market--and the high-priced financial adviser--work their magic. Annual payments are a recipe for financial impotence and, just maybe, death.
Josh Belzman
HONOR YOUR ELDERS
DEAR MR. KILEY: Thank you for your article ["Case Studies," Nov 25] regarding challenges facing the Northwest Actors Studio. The article fails to mention, however, that students of the Studio are so greatly impacted from the experience of Ann Graham. Her longevity of theater craft experience makes the Studio unique and invaluable to Seattle. Her students are on stage on both coasts and the largest stages here in Seattle. We need to take advantage of the school she runs as long as she continues to be here.
The demand to keep the ship afloat is as high for Graham as it is for any arts organization and she answers this challenge with the patience and experience born from weathering many such storms. Trust that the seeds sown in the lives of Studio actors will continue to bear fruit on stage long after this day because of the depth of character Ann Graham inspires us all to realize. Honor her.
Greg Kerton, Backstage Thrift
MUDEDE AT SUNDANCE
TO THE EDITOR: As a frequent reader from afar, I'd like to offer my congratulations to Charles Mudede on having the film he co-wrote, Police Beat, accepted into the Sundance Film Festival Dramatic Competition. If he needs any tips on how to navigate Park City in January, I'd be happy to oblige.
Scott Renshaw
Arts & Entertainment Editor, Salt Lake City Weekly
SHORT AND SWEET
DEAR STRANGER: Isn't it time to stop?
