TO THE EDITOR: "Club Crackdown" sounded a familiar theme [Erica C. Barnett, Aug 25]. I'm a transplant from San Francisco and lived in that city during the dot-com boom and bust, witnessed the invasion of the yuppies into the south of Market neighborhoods once populated by local people of color, saw my city sold to developers, and finally left in disgust when local clubs were driven out by "noise and loitering" complaints filed by those same people who just had to move into the hip part of town to be near the action.
Are the same gentrification monsters plaguing my new home? Clubs are being targeted and essentially raided by the JAT with the backing of the city council and the mayor with an eye on "public safety issues" which is baloney and we all know it. Is the symphony being fined for not having open-flame permits for votive candles? No, it's the small clubs in the Central District or Capitol Hill.
To persecute an industry that gives Seattle a worldwide reputation for progressive music and arts is shortsighted and hypocritical. I am begging the city council and the mayor's office to reexamine their motives. Are you really concerned about "public safety" or are you serving the needs of wealthy condo owners who wouldn't know a good time if it crawled up on their laps and wiggled?
Jennifer Blessing
FIRST THEY CAME FOR THE VOTIVE CANDLESTO THE EDITOR: Fuck JAT! As a musician living in Seattle, I am outraged that these "Gestapo" raids are taking place. Do we have a right to enjoy ourselves? Does it really matter where the occupancy sign is posted? The answers to those questions are, respectively, yes and no. The underlying truth is that whether under the supervision of the mayor's office or Homeland Security, it seems to be that those in power have been, and exceedingly are, taking advantage of obscure and meaningless legalese, over-developing and emphasizing security non-issues, and generally using what would be considered fascist tactics to control what we do, where we go, and who we talk to. It's a power play and it will get worse the longer we go without taking a stand against such unreasonable policies.
Barin Darnew
MIXED REVIEWSTO DAVID SCHMADER AND ANNIE WAGNER: Let's be fair: Seattle theater is no less consistent than the writing in The Stranger. Sometimes inspired, but just as often, it sucks.
Mark Boeker
FORGOTTEN FORESTHEY STRANGERS: Loved your article on Fun Forest at Seattle Center ["Disenchanted Forest," Megan Seling, Aug 25]! I remember how sad I felt the last time I walked through there. Thank you for covering the enchanted anomaly.
Maximilian Sanchez
THAT'S ENTERTAINMENTMEGAN: Thanks for your hilarious, right-on article about Fun Forest. I have long wondered why I've read many disparaging comments about EMP and none about the butt-ugly Entertainment Pavilion.
Jim Shepherd
YOU COWARDYou pussy
DEAR EDITOR: How very typical and passive-aggressive of the average Rain City dweller to use I, Anonymous rather than confront the person directly ["Dogs Die in Hot Cars, Asshole," Aug 25].
I'm sure everybody watching this stupid person resuscitate his overheated dogs at Green Lake gave lots of glaring looks. But who called the moronic dog owner a stupid fucking asshole to his face? Who stepped up and confronted him? Nobody, I'm sure. What's the deal with Seattleites? Confrontation in this town is indirect, passive-aggressive, or nonexistent. In New York City or Chicago I'm sure somebody would have told the dog owner that he is a stupid fucking idiot to his face, rather than use some dinky column like I Anonymous to express his or her views. This column is perfect for the typical Seattle pussy who has absolutely no frickin' backbone.
Chris McCall
FROM THE FORUMS AT WWW.THESTRANGER.COMPOSTED BY GOMEZTICATOR: I read Josh Feit's take on Gregoire's keeping her mouth shut on I-912 [CounterIntel, Aug 25]. I find it curious that her people insist the governor has nothing to say about a repeal measure that's gaining serious steam. Kerry Coughlin responded to Josh's inquiry by dodging the question, then when Josh calls Kerry out on it, she insists Gregoire isn't allowed to campaign on issues when working for the state. WHAT?! Since when?
Josh cited the State Executive Ethics Act, which says Gregoire can act at will to campaign against anything, and curiously there was no response.
Why is the governor's office so adamant in refusing to address a legitimate movement to repeal a vital source of their transportation funding? Why has the governor's office turned pussy when they really need to get tough? Is this an act of sabotage by Gregoire's advisors? Or does she really not have a clue?
POSTED BY ALKIJEBB: Gregoire's numbers would improve if she stuck her neck out, I think it's her staff people keeping her under wraps like Washblog says (www.washblog.com). She fought long and hard to get this through the senate, but now she is nowhere to be found.
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