LETTERS

Sitcom queen Shirley Jones the Virgin Mary? The hell you say! If that's the case, then who is Mary Richards on The Mary Tyler Moore Show? Beelzebub?

Rick Hoover
Denver

Your newspaper cover of the Partridge Family and the accompanying words were disgusting and offensive to me. We still have freedom of religion, and I am thinking that "freedom of ridicule" should be part of it.

As a Christian Catholic, I was very offended by it.
It is a pity the birth of the Savior of the world means nothing to you, but believe me, it is cherished by millions of us.

Irene Wagner
Denver

About the members of the Partridge Family Temple: I think I love them.
Valeri Tyler
Boulder

Another Athletic Supporter
Hey, Calhoun! Your editorial blasting Coach McCartney and his family ("Is Nothing Sacred?," January 18) reveals your propensity for pond-scum gossip. The nasty accusations about his daughter and the CU football team are despicable. You sound like the normal, man-hating, single career woman whose eyes are green with jealousy. You should be so lucky a man ever looks your way.

Coach McCartney supporting his daughter and his grandchildren is admirable. At least she's not taking taxpayers' money for support, like many welfare queens. You're the true liberal hypocrite for not going after them. But it's not P.C., is it? The only reason you're slamming the coach is because he's a white guy who believes in God. It's that simple. Have a nice day.

Rita Cisneros
Castle Rock

Smoke Signals
Congratulations on an excellent job on the Envirotest mess (Richard Fleming's "Blowing Smoke," January 25). The legislators who originally approved this program and now refuse to dismantle it should be sentenced to big lungfuls of diesel exhaust.

Roy Palmer
Aurora

Although I appreciated your story on Envirotest, I have to ask: Where was Westword when the state signed on for the new emissions testing? If you'd done your job earlier, maybe this fiasco could have been avoided.

Howard Stein
Denver

While the leaders of this city and state continue to look for ways to clean the dirty air we are now breathing on a daily basis, I can't help but wonder why the real solution is being ignored. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the more people there are, the more automobiles there are--and the more automobiles, the more pollution. These last few years, the growth in the Denver metro area has gotten completely out of hand. There are areas that are basically nothing but rooftops. Littleton is a good example: Just drive up Mineral Avenue between Broadway and Santa Fe, where apartment units are going up by the hundreds. Highlands Ranch is another example, growing with no end in sight.

The governor and all the people he has chosen to work with on this problem are not showing much progress. Has the thought ever occurred to them that by the time they find what they will ultimately call a solution, all the open space will no longer exist? And therefore their studies will have been in vain? I wonder if this foot-dragging may just have something to do with the fact that the new growth consists of mostly expensive homes being built by fat-cat developers.

In a directly related situation, lawmakers found themselves agreeing on a case where testing of all automobiles has become mandatory under a very controversial system. Even though their own tests have proven that only 10 percent of the car population is dirtying the air, they insist that all cars get inspected. Why? With the seven-year, $140 million investment that they made in that program, they could have taken every polluting car off the street and replaced it with a nonpolluting one or, better yet, paid for a tuneup on every car older than ten years. (That in itself would clean up the air.) Envirotest Systems sure pulled a good one over on our state's evaluation committee--and we, the consumer, will again take it in the chin.

Alfonso Lucero
Littleton

Was it just coincidence that the governor's summit on growth last Wednesday was held the same day as the emissions hearing at the legislature? Certainly the quality of our air is inextricably linked with growth in Colorado.

Let's just hope that everyone at Romer's gathering had a copy of Richard Fleming's Envirotest story with them.

Charlie Washington
Denver

As a community activist invited to the Governor's Growth Leadership Conference, I was delighted by his charge to incorporate "growth ethics" into the current political system.

I was distressed to hear from several locally and regionally elected officials that their opinion of the citizens is that we are apathetic and disinterested in the decisions made that affect our lives--and that this "apathy" gives the officials the right to make the decisions deemed best for citizens without benefit of hearing from those citizens.

If officials act morally and ethically while making their decisions, perhaps the above procedure is acceptable. However, if the officials are responding solely on the basis of the active input from representatives of development, business, real estate, etc.--who adamantly express their requests--and growth continues on its present path, then our communities will suffer long after the developers have moved onward.

Since the governor is indicating that "smart growth" policies need to originate from the grass roots (that's us, citizens!), we need to make our concerns heard--loud and clear and continuously. If we want sustainable growth, we need to write, phone and vote our opinions. We need to show up at as many hearings as possible. Believe me, the development community does.

Additionally, homeowners need to find out the occupations of the leaders of their homeowner boards, district boards and water boards. Are they developers, real estate or businesspeople who identify a "conflict of interest" before they vote on impacts to the community from development? And do they embrace "growth ethics"?

Saundra Eberhard
Littleton

Aboriginal Sin
Regarding Kenny Be's January 25 Worst-Case Scenario:
Black Elk Surfs? Kenny Be rules!
Jo Swenson
Denver

What, exactly, is the problem with this Kenny Be person? With all the legitimate crap in this city to make fun of, he has to pick my spiritual great-great-uncle, Black Elk, as well as the only true Native American production ever to come to the Denver Center. If Kenny had seen the play, he would have had more respect, I bet. But since he didn't, next week how about a cartoon featuring Thomas Jefferson, or George Washington, or one of the other "fathers of our country"? Would anyone laugh at that?

Henry Tallchief
Rapid City, SD

Ticket to Ride
Regarding Michael Roberts's January 18 Feedback:
So Doug Kauffman is cutting ticket prices for the Ogden Theatre because of unfair practices on the part of Ticketmaster? If his idea is to cut the ticket prices a minuscule amount (I mean, $20 for a show is not cheap) and then sell tickets to twice as many people, he needs a lesson in fire code and safety. Perhaps the Ogden Theatre should re-examine its present seating capacity. If other theaters can draw the line at sold-out shows that are still comfortable without gouging their customers, the Ogden should be able to follow suit (or lose patrons to these other theaters on competing show nights).

Margie Levinson
Denver

Bravo for Doug Kauffman! It was obviously not enough for Pearl Jam to take on Ticketmaster in Congress. We need to bring the fight for reasonable ticket prices home, too.

J. Snyder
Denver

Musicians, Take Note
I must commend Richard Atkinson for his poignant letter in the December 14 issue. Richard, I am the owner of Trip 21 Productions, and if we're compatible, I would be interested in financing, marketing, producing and finding you a reputable record company. I personally guarantee there are no strings attached, and I will only be reimbursed on a commission basis. In fact, I would be interested in helping anyone who's focused, talented and innovative (including the inexperienced and teenagers), but I only specialize in dance and alternative.

I must admit I am young, rebellious and opinionated, wanting to make a buck like everyone else, but I also want to be partly responsible for creating a Denver scene with a bang instead of a whimper. Richard, or anyone who's interested, you can call me day or night.

Michael Claxton
Littleton