Regarding Ward Harkavy's "God's Own Party," in the May 1 issue:
I am not surprised that churches are wanting to take over politics and have ties to right-wing nut groups. How many more people will die in the name of their "God"? I doubt their God even recognizes them. To realize how dangerous these people are, you need not look further than religious states such as Iran.
Keith Privette
via the Internet
I enjoyed "God's Own Party." I supported Pat Miller and the other "right-wing" candidates in Arvada and north Jeffco. I wish you would characterize the religious organization on the left side as the "radical left" (the Colorado Council of Churches would be a good example). I don't see any difference between the Republicans and the Democrats, other than the Republicans on the right mentioned in this article. Pat Miller really does have a good point. None of the legislation the "right" tried to put through was made law. Yet with all the bad press this small group of Republicans gets, you would think they had rewritten the state constitution. I just wish those radical-right lawmakers would leave the Republican Party and join the Colorado Constitution Party. The moderate and liberal Republicans have been getting a free ride when it comes to the hard work the "radical right" does in the party. I spent money and a lot of time working for the party. Not anymore.
So you crybaby moderates, chill out.
Lyle K Marti Jr.
via the Internet
In Ward Harkavy's article, Mr. Morrison, pastor of Faith Bible Chapel, and Representative Arrington are portrayed as admitting to living to self-destructive extremes in youth and young adulthood. They claim Jesus saved them. Yet their words and actions suggest they've merely traded extremes of hedonism, drug addiction and crime for extremist practices of religion, politics and, perhaps, even mind control. The only real change appears to be the focus of their manic behavior, not the taming of the extremist lifestyle itself.
I'm compelled to caution north Jefferson County Republicans: It appears apathy has allowed the political agenda to be co-opted by extremists whose spiritual advisor is an ex-drug dealer and addict, who admits to having seen visions and hearing voices. He also admits to having suffered one very bad LSD trip, which ended with him howling at the moon. Is there a relationship between these hallucinations and his use of LSD? If so, is the FBC congregation's political agenda being shaped based on these hallucinations and the extremist behavior of its leaders?
It seems a reasonable person should ask several questions. Who are these people? How will members of Faith Bible Chapel continue to influence the creation of public policy in Jefferson County and the state of Colorado? Finally, why should north Jefferson County voters keep electing and re-electing members of this church to office, allowing them to implement their extremist behaviors and opinions into public policy?
Name withheld on request
Thank you for "God's Own Party." I and others have been dealing with the ambiguity of the Christian fundamentalist folderol here in Arvada, and in Jefferson County, in taking over our community and disenfranchising us from the democratic political process.
Their covert support groups and networking--using aggressive evangelical tactics and strategies, backed by out-of-state trust funds, hidden from public scrutiny--has practically overwhelmed citizens in Arvada. It's been lonely out here, taking on this movement. But liberty, freedom and "equal opportunity" are at stake!
With Ward Harkavy's article, a well-balanced journalistic picture has been painted to give the citizens of our county and community a good handle on "what's been going on." The local weeklies just didn't have the space to write such a story. It seems the dailies have day-to-day deadlines and don't commit to research journalism anymore.
So once more, thank you.
George Pramenko
Arvada
I've read Ward Harkavy's "God's Own Party." The old story goes, "We want it all"--but don't worry, Ward. You still have Capitol Hill, Mayor Wellington Webb, Governor Roy Romer.
I'm anxious to see what will win: morality or immorality.
Fred Webber
Denver
Stall for One and One for All
According to Scott Yates's "The AG's No. 1 Problem," in the April 10 issue, some of the women who work in the attorney general's office say they don't like the "intrusion" of a member of the transgender community into the women's bathroom. Intrusion?! Was she trying to sit on their laps? How is it an intrusion when women's restrooms all have private stalls? And who ever checks to see that all those who enter a women's restroom are genitally correct women? If you think about it, no one ever does.
What this woman is doing now is called "presenting as a woman," and that is the only criterion society has ever used to determine which restroom someone should use. Would these women submit to a genital and genetic check at the door? Of course not. And there happen to be no laws against someone who is genetically or physically of one gender using the restroom of the other gender, either. A recent study has shown that there are as many as seventeen different genders now discovered. What a mess that would be to sort out at the door! You think this person caused a stink?
Melissa Rhiannon Brookstone
Denver
The Center Will Not Hold
In his May 1 letter, Jack Haynes is worried that Roy Romer doesn't remember where Colorado is. He then points out that it's "in the center of the country."
Perhaps it's Jack Haynes who doesn't remember where Colorado is. It's in the western part of the country.
Karen Stevens
Denver
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