On the behalf of every person who has ever had to deal with living institutionalized, I applaud Eric Dexheimer's "Used and Abused," in the July 23 issue. I was once inside our system of social services, whose greatest injustice has always been disorganization and a gross lack of communication. This can and does lead to improper placement, misdiagnosis and mistreatment. Often, too little care is provided for the poor, while the rich are milked for their insurance benefits. In my time, I saw kids institutionalized by their parents or guardians ad litem in drug-treatment centers as a punishment, instead of a treatment. Other times I have seen children in 72-hour suicide holds released on the basis that their insurance or the state wouldn't cover further treatment.
In the case of Arapahoe House, the staff members were placed in a position where they felt they must admit a client even if it was against their better judgment. This clearly illustrates that funding, not effective program services, is the highest concern of both Arapahoe House administrators and Jefferson County officials. Arapahoe House is a detox facility, not a temporary detention facility for Jefferson County's "extras," and should be allowed to function according to its design as a voluntary safe place to step towards sobriety.
Name withheld by request
Mormon, Is That You?
I am writing in response to Peter Gilstrap's July 23 "Jesus of the Week." I was very offended by his interpretation of the picture of a young girl, who he claimed was reading the Bible. For your information, the girl is reading from the Book of Mormon, not from the Bible, and the people in the corners are men from stories in the Book of Mormon, not the Bible. I'm sorry that it was interpreted wrongly and hope that in the future you would show a little more respect for the Savior! It was very offensive to myself and many other people I showed it to!
Mykal Giles
via the Internet
Peter Gilstrap: Dude, funny stuff. But in the July 30 Jesus-with-hairless-newtman, that taco-lipped genie's left hand is not on backwards.
Lisa Smith
via the Internet
The Sand of Time
Regarding Harrison Fletcher's July 30 "History in the Making":
Your stories about the Sand Creek massacre and recent efforts to effect some kind of closure and reconciliation have been very compelling and offer lessons that go far beyond the borders of Colorado.
The incidents you describe that took place in 1864 parallel events in the Balkans during the 1992-1996 war and may have parallels in present-day Kosovo. The fact that it has taken more than a hundred years to effect any kind of reconciliation should stand as a lesson to those following current events in the Balkans, South Africa, Rwanda, Burundi, Chechnya, Myanmar, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Chile, Argentina, Iraq, Iran, Algeria and the Sudan (what a depressing list!).
My compliments to you for publishing these stories. I look forward to future installments.
Bob Schmitt
via the Internet
Cleaning Up
The undersigned attorneys represent Maintenance Unlimited, Inc. On behalf of our client, we demand that an immediate retraction and correction be made concerning portions of Stuart Steers's July 23 "Janitors in a Conundrum."
The article contains a number of inaccuracies, the most glaring of which requires immediate action on your part. The article states, "After eight days of hearings earlier this year, the National Labor Relations Board found that the company had violated..." (emphasis added). This statement is untrue and incorrect.
The reality is that a hearing was held on allegations regarding alleged unfair labor practices before an administrative law judge earlier this year. Our client contested all of the allegations made against it. Those matters are now under consideration by the administrative law judge, and, to date, no findings have been made with regard to the merits of the allegations. Thus, the article is a misstatement of the status of this matter.
We expect an immediate apology and retraction to be made in your paper with regard to this misstatement, and that it be featured prominently so that the customers of Maintenance Unlimited who may have been misled by this erroneous statement are advised of the appropriate factual circumstances. We trust you will take whatever action is necessary in order to rectify this situation, and to see that this type of inaccurate reporting does not occur in the future.
Michael D. Nosler
Rothgerber Johnson & Lyons LLP
Editor's note: The National Labor Relations Board did indeed investigate the situation at Maintenance Unlimited, and officials there determined that Maintenance Unlimited had violated the National Labor Relations Act "by the commission of 69 acts directed against its employees in the exercise of their Section 7 rights." Under NLRB rules, had Maintenance Unlimited not appealed, all the allegations in the complaint "shall be considered to be admitted to be true and shall be so found by the board." However, Maintenance Unlimited did appeal, and is correct in stating that, to date no findings have been made by a judge. Westword apologizes for the inaccuracy.
Jazz Baby
Michael Roberts's July 2 article on Yusef Lateef and Rahsaan Roland Kirk, "Getting Better With Age," was a great article, even though Roberts is not a jazz critic.
The inspiration of Rahsaan Roland Kirk was John Coltrane. Kirk was inventive and innovative. There will not be another artist like him. Yusef Lateef brought world music to the jazz world, with bells, chimes and unique instruments. Listening to these gentlemen is not only enjoyable but, again, these men were pioneers, world-music innovators, musical leaders.
Jazz and blues forever.
Lynn Henderson
Denver
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