"Checking In," Westword staff, November 18
Foursquare geeks is a vague-enough subject without much swagger, yet this Kentucky transplant to Arvada felt compelled to play along, absorb and then move on to more sophisticated reading (Savage Love, massage ads, live shows...). This is my point: "If I can do makeup at a bus stop in Kentucky, I'll do makeup at a bus stop in Kentucky" was used to show a sense of humility within one of the Foursquare mayors. Honey, you make already whore-ish girls more whore-ish at strip clubs no one outside Denver has heard of. Even covering up tramp stamps. Really? Leave Kentucky out of your mouth; we don't need no whore painter's pity. But keep up the good work, and lighten up on the body glitter.
Will Landrum Arvada
"The Party's Over," Off Limits, November 25
I think your "Party's Over" heading for the item on the passing of David Nolan is flippant and inappropriate. A much better obituary can be found in the New York Times. And if you meant to imply that the Libertarian Party is over, you are very naive.
George Whitfield
Seoul, Korea
"Border Lines," Patricia Calhoun, November 25
I attended the Gustavo Arellano vs. Tom Tancredo debate, and I was disappointed. Arellano's main argument, as far as I can tell, was that Mexican-Americans assimilate quickly into American culture (generally during the first generation) and that they therefore do not pose a threat to American culture.
I feel this argument is an apologetic one, without principle, in that it is merely a reaction to reactionaries like Tancredo who, when they speak of a threat to culture (via the "cult of multiculturalism"), speak of an idealized, white, Christian, capitalist culture that folks like Tancredo imagine is the only authentically American culture. Sure, this culture exists, but it isn't the only culture existing in this country. And it is a culture that I do not want to raise my children in.
I want new culture, diverse culture, sustainable culture based on mutual respect for all people and all life forms. As a white, working-class student, I want a culture that values diversity as a strength, not a threat. Tancredo and his far-right, teabagging friends are clinging to the past; they are afraid of change, which is unfortunate, because fear makes for lousy politics — hatred-infused lousy politics, at that. I'm sick of having to pander to other people's ungrounded, perhaps delusional fears!
Instead of apologizing to these reactionaries, Arellano might consider adopting a tone of cultural renaissance via Chicana/American hybridization. Imagine opening up cross-cultural dialogue premised on the bond that we all share as humans regardless of culture, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender, political, sexual orientation, etc. I want to take part in that! If Tancredo and his ilk would like to come along, we'll give 'em a seat at the table. If not, I believe, or at least hope, that their fears of culture loss will come true.
Stephen Polk
Denver
Tom Tancredo doesn't like illegal immigrants. Gustavo Arellano makes excuses for them. Neither offers a solution. Here's one: Buy oil from Mexico, not Saudi Arabia. Oil from halfway around the world costs as much from the transports, which are hijacked by Somali pirates (insurance costs). Buying oil from oil-rich Mexico would lower gas prices to about $1.50 a gallon, and our neighbors in Mexico would stay home with good-paying jobs in the oil patch.
What's stopping this common-sense solution? A government that is owned by BP and the Saudis and their very close friends in the media.
R. Weber
Denver
