Carried away over concealed-carry: Patricia Calhoun's May 11 "Fire Away" column proves that she is either incredibly naive or was under a very tight production schedule. She states that over a year after the Columbine tragedy, we still hear the gunshots, but "now they merely disturb our conscience, rather than call it to action."
That's quite poetic, but what would she have the Colorado Legislature do? Her column conveniently glosses over the fact that it is currently illegal to carry a gun in Denver in the manner that Mr. Hall exercised. You're right, Ms. Calhoun, at least Denver does have gun laws. And criminals like Eric Harris, Dylan Klebold and James Hall continue to ignore these laws en route to committing far more serious crimes, such as murder. People intent on taking another person's life will not be deterred by gun transport laws any more than Timothy McVeigh was by the fact that he was illegally parking a vehicle. Further, I don't understand the vehement opposition to SB 154 that would conceal the names of people with carry permits. What's ludicrous, Ms. Calhoun, is your inference that hardcore criminals will go to the trouble of applying for a concealed-carry permit! "Fire Away" is typical knee-jerk blathering that appeals to heated emotion instead of sound reason. If the state proves premeditation in John Bray's murder, Mr. Hall should pay with his life. Maybe Ms. Calhoun should mount a public campaign to ensure that he is prosecuted for the transport violation as well.
Matthew Davis
Denver
A smoking deal: Wow, could it be another holier-than-thou diatribe from our favorite shrill liberal (and I mean that in the worst possible way), Westword editor Patricia Calhoun, regarding the evils of guns? If Westword is so concerned about saving lives, how about issuing a moratorium on tobacco advertising? Last I checked, cigarettes kill about twenty times as many Americans per year as firearms. Oh, I forgot -- that might be something that would actually involve taking a real stand on something that could affect your bottom line.If nothing else, please spare us the maudlin closing line: "And the blood, like the traffic, flows on." Is Steve Jackson ghostwriting for Calhoun this time?
JR Armstrong
via the Internet
Big bang theory: A letter in your May 18 edition was from a writer who equated possession of guns with repressed sexual agression. He cited Freud in support of his thinly veiled slur against law-abiding firearms owners.Permit me to quote Freud in response to his silly and self-important arrogance: "A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotion maturity." Which, pray, is the baggage your previous letter-writer carries?
Robert Teesdale
via the Internet
One last potshot: After reading the letters in the May 18 issue, I have to ask: Why do pro-gun people always respond so violently to an opposing opinion? Just wondering.
Joni Brown
via the Internet
People who read people: I enjoyed Juliet Wittman's story on Ed Bryant, "Fright for Life," in the May 11 issue. Although Bryant is the author of horror stories (and proved it with his very scary "Doing Colfax" piece printed in the same issue), I found the article very enjoyable reading. Westword should publish more stories about this town's more noteworthy people!
Renee Rodriguez
Denver
Crime shockers: I thought it was interesting that you had Patricia Calhoun's obviously biased anti-gun column in the same issue as Ed Bryant's story about a woman being abducted and murdered (with a screwdriver). I suppose in your mind, if the woman had a gun and prevented her own murder, she would be a "gun nut." The facts are that there are hundreds of thousands of cases each year in which guns prevent crimes. This is not propaganda; I've checked the stats at the library (a place I suspect few Westword reporters frequent). If guns aren't useful for preventing crime, then maybe police should not carry them on and off duty. I'm glad that the truth about the effectiveness of concealed-carry laws is coming out, despite biased news sources like Westword.
David Collins
via the Internet
The parent trap: Eric Dexheimer's tragic story in your May 18 issue, "The Mother Country," illustrated very well what so many of us have had to learn the hard way. If your life is empty, it is not a child's duty to fill the void. If you are not at peace with yourself, you should not be a parent.
Jordan Ryan
via the Internet
Privacy, please: As the CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) since June for the minor child mentioned in Eric Dexheimer's "The Mother Country," I was shocked and dismayed to read her real name published in your magazine. I respect the Thomases' right to make their ordeal a public affair, but I believe that as an innocent, dependent, vulnerable child, she deserves privacy. She is the named victim in the criminal proceedings against Denise Thomas. I do not feel that changing her name would have altered the content or effect of the story, and that would have provided her some degree of confidentiality. Please, show some journalistic integrity and make ethical efforts to protect child victims. She has made such strides in attempting to attain some semblance of a "normal" childhood over the last year; the media involvement is damaging and has victimized this child yet again. I am angered by the lack of foresight into the detrimental repercussions any article on the subject would have on this child, and disgusted that the smallest steps were not taken to protect her. By printing her name, you showed no concern or consideration for this little girl. In the future, use discretion and protect victims' and children's rights, and provide them the dignity to be anonymous.
Kate Sandel
via the Internet
At your service: One important aspect has been left out of Eric Dexheimer's article: the Colorado adoption agency. Colorado law requires that a family receive a homestudy and adoption preparation training from a Colorado agency (which might then cooperate with an out-of-state agency to find a child). This Colorado agency is also required by law to provide post-placement support. What Colorado agency approved this family? What did it do to help? Why was it left out of the article? Why did the agency officials not see the red flags that the author of the article saw? Why weren't they there to help this family through the struggle? Adopting an older child is indeed a challenge, and this family should have had intense professional help. Your public deserves to know which agency failed this family so that another family can be informed when selecting an agency for adoption.
Marjorie Bluder
via the Internet
Eric Dexheimer responds: The Thomases worked through a licensed agency called the Adoption Centre. The agency's sole employee, George Esposito, did a short homesite visit but left Colorado two months before Elena arrived.
JOA, DOA: When Michael Roberts wrote his May 18 "Don't Bogart That Joint," his first of what will undoubtedly be many columns on the JOA between the Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News, he forgot to mention another potential casualty of a newspaper truce: himself. When the war's over and Michael Roberts doesn't have two dailies to kick around, what will Michael Roberts write about?
Randy Riley
Denver
Jock bitch: Woody Paige couldn't carry Bob Kravitz's jock, much less write columns at the level of Kravitz. Kravitz is the best sports columnist in town, bar none. It would be a shame to see him leave the community.
Michael Ortiz
via the Internet
He's nailed: Regarding T.R. Witcher's "Don't Mess With the Finger," in the May 11 issue:Officer Mark Walters, why are you trying to ruin an entire family's life because of your "chronic ulnar collateral ligament strain with surrounding inflammation"? It's a sore finger! I know it seems like an easy way to get a titanium putter and extra smooth Sea Ray so you can follow the water skiers around, but don't take a family's house for that. True, Rogers Ekiko may have given up one half of his house on purpose, but you don't know that for sure. If you pull up to a house on a noise complaint and you hear no noise, why don't you leave and arrest the reason people need car alarms in the first place? You're a cop, willing to give up your life in the line of duty. You should feel lucky you have a sore finger and not an amputated finger or something worse. Officer Walters, why don't you quit crying and be a man? You're a cop and supposed to be tough. Can you imagine if Dirty Harry or Baretta complained about an "owie" on his finger?
And to you neighbors who hate living by these people: How do you think any teenager is going to react to unfriendly neighbors who ignore them? They won't give a shit, either. Yet if they thought you were cool and were slightly interested in them, they might slightly respect you.
Name withheld on request
Denver
On the go: I just wanted Kyle Wagner to know that I love Tasteez takeout ("You Go, Girl," May 4). I have gone there for the bread and for everything else. It's much better than the Red Lobster that was there. Also, I read Kyle's column first out of all of Westword. It's the most informative on all things dining. Keep up the good work.
Luigi Buscemi
via the Internet
