San Diego Reader

Undercover Racist?

I picked up a copy of the August 19 Reader today. It’s well known within the African-American community that the Reader is very adverse to and against having black faces in your paper, but to see your cover — “I Don’t Know What They Told You, But This Is Called Hip Hop” — and to not have a black person on the cover. I know hip-hop has crossed over many different genres or crossed over many different boundaries, but we know the origin, and the driving force behind hip-hop is the African-American community. And to not have an African-American face on your cover, it says more plainly than ever, the Reader is a quasi–undercover racist little paper. If you look through it, you don’t see any black faces in advertisements or you’re hard-pressed to find a black face. What do you have against black faces, man? What have black people done against the Reader? So that right there, by you having other than an African-American face on your cover, it just shows that you’re a little undercover racist kind of group, you know? And you need to take that into consideration because the African-American community has noticed that a long time ago.

Name Withheld
via voice mail

Reality By Don Bauder

“Get Used to Unemployment” (“City Lights,” August 19) by Don Bauder is reality. We need to address the reality of our economy to be able to improve it and cope with it. Unfortunately, our politicians are not especially good at this. We need to identify the recent economic problems and address them. Below are some items that should be addressed.

1. The dot-com boom of the late ’90s was exaggerated and produced a bubble.
2. The housing boom between 2000 and 2007 was stimulated by fraudulent loans, and it produced a bubble.
3. Businesses have sent manufacturing and other American jobs out of the country.
4. We now live in a competitive global economy that is no longer dominated by the U.S.

There isn’t much we could have done about number one. If people want to throw their money at speculative businesses, who’s to stop them. I invested in some speculative businesses and can only blame myself for the losses.

There is something we can do about number two. Loans were made to people who could not repay them. Income and assets were not verified, and loans were sold off to others. This one is easy. Anyone making loans should be required to retain 51 percent of the loans they make on a random basis. Then they would have a vested interest in making more secure loans.

There is also something we can do about number three. Not only were jobs sent out of the country, sophisticated equipment and expertise have also been sent abroad. We are in danger of losing our ability to manufacture goods. The government should give tax breaks to companies who retain jobs in the U.S. Unemployment and other government subsidies will cost more.

While there is no quick fix to number four, we need to revamp our educational systems. While everyone should have an opportunity to go to college, not everyone needs to. Students who do not have the academic skills to become doctors or engineers should be directed to trade schools by tenth grade. There is nothing wrong with being a plumber, electrician, or health-field tech. These are honorable professions that will always be needed and cannot be outsourced. This will help to provide direction to young people and to reduce educational costs.

The last and most important is to restore hope for the American worker. This will require politicians to work together for the common good of America. This will require corporations to invest in America and its workers, as opposed to focusing only on short-term profits. Unfortunately, I have no quick fix for this dilemma.

Ronald Harris
via email

Crap Writer?

The article “Look of Death” (“Minor Second”) by Elizabeth Salaam published August 19 about the Spreckels Organ was neither informative, uplifting, or a credit to your publication. It doesn’t take a talented writer to tear down people and make them look bad. Elizabeth Salaam is a “shock jock” wannabe. What about the real story of those people who on a stipend virtually dedicate time from their lives to continue a San Diego great historical tradition for residents and tourists alike every Sunday at 2:00 p.m.? I wonder how Elizabeth Salaam sleeps at night after her hurtful and negative wording. The Reader will not make friends with articles like this. Can your publication continue to support such a crap writer? I suppose since your publication is free people can expect to get what they pay for. Elizabeth didn’t even get the names of the music right!

Kerry Bell
via email

Slaves Of Sin

Letter writer John Pertle (August 19) was correct in saying that the total depravity of mankind did not originate with John Calvin. This non-biblical idea was invented by Augustine of Hippo around AD 400. Calvin only repeated it.

Jesus taught us in Matthew chapter 18 that all children are born into this world in innocence and humility. The Lord said in chapter 7 of Isaiah that it is when a child grows older that he begins to learn evil ways.

If all descendants of Adam are totally depraved, then what about Jesus? We know that He was without sin, yet through His mother Mary, He was the direct descendant of Adam, as were His ancestors David, Jacob, and Abraham. Jesus, as the Seed of Abraham, disproves this doctrine.

It is in Pertle’s own reference to chapter 6 of Romans that Paul told us we have a choice. We can choose to practice righteous obedience, or we can choose to be slaves of sin.

Pertle was also correct to point out Tim Tiffany’s hypocrisy (“Sheep and Goats,” August 5) when Tiffany studiously ignored the biblical passages that describe hell. Yet, Pertle is guilty of the very same hypocrisy by ignoring all the Scriptures that contradict his own particular doctrine.

Yes, belief in Jesus Christ saves us by the grace of God. But to imply that faith is the only thing required of us misrepresents the Word.

The Hebrew writer said in chapter 5 that Jesus provides eternal salvation to those who obey Him. John told us in chapter 20 of Revelation that we will all be judged by our works.

Jesus Himself said in Matthew chapter 7 that those who just say “Lord, Lord” will not enter the kingdom of heaven. We must actually do the will of the Father to enter.

What is the will of the Father? One of His requirements is, again, in Pertle’s reference to Romans chapter 6: we must be freed from sin by being buried into the death of Jesus Christ through baptism.

Jim Crooks
Oceanside

Disgusting Face

I’m in Del Mar for the meet, and somebody here picked up this paper, and I just think that it is disturbing and disgusting that you would glorify this murderer (“I Have a Habit of Having Things in My Hand,” Cover Story, August 12). I just think it’s actually disturbing. I mean, I cut off the front cover of it because I didn’t want to look at his face. I just think it’s disgusting.

Name Withheld by Request
via voice mail

Wonderful Meth Article

I’m calling in reference to your August 12 issue, “I Have a Habit of Having Things in My Hand.” I read some of the comments by your readers (Letters, August 19). First of all, I don’t think this is a paper for children per se, so I don’t know…you know, even the cover had a guy who looked really scary — I wouldn’t let my kids pick that up and read it.

Anyway, thank you for being so frank and to the point. I’ve been in an abusive relationship with a person who was addicted to meth for five and a half years and just recently had the courage to get out of it. Anybody who’s never dealt with someone who’s addicted to meth has no idea what they’re capable of. This article was wonderful because it does show that. They’re not people anymore when they do that drug; they’re animals, and they usually resort to animal behavior. So I just thank you for bringing the frankness and reality of methamphetamine, or any drug, for that matter, to light.

Carol
via voice mail

Here’s The Solution

This is regarding illegal nuisances described in “Oh, the Language! Oh, the Noise!” July 21 (“City Lights”) and also previous articles about Rock Church.

A segment of SDPD’s neighborhood watch classes used to outline how to enforce one’s legal right to the quiet enjoyment of their property. I’m not sure if Bob Heider’s Safe Streets Now program is still active, but anyone can implement the procedures.

First, gather the aggrieved. Second, appoint a contact person. Third, instruct all aggrieved persons to create a log of every disturbance, detailing the incident, date, time and, importantly, the consequence: how it affected the person, how it made them feel. Fourth, armed with these grievances, the representative informs the offender of them, at this stage naming no names. The representative asks for cessation and informs the offender how many people he or she represents. The rep states that if the problems aren’t cured, each of the grievants is entitled to whatever the maximum is for small claims court — I forget — and notes that each disturbed occupant of a household can sue for that maximum amount. Additionally, the more detailed the aggrieved is (i.e., I was awakened, I couldn’t go back to sleep; I was mad, my blood pressure went up; I was worried and weary at work the next day), the better detailed it is, the more likely the judge will award the maximum in damages. That is, if going to court is necessary. Oftentimes, this approach is sufficient in itself. Only if it’s not do the claimants have to lose their anonymity to file suit.

< PREVIOUS | NEXT >