Reader mail

Poor Souls

Thoroughly enjoyed the article by T.B. Beaudeau,“Graveyard of the Godforsaken Gringos.” He is a talented author with a flair for description, and comparing the experience with one’s own life experience. We can all relate to this story because we are all related to, or are one of these poor souls living out the last days in a place far from their lowest expectations or desires.

• Jean Pierre Poutous
• El Cajon

Sordid Tijuana

I would like to comment on “Graveyard of the Godforsaken Gringos,” by T.B. Beaudeau. Mr. Beaudeau paints a picture of senior Americans wandering around in a Red Light District, living a very sordid existence, trying to have girlfriends and so on. It talks about flesh falling from their bones, trying to get one last girl. This is not really typical of the Americans who live in Baja, and only shows a portion of some of the sadder, more unfortunate Americans.

Beaudeau concludes his story by writing, “When you come to Tijuana, you must be prepared to lose everything, including your life.” This is absolutely ridiculous. There are thousands and thousands of Americans living in Baja and they’re not getting murdered or hit on the head. He goes on to say that “Every one of us has been knocked out cold at least once, usually as part of a robbery.”

Many of the people that I know from Baja have never been robbed, and have never been hit on the head, or anything else.

The problem is that these men are going to the most dangerous part of the city, the Zona Norte. And that’s what Mr. Beaudeau was writing about.

It’s a very well-written article, I might say. But it definitely depicts one of the more sordid walks of life for Americans to choose when they go to Tijuana. It does not give an accurate depiction of Tijuana and Baja as a whole.

• Vivian Dunbar
• San Ysidro

This Man Is a Total Kook

Your cover story “Graveyard of the Godforsaken Gringos” is, by far, the lowest thing that you’ve ever attempted to do. I have no idea who approved this. What makes it worse is that it is racist and, by far, the lowest form of journalism.

Even if you look at the idea that this man can use words that he probably doesn’t even know how to use at all, they’re used out of context. And the fact that he brings up every single geezer community of all time.

Why does it have to be a race issue? Why does it have to be a border issue? Why does it have to be a drowned-out issue? That’s just the way life is.

This man is a total kook. Do not let this man write for you ever again.

As for you, shame on you for putting this on your cover.

• Name Withheld
• via voicemail

Elvis Erratum

Blogger Matthew Rothenberg, DJ Don Howard, and the San Diego Reader are all incorrect regarding Elvis Presley playing at Palisade Gardens Roller Skating Rink (Blog Diego: “The Roots of San Diego Rock ‘n Roll”).

My grandfather and his brother were the sole owners of Palisade Gardens. It was located on the corner of Utah Street and University Avenue in North Park (not downtown on Eighth Avenue).

• Erik Zlotoff
• Pacific Beach

ISO Classical Music

Please put Classical Music back in the Events section of your calendar! (The table of contents still lists it there, by the way, and does not list it between Club Crawler and Happy Hours where I found it.)

There are usually only three or four Classical Music entries, making them all the more difficult to find between House of Blues and Soma ads. It would be much easier to find, not to mention more intuitive, if Classical Music were in the same vicinity as Art and Dance.

If you insist on keeping Classical Music in the Music section, please indicate the page number in the index.

• MG Severance
• Escondido