Devine's Argument Has Big Flaws

In Dave Devine's May 22 commentary ("Both Sides of the Border"), he calls on us to remember the dead from countries we have fought on Memorial Day. He writes: "Let us also recall those who we killed: Men, women and children who died in the service of their own nations, trying to protect themselves from us." While noble and popular, this sentiment is deeply flawed.

In his article, he remarks on unpopular and arguably unjust wars we have fought, such as the 1898 Spanish-American war. Should we also remember the Nazis who we killed while we were "invading" Germany? After all, they were just defending themselves so they could exterminate European Jewry.

I don't think I'll be remembering any fascists on Memorial Day; instead I'll be remembering my ancestors who went "over there" to stop Hitler in his tracks.

--Seth Frantzman

Considering Your Ads, How Can The Weekly Judge?

OK, the new layout is somewhat interesting. I like the new comics. But I feel implored to point out the general journalistic decline in progress at the Tucson Weekly, most recently epitomized in the May 28 "article," titled "Swing Shift." You degrade yourselves by reprinting portions of an admittedly fictitious interview purely for shock value, and you further lower yourselves by actually thinking this story is news.

(Tucson High drop-out prevention specialist) Nonie Reynolds' personal life is not my business, nor is it anyone else's. And who is The Weekly to pass judgement when, while smearing Ms. Reynolds' reputation, you're simultaneously collecting advertising revenues from pornographic ads? I support your right to display those ads, just as I support Nonie Reynolds' right to pursue any career she chooses. But let's not pretend to take the high moral ground in the name of "journalism."

Your editorial style may generate a lot of response, but in doing so, you compromise the journalistic integrity of your publication. Shame on you for appealing to the lowest common denominator of our present society: Everybody loves to read about somebody else's fucked-up life.

--Namoli Brennet

We Print This Letter; You Decide

Why Mr. DiGiovanna should feel the need to inject political commentary into the review of such light-hearted a film as A Mighty Wind ("Breath of Fresh Air," May 8) is beyond me.

Beyond me, too, is why he would foolishly want to parade his ignorance before his readers. In a footnote, he notes that "French" is an adjective, "freedom" a noun. Nonsense. Parts of speech are not inherent in words themselves. It is only a word's use in a sentence that gives us its part of speech. In "The French are a funny race," French is an adjective. In "The Freedom Fighters were brave men," Freedom is an adjective.

Perhaps Mr. DiGiovanna would do well to remove the gum from his mouth when watching Fox News. He might learn something.

--Aben Rudy

Track Twins Article Included Too Much Sex

Please print more pictures of the twins--this time, with less text to get in the way ("Track Twins," May 8). Or if text is a must, maybe you could interview more people with the compelling question, "Which one is more attractive?"

I was just at my sister's graduation (with honors) from law school. It was disconcerting how you couldn't tell the men from the women easily, what with all those long robes. No legs, no cleavage, no bare midriff--how was one to know the most important thing about the graduates, their sex? Luckily, that won't be a problem when she starts her job at the big Eastern law firm. Ally McBeal has shown us the appropriate dress code for that.

Thank you for reminding those lovely young athletes, and the rest of us, in a subtle but effective way that women's physical appearance is more important than their accomplishments or the contents of their hearts.

--Ingrid Cardon Downey

James DiGiovanna: Linguistic Facist

While I understand that it is nigh impossible for James DiGiovanna to review either a film or a movie without at some point slamming and/or bashing the plebian citizenry of the United States, his latest attempt should be particularly embarrassing for him.

As he notes in the footnote to his review of A Mighty Wind, he could not help but mock the use of "Freedom toast" in lieu of "French toast," etc. While I will not defend this substitution of terms, his point that "'French' is an adjective and 'freedom' is a noun" does not make Americans "look stupid to the rest of the world." When I read this, I could not wait to see him make the same "mistake," and of course, Mr. DiGiovanna did not fail to let me down. In front of "the entire world," he subsequently employs the phraseology, "too Ian and Sylvia." Surely I should not have to explain that, in English, "too" is an adverb for use in modifying adjectives, and here he employs it to modify not only a noun, but a conjoined (proper-)noun phrase!

Please have Mr. DiGiovanna leave the shameful linguistic fascism to his friends in the Académie Française, as well as his fellow language maven (and culture-critiquing) superior William Safire.

Thanks!

--J.B. Chills

Danehy's Entitlement Column Was Racist

Tom Danehy is way out of line with his irresponsible comments on the University of Arizona Police abuse of Prof. Julian Kunnie ("Entitled to Nothing," May 8). Prof. Kunnie doesn't simply teach at the university, but performs community outreach in his capacity as the head of Africana Studies. It seems likely that the UAPD targeted Prof. Kunnie not due to ignorance of his identity, but in retaliation for his visibility and activism.

The university police exist to ensure the safety and security of the campus community, including faculty such as Prof. Kunnie. They almost never confront violent crime on campus, as is evident from the Police Beat column in the Daily Wildcat. There was no need for excessive force and intimidation--which they used not only against Prof. Kunnie, but against Prof. Irene D'Almeida, another African faculty member, in October 2003.

It shouldn't take very much imagination to figure out what Africana studies is and why it is vitally important in a city and a society as deeply scarred by historical and ongoing racism as ours--racism manifested in the UAPD's actions and Danehy's response.

--Laura Tabili

This Letter Is Fascinating, If Not Necessarily Accurate

What we see every day from all the media is SARS. We are so tired of it, and we feel so bored of it. There is nothing new. It waste of our time. We do not read these reports anymore.

Globally, the death rate is so low, yet all of the American media make it such a huge story--it is not worth our attention at all. About 36,000 Americans die from Influenza every year, but no newspaper ever reports about it.

What we are really interested in is GENITAL HERPES, because there are 45 MILLION AMERICANS WHO HAVE GENITAL HERPES.

The media are completely SILENT on this extremely serious disease. It is said that genital herpes virus exists in the body for life to inflict the genital area. It has recurrence for life, too.

About 1 out of every 5 Americans has contracted genital herpes. The Genital Herpes also increases the chance for AIDS and HIV. It said genital herpes greatly weakens a person's immune system.

The American media needs to take full responsibility for this. If media reported genital herpes like it reports on SARS, we believe no one in the United States would be getting genital herpes anymore. Genital herpes is still increasing ahead of the American population. Americans who do not have the disease are not aware of it, and do not take any preventative measures!

Please report on genital herpes and tell us how it gets spread--and how to protect American population.

--V. Cohen, N. Smith and M. Hall

Less Politics, Smut; More Class!

It was just an accident that I saw the cover of your Tucson Weekly the other day and picked it up. I'm interested in mysterious things like that. I really did enjoy the stories and wish you would have more of them. People get tired of all the political dribble in your paper, and I have to cut off the back half of your paper and throw it in the trash before I will leave it in my home with all the smut and porno that you fill the back with.

It was nice to have something in your paper with class. Mr. Quinn must be a very interesting person and I'm sure has more stories to tell. I hope you run more.

--Maureen Smothers

Mysteries Article Reminded Me of Castaneda

I have recently joined the ranks of retired public educators and have been reflecting upon the fact that life is way too short and predictable. So, I thank you for deciding to publish Ron Quinn's article ("Mysteries in the Mountains," May 15). It took me back to my younger days and the rush of first reading Carlos Castaneda. While I'm at it, I would like to compliment The Weekly for striving to be useful, entertaining and provocative--especially Ms. Downing and Mr. Danehy. Mr. Boegle, keep up the good work.

--Randall S. Smith

More Props for Mysteries

I really enjoyed Mr. Quinn's article on his experiences in the Arizona desert. It was interesting reading and I hope you will publish more of the same.

--Jim Owen

They Like Us! They Really Like Us!

I really enjoyed the article in the Tucson Weekly written by Ron Quinn. Let's have some more of those. I sure like those types of articles. Thank you.

--Betty Reaver