Hardy Appetite To the Editor, Regarding Stacey Richter's "Lacy 'N' Racy" (Tucson Weekly, January 9): Perhaps reviewers of movies that are based on or take off from classic novels might be required by the Tucson Weekly to read the book before reviewing the movie. One senses that reviewer Richter is not familiar with Thomas Hardy's passionate, painful and possibly still relevant final novel, Jude the Obscure, which led the British to abuse their writer/Poet Laureate so unmercifully that never again did he write fiction though he lived years longer. Folks didn't want Grandma reading that filthy book back then any more than Richter thinks Grandmother should be taken to see the flick now. --Cis Porter Mayor Of Love To the Editor, I would like to take a moment to thank the Tucson Weekly for the fair and balanced press coverage you have provided about me over the course of these last two years, first with J.E. Relly and now with Tim Vanderpool ("Louie Valdez, Mayor Of Love," Tucson Weekly, January 16). I have to admit that, like Tim Vanderpool, I, too, was somewhat disappointed at the way things turned out for me in the City of Nogales. But, regardless of all the petty battles (no pun intended) and the tremendous waste of energy expended on the arguments over travel, investigations over false allegations and so on, I am proud of the record which I left behind. That record includes the Nogales City Curfew which I championed, approved by 72 percent of the Nogales voters in the November 1996 election. I am proud of this not because I defeated anyone, but because my idea lives on. It is said that the press writes the first draft of history. I am pleased to learn that The Weekly continues to question and point out the tremendous hypocrisies which exist in government locally, at the state level and in national politics. Your publication provides an invaluable service, and I am honored to have been brushed upon your pages. As time goes on, I will do my best to improve upon the first draft. I would, however, like to be very clear about my political career. I have taken some hits, yes, but as I said before to Tim, it is a career that is in hibernation at the moment. What I will do is prepare myself for the future, finish college, establish a career and then, when the time is right, I will return to public life, because I believe in my heart that public service is a noble and valuable endeavor. When I ran for mayor of Nogales, I quickly found out that life in the national media spotlight can be overwhelming, an aspect of my office for which I didn't bargain. And so yes, my britches got too small for me and I lost a bit of perspective. But I think I'm clever enough to know that the mistakes I made are all part of a learning experience which has helped me grow as a person, and hopefully in the future, will make me a better public official. So, once again, thank you for everything. And yes, Tim, the stars shined brighter than ever on MTV! --Louie Valdez Mayor of Love To the Editor, I usually read the Tucson Weekly to gauge the extent to which our community reaches new lows of immorality and depravity. Frankly, I could do without Jeff Smith's learned takes on "cornholing" and "cocksucking." I could also face my day without reading the vicious and inventive ways The Weekly attempts to discredit this great nation's institutions. The heartbreaking piece claiming the CIA sells drugs to finance assassinations was especially wrenching. Oh, the horror. Nonetheless, I persevere, I continue to read, for morsels like these must be watched by the moral majority (of which I am certainly a member). However, my faith in The Weekly has been restored with Tim Vanderpool's "Louie Valdez, Mayor of Love" (Tucson Weekly, January 16). Finally, someone with foresight enough to give credit where credit is due. Finally a Great American Tradition has been paid tribute: Politicians Who Love Beer and Chicks. Preferably Mexican beer. Preferably chicks who traipse across the country on national cable television shows. Louie Valdez is all of these things, and to him we should be grateful. Grateful for reminding us that America is still about inebriation and moral indiscretions; that rich old boys and their vice-grip on border towns suck; that young people who really listened in Poli Sci 101 should use the city credit card whenever the hell they friggin' want. Louie Valdez is America in its truest form: bombastic, unapologetic and morally questionable. I love this man. Louie, I graduate from law school in May. I know about as much about the law as you know about marshaling a languishing town so that it becomes a great city. We could do great things together. I know it. Give me a ring. Oh, and maybe we could use the ol' civic credit card to relieve me of a little student debt. --Diego "el Scorcho" De la O Grist For The Mills To the Editor, Regarding Fred Mill's review of the Bo Deans' new album (Tucson Weekly, January 2): Usually, I can count on a Mills' review to be right on. However, after reading of his lack of enthusiasm for the Bo Dean's past and present, I am completely nonplused by his opinion in this instance. Having not heard their latest release I cannot comment on it. But having heard and enjoyed every Bo Deans album from the beginning, I can only scratch my head and summarize that Mills just doesn't get it. This letter's purpose is not to sway any opinion with some flowery musical review prose. Suffice it to say that the Bo Deans' lyrics and music embrace America's struggles and dreams as a whole, not just New Jersey or the "Heartland." The Bo Deans constantly serve up insightful and catchy lyrics and combine them with clever harmonies and music. Unfortunately, the pitiful Tucson radio stations haven't got a musical clue as to just how good this band is. The Bo Deans fail today's sophisticated listeners' "must hear" test because they haven't saturated the airwaves with a beer commercial or a fast-food jingle. Granted, the Bo Deans have a song on an insipid TV series, but ask R.E.M. if their standards were compromised when their song "Stand" was the theme song for the sit-com Get A Life. The Bo Deans "Black, White and Blood Red Tour" nearly rocked the roof off at their packed concert at El Casino Ballroom a few years back. In the middle of the mountains of dirt called music being released today, this band is a jewel to be held onto tightly. Perhaps the latest Bo Deans release isn't up to the usual level of excellence fans have come to take for granted. But given what they have accomplished in the past, I'm sure gonna have to listen for myself to find out. --Bill Cottle Appalling To the Editor, At age 90 and a resident of Tucson for 47 years, I have read the Tucson Weekly with avid interest. And mostly in agreement. But I was appalled when I read Jeff Smith's column that was deplorably offensive due to the gutter language in the next to last paragraph ("Sexual Squealing," Tucson Weekly, January 16). As a free periodical it has been a great boon to thousands of readers. Stories by knowledgeable authors give it depth. And commercial ads are invaluable to people who need to know where to go to shop at reputable business establishments. I firmly believe that when morals go, so does a nation. --John R. Harris We Want Letters! Thrilled by our brilliant insights? Sick of our mean-spirited attacks? Need to make something perfectly clear? Write: tucsonweekly@tucsonweekly.com

		© 1995-97 Tucson Weekly . Info Booth