A call to civility
(Re: The gloves come off, cover story, Oct. 1.) In response to Pamela Whites excellent (as usual) expos on the sleaze and negativity surrounding the upcoming Longmont municipal elections, I would like to commend Pamela and the Boulder Weekly for revealing the negative, deceitful tactics of the closed-minded, bitter Longmont old guard for all to witness. Its a shame that Katie Witt, Bryan Baum and their supporters (including the referenced bloggers and LifeBridge special interest advocates), have chosen to stoop to such depths in lieu of working to do what is best for a great, evolving city.
By using such tactics as eliciting the assistance of organizations such as The Institute on Voter Attitudes and Public Policy for the purpose of conducting telephone push polls, spreading misinformation about well-respected city council members such as Karen Benker and backing movements designed to effectively counter sensible campaign reform efforts, these would-be respectable candidates have only served to degrade Longmonts electoral climate. As such, I would like to call on Katie Witt, Bryan Baum and their supporters and surrogates to refrain from the negativity, slander and bitterness they have exhibited to this point in order that we may restore Longmonts reputation as a city which fosters civility and progress in its municipal concerns and elections.
Longmont is fortunate to be able to boast such fine council members as Karen Benker, Sarah Levison, Sean McCoy and Brian Hansen. These folks have done wonders for this great city in the past few years, and it would be a shame if the stubborn ideologies exhibited by a precious few old guard holdouts were to stand in the way of Longmonts continued evolution as one of the more diverse, open-minded and attractive cities along the Front Range.
John Bigger/Longmont
Lets get smart
As an allergy sufferer who sometimes becomes asthmatic, I am especially sensitive to pollution, which is increased by fuel-burning power plants. We live in an area which is a natural for geothermal, solar and wind-generated energy.
Subsidizing each of these would also stimulate employment and improve the economy of our state and region as well. Lets pull out of Ws two wars and invest the money where it can do tangible good in our environment, the health of our people and an improving economy.
Jacquelyn Goeldner/Boulder
Good for Brasil
Im from uberliberal Hyde Park in Chicago, and, hey, I love my old University of Chicago/Hyde Park neighborhood, its buildings, its people, its philosophy, and its heart and soul. And almost everyone lives within a few blocks of Barack Obama, which, as you might imagine, is cool, too.
Nonetheless, Im not the least bit disappointed in losing the 2016 Olympics to Brasil (not Brazil), a country that absolutely loves sports, despite his best efforts. Brasil seems to be a much more appropriate choice in so many ways. Brasil is one of, if not the, strongest, fastest-growing and most diversified, basically pro-American countries and economies in South America and is also one of the political/social leaders in South America.
And its a political leader I would take over traditionally violent and kidnap-prone Colombia or Seor Hugo Chavezs Venezuela to represent and lead the introduction of this great brown continent to the world.
Grant D. Cyrus/Boulder
Dealing with Iran
America, Russia and China deal with Iran identically. America says we want Iran to not have nuclear weapons. China and Russia say they want Iran to have nuclear weapons. But all three are giving lip service, which allows Iran to complete its nuclear destruction plans. If we were really serious about halting nuclear Iran we could:
1. Stop doing business with companies that supply petroleum to Iran.
2. Ban banks from providing credit, insurance or loan-repayment guarantees to oil companies that supply fuel to Iran
3. Prohibit insurance companies from insuring tankers going to Iran
4. Freeze more Iranian bank assets
5. Issue travel bans
6. Ban arms sales to Iran
7. Increase broadcasting into Iran
8. Ban Iranian commercial airlines
Tough economic sanctions can change Irans nuclear policy. Lip service does nothing.
Ruth Sobol/Englewood
Return of Corbett
(re: Mysterious Hope Sandoval returns, Overtones, Oct. 8.) Has hell frozen over? Has the world turned upside down? Today I opened the Weekly and found something written by Ben Corbett.
Where have you been keeping him? Corbett has long been one of the BWs greatest talents. I sincerely hope you will be publishing more of his work in the near future.
Just a note on historical accuracy … Hope Sandoval did, in fact, storm off the stage due to a bunch of hecklers, but it wasnt until someone shouted shut the fuck up, bitch that she finally walked off.
The next time she comes to town maybe we could afford her an ounce of respect and semi-human behavior.
