Letters to the Editor

Hit and miss

I was surprised, flattered and glad to see one of my songs on the "Bubbling Under" list (Metro Times, Nov. 21), but was really amazed not to see "Motor City Baby" by The Dirtbombs on any list. Did I overlook it (or did the voters overlook it)? I love that song and think it's one of the best Detroit rock songs. — Marshall Crenshaw, Dutchess County, N.Y.

Da bomb

Your interview with Scott Ritter, ("Bombs Away?" Metro Times, Nov. 28) was not an optimistic view of what might happen regarding Iran. But it was the kind of article there should be more of in the mainstream media. It is unfortunate that the "compliant" media, pre-Iraq, did not take the time nor have the economic-moral guts to take on the liars in the White House. There were enough of those who felt the WH, at best, was dissembling, which should have activated the mainstream media to challenge the administration's propaganda for war. That's one of the major reasons so many Americans are cynical of both media and the government. We are ignorant. We are complacent. We are distracted by trivial events. And we are encouraged daily to stay that way.

We are at war, yet I look around and do not notice any real sacrifices asked of any of us, nor see any being made except for those fighting and their families. Or am I missing something?

Are we really so gullible to fall for another warm-up to another deceit in Iran? Cynicism should be at the top of citizens' agenda with that insanity. The Democratic Congress sure needs to step up more forcefully to prevent such a foolish act. And the mainstream media sure needs to show some courage to look into the WH feeding of their slow-acting, economically geared newsrooms.

We all will be paying for Bush's blunders for a very long time. What can I call a president like this one??! There are too many choices, it seems.

Good luck to us all. —Nick Toyeas, Dearborn

Ritter's wrong

I read with interest your article, "Bombs Away?" I personally disagree with the media's assessment that the Bush administration's attack on Iran is imminent. As dumb and crazy as the Bush administration may be, it is highly unlikely that the administration has not yet noticed the Iraq war fatigue that Americans are experiencing currently. The administration already knows that the Republicans will have to pay a hefty political price at the polling booth in the 2008 election if the unpopular Iraq war is still on, the chances of which are almost 100 percent. Why would they start another war by attacking Iran? Even the Bush administration cannot be that dumb and crazy! If anything, they would try to have some token troop withdrawals from Iraq just before the election to inoculate themselves against the public anger with respect to the Iraq war.

Recently, the administration has even gotten religion over Middle East peace initiatives and is actively involved in conducting a meeting of some key players to foster peace in a region that has been in turmoil for decades. I suspect Bush is now concerned about his legacy in the annals of history and wants to have something positive to show on his résumé toward the end of his term. He may even be shooting for a Nobel Peace Prize, just to keep up with Al Gore who just grabbed a Nobel Prize for his efforts in the domain of climate change. — Pradeep Srivastava, Detroit

Colleague right

Regarding Dennis Nawrocki's review of Julie Mehretu's new work ("Paint globally," Metro Times, Nov. 21): I agree with his colleague that the paintings are repetitious, predictable and detached, and not in an objective, focused or observing manner. Every city is the same in her view. There may be several layers, but the markings and layering process of their application are so similar from one painting to the next. The only painting of any interest to me was "Stadia I," and it was only the upper half of the painting that caught my eye with its multi-colored flag-like symbols. She also states in regards to the Stadia series that it represents a most democratic of spaces. The circular structure creates an illusion of democracy and egalitarianism but I can't think of a more hierarchically structured space in existence. Think of the games under Roman rule or the lavish, custom-designed corporate VIP suites that occupy the upper levels of all stadiums today, not to mention exclusive club memberships or the cost of attending the spectacles held within. The stadium structure is an embodiment of corporate capitalism at its most extreme; two teams slug it out for a ridiculously coveted trophy. The city of Detroit found it necessary to build two new stadiums to hopefully inject economic investment into the city as so many other cities across the United States have done in an effort to keep the population distracted and preoccupied from the real problems at hand. —Dennis Jones, Plymouth

News hit

I was listening to Randi Rhodes on Air America recently as she described being in the metro Detroit area and how events transpired as if they were "kismet" (her word). Being a Detroiter, of course, my ears perked up.

Randi went on to say that she was preparing to speak at Peace Action's 50th anniversary event here when she learned that U.S. Rep. John Conyers was to introduce her. Thinking on her feet and making the most of the opportunity to have the ear of John Conyers, she said that she quickly reworked her whole speech, to make a case for impeachment, since Dennis Kucinich's resolution is now in Conyers' Judiciary Committee.

I was so pleased to discover later that evening that News Hits had covered that very event ("Fete accompli," Metro Times, Nov. 14) and provided readers with feedback from both Rhodes and Conyers. Great work! Thank you for being the eyes and ears of Detroiters who need to know what others are afraid to say. — Carol Taraskiewicz, Detroit

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