Letters to the Editor

Editor:

I like your paper, and I suppose you have to pander a little to the demographic if you’re going to make it as a media source, but regarding Rich Lowry’s recent paean [“Henry Hyde, RIP,” issue of December 14] to the Republican from Illinois who authored the Hyde Amendment that restricts abortions:

I think comedian George Carlin said it best when he asked: “Did you ever notice how most of the people who are against abortion are people you wouldn’t want to [have sex with] anyway?”

I omit the word Carlin actually used here because you are a family newspaper, and all that—although a lot of kids probably use the word anyway, and at least sort of know that it means.

P.S. Regarding the editorial cartoon in the same issue: The airplanes in the original “King Kong” movie were mono-planes, no bi-planes.

Charles R. Hockett

Silverlake

Ed’s note: The Garment & Citizen carries the weekly column by Rich Lowry, who is the editor of the National Review and generally considered to be a “conservative” commentator, as part of our mission of providing a voice for all points of view. And we will forward your observation about the airplanes to the cartoonist.

Editor:

I have owned a business Downtown for many years and I couldn’t disagree more with your recent Commentary about who should pay for providing psychiatric treatments for mentally ill individuals (“What to Do With a Guy Who’s Mentally Ill With $50,000 to Spare?” issue of December 14].

Anybody who is mentally ill to the point that he or she requires public services— which cost the public money—should have to pay whatever they can for treatments. Any mentally ill person with a lot of money saved up should have to use to it pay for treatments.

I can see providing the treatments at the public’s expense if the person has no resources available. A mentally ill person is going to cost the public money one way or the other, through crime, vandalism or just plain nuisance. So it makes sense to give the indigent free treatment.

But that guy with $50,000 saved up should be ordered into treatments, and as soon as they work and he can consider things rationally, then he should get a bill for the care he had received.

Oh well, I guess we don’t have to worry about it, because nobody is ever going to really address the problem.

Name Withheld

Downtown

Ed’s Note: The Commentary referred to a man who reportedly kept $50,000 in a safe at the Union Rescue Mission prior to a recently burglary at the facility. The man is reportedly mentally ill, and has an aversion to banks. The Commentary contended that no one should have to pay for anything that is thrust upon them, such as court-ordered psychiatric treatment. The Commentary offered the opinion that any moves to order such treatment should be made only by a court of law and only with a vigorous advocacy on behalf of patients in place. Finally, the piece also noted that some observers could likely make reasonable arguments on the opposite side of the question.

Not the Same Old 6 & 7 for Hocus Focus

Editor:

I want to let you know that the “Hocus Focus” puzzle in your issue of December 7 had seven differences instead of the six that are listed. If you look at the boy in the two pictures, you will see that his jacket has a pocket in one of the versions, but doesn’t have the pocket in the other.

Ricardo Sanchez

Downtown

Ed’s Note: You are correct, and we will forward your observation to Henry Bolitnoff, who creates the weekly Hocus-Focus puzzle.

Thanks for reading the Garment & Citizen, and give yourself some extra credit for your keen observation (see related P.S. note on Letter, above).

Editor:

Just in time for Christmas you give us a letter from Gary Brownstein [“Romney Gives Wrong Answer on Religion for This Voter,” issue of December 14]. He spews out a stocking full of anti-Christian hate rhetoric. Is Brownstein’s gratuitous hatred toward Christians necessary to make a case for the separation of church and state?

Homeless Harry

Downtown

Ed’s note: Brownstein’s recent letter criticized former Massachusetts governor and current Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney, as well as U.S. President George W. Bush, for what he perceives to be their tendency to mix their personal faiths with their methods of governance (see another letter from Brownstein, below).

Editor:

The Saudi Arabian woman who was recently raped and then sentenced to 200 lashes and six months in prison for being in a car with men not of her family— a car into which she was reportedly dragged—has been pardoned by King Abdullah, the close friend of U.S. President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.

Decent of his majesty, don’t you think?

Now let us see how the Saudi royal family deals with the man who had his hands cut off after being wrongly convicted of stealing.

The Bush Administration continues to bolster and protect this gaggle of Saudi princes because of their oil reserves and the money being made by Bush and Cheney cronies through associations with them. So the U.S. is propping up the Saudis even as they are redirecting their oil sales from us to China and India, where they make a better deal.

Gary Brownstein

Fashion District