Feedback from our readers

There but for the grace…

I have been deeply moved by your “Homeless Person of the Week” column. Judging by how often I see cruel and callous treatment of the homeless in this town, I imagine the column serves as a wakeup call to all.
I was particularly moved by Annette Cooper’s story [“The Front Lines,” Dec. 12]. Annette’s misfortune is all too common and can befall any one of us.

Lindsay O’Connor,
Talmadge

Portrait of an artist

In response to your recent feature on “pop artist” Jamie Roxx [“Art & Culture,” Dec. 5], I would love to see the following open letter to Jamie Roxx published:

Dear Jamie Roxx,
You owe me a portrait. This portrait I won back in March 2007 at the grand opening of Pop Noir. In August 2007, I finally started pestering you to see what the fuck was taking so long. For about a month, you continued to say you’d get it to me that weekend. It is now 2008, and I still have not received it. I leave you voicemails that you won’t return and send you e-mails to which you won’t respond.

Anyone can make a name for himself with free publicity by attaching his name to an event offering a “winner” his services for free when he doesn’t intend to actually deliver on those services. I would love for you to prove me wrong, but I suspect that you are just one of those classless people lacking the proper integrity to actually follow through on your word. I know that I am not the only person you have done this to, as I am good friends with at least one other “winner” of a Jamie Roxx portrait who has never even been contacted by you.

Thanks for nothing.

Eric Gapp,
Downtown

Extinct is forever

Great story you wrote about Tatiana [“Presently Tense,” Jan. 2]. You conveyed my feelings so very eloquently—this didn’t have to happen. I’ve read where some people have said the tigers shouldn’t be in zoos anyway. Either way, whether the tigers are in their natural habitat or in an enclosure, seems their fate is in our hands—us humans, the so-called “higher race”—and their outcome is always the same: death. Very, very sad. People don’t seem to realize or care that extinct is forever.

Thank you for your story—I only wish it could be published everywhere!

Carol McClarey,
Halifax, Mass.

The law and the church

Thank you for your article “Being neighborly: Pacific Beach church under fire for providing meals to the homeless” [“The Front Lines,” Dec. 19].

Neighborhood Code Compliance is part of the Development Services Department (DSD) under Mayor Sanders.
The location of the Pacific Beach United Methodist Church is zoned multi-family residential (RM-1-1), according to Grid 22 of the city’s official zoning map.

According to Municipal Code Section 131.0422, Table 131-04B, Page 15: Churches & Places of Religious Assemble are permitted uses. However, Homeless Facilities, Congregate Meal Facilities, Emergency Shelters, Homeless Day Centers are not permitted uses.

Feeding the poor is part of the church’s mission from God, and is a tenet of their religion. Article 1 of the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution states that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.

Under the protection of the United States Constitution, the city cannot harass the church in its mission. Other churches have solved similar problems in controlling their members and guests throughout the centuries.

I am sure that the church and neighbors can come to an agreement with the help of the city.

Katheryn Rhodes and Conrad Hartsell,
La Playa

On the execution fence

Thank you for a provocative editorial on the death penalty [Jan. 2]. I seem to have a problem with both sides of this issue. As usual, people polarize into two sides and only seem to present the facts that will support their respective side.

In your editorial, you state that you are biased, which is about as honest as anyone gets regarding such issues. You include a variety of statistics; however, upon mentioning that economists have concluded that the murder rate declines with more executions, you neglected to provide the statistics for this conclusion. Could this be because it did not support your side?

This is where I have a problem with your editorial, and this same scenario seems to prevail regarding other issues in the U.S. We are a country of more than 300 million people living in a world that is rapidly becoming overcrowded and competing for limited resources. We must be objective to keep our country strong and on the right path. Someone must start thinking about the good of the whole.

As for the death penalty, I’m still sitting on the fence, as I’m not sure who to believe.

Ron Harris,
Scripps Ranch

Missed one

You left the great Nickelodeon Records store off your listing of places to dig through crates of vinyl.

Nickelodeon has good selection and prices, very funny and friendly staff and cool music, novelties and antiques. I have gotten lots of records from there, and it should be brought to the attention of record seekers.

David Wasserman,
El Cerrito

Editor’s note: Nickelodeon Records is located at 3335 Adams Ave. in Normal Heights. The website is www.nickelodeonrecords.com.