Letters to the Editor

August 2002

FUNDAMENTAL PRAISE

Wow! Fantastic article [“Beyond Us vs. Them,” July]. I’m looking forward to seeing this film. Thanks to John Stiles for writing it. I found the article to be alarming and haunting. This brave concept brought to surface for any to see is part of what makes our art exist in this world. [Director] Arthur Dong's work is profound. The word must be out about this film [Family Fundamentals].
I hope many of us in the community here in Houston will not miss this film. I hope this film just doesn't come and go without much fanfare. It must be spoken loud.

Omar McDonald
Houston

MAD ABOUT THE BOYS

We all know what the "boys of the night" [July] are doing out there. So what's your point? There's no need to elevate their status in our neighborhood via your romanticizing and your lamentations just because you have nothing to write about!

Let me assure you that your story has barely scratched the surface of this issue. Rather, you have picked the scab of a chronic localized wound, poured salt on it, and then turned around and walked away without any hint of a solution.

Those of us who live in this vicinity deal with the problem every waking hour, and we try our best to forget about it. We have to forget the fact that our gal pal at City Council (Annise Parker) has yet to do anything to clean this up. We have to forget the fact that HPD has told us repeatedly that there's nothing they can do. We have to forget the fact that the majority of residents in this neighborhood don't view this type of behavior as a serious threat. Instead, it is thought to be part of the "local flavor." Besides, most residents of Montrose are preoccupied with the invasion of straight couples and their Ray Allison townhomes!

"The boys of the night" are a very small piece of the puzzle. The much larger issue of illicit sex goes hand in hand with the robberies, burglaries, drug use, drug sales and, yes, even hate crimes! (GASP!) Let us all dry the tears we shed for the "boys" and come to terms with the reality of the what's wrong with this picture.

James Fedowsky
Houston