Correction
Metro Pulse incorrectly reported in its story about Gordon Bonnyman Jr.,
("Fortunate Son," Jan. 25), that the Tennessee Bar Association is a major contributor to the Tennessee Justice Center. The funds, in fact, come from the Tennessee Bar Foundation, a separate organization. We regret any confusion the error caused.
Divide and Conquer?
The recent Metro Pulse article [Color Conscious, Feb. 8] entitled "The Good Ol' Girls Network" represents the language of hate that has invaded the civil rights movement.
The combination of Dawn Kelly's quote and Ms. [Attica] Scott's article makes the subtle implication that the white women of Knoxville's political community are racists.
A racist is not defined by his or her power to oppress another race. A racist need only be intolerant of, or have hatred for, another race. Believe it or not, racists come in hues far removed from white.
The language of this article only creates division. It is the language of self-promotion and self-aggrandizement. The racial divide only grows when an educated person of one race uses ethnic slurs to describe those of another race. Imagine the reaction of Ms. Scott and the black community if one of the "Good ol' girls" described politically aspiring black women as (Let the language of hate stop here; my point is made).
It seems that the civil rights movement has become one of division, and many black leaders must bear that responsibility along with the G.O.B.s and G.O.G.s.
Sadly, The Dream appears to have died in Memphis a little over 30 years ago, and no one, man or woman, has had the courage to follow the teachings of a true human being.
Kevin Pettiford
Knoxville
Language Ad Libitum
Your article on "Muffled Vaginas" [Feb. 8] reminded me of a similar reaction at Knoxville College in the early 1960s, when the drama department had scheduled Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman to be performed by the KC Garnet Masque Club.
An English teacher who had been a missionary in India for 20 years was up in arms as well as the school's church missionary who was assigned to the campus. Both objected to the four-letter words in the play.
Students who had never heard of Miller or the play demanded their rights and raised so much sand that the school administration allowed it to be performed.
Those of us who saw it soon forgot the few profanities written in the script. One of the lead performers ad-libbed with so many of his own obscenities throughout the play that we just knew Arthur Miller himself would have blushed with embarrassment.
Robert Booker
Knoxville
Favoritism, perceived or actual
Joe Sullivan's column "Breaking New Ground on Tax Breaks" in the Feb. 8 issue of Metro Pulse states, "And whatever criteria it selects, the city is bound to be subjected to charges of favoritism and discrimination."
This does not have to be the situation. Since at least 1993, City People and others have advocated tax incentives in downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods in order to preserve the already built building stock for existing or reuse purposes. We did not advocate incentives for Knoxville News-Sentinel, Leigh Burch, David Dewhirst, or me or you. People understand the difference between providing programs for the common good and those that are favoritism.
If the city would have had open discussion at that time as to what the purpose of the incentives were to be, such as new construction or preservation of existing buildings in the downtown, surrounding neighborhoods and/or citywide; if criteria would have been set to meet these objectives and published for all who qualify and desire to participate, you would not have perceived or actual favoritism.
Jim Ullrich
Knoxville
P.S. Thank you, Joe, for at least bringing to light the deal.
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