Letters are posted as we receive them during the week, and before they are printed in the paper, so check back frequently to see new letters. If you'd like to send a letter to the editor, use this postmarks submission form, or email your letter directly to mail@austinchronicle.com. Thanks for your patience.

Dear Editor,
    Part of what makes Austin so wonderful is the diversity of the community and the degree to which so many in Austin care about the future of this city.
    One increasingly vocal cry from many in the community surrounds the lack of affordable housing Downtown. The March 23 article “We Were the Urban Pioneers” [News] by Wells Dunbar and Jordan Smith highlights the scarcity of affordable housing in many of the buildings under construction Downtown.
    A primary goal of Andrews Urban is to bring housing to a broader range of income earners. At 360 Condominiums, where our homes start at $190,000, our future residents include a number of teachers, police officers, firefighters, and a librarian. Many rightfully say that $190,000 is out of reach for a large percentage of the workforce and also for many of the artists and musicians who help make Austin such a vibrant and alluring city. They, too, should be able to live in our urban core.
    We know that for even the smallest home in a Downtown high-rise, the cost to construct a unit far exceeds $190,000, and no one is in the business of development to sell square footage at or below the cost to build it. So what’s the solution?
    Those who take seriously the matter of affordability should read the Affordable Housing Incentives Task Force report issued in February 2007 and let your opinion be known at the upcoming meetings of the Community Development Commission on April 10 and at City Council on April 19.
    For high-rises in the Central Business District, the cost to build affordable housing would be offset by waivers or reimbursements of development fees by the city. Last year the voters of Austin passed $55 million in bond money for affordable housing. This public contribution in the form of bond proceeds could offset the fee revenue forgone by the city so that affordable housing becomes both a public and private responsibility.
    As Austin adds hundreds of thousands of residents over the coming decades, most of us recognize the importance of focusing development in Downtown instead of over Edward’s Aquifer. To maintain Austin’s uniqueness and its celebration of diversity, let’s come together to find a solution for affordability in Downtown.

Dear Editor,
    So according to Michael King, I am prone to "hysterical denunciations of 'Islamist fascism'" [“Postmarks” online, March 30]. Well Mr. King, you need to read the op-ed piece in the April 3 Wall Street Journal by Dr. Tawfik Hamid. This brave man is a reformed Islamist fascist terrorist and knows from where he speaks. He makes the point perfectly that there is a murderous, tyrannical, and barbaric strain of Islam that is generally accepted by mainspring Muslims. He also drives home the reality that those who practice Western progressive moral relativism and political correctness enable the spread of this terrible ideology. Contrary to Mr. King’s contention that I am hysterical, Dr. Hamid’s lucid testimony illustrates that my opinions regarding Islamist fascism are rational and accurate.
    If Mr. King and his neo-leftist cohorts were serious truth seekers, they would relish Dr. Hamid’s existential message. But somehow I don't see them able to grasp that level of moral honesty. However, let me be perfectly clear: I would love to be proven wrong by Mr. King having such a monumental epiphany.

   [Michael King responds: It's good to know that this week Vance McDonald is making a grudging distinction between a "murderous, tyrannical, and barbaric strain of Islam" and something he calls "mainspring" Islam, something he's been persistently unwilling to do. We're making progress, but I am curious: Does he feel the same about the murderous, tyrannical, and barbaric strain of Judeo-Christianity that underlies and sustains the illegal U.S./British invasion of Iraq, the illegal and brutal occupation of Palestine, and now the illegal covert war on Iran, all of which for too long has been generally accepted by "mainstream" Christians and Jews? When he's willing to acknowledge the beam in his own eye, I'll take more seriously his lectures on religious correctness.]

To the editor,
    I will apologize in advance for the untimeliness of this comment, but it's been bothering me for a long time. I absolutely don't understand how anyone can argue against helmet laws, either for motorcycles or for bicycles. While I suppose there's the age-old American "It's my God-given right to be able to make stupid decisions that only affect/harm me," as soon as the fact of under- or uninsured cyclists and motorcyclists enter into the equation, it becomes everybody's business. After all, if we're paying for your medical care, don't we have a right to say that you should take certain measures to prevent injury in the first place?
    I used to ride my bike without a helmet. And then I got hit by a car. One – unnecessary, had I been wearing a helmet – trip to the emergency room later, I decided that I would never venture out on my bicycle in Austin without head protection of some kind. And I honestly can't say that I understand those who feel that they need to fight so dearly for the right not to.
    If you want to support cycling, there are lots of things you can do. Fight for lower speed limits in town. Work for more bike-safe areas in Downtown. Try to have the city create more affordable housing close to commercial centers. The options are numerous.

Dear Editor,
    Re: “No Real Alternative,” News, Jan. 26: When I first read this article back in January, it sure got me fired up. Fired up enough actually that I sent a letter to Kirk Watson (my state senator). He responded with a letter stating that he was already trying to stop this rider. Thanks for staying on this one. I have known multiple friends who lacked funding receive assistance from Planned Parenthood for things not at all relating to abortion. Besides the fact that abortions are legal. But be that as it may, I appreciate you keeping us aware of issues like this. If only more of Texas were like Austin.

Dear Editor,
    It was great to see Austin's old-time-music scene getting some media attention [“Dueling Banjos,” Music, March 30]. Thank you. Mark Rubin's piece was thoughtful and informed. But I cringed at the suggestion that old-time music is “the new punk rock.” Yes, for sure, there are some striking similarities between the two genres. But what hasn't been called “the new punk rock” by now? According to Amelie Gillette, in a March 15 article for the A.V. Club Web site: "At this point there are only three things in the world that haven't been called 'the new punk rock': zoos, Carnival cruises, and Talbot's." This particular rhetorical move is, by now, a cliché. I'm disappointed. I expected the Chronicle editors, and Mr. Rubin, to be more culturally savvy.

Dear Editor,
    When the neighborhood now called Cherrywood, or French Place, was first built, there was a broad avenue called East Avenue. Then I-35 replaced it and added an upper deck. When I bought my house in 1990, it was loud-ish. Now it is hellishly loud, as well as more poisonous from low-speed congestion, when the wind blows from certain directions, carrying even more noise to our side of the highway. God only knows how demonic it will be when 85-foot-tall buildings are insensitively built right up next to the west side of the highway on the Concordia University site ["Developing Stories," News, March 30]! I am so upset about this East Avenue IG development I could spit. Did the city even think about what it would do as it permits the creation of a permanent 85- to 135-foot-tall wall against which 18-wheeler and other vehicle sound waves will perpetually bounce off of and back into my neighborhood? This is again infill without caring about the common people surrounding it. Is there any precedent for this in Austin? Of course, did I go down to speak at council? No, and maybe I could have changed their minds. Yeah.

Dear Editor,
   You couldn't have said it better yourself: "Downtown's cool, but you know what would make it better? Whitewater rafting!" [The Chronic, News blog, March 29]. Oh wait, you did say that about the proposed Waller Creek Whitewater Trail! And you're right, because it sure sounds a lot more exciting than another Riverwalk-type deal; after all, they pretty much already have a hammerlock on that package down south in San Antone. Austin is weird (kinda), so why would we imitate our sister city? Let's originate our own unique vision for Waller Creek!

Dear Editor,
    I just got back from South Congress tonight (Saturday, March 31), and it was the best attendance ever for the SoCo hot-rod show. The most amazing cars from here and many surrounding states showed up for this gig. The weather was perfect.
    Being a car guy, I was perplexed by the lack of respect for the owners of these fantastic rides.
    Is it OK to set your drink on some cat's pride and joy if he's not there to object? Is it cool running your fingers along the body line of a '59 El Camino? Any problem leaning against this '70 Cuda? The answer is that there is a major problem with all of the above.
    Seriously, I was appalled at the disrespect for many of the cars that showed up. You could see fingerprints on a lot of these rides, and they were not from the people who drove them there. I guess you really need velvet ropes and big dudes to guard yer shit these days. That kills the fun quotient though. It would be nice to think that you could wheel your baby into a prime spot on Congress and be able to walk away.
    I quit going to the "Y" in Oak Hill for the very same reason. If some goober wasn't setting his cell phone on my hood or some person wasn't rubbing his baby carriage against my door while checking out my interior, it was some clown leaning on my quarter panel because he was just "chillin'." I don't get it.
    Just calling it as I see it. SoCo rocked regardless.

Dear Editor,
    I've spent most of my life living in small towns until I went to college ["Letters @ 3am," March 30]. I believe the main reason these towns are dying is because they dislike big business. Whenever they are given a chance to bring a business that will bring jobs to their community, they say no. So when people graduate they have very limited job opportunities, they end up leaving the town. I would agree that television shows them a life different then theirs. With limited recreational activities, no doubt the youth in these towns spend a lot of time watching television. These towns also have poor educational systems. I know; I went to one. They value the high school football team much more than any educational endeavor.

Dear Editor,
   Michael Ventura's recent column, "Red State Blues," ["Letters @ 3AM," March 30] is some of the finest lyrical writing I have seen in quite a while. Every boarded-up storefront, deserted farmhouse, and decaying downtown area represents shattered dreams.

Dear Editor,
   The 2008 SXSW Music Festival will take place from approximately March 12 to 16 of next year. I sincerely hope that Louis Black has written all he needs to about the 2007 Festival by then.

Dear Editor,
    I was surprised at Louis Black's response to those that disagree with SXSW 07 ["Page Two," March 30]. I found his response to be unprofessional and whiny. I don't think what is said on any blog will bring "down" SXSW. As with any information on the Web, I say buyer beware and that not all things are true. Just talk to a few who have Internet-dated. Pull your socks up, or get a good therapist. Learn from your mistakes that it wasn't cool to turn any kind of list in to the city no matter what your reasons. It's just bad karma.

Dear Editor,
    I really don't understand why there are not more stories on the possibility of a bee-population die-off. This is a potentially huge, scary story. All of us need food to live, and we need bees to pollinate the crops. We need bees to live. Hopefully we can discover a cause and fix it, as this is as big a deal as any. And it has the potential for catastrophe. More people need to be alerted to this. This link has more info: www.celsias.com/blog/2007/03/29/european-bees-taking-a-nosedive.

Dear Louis,
    My name is Shawn Shillington. I blog for Austinist.com. In case you couldn't tell from my co-bloggers' recent obsessive coverage, we love SXSW. We complain because of that love. SXSW is the best time of year to be an Austinist, and that is to your credit.
    Austinist.com is a blog about what we all love (Austin). That holds us together – Austinist.com bloggers, the people who read us, the people who leave comments, you, and everyone at SXSW – even the evil among us love Austin.

P.S. p.s. The Chronicle is also great, especially Katherine Gregor's "Developing Stories" and Chronic's "City Council Notebook." This letter is from me, not the blog.

Dear Editor,
    Michael King is intellectually dishonest and morally credulous – to say the least. His March 30 article [“Point Austin,” News] regarding the congressional approval of surrender in Iraq legislation proves it. To reiterate, it is settled history that Saddam Hussein was an ally of al Qaeda and bin Laden. He was a great champion of the Islamist fascist goal of subjugating the planet under Islamist theocratic tyranny. His Iraqi dictatorship was actively assisting the Islamist barbarians in planning and facilitating attacks on the U.S. After all, there is compelling evidence that Hussein was connected with al Qaeda operatives Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and Ramzi Yousef in the first World Trade Center attack in the early 1990s. The bottom line is that the central front in the war against Islamist fascism is Iraq, and this legislation would ensure a monumental victory for the enemy. Thankfully, President Bush has made it clear that he will veto it.
    Neo-leftist utopians such as King, Nancy Pelosi, John Murtha, Maxine Waters, and Barbara Lee do not possess the ability to comprehend that the free world, led by America, is in a world war against Islamist fascism, fighting for its life. And because of the revealed naivete of the Democratic Congress approval of this astoundingly irresponsible legislation, the possibility of U.S. defeat is very real.
    Sadly, if this neo-leftist Democrat bilge prevails, the likes of King, Waters, and Lee, et al., will be accountable for the resulting destruction of a free humanity, the ensuing worldwide Islamist theocratic tyranny, and the certain mass murder of all who defy Islamist fascism. Let us be warned. The neo-leftist Democrat Party MoveOn.org fifth column contingent must be exposed as an unwitting facilitator of this terrible despotic enemy. They stand as the modern-day versions of Lenin’s “useful idiots.”

   [Michael King responds: Vance McDonald is certainly an expert on credulity – infantile variety. Not even the Bush administration any longer pretends that Saddam Hussein was ever an ally of al Qaeda and bin Laden or played any role at all in the attacks on the World Trade Center, let alone that such fantasy is "settled history." McDonald's increasingly hysterical denunciations of "Islamist fascism" – like his attribution of a quotation to Lenin long known to be spurious – only confirm that he knows nothing about either Islam or fascism.]

Dear Editor,
    I'd like to thank the Chronicle for pointing out how pretentious and rude Downtown developers and some residents have truly gotten [“We Were the Urban Pioneers,” News, March 23]. I'm not surprised that the best response that could be drawn up was, "You got the picture wrong!" I have often been disgusted by the large increases in prices and the lack of cost-of-living analyses that go with salary determinations from too many employers. By the way, for all you West Austin residents, East Austin has been Downtown for some time. People lived there, too. For Downtown developers to treat Downtown East Austin like a "newer, hipper place" now that primarily white yuppies live there is akin to the European settlers treating America like new land – when there were already people who lived here. Displacing poor people is not development.
    Also, I have not heard about one household in any of those letters that talked about an individual teacher living in one of these new condos or a solitary policeman. I am a civil servant, and my co-workers and I know we can't live Downtown. Maybe some of you who are outraged over a stupid picture ought to think about how very few state employees who actually do work exactly Downtown can't afford to live there.

Dear Editor,
    Any word from Rep. Borris Miles on when we'll start the book burnings ["State Representative: Let's Hang the Artist!," News, March 30]?

Dear Editor,
    Hi! Thanks for a great story [“Dueling Banjos,” Music, March 30] and for including information on the monthly Austin Friends of Traditional Music meeting/jam. I just wanted to note that due to Easter, the April meeting will be on April 15. Get your taxes done, and then come out and jam with us!

Dear Austin,
    Thank you once again for a fantastic week of events during SXSW. I am one of a group of 20 from Nottingham, UK, that have been coming for the last few years and thoroughly enjoy every moment spent in the city.
    SXSW is a unique event, and I'm sure that Austin is probably the only city in the world that has the right degree of tolerance and management to enable it to happen. The unofficial daytime events make the whole experience worthwhile, and we will be returning in the future.
    Just a few points of concern though:
    1) The commerciality of the event has become overpowering to the extent that we were unable to book city-center hotel rooms 10 months in advance, as SXSW had block-booked the whole lot, and we were forced to buy a badge in order to get a room – not acceptable!
    2) I have read the recent comments in The Austin Chronicle concerning the parties that got interrupted – where does SXSW perceive they have the right to advise authorities about events outside their control?
    3) I watch live music around the world, and there is a serious problem in the USA. Please, please, please, out of respect for the artists and your fellow attendees, would the audience kindly be quiet during performance? There is absolutely no need to have shouted conversations during a set – if you don't wish to hear the music, then go to a bar, please.
    Sorry about the gripe at the end – it should not detract from this amazing event. Please keep on just being Austin!

Dear Editor,
    T-shirt: $80. Jeans: $150. FactoryPeople getting screwed: priceless.

Hello Louis,
    I found your “Planting a Seed” article [Food, March 23] in last week's Chronicle really interesting; however, I wanted you to know that my organization, Marathon Kids, also has school-yard food gardens. We partnered with the Sustainable Food Center last year and currently have food gardens in a couple of elementary schools – mostly on the Eastside of Austin. Please keep Marathon Kids in mind when doing related articles on nutrition, fitness, and gardens for kindergarten through fifth-graders. Thanks.

Dear Editor,
    Thanks, Mr. Ventura, for your column [“Letters @ 3am,” March 30]. I was born in one of those small Kansas towns and still have many family members either living or buried in some of those towns. Visiting only occasionally, the changes I notice on each visit are stark, disturbing, and profoundly sad. Your column brought back feelings and memories I thought were long dead.