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,
    Matthew Langston, thank you for your insightful commentary [“Postmarks,” Jan. 4]. I have personally known Josh Rosenblatt for many years, more than 15 to be exact, and I would agree that he knows absolutely nothing about movies. However, I Am Legend is still an awful movie [Film Listings, Dec. 14]. I believe the movie Home Alone with Macaulay Culkin more appropriately creates the feeling of terror from being alone.

Dear Editor,
    Uh-oh. Vance McDonald’s padded cell is blocking transmission again [“Postmarks” online, Jan. 14]. May I assist? Here we are with more anemic thinking from another member of the Republican marshmallow brigade. Reality check: In many places in the world, America is considered to be one of "the dark forces of tyranny." It’s complicated when you try to identify an entire people as evil, isn’t it? That’s thinking like a fundamentalist Muslim terrorist. Anyone half-literate who views our recent foreign policy prudently would vote for a Democrat at this point. Vance can keep his head buried in the sand, but the fact is we’ve been meddling in Middle East affairs so much over the years, we’re experiencing the backlash. McDonald wants to make it about ideological clashes (while accusing Democrats of the same). It’s unsurprising that he’s so lost in space he doesn’t even realize that the Democrats could win if they nominated a used tampon. People are backing Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton because they are different from Republicans, not because they’re black or female. Furthermore, for McDonald, of all people, to grumble about people placing ideology above the "issues" is so beyond ridiculous, it's mystifying. As for big government, yes, Democrats will raise taxes, but I'm sorry, it's a drop in the Grand Canyon compared to, for instance, the grievous mess of GOP-sponsored military spending on antiquated weaponry. The halls of Congress smell like the inside of a pig’s ass, thanks to Bush and the GOP. Way to keep government small, guys! And much of the funding has gone to pre-9/11 programs, so just secure that bullshit. Tragically, the spike in Pentagon spending doesn’t denote technological advancements. These half-wits are buying the same shit they did during the Reagan era; we’re just paying more. And while Lockheed Martin/Boeing/Halliburton execs soil their pants with delight, no one notices (cares?) the corporate monster eating itself, along with the citizens who are forced to subsidize its outlandish profits. All in the name of “freedom” and “dynamic economic opportunity,” eh? As for the Republican version of freedom, which laughs in the face of humanism and denies children health care and an education, I ain’t interested. Step aside, old-timers. It’s nice if you’ve learned something, but we haven’t come to teach you. We’ve come to take your place. That means you, Vance.

Dear Editor,
    I learned something new this week. I learned that Marines have names. That they are mothers, husbands, have children, have fathers, have mothers, and have other family members, too. I saw a face of not one Marine, but two. I saw them as Marines, but I saw pictures of them also as people. I saw them presented as people young and healthy, as normal people like you and me. I also saw a Marine who had fallen. I saw for the first time that Marines leave a body when dead and burned.
    We, you and I, and especially our government have killed almost 4,000 of these people. Let me not be alarmist; the actual number is 3,924. Does anyone out there believe for one second that there will be maybe at least 4,000 if not even 5,000 more? Who knows how many wounded? When Marines die in Iraq or Afghanistan, they might get a mention of their unit, maybe even a lesson in addition; one added to 3,924 equals 3,925. Oddly enough, if they die in Walter Reed or Landstuhl Army hospitals, there will be no mention at all, but the number changes from 3,924 to 3,925 just the same.
    Three thousand nine hundred and twenty-four people have died. Of course we have not seen 3,924 pictures of people nor 3,924 pictures of wives, husbands, children, fathers, mothers, and other family members, as well. Nothing but the number changes, from 3,924 to 3,925. There are only two questions really: Why, and who is to blame?

Dear Editor,
    I am madly in love with Austin. We live in a very beautiful city, which is why it bothers me so much to see so many political-ad signs all over Austin, some as large as a small car. They started popping up about two months ago, and the next election isn’t till March!
    Those signs are eyesores and are essentially litter. Many are placed in the right-of-way, which is totally illegal. I believe this is an abusive form of advertising. It’s an abuse of our otherwise beautiful city.
    I will never vote for any of the following candidates because of their ugly, abusive, and illegal advertising on public property: Jim Coronado, Ron Paul, Alonzo Reyes, John Lipscombe, Carlos Barrera, Judge Andy Hathcock, and Maria Canchola. There are many more, and I add to that list frequently.
    Yes, that’s right, Ron Paul, too. I called his local campaign office about a month ago to let them know that I’m seeing their political-ad signs on telephone poles all over town, which is illegal. They said they’d put a stop to that, and since then, I’ve seen new Ron Paul signs on even more telephone poles. So Paul’s people blew it. And Judge Andy Hathcock … a judge should know better!
    I urge all voters who care about the general appearance of our city to avoid voting for any candidate for any office who chooses to trash our precious city. Then call them, and let them know. They can take the money they spend on those signs and channel it into TV, radio, newspaper, and other legitimate forms of advertising. Votes should be earned using respect.

Dear Editor,
    I would like to thank Jim Hightower for his article in the last edition, “The Luxury of Chinese Labor” [“The Hightower Report,” News, Jan. 11]. It never ceases to amaze me that people will buy a product at a high-end store and not even look to see where the product is made. Do you people really think that a $100 pair of jeans was really crafted by the fine artisans … of Honduras? To be completely honest, I don't really care about making a distinction in the quality of items. Modern technology allows most consumer items to be produced fairly well, regardless of their country of origin. My gripe is this: A person who works on the Ford assembly line can afford to buy a Ford car. A lady that works at an olive-oil bottling plant in Italy, she can cook with it when she gets home. Do you think that one of the laborers producing your designer purse can afford to spend two months' pay to buy said purse?

Dear Editor,
    Louis’ revelation that the Democrat Party coronation of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama is a “true revolution” is emblematic of the superficial ideology of all Democrats [“Page Two,” Jan. 11]. It is nothing but race- and gender-based. Of course, it must be realized that these criteria mysteriously lie at the center of their consciousness.
    To be sure, race and gender are more central to Democrat perceptions of core values than even their backward tendencies to enshrine liberty-strangling class envy (e.g., graduated income tax, government control of free enterprise) and credulously believe that a tyrant such as the mad Islamist president of Iran should not be viewed as a genocidal enemy – especially in the post-9/11 world.
    So what is a rational person to do? Vote for the woman or the black guy just to be fashionable and ignore the real positions that these people represent? Or should one acknowledge that America is the only nation that can keep the dark forces of tyranny, whether Islamist, Russian, Chinese, or North Korean, etc., from their appointed objectives of enslaving the world? Moreover, are we to ignore that Clinton and Obama are radical big-government nannies who will suffocate the economy, shatter prosperity, and potentially mortally wound our liberty?
    More reasonable to the extreme, the Republican Party has the clear view of America as the only country capable of preserving freedom for humanity and posterity. Indeed, it is their profound commitment to ensure that the U.S. has the strongest military to defend liberty by force when necessary, support policies that produce dynamic economic opportunity and prosperity, and reject government tendencies to expect its citizens to work for it instead of the other way around. These realities require that a Republican president be elected – for our sake and the world.

Dear Editor,
    Re: Moby Grape [“Reissues,” Music, Dec. 14]: Raoul Hernandez has written the most cogent and polished-gem-perfect review of the best band you never heard that it's ever received. Sparing us the usual litany of the bogies that have bedeviled the Grape for four decades, he dives directly into the meat of the music. Hernandez, I'm submitting your name to the Grape as a potential PR man. With you writing liner notes, even the stone deaf would be compelled to buy Moby Grape!

   [Raoul Hernandez replies: Thanks Greg, I'm going to make you my PR man! By now you're no doubt aware that the very same week our review ran (Dec. 14, 2007), Sundazed pulled the first three Grape titles, Moby Grape, Wow, and Grape Jam, from its active catalog for legal reasons. Even the notice on the label's website (www.sundazed.com), lamenting the turn of events was soon yanked out of circulation. As ultimate Grape booster David Fricke wrote at year's end about Moby Grape '69 being one of the best reissues of 2007, "legendary for its psychedelic pow and long legal battles, this San Francisco band has been screwed again."]

Dear Editor,
    Bush said, "Governments will never build trust by harassing or imprisoning candidates and protesters." I guess Bush has forgotten that it was his administration that unlawfully arrested Americans in peaceful demonstrations against his chicanery war with Iraq. Let's not mention his rendition policies, which have left hundreds of innocent people brutalized by torture. I thought the man was there to broker peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Instead he is once again saber-rattling against the country of Iran.
    Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Jordan, and Egypt are all Mr. Bush's allies in the Middle East, and all are the best examples of dictatorships. Mr. Bush believes that Iran supports and arms the Taliban, forgetting that the Taliban regime of Afghanistan was close to a state of war with Iran in 1998, due to the massacre of 10 Iranian diplomats and intelligence officers.
    During its time in power, the Taliban regime gained diplomatic recognition from only three states (all U.S. allies): the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, all of whom also provided aid.
    Iran opposed the Taliban and aided their enemy, the northern allies. In 2001, in the months prior to 9/11, the U.S. gave $168 million in what it called "aid" to the Taliban. In May alone, the U.S. pledged to give $43 million, ostensibly to assist the Taliban in its efforts to eradicate the poppy crop in Afghanistan. One could say this makes the U.S responsible for arming the terrorists of the Taliban. Bush is our own worst enemy.

Dear Editor,
    I went to Wal-Mart the other day to get some milk. I asked the first employee I saw, “Excuse me, can you tell me where the milk is?” He looked at me like a toddler watching a card trick. His jaw dropped, a sheepish grin appeared on his face, and he just stood there. It was quite clear he didn’t speak a lick of English. I’m in Wal-Mart in Austin, Texas, USA? This guy didn’t know what the word “milk” meant, and he works in the grocery department?
    I continued through the store and asked two more employees directions to the milk. They spoke no English. Finally, I see a guy who looks like a manager and asked him if he speaks English. He says, “Of course!” I guess if you speak English, you get to be a manager; it’s one of the perks of assimilation.
    I got so riled up that I found the top manager and asked him who filled out these guys' applications? Are the applications in Spanish? He said they have someone else fill out their application and that they bring interpreters to their interviews. I suggested that a condition of employment should be ”must be able to lift 50 pounds and speak the language of the country you live in.”
    I’m not a big fan of Target's return policy, but at least when they tell me that I need my receipt, they say it in English.
    This is not a race issue; it is a cultural issue. The adage “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” comes to mind. As long as we print everything in multiple languages, the motivation for immigrants (legal or illegal) to learn this country’s national language will be stymied. How often do you see a sign in English in Mexico, other than “McDonald's”?

Dear Editor,
    Louis Black is way off the mark if he believes that Hillary Clinton represents a positive change from the current administration [“Page Two,” Jan. 11].
    Just because she is female, don't be duped. Remember, she was a staunch Republican before hubby Bill's candidacy made it more convenient for her to be a Democrat.
    More importantly, if you do your homework on her, you'll find that she is beholden to big money and special interests.
    Her Middle East policy is drafted by the hawkish Israeli lobby (bombs away), and her fiscal direction comes from big-business interests.
    A Hillary Clinton presidency would be more of the same – more unprovoked wars and a nightmare for the average American.

   [Louis Black responds: I'm wondering exactly where I wrote that Hillary Clinton "represents a positive change from the current administration." Rather than endorse any candidate, I just was happy that a more diverse group of candidates than just older, white males were doing well in the primaries. But now that you bring it up, again without endorsing Hillary, almost any of the candidates running, regardless of party affiliation would represent a positive change from this administration, but that's not really any kind of support. Rather, it is because they have lowered the bar to the ground.]

Dear Editor,
    I was shocked to see your story on the city's Comprehensive Plan that failed to mention Robin Cravey [“The Bigger Picture,” News, Jan. 11], candidate for Austin City Council in Place 4. Robin Cravey was a participant in the original Austin Tomorrow Plan and served on the Austin Planning Commission when it really dealt with the entire city. I wonder what your thinking was in running photos of his two opponents. If you had bothered to look at Robin's website, you would see an outline of his vision for the city, while his opponents' sites say nothing of substance. Or if you had read Cravey's op-ed piece in the American-Statesman last month, you would have found a strong statement about Downtown as the heart of the city.
    I hope this is not an indication of the quality of your reporting on either planning in Austin or the City Council Place 4 race.

   [Katherine Gregor responds: The article was not about the Place 4 candidates or Downtown or a municipal election that is four months away. It was on the city of Austin's current initiative to update its Comprehensive Plan document. Laura Morrison and Cid Galindo were quoted and pictured because each has recently advocated strongly for a fresh city comprehensive plan, as a specific planning tool. We meant no disrespect to Robin Cravey (or any other candidate), and we welcome any thoughts he may have on proposals for a new comprehensive plan.]

Dear Editor,
    The next time you're stuck in traffic headed southbound on Congress or South First just south of Oltorf, consider the following: Just as you are careening down interior neighborhood streets that are largely devoid of sidewalks, we are out walking our dogs or pushing strollers. It should be common knowledge that the last place to drive like you're on fire is around an elementary school or in a cul-de-sac, but we see it happen every day when our children are out playing.
    I submit the following piece of advice to those who find themselves in need of a quick escape from the long line of cars trying to get through the lights at Ben White: The only two streets in our neighborhood that go all the way through (Cumberland and Lightsey) have been conveniently marked by the city with traffic lights. We recommend you use those rather than creating your own winding routes at mind-blowing speeds, causing us to dive for the nearest lawn with puppies and toddlers in tow.

Dear Editor,
    Re: Sam Baker [“Terrible Beauty,” Music, Nov. 16, 2007]: I just wanted to say how much I appreciate his beautiful music. My brother gave me Pretty World for my birthday, and I have to admit the first time I listened to it, I thought to myself, this is great, different music from what I really listen to, but I wondered … is the musician a little tipsy? Then I heard/read the rest of the story.
    His story is inspiring to say the least. I am a mother of three, married for 22 years, don't typically like country music, but am pressing the "on" button right now to hear Pretty World again.
    Sam Baker, I love your music; I love the song about the horses. Keep on keeping on.