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,
    I am the director of the production of Corpus Christi, which will be coming to Dallas in a few weeks. We have been certainly hesitant about bringing the show to Texas as we had no idea what the reception would be but assumed the worst. After the events recently with the show in the region of Dallas, we decided to wait no longer and that the show deserves to be seen. Your article [“Point Austin: The Body of Christ,” News, April 23] on the most recent developments and your honest and open-minded description of the show, the playwright, and the politicians really spoke to me and re-energized me as I face the logistics of bringing such a large cast and crew all the way to Texas. I am confident our experience there will be as loving, accepting, and fulfilling as any of the hundreds of performances we've had all over the world these past four years.
    Playwright Terrence McNally, like so many others, was born gay. God does not make mistakes, but his community and religion made him feel that he was just that. He was taught to embrace and love a religion that was interpreted by others in a way that told him he was a sinner and was not worthy. He was reminded daily that his community was not accepting of him. Out of this painful experience, he did not turn bitter and vengeful; instead he wrote Corpus Christi. It is a play that is not only respectful to the source material but is actually an attempt to bring back those who feel tossed aside by religion and back to the table of spirituality. It does not just speak to gay men and women, but to all of us who at one time or another have felt marginalized … we have all been there. This is a play that does not claim that Jesus was gay; it merely tells the story in another way to help people fully comprehend that all men are divine. The fact that people would object to a play about equality and a universal right to be loved is shocking to me. While I understand individuals have the right to believe in Jesus as they have interpreted him, it is a shame that they are unable to open their hearts to allow others to feel worthy.
    As we prepare to bring the show to Dallas, I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and the high level of diversity we have uncovered. Shame on me for stereotyping the state. I am embarrassed but delighted to find that it is not at all the Texas I had imagined and avoided for four years and it will be an honor to play the show in your loving and beautiful state.
    Thank you for your wonderful, intelligent review of the situation.

   [Editor's note: Terrence McNally's Corpus Christi is currently scheduled to play the Cathedral of Hope in Dallas, June 4-6. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.cathedralofhope.com.]

Dear Editor,
    Re: “Letters at 3AM: 'O' Is for Oligarchy (Continued)” [April 23]: Yep, by golly, give me convenience. Save a few dollars, drive close, shut down local businesses where we and our neighbors work, send profits out of state, send jobs overseas, bring big businesses to underemploy us. Yep, give me foreign-made low-cost goods all right. Bye, bye Austin.

Dear Editor,
    I do wish the Chronicle would show its math on this endorsement, because it looks to me like a dual endorsement would have been more appropriate [“'Chronicle' Endorsements,” News, April 23]. While I am a Tamala Barksdale fan, I am a Julie Cowan supporter, and it sure sounds like the Chronicle is as well.
    Julie Cowan has many skills and talents – as do other candidates – that make her an attractive candidate. But Julie also has the the experience in districtwide efforts as well as in school-based volunteering, which, coupled with her passion for public education, will make Austin ISD's board and district stronger and better.

   [Editor's note: We can't "show the math" on our endorsements, because there isn't any. The editorial board discusses the candidates as a group and comes to a consensus on our specific endorsement as well as an endorsement statement that attempts to reflect the nuances of the discussion. It's not arithmetical, and it often reflects the same ambivalence a voter might experience exercising her or his judgment. We do the best we can – and trust you will do the same.]

Dear Editor,
    Re: Forthcoming 2010 Pedernales Electric Cooperative elections – annual meeting: Many homeowners and communities within the Austin area served by the Pedernales Electric Cooperative do not seem to be aware that their electric bills are substantially higher than those of Austin Energy. The PEC is the largest electric co-op in the nation with more than 220,000 members and a geographic service area the size of Massachusetts. Many thousands of The Austin Chronicle’s readers are required to be owner-members of the PEC in order to receive their electricity.
    PEC’s financial status, deficient business practices, and malfeasance remain in the news as a significant scandal. At an April 2009 televised hearing before the Texas Senate Business and Commerce Committee, Sen. Troy Fraser (R-Horseshoe Bay) estimates that the “old guard” co-op directors and prior general manager “either misspent or took close to $50 million” from his constituents and other PEC customers. Felony criminal proceedings are now being conducted against former co-op General Manager Bennie Fuelberg and former General Counsel Walter Demond. News articles report that the “bad” news at the PEC is continuing.
    Readers of The Austin Chronicle should familiarize themselves with the qualifications, residency requirements, goals, and hidden agendas of the candidates for the PEC board’s May 2010 elections. It is necessary for the owner-members of the co-op, members of the Legislature, and state and federal officials to clean up the ongoing lack of efficiency, accountability, deficiencies, excessive management, and directors’ salaries that still remain at the PEC.

Dear Editor,
    The Arizona House of Representatives passed a bill requiring that all candidates for president of the U.S. seeking to be placed on their state ballot be required to present proof of constitutional qualification to run and hold the office (at this writing it still needs to be passed by the Senate and signed by the governor, but that's almost a foregone conclusion) – apparently it is somehow not enough that the federal government already examines and approves a candidate's meeting of constitutional requirements to run for and hold a federal office. This is a continuation of efforts by the John “Birth” Society to argue that somehow Barack Obama does not have a proper birth certificate proving he was born in this country and is therefore unqualified to be president under the Constitution, since being black is no longer enough of a disqualification. Everyone out there with a “long form” birth certificate raise your hand.

Dear Editor,
    May 6 is the National Day of Prayer, and there are sure to be demonstrations aplenty at courthouses and government buildings, wherein people who miss the point of their own religion will loudly demand that the government force everyone to follow it.
    Might I suggest joining the demonstrations and waving a sign reading, "Matthew 6:5-6,” just to see how many of them get the joke?

Dear Editor,
    In Louis Black’s April 23 “Page Two” he criticizes the left and right as if they’re equally benighted (even though he hypocritically shows definite prejudice against the right). Indeed, this weak exercise can’t hide his subjective ideological bias-leftism – notwithstanding his lame attempt to be liked by everyone.
    But for anyone interested in objective truth, here it is. The left is centered on nonliberty and massive governmental control. The right is focused on maximum liberty and limited constitutional government. The left is the ideology of power and the cult of the god-state. The right stands for the individual. The left has totalitarian impulses. The right promulgates and defends freedom. In our political world Republicans are on the right and Democrats are on the left.
    Leftist apologists are always self-deluded into believing that leftism is “compassionate,” ”tolerant,” and “progressive.” Sadly however, history has shown time and again its moral and intellectual bankruptcy. Moreover, post-modern classical liberalism, i.e., individual liberty, free enterprise, limited government, and real human progress, is found on the conservative right.
    And the existential reality of this debate is this – if America succumbs to leftism humanity will be enslaved totally. Tyranny, genocide, torture, and misery will be everywhere in the future. And the enormous expansion of governmental/corporatist control, fiscal profligacy, and abandonment on the international stage of American exceptionalism by the current left-wing Democratic administration means this terrible outcome is closer.
    If Black really is a truth-seeker, he must stop with the moral denial and cowardly relativism! If he actually did he would have to become an enlightened conservative adhering to the tenets of American liberty and exceptionalism. He would advocate what Abe Lincoln believed – America is “the last best hope.” That’s obviously what Black is afraid of. After all, how could he face his lefty cohorts?

Dear Editor,
    It was disappointing to read among the reasons the Chronicle chose to endorse Robert Schneider for the District 7 trustee position [News, "'Chronicle' Endorsements," April 23], [that] “simmering discontent over Southwest school boundary” found a way into the copy.
    Not only is this a veiled reference to some kind of political axe to grind that some residents of Southwest Austin have with Austin ISD, it greatly diminishes the efforts and experience of Warren Faulkner.
    This sort of off-handed and unprovable remark is expected out of shallow and thoughtless neighborhood “leaders” in and around those elementary schools that the Chronicle may be referring to, but it has no place in an instrument of journalism.
    Sadly, campaigns that make decisions to run on issues and principle get short shrift when the attack dogs of the opponent get behind the rumors and eschew the reasons for seeking this elected position: service to others.

Dear Editor,
    I offer this in response to “Daily Hustle” (April 14) and last week's “City Hall Hustle,” (April 23) by Wells Dunbar, regarding the music being shut down and a $1,500 citation issued to Güero's on South Congress. (Disclaimer: Güero's has retained my services, to help with their overall permit issues.)
    I want to back off from my criticism of the factual errors in both the post and the column, as I can see that both Wells and Mayor Pro Tem Mike Martinez were inadvertently misinformed when they inquired about the status at the time of the shutdown of the permit work that is being done, and has been done, over the past 14 months since Mr. Lippincott appeared before the council on March 12, 2009.
    The fact is, Notification of Approval of a Site Plan Correction was received on April 7. The city of Austin document that Mr. Lippincott received is actually shown in the numerous TV reports that covered the story. However, (and this may go a long way in explaining why, even in the best of circumstances, “the process” can take so long) that approval is followed by an appointment being set for the engineer to go in and add the approved correction to the permanent record.
    Only then will the new Site Plan Correction be entered into the city's AMANDA database, where city staff have been looking for proof of progress and not finding it. The city's Code Compliance and Fire Departments have been kept abreast of the progress being made, however, and that should have prevented a problem … but didn't on this particular night.
    Note that Mr. Lippincott even went to the extent of hiring another permit specialist prior to retaining my services, because his engineer had a serious family emergency outside of the country and was temporarily unavailable. I advised withdrawal of that permit application, as it was not organized in a way that would serve the best interest of either the city or Mr. Lippincott, in ensuring that Güero's Oak Patio Garden continues to be a great place to hear outdoor music in Austin.
    I myself feel that we need an outdoor music alliance of businesses and citizens who think music outside is OK and good. Austin needs a force that can counter the parties partially responsible for fomenting discord between music-oriented businesses and neighbors in our town.

Dear Editor,
    Your endorsement in the Place 5 race for the Austin Community College board of trustees left out some important facts [“'Chronicle' Endorsements,” News, April 23].
    Fact: Raul Alvarez, the incumbent in this race, has endorsed me. I am sure you agree that his municipal experience and judgment are substantial and that he has a good idea who would best fill the “experience void” that you mention.
    Fact: The person you endorsed is a failed candidate for mayor. In 2009, after his stint on the Leander City Council, he came in third in a three-person race with only 322 votes! Is this the “actual municipal … experience” you find so attractive? Apparently voters in his hometown had a different idea.
    Fact: Your endorsement identifies my “scholarly and activist” credentials but downplays my considerable military, federal government, and business background.
    Fact: In addition to being one of the first African-American diving officers in U.S. Navy history, I also served as an afloat supply officer, with a $2 million annual operating budget, a $35 million inventory, and a group of 24 dedicated professionals under my direct supervision. Also key to readiness was the morale of the eight officers and 92 sailors that made up the crew that I was responsible for every time I served as officer of the deck underway. The U.S. Navy warships on which I served as a department head represent more than $500 million of direct taxpayer expenditure each.
    Fact: During my time as a GS-12 level federal employee working in Hawaii, I successfully established the archaeological portion of the U.S. Air Force's cultural resource management program for all of the Hawaiian Islands, an imposing and unique undertaking. My organization was voted the best cultural resource management program in the entire Department of Defense in 2004.
    Fact: I am a five-star greenbuilder of Frank Lloyd Wright-style prairie houses as well as high-quality affordable housing and have built one of the most energy-efficient and architecturally distinctive houses in Austin, in one of our city's toughest neighborhoods. Bringing projects of such magnitude to a successful conclusion entails significant knowledge of municipal land-use policy and building codes and is a strong positive indicator of my leadership and management skills.
    By omitting these facts, you have done your readers a disservice.

Dear Editor,
    Your article about the dysfunctional politics of East Austin [“City Hall Hustle,” News, April 16] struck a familiar note with me. I have lived in East Austin for many years and own a house by the old Holly Power Plant. When I heard that there would be a Holly neighborhood group forming after the closure of the power plant I was eager to join. At the initial meeting, I thought it a bit odd when the city facilitator announced that this would be their fourth attempt to start such a group. I soon discovered why. The meeting, such as it was, was dominated by a handful of vocal and angry individuals, and the level of rudeness on display was disconcerting. I think I only attended two meetings before throwing in the towel. I love my neighborhood, but it probably won't have a functional neighborhood group until the current crop of “leaders” fades from the scene.

Dear Editor,
    I just got through reading Colin Barth's letter in this week's Chronicle asking KUT management to "hear him roar” [“Postmarks,” April 23]. I wish him a lot of luck with that.
    While I do not agree with many of the changes Mr. Barth is asking for, I agree completely with the underlying concept of his requests. That public station managers should listen and respect the wishes of their supporting members. But as anyone who is familiar with the uproar from last summer knows, current station management couldn't care less what individual members want. What they are concerned with is pleasing the corporate sponsors who take advantage of "enhanced underwriting" (commercials) and get a tax break to boot. However valid Mr. Barth's points might be, he will never be able to roar above the ka-ching sound of the corporate dollars pouring in.
    So we would like to invite Mr. Barth to join the rest of us who have come together nationwide to try and stop the corporatization of public stations. We have a new website, Keeping the Public in Public Radio, and a Facebook site of the same name. This is not just a local issue; we have identified numerous stations following this same trend nationwide and have joined with listeners in those cities to try and wrest control of our stations away from those who only want to make a fast buck on the public's dime. So don't try to roar alone, Mr. Barth – join your voice with others!

Dear Editor,
    The Position 9 (At-Large) Austin ISD board seat is a study in WTF choices [“'Chronicle' Endorsements,” News April 23]. Dianne T. Mendoza helps run Capital Metro. She has helped run that sinking ship into the ground. Bet she can't wait to get her hands on the AISD surplus! Tamala Barksdale, who works for some kind of parasitic consulting agency promoting "social media" (like we need more of that when people have lost the ability to talk to each other face-to-face), has promised to be the mad mom as an 800-pound gorilla in pajamas raising heck whenever there is a problem instead of using reasoned discussion. Be prepared for shouting matches and mud-wrestling if she gets in. Julie Cowan, career parent/bureaucrat when her kids are involved, already has issues with the new superintendent. Thanks for being open-minded and giving the new hire a chance, Ms. Cowan. Let me guess? She wanted to cut a program your "gifted" kids were in (the kids always are). I want to see a candidate that promises to rein in spending and stop boondoggles like the several-million-dollar performing-arts center. What is wrong with using a high school gym? Not fancy enough? We cannot afford it! Get it! We cannot afford it anymore! When does this out-of-control spending end?

Dear Editor,
    Thanks for the prominent coverage of the Austin Bulldog's new site that launched April 1 [“Media Watch,” News, April 23]. The coverage couldn't come at a better time, as we need to raise $8,000 before June 1 to qualify for a matching grant from the Knight Foundation.
    While www.theaustinbulldog.org is new, our writers are seasoned veterans.
    The Bulldog is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit for which contributions are tax deductible.
    We're here to support the community with investigative reporting in the public interest, and we depend upon the community to support our work.
    Please check out the site, register for news alerts, and leave comments. If you like what we're doing, tell your friends.
    Thanks again for the report.

Dear Editor,
    Five hundred to 1,000 Texas children and 2,000 to 3,000 Texas adults die every year due to not having access to health care. These are Texans, not “them eelegals” as Sarah “The Quitter Twit” Palin suggests. Thanks to the nine semiwise folks in black robes in D.C., “them eelegals” get free health care at Texans’ expense. And if they do get turned away for some reason, they go back to Mexico for free health care. And what has our “Dr. Death” Perry done to solve the problem? First, in order for Bush to be able to make a $2 billion tax cut to show he was a “compassionate conservative” presidential candidate (which turned out to be a colossal lie – the only thing Bush was conservative with was his compassion for the laws and freedoms for all Americans), then-Lt. Gov. Perry engineered having 147,000 children thrown off the Children’s Health Improvement Program rolls and 30,000 pregnant women dropped from the prenatal health care rolls. Perry’s actions resulted in some kids dying and some babies being stillborn. And the 10-year record for Gov. “Dr. Death” Perry: 25,000 to 40,000 Texans, not “them eelegals,” have died due to no health care. Health care insurance premiums are up 91.6% in Texas, and Perry is enthusiastically encouraging Attorney General Abbott to spend spare tax dollars to oppose the new federal universal health care program. Local Texan taxpayers will be one of the beneficiaries of the new health care program, as a huge portion of the 6.1 million Texans uninsured will be able to get health care subsidized by the feds, thus saving the local taxpayers a fortune in not having to fund huge emergency room deficits at the local county hospital for the present free health care. “Dr. Death” Perry, the Texas Funeral Directors Association thanks you.

Dear Editor,
    Perhaps all cyclists should read the laws that cover operation of bicycles on Texas roads. As cyclists, we are required to follow the same rules as motorized vehicles, such as stopping at stop signs and stoplights. When I ride my recumbent trike, I incur the wrath of motorists who think that I ignore the traffic laws like some bicyclists tend to do on a daily basis. Please, let's all try to present a positive front so that we might be accepted as equals on the road someday.