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 [email protected]. Thanks for your patience.

Dear Editor,
    May the Lord save our great state from the pestilential feculence spewing out of the likes of Ken Anderson, Mike Davis, and Rick Perry's John Bradley, and also from the now deafening, coprophagic silence of both the Republican leadership and the citizens of Texas. May the Lord comfort and support Michael Morton. May the Lord bring to justice the murderers of Todd Willingham: Lord, bring us to justice.

Dear Editor,
    Regarding the comments to my previous letter “Bikers Have To Be Respectful of Traffic Laws” [“Postmarks” online, Oct. 4]: My comments apply to all cyclists who are new to the area and less likely to respect the efforts made to build the community here.
    Pedicabs' advertising can obscure their company name. The city of Austin has a hotline for complaints.
    Please speak with drivers who never ride bikes. This will inform your decision on why it is so important to follow traffic laws.

Dear Editor,
    The Oct. 7 edition of your paper carried a story that spoke to redistricting as related to the actions of this past legislative session [“Get Out Your Colored Pencils,” News, Oct. 7]. The result of their gerrymandering is that two Democrats have to run against each other in the coming primaries.
    Now we learn from your article that there is sworn testimony that two Democratic state representatives conspired to add to the problems that were aimed at unseating Congressman Lloyd Doggett. One of them according to testimony was Doggett's apparent opponent in the March Democratic primary.
    We in Austin have been led to believe by state House Rep. Joaquin Castro, that the sole responsibility for drawing the map for the new Congressional District 35 belongs to the Republican majority on the committee for redistricting. What I recall in listening to Rep. Castro at two of his presentations was that he had no involvement in drawing the map for this new district. His message was that the redistricting happened despite his opposition. He felt that he had no choice but to announce for the office before someone else announced. It is disappointing that we in Austin, if this testimony is true, were misled by this young, promising official who had many kind words for Congressman Doggett in his talks.
    I did not fault Rep. Castro for not mentioning the important committees to which Congressman Doggett has been appointed. However, his misleading of Austin Democrats (should the testimony prove to be correct) indicates a lack of basic principles which we should always insist upon from those we chose as our leaders.
    The map gives a San Antonio candidate a distinct advantage, and voters in Austin should not ignore this fact. The map also strengthens the Republican scheme to oust Congressman Doggett because he speaks out against Gov. Rick Perry and Tom DeLay's blatant abuses of power. It also causes problems for Congressman Charlie Gonzalez, who many in Bexar County depend upon to look after their needs. The other part of the whole thing is that it helps keep those Republicans in office who have not shown an inclination to help the working-class American.

Dear Editor,
    Re: "City Hall Hustle" [News, Oct. 7]: Does columnist Dunbar spend his life with his head down the Wells? He seems not to pay attention to what he writes and quotes. Is he aware that it is his columns, rather than the people’s demonstrations he belittles, that are inchoate?
    If he had moved his rear end sufficiently to be present at any of the weeklong series of meetings, open to all, that preceded the Occupation, he might have understood just how broad based and consensus driven this democratic movement actually is. As usual, Wells limited his research to what was easily available on the Web. Where I come from, this is known as reportorial laziness in the extreme.
    This movement does not exist for the convenience of the small-minded or intellectually challenged. Many sites were discussed but City Hall provided the best combination of essential elements: great visibility, access to both financial and political hubs, adequate space, a known location for people to congregate, and an actual facility that supports assembly. There is no other location in Austin that is comparable. Glad to see that the selection Dumbar disparages is indeed “weird” like the Austin we celebrate.
    While City Hall may not be a primary object of our collective anger, there are those that see the reduction of social services and the efforts to ignore the citizenry as reflections of the same arrogance that has infected the corporatist governments from Wisconsin to D.C. and the elitism of corporatist business suites and their many willing servants in the mass media.
    These beautiful, dedicated, and insightful people need no direction from the likes of the inchoate, insensitive, egotistical Dumbar. We and we alone will democratically determine the direction, goals, and commitments this movement will evolve into. Unlike the traditional models, our democracy is consensus-based, and we shall take the time necessary to arrive at our goals. You are all invited!

Dear Editor,
    I have yet to read any articles about carbon capture and storage here or in the Statesman. I was wondering when you were going to start writing on how global warming is affecting Texas and how the state could get its cooler summers back with carbon capture and storage.

Dear Editor,
    Re: “Get Out Your Colored Pencils” [News, Oct. 7]: I have questioned Joaquin Castro on his motives for running and asked if he was going to move to Austin. His answer, he will have a residence here. Voting residence? Did not get an answer. He is young, ambitious, has a lot of support of big Republican donors in San Antonio. Sounds like a little conflict of interest, doesn't it? Now, we find from the testimony before the courts he was instrumental in drawing this district for his ambitions in spite of his current political speech time after time that he fought against it. We deserve better representation of our values than someone whose motives are questionable.
    Unfortunately, I do not live in Lloyd Doggett's district, but when I want an answer, that's who I call. Michael McCaul does not easily respond to me because I do not vote for him. We all have the same feeling that Austin should have a congressman. We are the capital of the state. Doggett fights for everyone, just as Jake Pickle did, no matter who you are or where you live in Travis County. Two people promised Pickle they would never run against him, and one kept his word – it was Doggett, and he has carried on the same tradition of helping as Pickle did.

Dear Editor,
    Congratulations to the 640 people who received tickets for Lee Leffingwell and company's absurd evening parking meter fines. You folks have the opportunity to form a new citizens group. Perhaps you could call it "Take Back Austin." Save those parking tickets or make copies of them. Come to the City Council meetings and show your outrage. Onward to a people's victory over arrogance and incompetence in next May's elections!