LETTER TO THE 'TIMES'

DEAR EDITOR, 'SEATTLE TIMES': I'm afraid I have to join The Stranger's Josh Feit ["Under Orders," Oct 26] in challenging you to tell us why you would endorse Mike McGavick over Maria Cantwell when you have previously come out against virtually everything McGavick stands for, and have praised Cantwell for the leadership you now term "weak." The kudos you offer Mike for his "clean campaign" don't jibe with your previous criticism that "Mike McGavick's latest radio ad is a politician's version of highway robbery," and your claim that the estate tax is not "most of" the reason for your endorsement is just not supported by the text.

What are we to think?

Marti McKenna

FEIT IS RIGHT ON

EDITOR: Josh Feit's editorial "Seattle Times Ed Board Bows to Publisher's Greed" certainly was precisely documented and right on the money! The "Am I my brother's keeper?" attitude of the ultrarich with regard toward the estate tax—not to mention certain other forms of taxation, and other matters such as universal health care—illuminates their true egocentric nature. Meanwhile, I'm also concerned with the Times' editorial endorsement of Dave Reichert over Darcy Burner for Congress in the 8th District and Stephen Johnson over Susan Owens for the state supreme court. The hypocritical Times is trying to have its cake and eat it too—putting up a generally liberal frontthen, getting in these ultraconservative editorial plugs for the Bush administration's grass roots at the election season's 11th hour.

Tom Camfield

RIGHT THE FUCK ON!

JOSH: Just a quick note to let you know that I thought your point-by-point critique of the Seattle Times' endorsement of McGavick was outstanding.

We are subjected to so much hyperbole and spin during election season; it was great to read a story that used a series of facts to illustrate a thoughtful point. I hope that all voters—and the members of the Seattle Times' editorial board—have a chance to read your work.

Scott

Weighing Bodies

STRANGER: Dan Ruisi got it right ["Unrest in Pieces," Oct 26] in explaining the discomfort one is likely to have when viewing Bodies: The Exhibition.

This exhibit has toured the country because curators choose admission dollars rather than honestly addressing uncomfortable ethical questions. I called the Seattle Theatre Group and asked them why they'd choose the bodies tour that cannot provide evidence of consent, unlike the "rival" tour, which can. I also asked how I should explain to my Chinese-American daughter that this could very well be an exhibit of Chinese people executed, filleted, and exhibited for profit. Like Ruisi, I was given boilerplate nonanswers.

History will tell if we'll have evidence of this tour similar to the famous 1930 photograph of a shameless white crowd gathered at a lynching. And we'll know who in Seattle planned it.

Mitja Ng-Baumhackl

TEACHER IN THE DARK

STRANGER: I have to write you before I run myself in mental circles. You recently published an article about crappy cafeteria food, titled "Is Our Children Eating?" [Paul Constant, Oct 19]. As a journalism teacher and newspaper adviser, I've naturally been trying to figure out what kind of clever play on words or purposeful error this headline was.

Maybe it was just a straight-up grammatical mistake?

Please make my world right again...

Corinne Flowers

ADD COLOR TO
GENIUS CRITERIA

DEAR STRANGER: Thank you for your efforts to highlight and to encourage "noteworthy emerging artists" through creation of the Genius Awards. As Genius enters its fifth year, I encourage you to recognize the many talented people of color who are contributing to Seattle's vital arts scene. The absence of diversity makes the intent of your award a little less genius and a little more disingenuous.

Grace Wang

TAKE THE STICK OUT

EDITOR: Regarding "I'd Totally Do Your Mama by Barack Obama" [New Column, Oct 26]: What was the purpose of that?

It certainly couldn't have been to be funny. It was not amusing in the least. Not even as parody. Parody utilizes cleverness and wit to skewer the subject/topic. This "column" had none of that. Not even close. Not even in the same solar system.

No, I am not a BBW, nor am I African American, so you can't take comfort in the fact that I'm just a pissed off member of either or both of those demographics. I am, however, an intelligent person with sensitivity and sensibility. And my sense of humor is quite excellent, thank you, for humor that's actually funny.

This "new column" was nothing more than the sort of material you'd expect to hear from your local schoolyard bully who's trying to impress his little posse. It was an affront to women, to people of color, and to the intelligence of any human being.

Name Withheld