Nobody loves a good read more than we do

In the first part of her Shirley Q. Liquor essay [“The Truth Behind the Blackface,” issue 9.26], Vallerie Wagner says she would defend freedom of speech with her dying breath. But a few paragraphs later she proposes that West Hollywood ban performances that contain speech she deems “offensive” or “divisive.”

Now, Ms. Wagner may truly believe unity is more important than the First Amendment. But for her to simultaneously claim that she champions free speech is lip service at best (and cynical hypocrisy at worst).

More disturbing, though, is that Ms. Wagner thinks the best way of achieving unity is to outlaw speech from people who offend her. I might expect this strategy from a homophobic, red-state evangelist, but not from someone with truth and reason on her side. But, hey, why deal with controversy through dialogue and discourse when you can just use the law to shut your opponents up?

Robert Tisinai
via Internet

Regarding (“Letter to the Editor “issue 9.26), Mr. Wanamaker is missing a ‘vital organ’ detail in his read of "Out and About" (issue 9.25). The column reads "biggest outdoor organ in the world" being gifted to West Hollywood. Mr. Wanamaker’s family is responsible for the largest playing indoor organ in the world. The largest indoor organ is actually in Atlantic City’s Convention Hall—not playable but currently being revived. Biggest outdoor organ in West Hollywood, biggest indoor organ elsewhere bashfully concealed. Ah, poetic.

Weston Harris
West Hollywood

I was interested in the diligence you put through in your article on allowing Ed Buck to respond to recent accusations regarding his character [“WeHo City Council Candidate Ed Buck Responds to Critics,” issue 9.26]. I have known Ed personally, and can tell you, by witnessing or his own admission that all of the allegations (confirmed or not) are true. You did a very good job of not letting anything but facts you could verify be printed and responded to. I wish him well in the coming election, hold no grudge against him, but the voters of West Hollywood should know the character of the candidates, and your magazine and articles have been nothing but non-biased.   

Robert Butler
Long Beach

The article [“Putting it Together,” issue 9.26] has touched the lives of many people.

In fact, a friend in Washington D.C., is a nurse and his co-worker works with mostly HIV-infected black gay men; so he showed her the article online to highlight the degree of internalized homophobia that many of her patients endure.

She was so touched by the article that she started crying and printed it out in hopes of sharing it with other straight black people to show how homophobia can play a part in the attitudes and actions of black gay men potentially driving their HIV infection rates.

I want to especially give thanks to Karen [Ocamb] for her vivid and colorful description of the emotions that I experienced. The interview took me back to a place I had not been in a very long time. I think Karen’s narration is what is evoking a lot of emotion that scores of other men, women and children have felt.

Herndon Davis
via Internet