Bully Pulpit
Jerry rig: Regarding C.J. Janovy’s “Open Wide!” (February 10): Jerry Johnston certainly picks the parts of the Bible that support his prejudices and ignores the others. I hope he doesn’t discover the part where it says disobedient children should be killed or the part where it says the proper punishment for rape is to have the rapist pay the victim’s father 50 shekels and marry her. Possibly he’s like many fundamentalist ministers who don’t seem to believe in it at all but simply use it to play on the fear and ignorance of their flock, the better to separate them from their money.
I, too, am a follower of Jesus, and, like him, I believe in tolerance. As for the Bible, I find it to be a marvelous collection of ancient political propaganda, fairy tales and profound truths. The trick is in telling which is which. However, I do subscribe to the description of karma cited in Galatians, Chapter 6, Verse 7, which he quotes. If he believes it, too, I assume he is looking forward to a harvest of bigotry, hate and misinformation, for those are certainly the seeds he has sown.
David Hughes
Kansas City, Missouri
A thousand Words: With one photo (the cover photo illustration by Michael McClure) the Pitch summarized the takeover of our society by the fundamentalist Christian right. Great job on the article, too. And would you also send me a reminder e-mail when my real estate tax is due?
Andy Pickard
Raytown
Base Instincts
Lester’s luster: I recently read, with much interest, “Stealing Home” by Kendrick Blackwood (February 3). I believe that while the story was fair overall, Blackwood should have looked into the lives of the other individuals in the story instead of delving so deeply into the life of Larry Lester.
I have been involved in Negro Leagues research for going on 15 years and have known Larry Lester for 10 of these years, so I am speaking from experience. While former Negro Leagues players, in conversations with me, have referred to certain individuals mentioned in Mr. Blackwood’s story as crooks or things unfit for print here, they were not talking about Larry Lester. I have never heard anything but praise for Mr. Lester from former Negro Leagues players.
I have had dealings with most of the individuals in the story and feel my opinion of them can best be summed up by the facts that (1) Larry Lester is the only one I have fostered a friendship with, and (2) I will hold on to the items I want to donate to the museum until the administration changes.
Sammy Miller
Crestview Hills, Kentucky
Foul ball: I enjoyed reading Kendrick Blackwood’s story. In April or May of 2004, I met Ross “Satch” Davis, a former Negro Leagues player, online. Since that time, we have become friends. I wanted to do a poster on the Negro Leagues featuring Ross for our tiny school for Black History Month. I contacted the museum to try to find information on Ross, since they have very little on the Web site. Well, all I received from them was a team photo and an e-mail that said very little information on him. But from Larry Lester, I received lots of newspaper clippings, etc.
Wonder why the museum has so little on Ross? I think Larry is to be honored for his work.
Melinda Ramsey
Garwood, Texas
What’s That Smell?
Golden showers: I usually am not driven enough to write anything to any publication, but I had to make an exception in the case of Nathan Dinsdale’s interview “People’s Republic” (February 10).
Finally someone had the balls to acknowledge that Kansas City eats its young in regards to accomplishment in any area of creative expression. (“Bands aren’t appreciated as much locally until they are appreciated in other cities first … [and then] anytime a band gets noticed, there is an inevitable backlash,” said James Hoskins, lead singer for Elevator Division.) This concept has been like a fart in the room that everyone smelled but no one wanted to claim. The idea of support and encouragement for others within the local scene is generally something akin to a roomful of raggy cheerleaders squabbling over the last tampon.
I think that Dinsdale has achieved what most of the other writers at the Pitch should strive for: truth. His piece was articulate, coherent and mature without pretension or unnecessary and uninteresting information or personal narrative. He has inspired me to read something in the Pitch other than the advertisements, and he’s done it without using kitsch or sensationalist journalism. You need more like him.
Name Withheld on Request
Independence
