Fault Lines
Snow job: How lucky Greg Hall is to be above addiction (“Hooks, Lies and Sinkers,” August 22). Unfortunately, he’s also above compassion and dignity.
Educate yourself, Greg, about cocaine addiction. It could have been you. Darrell didn’t choose cocaine above his family. It chose him. He was a good man and a good neighbor. I only hope when your time is up, someone can write an equally repugnant article about you so your family’s pain can be magnified, as you have done to the Porters.
Darrell would want his death to be a lesson to others — you just felt the need to make it a slimy presentation. Darrell was a loving husband and father, a great neighbor and friend to all, a selfless educator of kids and, most of all, a strong Christian. We knew him well, and you, sir, could only dream to be as good of a person as he was.
Dave and Julia McDowell
Lee’s Summit
Blame game: I have read your editorials for a number of years and have never been moved to write until now. I just read Greg Hall’s vicious and hateful commentary about Darrell Porter. I am not exactly sure who/what Darrell Porter was or did. I gather that he was an athlete and at some time in the past was a nationally famous one.
Hall said, “Don’t celebrate Porter’s tragic life. Place a picture in your kid’s mind of Porter’s half-naked torso lying facedown in the dirt as flies hover around his corpse.” It is tragic that Mr. Porter died in his fifties. Is it OK to die in your fifties if you tread the pure and narrow road? What if you mess up? For example, you can eat too much, work in a mine or do biochemistry research. All of these activities have a pretty high chance of death.
I guess I am trying to say that the U.S. has an ugly tradition of blame. People who use drugs are certainly not any more evil than a person who chooses to get fat — and it isn’t always a choice, you sanctimonious son, it is just the way it is.
The actions of this deceased man are not negated by the manner of his death. He loved, or not, he spent time with his family, or not. Track that if you must, but don’t transfer his property so arrogantly. He is a better person if you look at his charities.
Teague Speckman
Lawrence
Road to Bruin
The ugly truth: I couldn’t agree more with C.J. Janovy in her recent Kansas City Strip (July 11). Those fiberglass bear statues that have replaced the cows are ugly! I don’t want to ruin any fund-raising for the good causes that will benefit from the “bear-hunting,” but I find it hard to believe anyone will find those bears as cute as the cows.
I hate to see C.J. slam Hallmark for these bear-ly attractive animals. Surely if Hallmark were responsible for the creation of the base bears, they would have been anatomically correct, at least!
Robin Urmanic
Kansas City, Kansas
In Crowd
Location, location, location: Regarding T.R. Witcher’s “Cruel Summer” (August 15): Teen-agers are apparently unwanted in the Westport area, where there is already a surplus of revelers. On the other hand, the 18th and Vine district is sorely in need of boisterous crowds and excitement. City leaders, merchants, and social activists could address both of these problems by providing young people with activities in an area where their presence and buying power should be welcome.
Street dances, entertainment, food and refreshments would all help to provide wholesome activities for those too young to drink. Once 18th and Vine becomes known as “the place to go,” tourism will follow.
Kenneth Lee
Raytown
Doctor’s in the Big House
Patients are a virtue: Regarding Deb Hipp’s “No Contest” (August 1): I was a patient of Dr. Louis Culp’s since 1969. I have visited several other doctors (in the army and as a civilian). This man was incredible; he was very down to earth and the best Doc!
He had the best bedside manners of any doctor I have ever seen. Yes, he told me jokes, but he did it just to make me laugh and feel at ease. I guess some people just didn’t know how to take him (with a grain of salt). I think these money-hungry bitches should be in jail for fraud, but that’s just my opinion. Or is it the opinion of the majority of his patients? I really think he was set up. This man would not hurt a fly — he would heal it!
Kent W. McNeil
Kansas City, Kansas
Hands off: I really enjoyed Deb Hipp’s “No Contest” (August 1) concerning Dr. Culp. I am a former patient of his, and I know that he is completely incapable of doing what he has so unjustly been accused of.
My entire family has been seeing the doctor all of our lives, and while he has told an off-color joke here and there, he is completely harmless! I hope that the right people will see fit to let him out of prison so that he doesn’t have to die in there!
LaLani L. Totten
West Paducah, Kentucky
Prison doctor: From the office supply delivery guy to Jim Holmberg (Letters, August 22) to the gutless wonders who wanted their names withheld, I wish to say just one more thing, in the hopes that we can end the discussion on this matter once and for all:
I never said Dr. Culp should spend the rest of his life in jail (Letters, August 8). I merely noted that the possibility exists, and that he wouldn’t be alone. Dr. Culp ignored the changing attitudes, the wake-up call that was the first allegation, his wife’s pleas to retire, his attorney’s advice and the counselor’s recommendations. Now, he sits in a wheelchair, blind and unable to practice medicine. It’s horrible for his wife and family to have to endure this kind of existence, but it’s the price they’re all paying for him to have ignored sensible advice.
He has done enough time as it is. I feel justice has been served now, for I believe he’s learned his lesson. That’s the whole point of correctional facilities. I’m not vindictive towards him, because I don’t have to be. But I can’t ignore his patients’ feelings of betrayed trust, either. I’m sorry if you don’t think this is an attempt to be fair.
Kim S. Schinkel
Kansas City, Missouri
House of Spirits
What would Desi do?: Regarding Charles Ferruzza’s “Cuba Libre” (August 1): Please advise your racist food critic to stick to matters which he understands.
Babalu Aye is not a “voodoo goddess of black magic.” Voodoo is the name given to the West African Yoruba religion, as practiced in that country. In Cuba, it goes by La Regla de Ocha or Lucumi. In the United States, it is frequently called Santeria because it syncretizes Catholicism with the Yoruba religion. Calling all Yoruba-originated religion voodoo is like calling all people who believe in Jesus Christian. It is typical of Americans, subjected to various propaganda, to lump all African religion together and call it black magic. For those who would like to learn more, they can visit Orishanet.com.
For your information, Babalu Aye is the male spirit who governs epidemics and heals infectious diseases. He was originally associated with smallpox, but today he is called upon to help with the AIDS epidemic. Frequently in Latin American households, he is represented by St. Lazarus.
Please advise Charles Ferruzza to research his subject before he goes flapping his gums.
Raymond Rivera-Collins
Shawnee
