Hard Ball

Poor sports: If the Royals think that hiring Tony Peña will attract more Hispanics to Kauffman Stadium, they will be disappointed (Greg Hall’s “A Royal Peña,” May 23). A bad product will appeal to few people, regardless of their ethnicity.

Did hiring Hal McCrae increase the African-American fanbase? Hardly. Truth is, the Royals have never made a real effort to reach out to either community. As far as being a role model for Hispanics, young people should look in other areas besides sports. They are much more likely to succeed in another profession than become superstars in the world of sports.

As for WHB 810’s decision not to interview Peña, who cares? Obviously they prefer the easy-to-understand interviews of perfect-English-speaking American athletes filled with “you knows” and tired clichés.

Max Cerda

Kansas City, Kansas

Forensics Science

Talk is cheap: Regarding Joe Miller’s “Highly Debatable” (May 30) about the Central High School debaters’ being denied the opportunity by the Missouri State High School Activities Association to participate in a national contest: I’ve had dealings with Dictator Oakes at the MSHSAA before. She’s a perfect example of the saying “Power corrupts.” She and her small-timers (board) act in no one’s best interests but their own. The students, in whose interests they are supposed to act, usually are on the short end of their decisions. They must think they are supposed to act like the NCAA! Shameful.

Other local schools travel all over the country. For example, Oak Park and Pembroke Hill competed last month in national math and science contests. One of the trips was to the University of Delaware for the National Science Contest. Yet these two kids at Central High can’t travel to Louisville? And Oakes’ attitude: Arrogant. Disgusting. And, obviously out-of-touch.

Where does the MSHSAA get its power? How can it be changed? The entire MSHSAA organization, not just this one incident, needs to be investigated.

J. David Holt

Parkville

American Gothic

Summer of Sam: Regarding Casey Logan’s “Oh My Goth!” (May 30): Republicans don’t squander the taxpayers’ money! Are you kidding me? Republicans want to do away with big government! Conservatives aren’t about getting into my business! I know Casey Logan must have missed the point! Sam Graves is only doing what’s best for America! I’m sure these “goth types” are a threat to national security! He even said they were intelligent!

Seriously, is the boogieman gonna get you, Mr. Graves? Are we gonna have to call the X-Files to investigate the “vampire” goth scene? Who’s next? The werewolf? Frankenstein? Bram Stoker and Mary Shelly made it up, Mr. Politician.

But who’s to separate fact from fiction? Right, Mr. Graves? You can separate fact from fiction, right? I know you think that there’s something wrong with people who believe in ghosts and hang out in cemeteries. But don’t you believe in ghosts? Oh, that holy one is different?

You’re probably one of those “politicians” who wants to ban Halloween, right? While we’re at, it let’s ban Count Chocula, Casper, Batman, Spiderman and any creepy opera from Carl Orff. Let’s ban pre-Renaissance European architecture, several novels from Faust to Lord Byron and anything that has to do with New Orleans.

Why do you need $273,000 to watch over a subculture? I could spend $45 at the most at some bimbo bar in Westport and see some frat guy cause 868 percent more harm than any “goth” kid.

Fernando Poo

Wichita

Criminal invent: I first heard about the grant on the local TV news, and what caught my attention most was the comment relating to the possibility of goth youths and criminal activity in Blue Springs. Isn’t that the real bottom line?

I’m not goth, and I’m certainly too old to be seen in public wearing a corset. I don’t feel threatened by goths’ hanging out in numbers anywhere. I can’t recall ever seeing a goth reenacting scenes from The Fast and the Furious or considering Gone in 60 Seconds as a how-to primer. Might I suggest Blue Springs investigate the “wigger” population in their community for criminal intentions/activity? Or could is be that it’s too close to home — as in their own kids? It’s always easiest to set your target sights on the most visible heads above the fence. Then again, I may be the only one who suspects the bottom line is to “identify the criminal element.”

P.S. I happen to be a certified secondary-level teacher, and the goths and “freaks” are easy targets in the school system because they dare to be different.

Donna Russell

Lee’s Summit

Good goth: I received the link to Casey Logan’s story from a DJ-list server and, in reading it, found myself applauding loudly. Thanks hugely for his perspective and his article. It is well-written, well-presented and educational. It presents goth in a more realistic frame.

I have been involved in the educational aspect of goth as well as several other subcultures to the vanilla or mundane set for a number of years, including radio, print and television exposure. The whole Blue Springs thing has had ripples as far as Toronto, where a goth festival is being organized to both entertain and educate (reJUVEnator.toronto-goth.com).

I will indeed be passing this link onward to many others. Thank you again.

Cliff Goodman

Kitchener, Ontario, Canada