Pray Time

Church and straight: Upon reading Deb Hipp’s article “Love Worn Out” (June 13), I was disappointed. The article led me to believe that the church and the majority of its members have condemned all homosexuals to eternal torment, when that is not the case at all.

Jesus, upon whose teachings the church is founded, teaches unconditional love for all who sin. (Everybody is a sinner — no exceptions other than Jesus.) His teachings do not condone homosexuality, nor do they condone adultery, theft, murder, prostitution, drunkenness, tax evasion or many other behaviors which permeate society today.

The intent of the church is not to convert homosexuals nor lay guilt upon them for their lifestyle. It is to share the message of the gospel with them and allow each individual to examine their lifestyle decisions in light of God’s word. The bottom line is that it concerns me to know that there are many out there who perceive the church largely as a body of individuals who find favor with God (and one another) by condemning/persecuting others. Though there are individuals within the church family who behave as such, there too are nonchurchgoers who are equally bent on persecuting those who choose lifestyles other than their own. (Think about that one.)

Chris Spies

Belton

Face the Music

Out of tune: Many thanks to Andrew Miller for what I consider to be a very fair and well-researched piece regarding the demise of the KC Blues and Jazz Festival (“A Sad, Sad Song,” June 27).

After we get through the myriad of problems within and without — including various wanna-bes who are not at all impressive with their blather, both public and private — the main culprit in all of this is the city. The most telling paragraph, in my not totally unaware opinion, is on page 21, column one, graf four, wherein Greg Patterson discusses city funding and/or the lack thereof.

Miller has served us all well. Hopefully, something good will come of it all. I am not optimistic.

John Leisenring

President, KC Jazz Ambassadors

Kansas City, Missouri

Trouble clef: Thank you for publishing Andrew Miller’s article about the demise of the KC Jazz and Blues Festival. This story certainly features all the qualities that have made the Kansas City music scene what it is today: ego-driven spats between promoters who seem more interested in factionalizing and marginalizing the listening public than getting the job done, bunco artists ready to commit all kinds of fraud in the name of “carrying on the tradition” and a completely apathetic public who usually could not care less what is happening on the stage as long as they are able to buy a drink and talk louder than the band.

Kansas City has always been a great town for a musician to be from. Maybe someday it will once again be a great place for a musician to be.

Name Withheld Upon Request

Kansas shitty, here I come: Besides the shitty politics, the thing that really brought attendance down was the way the whole thing started off as a free festival. We all brought our Webers down there and coolers full of beer. Then, of course, they put a fence around the park and only let you bring in bottled water so you could pay out the ass for the show, beer, food, etc.

KC always, always, always finds a way to alienate its own. I mean, this town really sucks. You know why the crow flies upside down over KC? Because it’s not worth shitting on. Thanks for Andrew Miller’s concern, however. I know it’s not all bad.

Name Withheld Upon Request

Rhythm and snooze: Great article. I appreciate the information concerning this beloved festival.

There are several points I’d like to make: Why three days? Saturday and Sunday would have been perfect.

I don’t buy the weather excuse.

Local acts are great, but it’s the big-name acts that draw people.

The festival had the atmosphere of the Spirit Festival — dogs and kids running around, too much noise and excessive distractions. For jazz lovers, those distractions and others made it extremely difficult to listen and experience the music. For the blues lover, those factors help create the atmosphere, not dampen it.

I’m saddened on several levels by what Miller wrote. Once again, this damages Kansas City’s already fading reputation as a jazz mecca. This is another blow to some Kansas Citians’ desire for this city to be a major, world-class city.

Overall, I believe the blues fans showed up and supported their music. But I was always disappointed with the jazz fans’ support of the festival. Al Green, Ike Turner, whoever was on the blues stage — people supported them. The Bob James Trio, Ramsey Lewis, David Sanborn performing on the jazz stage — sparse attendance. Shameful. Maybe Kansas City is just simply a blues town now.

We need progressive leaders in government. I’d support some type of tax to fund this festival.

Tony Jones

Overland Park

Allman Joy

You don’t know Dickey: Regarding John Kreicberg’s Critic’s Choice about the Allman Brothers Band (June 20): Wow, what a horrible review. Who did you hire to write the article that thinks Derek Trucks is Butch Trucks’ son? It is obvious that the author took no time to do any research or contact any band members or true fans and just threw some half-truths together about some scandalous departure of Dickey Betts.

Come on, guys. Get with the program, or don’t publish rubbish.

Robert Mehlbaum

Oxford, Pennsylvania

Music Theory

Blink tank: I normally enjoy reading the Pitch, but a large circle of my friends and I think that Box Car Racer is just as good as Blink 182, and the project isn’t a waste of time or money (Hear and Now, June 27). “Tiny Voices” is featured on the Atticus: Dragging the Lake CD alongside a Blink song, and the two are totally different.

Guest vocals don’t mean you’re a band member. And if that’s wrong, make Mark Hoppus a member of Simple Plan, another good band on the Atticus CD, too.

Amanda Klinkenberg

Bonner Springs