Trading Holy Spaces
Father knows best: In response to Mr. Joshua Harden’s letter (“Cross Training,” December 23), I would like to make five clarifications: (1) I have never preached one word contrary to the teachings of the Catholic Church or the gospel. (2) I admit that at St. Francis we still respect free will and the individual conscience, the most ancient of Catholic teachings, by refusing to use fear of withholding the sacraments or loss of eternal salvation to coerce adherence to a popular agenda or any other belief. (3) Lesbians with multiracial children are always welcome at St. Francis Xavier, and so is everybody else. (4) Our parish, which has grown considerably in the past few years, is filled with women and men whose education, life experience, spiritual maturity and sensitivity to issues of faith and justice make St. Francis one of the most intelligently Catholic churches I’ve ever known. (5) Finally, Mr. Harden, you condemn the Kings for shopping for a church. Come now, Mr. Harden, what were you doing when you came to St. Francis for some weeks and then left because you did not like what you found?
Father Matthew Ruhl, S.J.
Pastor, St. Francis Xavier
Catholic Church
The Kings’ bishops: Sorry to hear the Kings left the church because of a few pinheaded bishops who pontificated on the evil of voting for a “sinning” Catholic (C.J. Janovy’s “Pro Choice,” December 9). Surely, it should take more than a minority of invective bishops to push one over the edge. The sex scandal was more grievous than this.
Those bishops were but a blip on my radar — it meant nothing. So don’t lay the blame for this mess at the church door. It was the (Catholic) fundamentalist sheep who bowed to the bishops’ bidding.
Willa Pierce
Kansas City, Missouri
Fetal Attraction
Embryo in the know: Jimmy, you are brilliant! It’s amazing what comes out of that little tiny brain of yours. Thanks for the laughs!
Jen Davis
Kansas City, Missouri
Key Club
Veal force-feeding: Thank you for your much-needed article describing the horrendous abuse of Section 8 tenants by both their landlords and HUD of Kansas City (Allie Johnson’s “ Meet the Landlord,” December 2).
It’s been said that no crime — especially serial crime — happens without an environment that encourages and sustains it. The enormous amount of bigotry against disadvantaged persons who dare to look to government for the meanest necessities (i.e., food, shelter and medical care) creates an atmosphere that makes landlords like the Veals believe they can get away with their crimes. It causes the taxpayer-salaried officials at HUD to believe they have a mandate to ignore and verbally abuse recipients of Section 8 housing. They should lose their jobs and find out what it’s like to find work in the present economy’s private sector. The rape victims in this article didn’t even think the police would act on their complaints, leaving them the choice of either being harassed and raped or homeless — a situation that guarantees abuse.
Landlords have found a gold mine in the Section 8 program that provides the free money to rehab and repair their properties, rent payments that are well above market value and other benefits. It is disgraceful that in a city as large as this, the FBI had to step in to finally put an end to the Veals’ ugly enterprise. There can’t be too many articles exposing the predators who hide behind the prevailing prejudice of the public to do harm to society’s most vulnerable members.
Name Withheld by Request
Front Men
Courtly manners: Regarding Melissa Levine’s “The Anton Newcombe Massacre” (Film, December 9): Are you friggin’ high?
Anton a megalomaniac? Clearly Levine’s never had the singular experience of sitting at a table across from Courtney Taylor, nodding vacantly while he calls himself a “fashion icon.” FYI: He was wearing a polka-dotted lady’s blouse that tied at the neck at the time. I can’t imagine a more egotistical jerkface. So Courtney’s got money — apparently that blinds everyone to his flaws.
If Anton had sold out and made scads of cash, Courtney would be the one that everyone is villainizing and flapping their gums about his downward spiral and wasted potential.
Now I have a unique perspective on this, because I don’t listen to either band. I know these people on a strictly personal level. And I can tell you that Anton is a sweetheart of a guy. Courtney wouldn’t be bothered to come down and DJ when the one you booked bails, and he sure as shit doesn’t deign to make eye contact or seem capable of talking about anything but himself.
So just shut your mouth about someone you don’t even know.
Name Withheld by Request
Night Court
Wing tips: Hey, Night Ranger: It’s always a pleasure to read what you have to say. I tend to read the Pitch just for your column, and I’m really impressed with your writing. You write about the things people actually give a shit about (drinking and socializing). All that other shit in the Pitch is crap. You know what I mean — somebody is always fucking somebody else over, and let’s expose it and Michael Moore the fuck out of it and skew the truth and to hell with facts. But not you, baby; you spell it out in terms I need to hear.
Will you be my wingman?
You are brilliant. I’m sure it could be great fun getting you to harass the tourists on the Plaza for me. I think it would be more fun to study your habits than getting you to play matchmaker for me. I would get tremendous joy out of this, I’m sure. As payment, all your drinks would be on me, and we’d stick to the Plaza. I think you would be especially effective in that environment. Sound fair enough to you?
You should let me know, cuz time’s a wastin’.
John Peace
Overland Park
