RE: Scientologists and their increasingly visible presence in Portland.
DEAR EDITOR—This has nothing to do with any Merc article, but I feel compelled to respond to the egregious billboard on Broadway with the S1m0ne woman hinting at the cosmic delights offered by Scientology, which preys on lost middle-class (and richer) kids with parents who will fork over money to them. For every Tom Cruise and John Travolta, there are 10,000 Scientology serfs working for nothing. Stay away from them.
Brian Allan Cobb
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RE: "While We Have the Sun" [Feature, July 17]—about the annual PDX Pop Now! music festival—sort of. This is Clay's second letter promoting Ron Ruedi and the Hurricanes, so maybe you'd better check them out?
DEAR MERCURY—I just wanted to say that according to some "writer" [at] the WW, the band Woolen Men from your beloved PDX Pop Now! is "working class." No they are not—far from it. I met the guitar player a long time ago, [and] he is from the West Hills. Their sound is that upper-middle-class sound of elitist college rock bands like Pavement or Modest Mouse. I can't stand their sound AT ALL!!!! There are no working-class bands in PDX unless you go past I-205 to the periphery to watch Ron Ruedi and the Hurricanes.
Clay Sachtablen
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RE: "A Complaint Close to Home" [News, July 17], regarding a use-of-force complaint brought up against Portland police by a city employee and her son.
He's 26 and his mommy is fighting his battles for him? Mommy is probably always making excuses and blaming the cops for her fucked-up parenting skills. I grew up on welfare with my father in prison (and mother in a wheelchair). By the time I was 22 I had finished the military, owned a home, was going to college, and had a job that paid $25K. Fuck this screw up, he grew up with Mom in good (government) jobs and still couldn't get it right.
posted by Jarhead
The pigs overreacted, but when you've been handcuffed and you step through your arms and put your hands in front of your body, you're lucky if you don't get shot.
posted by PS FLICKU
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RE: "Starbucks" [Portland as Fuck, July 17], in which columnist Ian Karmel features a "guest author" named Sabina who went to Karmel's high school.
No way this retard is in her/his/its 20s; she/he/it types as if she's/he's/it's still 13 mentally and emotionally. Ian is trolling.
posted by chicostix
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RE: "Street Walker" [I, Anonymous, July 17], in which the author recounts being harassed and intimidating by a group of men while walking alone at night.
I felt bad for this lady—I've witnessed this shit before downtown. Over... and over. Sometimes the hood rats are hollering at a guy because of his clothing, or at someone because they wouldn't give them spare change, etc. I'd suggest buying a can of mace.
posted by Ryan Thompson
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RE: "Supper in Siberia" [Last Supper, July 17], in which food critic Chris Onstad reviews the new restaurant Old Salt.
Chris, you eat this stuff six or seven days a week? (You must be El Lardass Supremo.) Anyway this is the finest restaurant anybody has created in the Pacific Northwest in decades. Why are you damning it with faint praise?
posted by I'mrightyourwrong
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RE: An old promotional Mercury T-shirt emblazoned with a portrait of a tiger.
DEAR PORTLAND MERCURY—I had one of your T-shirts made following the SF Zoo tiger incident, and through some circumstances it was torn to shreds. I really loved that shirt and if you happen to have any left I would jump through a few hoops to get my hands on it.
Ryan Poore
AH YES, Ryan, that one is a classic. We only have XL shirts available, so you might want to double up on the crullers, but it's yours along with the Mercury letter of the week prize and two tickets to the Laurelhurst Theater, where tigers must be leashed and curbed.
