CHILL OUT, WHITE FOLKS

DEAR MERCURY—Invade, Occupy, and Educate! That seems to be the "mission" of the white cyclist community in gentrified Northeast Portland ["Bicycle Race," News, Nov 19]. Do you ever think about why it's so important that they join you? With it all white, it expresses what white looks like to other people—your rules, your influence over city officials, your organizations, your top-down, heavy-handed, always-in-charge approach to things. And 70 meetings at the Community Cycling Center to try and "figure it out"????? Look in the mirror, white folks, chill out or STFU!!!!

-Linda Kanzinger

YOU GOTTA HAVE FAITH

PORTLAND MERCURY—A very gay story ["More than Missionary," Feature, Dec 17]. So you have gay people who are (ex-) Mormons. Who cares? The Mormon Church will excommunicate anyone who is openly gay anyway, because it's a sin. Go join another religion... better yet, go form your own faith!

-teo

CHERRY PICKING

Well I've dealt with these types before ["More than Missionary," Feature, Dec 17]. The types who like to cherry pick all of the "nice" things out of the Bible. Because hey, nobody likes to think of themselves as a monster. Why don't the gays/transgenders featured in this article simply make peace with themselves and make their own appeal to god? And I've got news for ya—the Mormon Church is as inherently, thoroughly homophobic as the Catholic Church is prone to pedophilia. And to me, being gay and Mormon makes exactly as much sense as being black and a Klansman.

posted by DamosA on portlandmercury.com

LIFESTYLE CHURCH

I [grew up religious]. For me, being excommunicated from my faith took some very precious things from me ["More than Missionary," Feature, Dec 17]. I tried to avoid church for a long time, because I was hurt so much by Christians, but I have come to understand that growing up Christian is part of my cultural background. Like Jews who decide to be culturally Jewish, I want to be culturally Christian. I'm now looking for a church that will accommodate my lifestyle.

posted by Ade on portlandmercury.com

BRAINSTORM

It's pretty difficult to come up with a plan that costs next-to-nothing upfront, and makes enough money to pay for the high operating costs of "an obsolete building" [Memorial Coliseum, "Colossal Ideas," News, Dec 17].

My proposal, the Environmental History and Future Museum, works on several levels. Importantly, as an exciting experiential exhibit, it is unique in the market of museums, making it an interesting draw for tourists. This amazing real estate demands something unique or impressive. Any ultra-low-cost plan probably only creates a temporary use that ultimately will be replaced by a better use for the location. So we might as well begin discussing long-term usage now, even if we can't develop it right away during the recession. If we brainstorm about a permanent use, then something like the Environmental Museum makes sense. It makes money with ticket sales, like OMSI, and also makes money by retailing environmental products and services. It promotes Oregon products and services, increasing jobs and tax revenue. It promotes Oregon as an environmental technology center in the world. It entertains. But it costs money upfront. If it doesn't, it's probably not worth doing long term.

posted by Distant on portlandmercury.com

THANKS TO DISTANT for continuing the conversation about what to do with the Memorial Coliseum (especially since our panel nixed practically every idea currently on the table). Distant gets two tickets to the Laurelhurst Theater and lunch at No Fish! Go Fish!, where brain food will storm your table.