TO THE MERCURY: The following is a response to Marjorie Skinner's review of Until the Light Takes Us ["One Foot in the Grave," Film, Feb 4]. I'm a college student and this is for an assignment with a word-count restriction, or else I would've written more.
DEAR MARJORIE SKINNER: Did you watch Until the Light Takes Us? Your review leads me to believe you regurgitated the jive talk of hipster haters. The flaws in your review refer to your lack of watching the film, and assimilating its purpose. What bothers me more is that you failed to recognize what makes the black metal musicians whom opposed the invasion of Christianity "special." Isn't it obvious? They actively opposed the global Christian take over, whereas most people blindly submit to the dogmatic programming. Re-watch the movie.
-Jaime Dunkle
Just had [Chicago's] Windy City Hot Dogs ["Deliciously Irresponsible," Last Supper, Feb 18]. I have to tell the people, [I was] born and raised in Chicago, and this is the real deal. I have been to a few places that claim to have "Chicago-style beef," but sorry it's not the same. The same thing goes for these places that claim to have "sliders" but they are not the same as White Castle... I say go to Windy City and get an Italian Beef sandwich and a Chicago dog. Then you will have a bite of Chicago... now all I need to do is find a decent pizza... forget about it....
-posted by schripple on portlandmercury.com
DEAR EDITOR—The problem with the excessive use of force by the Portland police stems from the abolition of the height requirement for officers in the early 1980s, effected as a means for allowing more women to qualify for the force ["High Noon," News, Feb 18]. When I first came to town, Portland had beat officers so big if they looked at you you'd shit your pants. Now we have a bunch of Napoleons and Napoleonitas who can't project authority other than by bean-bagging 12-year-old girls, beating street people to death, and shooting unarmed men in the back.
-Someone short and slight with no business being a police officer, AKA Brian A. Cobb
A point I'd like to throw out there is that I don't think so much that [Aaron] Campbell was killed specifically because he was black ["Decoding Saltzman's Oditorial," Blogtown, Feb 20]. It strikes me as more like the officers involved behaved stupidly, communicated poorly (a sniper with no radio contact?), and ultimately fucked up about as badly as a police officer can—and knew that they could get away with it because Campbell was black. So far, they're right. What are we gonna do? The grand juries always side with the armed people, and there is no effective police oversight in this town. The cops themselves have proven entirely unwilling to hear even the slightest criticism, but also factor in that [Police Commissioner Dan] Saltzman's attempt to discipline [Officer Christopher] Humphreys was too little, too late, and arguably for the wrong offense. So far, I'd say that Saltzman ought to step down, I'd like to see [Portland Police Association President Scott] Westerman removed from his post (not that you and I have anything to say about that), and [Police Chief] Rosie Sizer needs to rein in her rogue cops because she has lots of them. Then we can begin this conversation. Alright? Because as it currently stands, you can kill someone in this town as a city employee and publicly call it persecution when the worst thing that happens to you is paid leave.
-posted by rich bachelor on
THANKS, RICH BACHELOR, for sharing your perspective on the continuing use-of-force issues dogging Portland life. Check in on Blogtown (blogtown.portlandmercury.com) for our continuing coverage and analysis of the Aaron Campbell case. On a lighter note Rich, enjoy two tickets to the Laurelhurst Theater and lunch at No Fish! Go Fish! where one can dine in peace.
