Letters to the Editor

PSYCHIC POLITICS

RE: “Frank Cassano’s Imbecile Parade” [New Column! May 3], in which occasional contributor Cassano dresses down citizens’ responses to the question: “Who’s your favorite Avenger?” Other occasional New Column! contributors name-dropped in this letter: Amateur Psychic Nick Bracken’s “Count on It!” and Lonnie Bainer: Baby Namer!

DEAR MERCURY—In this season of elections you should bring the “Count on It” fella BACK [for] your weekly column. The Baby Namer obviously reminds me of some upper-middle-class twat from West Linn. While Frank Cassano is great, he’s really more at home with the Blagojevich-ethnic political culture of Chicago. On the other hand, the Count on It guy is a cool character from East Portland and the humor was right on for the first time.

-Jaroslav K

A COLUMN OF ANOTHER KIND

RE: “Children of the Damned” [I, Anonymous, May 3], in which this week’s anonymous author addresses the parents of the child she fosters.

HELLO—I am writing regarding the last published I, Anonymous piece, titled “Children of the Damned.” I work for a local nonprofit that recruits, trains, and supports community volunteers called CASAs (Court Appointed Special Advocates), whose duty it is to advocate for children whose families have involvement with our child welfare system. Instead of merely bringing to light the fact that people with substance abuse issues struggle to provide safe homes for their children (duh), how about also presenting information about how Portlanders can become advocates for the kids whose families struggle to care for them? 

-Delaney DeMay 

CRASH TEST DUMMIES

RE: “See See Motorcycles” [Sold Out, May 3], a retail column about the new retail wing of See See Motorcycles, in which author Marjorie Skinner reminds readers that armored leather jackets should be worn while riding.

Only wear armored jackets to ride? What, no mention that [they] sell three-quarter helmets? Twenty-one percent of all helmet damage is to the front of the helmet, meaning those cool cafe brain buckets will do little to save you. Motorcycling is a habit with some built-in danger and we all have to make our own choices as to how to mitigate those dangers.

-posted by starkmojo

ENDORSE THIS

RE: “Spin the Ballot!” [Feature, May 3], our endorsements for the elections on Tuesday, May 15.

DEAR MERCURY—Thank you for endorsing Amanda Fritz for city council. She is the only prominent local candidate I’m voting for because she is the only one not taking money from large individual donors and special interests. If you don’t like the results of big money in politics then please no longer vote for candidates who accept it. Start locally.    

-Carlos Martin

I really expect better from you guys. You—unlike all the other papers in town—had the luxury of publishing your endorsement AFTER we all learned that Charlie Hales has been repeating a glaring falsehood about his involvement in saving the public schools a decade ago. This misstatement starts to look like a pattern of deception when coupled with his tax and residency issues over the past 10 years or so, voting in Oregon while avoiding Oregon income taxes by claiming tax residency in Washington State. I’m voting for Jefferson Smith because he is smart, well informed, substantive, thoughtful, progressive, AND honest.

-posted by Imelda

Great endorsements, Merc. The police union is neck-to-neck with the water bureau in the race for most corrupt organization in this city. Jefferson Smith had a chance to make a great statement here, and secure the race, by rejecting the bureau’s endorsement and making it clear that he will not play their games as mayor. Unfortunately, he’s shown his true colors by accepting their endorsement—he’s just another Xerox-copy Democrat in a city that needs someone more progressive and aggressive than the Oregon Democratic Party. Too bad [X-Ray Café and Voodoo Doughnut founder] Tres Shannon isn’t running again.

-posted by I love Portland

OH, WHAT THE HELL, let’s just all write in Tres Shannon, you guys! At least that would keep things more interesting than the run-up to this election has been. Amirite? I love Portland, you win two tickets to the Laurelhurst Theater, where they love Portland too.