Audio By Carbonatix
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I believe the reason for widespread lack of interest in the forthcoming mayoral election is simple, but tragic ("Swept aside," Metro Times, Aug. 8-14). No one has a vision of the city's future, either as a player in the national economy and politics, or as a contributor to the nation's culture. Without a vision for the future, we are perpetually stuck in the past, or equally bad, the here-and-now.
Maybe this is understandable, given that we've just celebrated Detroit's tercentennial and some of its past glory. But we used to ask ourselves "What kind of world do we want our children to inherit.?" A hundred years from now, what uniquely Detroit contributions will our great-grandchildren be celebrating?
Nowhere is our lack of vision more apparent than in the two mayoral front runners. Gil Hill belongs to the past, Beverly Hills Cop and all. As for Kwame Kilpatrick, his campaign slogan says it all: "The Future is Now." Without a vision of the future of Detroit, we will stumble on into the 21st century as a city of decline, known best for its past, three casinos and two sports stadiums. —Wayne Isbell, Detroit
Freedom from religion
Julie Blevins' letter "Who is oppressed?" (Metro Times, Aug 22-28) missed a subtle point. State/church separationists do not object to public displays of the Ten Commandments. What we object to is display of the Ten Commandments on public property — at city hall and government offices, the courthouse, in public schools and so on. Since the first four Commandments (as enumerated by Protestants) are explicitly religious in nature — worship no other gods, make no graven images of the deity, do not use the deity's name in vain and observe a Sabbath — they have no place on publicly owned properties that must be used by all. Government has no business telling us how, or even whether, to worship.
Since creationism and "intelligent design" also call for belief in a supernatural deity, they too have no place in the public schools. —Lee Helms, 74020.3325@compuserve.com, Rochester Hills
Erratum
The CD review of the Rants’ Get Back Into It! (Metro Times, Aug. 22-28) should have stated that the band is performing Sept. 23 at detroit contemporary. Additionally, Graham Beal’s name was misspelled in the Aug. 15-21 Loose Lips column.
