Letters to the Editor

Michigan native Madonna broadcast her Detroit concert live on HBO ("Nobody’s perfect," Metro Times, Aug. 29-Sept. 4). I'm sure many Michiganders watched it. But I wonder how many of them noticed how she mocked the state of Michigan. Around mid-concert, she took a pause from singing and talked a bit to the crowd. She went into an annoying mock hick accent while her guitar player strummed stereotypical hillbilly music chords, then she announced her Michigan roots in a sarcastic vibe, using the accent the whole time. Then she played a lame, insulting song about a daddy to the tune of 'Banjo on my Knee.' Apparently the hipper-than-thou Madonna who dwells among the rich and famous New York/LA crowd feels that Michigan is akin to rural Mississippi. She insulted Michigan, and the hometown crowd who loves her. Unfortunately she was somewhat right to mock her audiences intelligence. They blindly cheered her on the whole time she was mocking them. I was embarrassed for the crowd, and, as a Detroit native, insulted by her Michigan-hick act. But then again, I wouldn’t pay $2 to see her, let alone what tickets cost for that show. Maybe she’s right to mock Michigan after all. —Kurt Kelly, Chicago

True blue

Contrary to what Melissa Giannini believes (she probably isn’t even a real Madonna fan), not everyone would rather see Madonna bounce "around the stage singing a poor version of 'Borderline.'" Some of us actually went to see Madonna sing live as opposed to all the prerecording and lip-syncing that's all too common at today's pop concerts. —Sharon Champa, sanjose172@aol.com, Lathrup Village

Not in public

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. —Lee Helms, 74020.3325@compuserve.com, Rochester Hills

Fool for the Ghoul

Thank you so much for your recent article ("What’s a Ghoul to do?," Metro Times, Aug 22-28). I have been a Ghoul fan for many years. I wish they would put him back on TV here. I go to see him whenever I can. He makes me smile, and that’s a tall order sometimes. I'm an RN in an intensive-care unit, where we deal with death on a weekly basis. I wear a Ghoul pin on my badge. Whenever things get difficult, I look down and I smile. —Michael Louis Murphy, biggmikem@hotmail.com, Brighton

Sharing with the kids

Carley Wellman's letters were very moving and poignant ("Letters from a ravaged land," Metro Times, Aug. 15-21). Not only was this piece a beautifully written wake-up call, but it gave me something more interesting to share with my 11- and 13-year-old children when I came home from work. The mall and back-to-school shopping can easily wait. —Kimberly Carmichael, Clarkston

Errata