Letters to the Editor

It’s very disturbing that a negative "Best of Detroit" selection about my business was likely placed by some irate editor who has a beef because he doesn’t think he’s getting enough money for his (free) CDs that nobody else wants ("Best place to get bent over the counter when selling CDs," Metro Times, Sept. 18-24). So much for journalistic integrity. Can you say hypocrite? Thanks for supporting independent businesses. —George Case, The Record Exchange, Ferndale

Smarter than you think

I appreciate but take issue with Keith A. Owens column "We have seen the enemy …" ("Free Your Mind," Metro Times, Sept. 25-Oct. 1) celebrating the recent legal victories of Rabih Haddad, the Ann Arbor man arrested and detained without charges under the current wave of persecution of Muslims.

Owens expresses hope that Bush, Ashcroft & co. will be "capable of realizing when they’ve made a serious mistake" and be willing to "readjust their positions to correct that mistake." Owens adds, "maybe I’m being overly optimistic."

You certainly are. Bush and his gang did not make a mistake. On their quest for absolute power and domination at home and abroad, they are precisely on track. Here they have used the age-old tactic of creating a class of "inferior" beings supposedly unworthy of basic human rights. Once that group gets marked for subjugation, the rest of us are not far behind.

Bush cannot be dismissed as a well-meaning bumpkin while he rapidly assumes the powers of a dictator. Unless we stop him, the wrongful imprisonment of Haddad will be only a taste of things to come. —Laurel Federbush, Ann Arbor

Like in the movies

How exquisite it must be for Jack Lessenberry to have the vehicle to heap such delicious vituperations upon political scalawags ("United States of Imperialism," Metro Times, Sept 25-Oct. 1). He is understating the crazed attitude of this administration.

In less then two weeks Shrub senior has exclaimed his personal hatred for Saddam Hussein and Shrub junior has likewise exclaimed how Saddam tried to whack the old man. They seem willing to risk global warfare in order to do a little personal payback.

This war will not be limited to Iraq. It will expand to Syria and Iran and who knows where else. It will be reminiscent of the scene in Dr. Strangelove when George C. Scott wanted to continue with the full-scale attack because "we had them by the short hairs."

The aftermath will be more fear about terrorism on our society. These potential acts of terrorism will require more losses of our civil liberties to "ensure our protection." So the takeover may include our own country. Why should we not believe this? It is happening now. —Ken Farhat, [email protected], Sterling Heights

Start at the top

Jack Lessenberry doesn't want America to cause a regime change. I do. We'll start in the White House, move on to Congress, the Supreme Court and the Cabinet. Maybe he hasn't thought of it in those terms. —Frank Bredell, [email protected], Lincoln Park

Keeping him sane

I finally want to tell you, Jack Lessenberry, what I've wanted to tell you for lo these many years. "Thank you." I've suffered a severe case of manic depression since I was led to feel sorry for Kennedy at an impressionable age. Ever since, I've made up my own mind to remain depressed at our tragic comedy. Now that I've finally been completely demoralized by our last presidential election (sic), I would probably let go of my tenuous grip on quasi-sanity if I didn't have your weekly column to prove to myself that there are indeed still a handful of us who haven't succumbed to the Ministry of Truth. You're doing a helluva job. —Jerry Zemens, [email protected], Almont

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