We've Always Been Shallow
Re: "Missing Sugg," a letter by Ann Griffin (Dec. 13-19)
I am deeply, abysmally, bottomless pitly annoyed by Ms. Griffin's letter in which she said, "… since John Sugg left, the paper has decomposed into a compilation of featherweight features … and porn ads." For three years-plus of featherweight-level features writing, I danced and sparred to get as much fluff, silliness and weirdness into that fine newspaper you so self-righteously chastise. It is nothing new, and I resent the presumption.
As for the porn remark, get real; since the dawn of time, there have been ads in there that would do in a pinch when you're about to slap the little hog but you've mislaid your copy of Hustler.
Most of all, I take issue with Griffin's remark that John Sugg "wasn't pretty." He most certainly was. His shiny pate, Santy Claus beard and stoic stare were Boys of the Senior Center Calendar-worthy.
David Jasper
Former Weekly Planet Features Writer
Bend, Ore.
… … …
Boy do I agree with Ann Griffin. What on earth has happened to this paper? Wait a minute — smack! — of course, it's cash — in time, short-term profit, long-term toilet. Well, it was nice while it lasted; shall we call you the print media Enron of Tampa? Barf!
Bill Harris
Ruskin
New Olympic Bid
Re: "The Thrill of Defeat" by Francis X. Gilpin (Dec. 13-19)
Please. Let's not be so hasty in our thanks to the Olympic Committee for dousing Tampa's bid to host the 2012 games. Sure it seems like an awful lot of money right off the bat, but the benefits to the community and local participation would surely outweigh the cost in no time flat.
Shooting's an Olympic event. And we all know the local folk in these parts can do that with abandon. Change the targets to more closely resemble stop signs or have some farmer's cattle or llamas out there and we'll have our neighbors gracing Wheaties boxes for years to come. Heck, we might want to get some ex-wives or husbands paraded out there as moving targets. That ought to clinch it for us.
When an area hosts a Summer Olympics, they do get to include a new sport for the world to appreciate. How bout a "try to break the six feet rule" dancer molestation contest? Or perhaps we do a "see who can speak out in public and not upset the Uhurus" event. And, if there's time, we could wrap the festivities up with a grand "staggering drunk through Ybor, dodging traffic and hooligans, and hoping your car wasn't busted into parade" as a closing ceremony. Heck, we've already got cameras all set up to film it. And shoot, if he's done with The Steve LaBrake Habitat for Humanity project, old Mayor Greco could emcee the whole dang thing.
So let's all see if we can't get this Olympic bid thing going again. It would be a shame to deny the world the privilege of seeing what Tampa Bay really has to offer. We could even do up an exhibition football game for our visitors, although I think Qatar's women's garden croquet team could beat the heck out of the Bucs this season.
Al Watson
Via e-mail
If You Can't Say Something Nice …
Re: "Back Behind Bars" by Rochelle Renford (Dec. 6-12)
I recently finished your article on Mazen Al-Najjar and was left with some mixed feelings on the subject. I decided to pull the keyboard out and do a little investigating of my own. I read the first 20 of the 436 Web sites that come up. I will agree this secret evidence reminds me of ghost stories about the Salem witch-hunts. Then again, I feel that a person who is not a U.S. citizen should not have privilege to all of our rights, especially when the person is associated with known terrorist. These people come to our country, wave the American flag and stand behind the First Amendment while making plans to destroy everything that we stand for. Maybe it's time to make some serious changes. Terrorism is mass-organized ruthlessness. Freedom of speech should not include speech of hate towards anyone. Whether you're from overseas, white or black, this behavior has got to be vanished for us to continue to grow as a civilization! For anyone else like Mazen Al-Najjar, who is known to associate with people who intend harm on innocent lives with no remorse, I hope there will always be some kind of law to take them off the streets and keep them behind bars long enough to get them out of this country.
Chuck Foster
St. Petersburg
This article appears in Dec 27, 2001 – Jan 2, 2002.