Letter from July 19-25, 2007

Proto Can Step Up

Time to skip the Slim Shady connection: I read the article ("Boy to Man," Esther Park, July 12). Fantastic. Protoman is real humble and sometimes doesn't feel like he deserves some of the attention he is starting to get, but this is something he deserved. I'm surprised he mentioned his mom, since these past years he has battled and battled, keeping himself away from the Slim Shady comparison for the dumbed-down mainstream audience.... His mom situation just makes it worse. I think the time is right, and his style is starting to flourish and solidifying his own persona separate from anyone. I think his mentioning his mom is proof to himself he can now be himself and not worry what people think. Anyway, props on the write-up.

Katie Van Splinter

Fort Lauderdale

Flash! Hip-hop lives! Proto is one of the best MCs to touch a mic in recent years. I am glad that the breed of true hip-hop artists has not died like the mainstream media wanted. I am never giving up the fight, and I know Protoman won't. Hip-hop has got some real warriors. Watch what we do next...

Keep doing your thing, homie. There ain't a lot of people who can touch you.

Name withheld by request

Via the Internet

Arab Teeth

And black women get divorces too: Once again, New Times' racist side is showing. First, the drawing of the Arab on the camel on the food review page ("Iran, So Far Away," John Linn, July 12) portrays the Arab in a negative stereotype. The guy is portrayed as an angry kebab type of person with half of his teeth missing. Most Arabs look nothing like this portrayal — and I say this as a Jew whose origins and stereotypes have been misrepresented, especially in the Arab world! This type of stereotypical portrayal does nothing to help understanding among different peoples.

Next, for Tailpipe to bring into his Deerfield Beach pier story ("On the Waterfront," July 12) that all the women who tossed their wedding rings into the ocean after becoming divorced were white adds nothing but a racist tinge to that story. Maybe people of color — whatever that color — simply choose not to visit that pier but rather get rid of their wedding rings elsewhere or in some other way. Tailpipe, do the due diligence before putting computer in gear.

Harvey Slavin

Hollywood

Rain or Sleet

The mailman never rings twice: Thanks for alerting us to the slow demise of our once-excellent postal service ("Hoods in Mailmen's Clothing," Tailpipe, July 5). I too notice an increasing number of delivery errors. Is outsourcing to blame? Our regular mailman is excellent, but in his absence, the deliveries deteriorate.

It is time for the U.S. Postal Service to return to full governmental control, properly subsidized by our tax dollars. These recent MBA-type administrative games with our postal service wreak havoc. Our hard-working postal employees deserve full civil-service protection at a good pay level.

Leo Shatin

Boca Raton

What God Condones

We're all sinners: Regarding "God Hates You," by Brandon Thorp (June 28): When it comes to the subject of spirituality versus sexuality, being civil is often confused with being saved. Under the guidelines of being civil, everyone is entitled to his or her sexual liberties, but under the guidelines of being saved, no one is entitled to his or her sexual liberties. What many people have yet to discover is that God does not condone or condemn homosexuality any more than he condones or condemns heterosexuals for being promiscuous under the guise of being single. The fact is, we were all born in sin and shaped in iniquity, and we ought to give God ample time to save us.

Lionel K. Lightbourne

Liberty City

Summers Props

Marrow donors, unite: It was a pleasure to meet Marya Summers during our bone-marrow registration event at Bar Maniac. We wanted to sincerely thank her for writing the article ("Getting Cheeky," July 12) about this event and about this cause. Not to mention this was one of the wittiest and funniest articles I have read in a long time. We always appreciate and are thrilled when others want to get involved and help us spread the word about this cause, so thank you.

And in case you get some inquiries about registering [as bone-marrow donors] from readers, you can always forward them to us at info@dkmsamericas.org.

Alina Suprunova, DKMS Americas

New York, New York

Rock-star Funcheon

How far will people go? Awesome story ("Kill My Wife. Please!" July 5)! I adore Deirdra Funcheon's writing style — read it from beginning to end. I can't believe how desperate people can be to want to knock off their own wives.

Joseph Abreu

West Palm Beach

Watch or Be Watched