Icetastic
What a great article on Jay Bouwmeester ("Iced," Thomas Francis, November 13). I haven't seen a piece of journalism that was this in-depth and outside-the-box in ages. You said the things that others are afraid to say, and kudos for that. I've never heard of New Times before, but this article just earned the site a bookmark from me.
Scott Scowden
Orlando
Why We're Confused
You wrote about your confusion as to why black voters voted for Barack Obama yet voted for Amendment 2 ("Fear of the Queer," Bob Norman, November 13). It is no mystery. Obama can, maybe, change many things regarding economic "rights" for blacks, but he cannot change God's law. And black Christians know that. You just need to read your Bible to see that. Try Romans, Chapter 1. The issue is between Christianity and paganism. God has remonstrated against paganism since the time of Abraham.
If you in the secular community cannot accept God's law because it is "too tough," then reconcile yourselves to this life being the only life you will enjoy.
Larry Cumbie
Plantation
The very clear reality is even worse than S.F. Mahee described it. The people who were newly registered as well as the majority of African-Americans who voted sit in churches eagerly embracing the teachings of Jeremiah Wright. That's what they have listened to for more than 20 years. These are the people who our future commander in chief will respond to because he believes as they do that gays are a defective aberration of no value who deserve no rights. Many even believe that gays should be destroyed. You registered and elected your worst enemies.
On November 4, I went to sleep as an American, proud to be gay and Jewish. On November 5, that process started in reverse. On inauguration day, I will be a gutter faggot and a stinking kike who can be beaten and murdered without investigation. That will be the nationwide policy of the Obama administration and his followers who admired and accepted Wright's teachings.
Mahee wants to leave the state; she should want to leave country. I intend to leave the country I was born in and end my citizenship, because at 56, I now know that equal rights in America are a farce and that faggots and kikes are not safe here.
Jeffrey Fichtelberg
Miami Beach
I think Amendment 2 passed because voters generally were uninformed about the issues, the amendment's language was confusing, and it had a good title.
I don't think that African-Americans in general give gay life a lot of thought. We have more pressing issues. I consider myself to be a pretty informed voter. I try to be informed on the issues and the candidates; however, for this election, the first I heard about or read amendments on the ballot was in the polling place. No one discussed them at my work, on the golf course, at my church. I received no phone calls from the gay alliances urging me to vote no on 2.
Although I agree black voters are generally socially conservative, that had no impact on my vote on Amendment 2. When I read Amendment 2, I voted no, concluding a constitutional amendment wasn't necessary to protect marriage between a man and a woman. I concluded the amendment, then, must be about gays, and I really don't care if gays get married. The language of this amendment was confusing. It didn't say that passage of Amendment 2 would result in gays being discriminated against. Several voters told me that they voted yes because they wanted to vote to allow gays to marry.
Finally, there is the title. I think that most people would vote to "protect" marriage.
I believe passage of Amendment 2 was more about uninformed voters, confusing language, and the failure of the gay community to get its message out. I don't believe African-Americans generally hold antigay sentiments.
Willie M. Swoope
West Palm Beach
Miller Thriller
I was never a Dennis Miller fan ("Whine and Vinegar," Tailpipe, November 13). Never really "got" his dry comedy. But a friend dragged me to his show last year, and I loved it.
Ted
Fort Lauderdale
Lenny Bruce = genius; Dennis Miller = smug hack.
Lenny Bruce = revered after death; Dennis Miller = dead after death.
Lenny Bruce = communicative; Dennis Miller = noncommunicative obscure references.
Lenny Bruce = thoughtful and loving; Dennis Miller = ranting and hateful.
Angry, spiteful, desperate to appear smart despite his ignorance. That's Dennis Miller, ladies and gentlemen.
Ron Gallop
Charlottesville, Virginia
