Readers Respond



Paul Goldman: Spare Us Your Sexist Fantasies!

 

When I checked my email this evening, I was confronted with an extremely bad odor. Since scent is rarely transmitted electronically, I was at a loss as to whence this smell could be coming... till I came upon this passage from Paul Goldman ("Marquis de Lafayette, Call Home," March 24, 2003) which reeked to high heaven:

 

Let me ask you: When was the last time anyone paid attention to a French lawyer, unless she was wearing something slinky without anything underneath? ...

 

Like I say, I prefer my French lawyers with long legs, short skirts and a French farmhouse about 35 miles from Arles.

 

Sorry, but am I supposed to find this funny? Am I supposed to identify with it? Is your publication intended for men only? Or are you at a loss for intellectuals who actually use their intellects, rather than their reproductive organs, to generate their columns?

 

Who cares what Paul Goldman fantasizes about when he has nothing better to do, which is apparently most of the time (since he can't even write a column without referencing his fantasies)? I certainly don't. And I certainly don't think any of your readers are fantasizing about Paul Goldman wearing a short skirt without anything underneath (doesn't have anything, perhaps?) -- I'm certainly not.

 

Valerie L'Herrou

wolflh@earthlink.net

 

In Defense of the Car Tax

 

Overlooked in the debate over repeal of the car tax is the reality that this tax, and other taxes on personal property, are essentially voluntary—the taxpayer chooses the amount of the tax. I have a more expensive car than many, and I pay more taxes. Likewise, I pay more in insurance premiums. My choice. 

 
Also, a car tax (or any personal property tax tied to licensing or titling) is one of the few ways the public coffers get any significant money from the underground economy.  Those engaged in illegal activity or in off-the-books income don't pay income taxes, but they can’t escape paying something when they title a car. The notorious spies of the last decade may not have paid income taxes on their payments from foreign governments, but they sure paid car taxes on the fancy cars bought with their ill-gotten gains.

 

That tax repeals tend to favor the wealthiest taxpayers isn’t news. Wealthy people pay a higher percentage of taxes and, when truces are declared in class wars, right or wrong, wealthy taxpayers get more relief.   

 

The car tax repeal was never about the average taxpayer.  It was always about getting votes in Northern Virginia.

Cynthia Bailey

Richmond

CVBRichVA@aol.com

 

Mega-Projects Don't Attract the Creative Class

 

In reference to Bob Skunda's column, "Florida-Style Development," February 24, 2003), I would like to point out that those development projects (canal walk, convention center, etc.) are exactly what Florida is saying communities shouldn't do. Petersburg lures our artists away to revitalize THEIR downtown while Richmond's country club set asks for $50 million in tax money to build them a downtown playground. Which community "gets it"?

 

Scott Burger

burp@mindspring.com

 

Smart Growth = Social Engineering

 

Regarding E M Risse ("Silver Lining," March 3, 2003) and his fascination with "smart growth":

 

I must begin by saying that I live in Chesterfield County where we are overrun with development. It would seem to be reasonable for a new development that would add substantially to the load on the school system and other elements of the infrastructure to contribute to the county's capital investment their homes necessitate. Why should those of us who choose not to build new houses subsidize those who do?

 

From this point on, though, we part company. "Smart growth" is controlled growth from an urban view point. It is controlled growth from the viewpoint that people are too stupid to handle something as valuable as land properly and therefore need to be guided by those who know better... like the social engineers and tree huggers who have not

invested one penny in the property, yet claim rights and authority to determine is highest use.

 

The point Risse seems to miss is that many people move out further from the city where services are difficult to deliver because they value some things more than big brotherly services. Not every one is an urbanized

addict. If you will look back to the attempts to bring GRTC bus service  to Chesterfield County you will see that many people moved out to the county because they did not care about getting a bus ride into town. In fact, about the only people from Chesterfield who were in favor of the bus service were businessmen looking for cheap help from the city.

 

As we move forward toward the November elections, I regard it as an honor to work for the re-election of many of the legislators who stood against the "smart growth coalition". That's what makes this country great, when debate is open, foolish and deceptive ideas are exposed for

what they are.

 

Larry Miller

Midlothian VA

richmondeagle@comcast.net

 

Pessimistic about the War in Iraq

 

I am surprised you ventured into such a hot current events topic as the war in Iraq.  (See "Why War, Why Now?" March 24, 2003.) I hope your optimism proves correct. Dealing with a people with such a different history from us, and with so many various religious beliefs, I cannot imagine W. and his guys will unravel this hotbed without getting a bloody nose. We had a phrase “shock and awe”. I suspect we will have a lot of those moments ourselves before this is over.

 

But I sure hope you are right.

 

We have the opportunity to be the most humane, caring and democratic minded people to walk on those sands. We also are Anglo Saxon Christians, and our bloody, self-righteous, self-serving history speaks for itself.

 

Can we, as you suggest, be the police for the world? Rome tried it.

 

I see no reason to debate a war. It's happening and we are there. Now, can we be civil in the wake of terror?

 

Thanks for the optimism.

 

James Hickman

Advanced Technology Coordinator

Community College Workforce Alliance

J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College

JHickman@jsr.vccs.edu

 

-- March 31, 2003

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Letter Writers

 

Valerie L'Herrou

 

Cynthia Bailey

 

Scott Burger

 

Larry Miller

 

James Hickman