LETTERS

Okay well, you "outed" him (Gray Matters, April 7). But I'm still gonna be friends with the faux-Oscar.

Rock on Las Vegas Weekly,

Rock on!

Chopper is on the cover of Weekly and gets a show on A&E! Wow, great things do happen to good people with persistence. There is a God.

Readers continue to ponder the big questions while we write about burritos:

In response to You Make it Happen (Letters, April 7), you stated: "You do the crime, you do the time." Let's use your logic: Apparently O.J. Simpson, Robert Blake and Michael Jackson didn't do the crime. After all if they did, they would do the time. Or perhaps you are one of those weird people that think black people commit more crime. Again, it's numerically not possible since black people are only 12 percent of the population, that's one-eighth, but apparently you didn't pay attention in math class, as the editor pointed out.

You also stated black people do not get turned down for loans because they did not do well in school? Well, which school? How many African-Americans attend private schools like Andover or Baird? Again, apparently, you forgot many were not allowed to attend higher education colleges until the civil rights movement of the 1960s. How could it be your fault for not going to college if you weren't allowed to attend? Apparently you didn't pay attention in history class.

"You make it happen"? Well, why did you choose to screw up your credit? Why didn't you "choose" to make a million dollars and get yourself out of debt? After all "you chose to make it happen," duh!

I grew up in East Los Angeles; I did not choose to grow up poor. No one does, it's all random chance. If we chose who we were born to, we would all be born children of millionaires. Of course, it doesn't work that way. No, you don't "make it happen"; it's just the luck of the draw. Don't worry, Ms. Hilton, your secret is safe with me.

But we all know you don't like black people.

P.S.: In conflicts occurring in Sierra Leone, the Ivory Coast and Sudan, children are conscripted to fight in battle. That is a form of slavery and it has occurred during the last 400 years (the last six years, in fact). Those countries are in Africa, and yes, they are black people. Apparently you didn't pay attention in geography class.

Signed,

Dear Las Vegas Weekly,

I just wanted to tell you that I applaud your magazine not only for providing the best place to find the pulse of our desert town, but also for giving us a forum for issues to be raised and discussed ... [Regarding Don Hall's Letter March 30] ...

[He] listed "skinheads" as a genre of music in a list of types of music he labeled as "pro-violent" and "antiestablishment." I had to laugh when I realized that he didn't know that skinheads are people, not music.

But then I read a little further and just felt sad that he included techno music on his list alongside rap and punk music. Obviously not ever having heard any techno music in his life, he wouldn't know that techno music usually has no lyrics and therefore isn't really anti-anything. Techno music's bad rap has more to do with ravers just wanting to "share the love" chemically ... so, pro-violent it is not. It wasn't until I had almost finished reading Mr. Hall's entire letter that I came upon the statement that I believe encompasses the true spirit of absolute ridiculous stupidity: "I had to go to the extent of filing a police report against my neighbor because I was forced to listen to this shit, even over my own TV ... My car was vandalized as a result. Where was my right then?"

I know the Las Vegas Weekly feels that the rap/freedom-of-speech issue will never die, but I implore you to consider the wonderful controversy of this issue and the Weekly's role in keeping it from dying ...

The Weekly had a major hand in getting the issue out there to the people that needed to know about it.

The issue isn't just affecting Las Vegas—right now it's affecting our entire country, and it has been for a long time with a lot of different types of music ... Judas Priest ...

I'm not a fan of rap music, but just because I don't like it doesn't mean it's without merit. It's modern poetry and one of the few American-made art forms in the world. It's part of our culture because it's such a huge part of the culture of the youth in this country. As it is a part of our American culture, it is and should be protected under the First Amendment.

If Mr. Hall wonders where his "right" was, he should look no further than the Constitution that he said we should all "quit running to" for our "whining excuses." His rights were protected when he filed a police report against his neighbor, probably to avoid having to go ask them face-to-face to turn down their music. ...

He feels his car was vandalized because he filed a police report. It's more likely that his car was vandalized because he is an intolerant asshole ...

The reason there seems to be so much violence in music today is because artists and musicians are responding to and commenting on what is going on around them. Our government and the other powers that be are teaching our youth that fear and violence are acceptable ways to get other people to listen to what you have to say ...

As Americans, ALL of us have the right to speak our minds ...

Sincerely,

Thanks for finding us [on Myspace.com]. If you ever need a random crappy Las Vegas band to grace the cover of one of your future editions, do let us know.

Peace be unto you,

In a photo caption last week, the band identified as Minor Discomfert was, in fact, Welcome Back Company. We regret the error.