Letters to the Editor

Soldiers gone wild
Editor,

Regarding “Do ask, do tell” by Nadra Enzi and the blog entry “Thoughts on the Ft. Stewart Five” by Jim Morekis:
Thank you for being a publication that will say the truth about what is going on referring to the article about the recent assault on the gentleman outside of Blaine’s.
This week alone I have had two friends assaulted by drunken Rangers who didn’t like the way they looked, and the local police once again shrugged it off.
One friend was outside of his front door having a cigarette. He was asked for a light, he reached in his pocket for one and was punched and then beaten up by several men. Why? Because they didn’t like the way he looked?
I guarantee you if my two friends were assaulted by someone who was black, it would be on the front page news and there would be a virtual manhunt. The City of Savannah only seems to acknowledge crimes committed by black people. I see this -- and as a white girl -- and I’m appalled.
Many men of our local military bases have struck fear in the hearts of “artsy,” “gay,” or anybody who isn’t a jacked-up guy who looks for fights. They are taking an honorable job that is supposed to be about “freedom” and coming home and violating civilians’ freedoms.
If these men do not approve of someone’s lifestyle, that is their right, but they are crossing the line and breaking the law when they choose to express those opinions with violence.
The local police need to acknowledge this and the military should be dishonorably discharging these men for bringing shame and embarrassment to the uniform.
It is a shame it takes a man nearly being beaten to death for his sexuality to bring attention to these crimes, but at least they are being acknowledged.
Alyson

Nuts to Nadra
Editor,
Don't you ever get tired of the skewed b****shit coming from Nadra Enzi's twisted mind? I know I do.
He does more to promote racism and hatred than anyone I know. Why don't you use your ink for something more important or interesting?
Hugh Broda


Symphonies doing just fine
Editor,
First I want to thank you for your outstanding work with this paper -- you are doing a great service for the Savannah area.
Regarding your recent interview with Andre Watts, I like most of the article -- especially the background of Andre's identification with Franz Liszt.
However, one of your questions reads, “Small-market symphonies, like Savannah’s, are folding all over the U.S. What does this mean for the future of classical music?”
Last fall I heard a talk by Henry Fogel, president of the American Symphony Orchestra League, and he said that of over 370 orchestras in the league, only nine had gone bankrupt in the last five years, and out of those nine, five are back in operation.
Yes, we in Savannah have seen the demise of the SSO, but the reality is that this is an isolated incident. It is true that other orchestras have had problems and a handful have gone under. And when this happens, you hear about it in the news.
But when was the last time you heard something in the news about the vast majority of orchestras in the country that are doing just fine?
Peter Berquist

Taking a ‘Free’ ride
Editor,
Back about ‘77 or so my best friend robert and I scraped up a few dollars and rode his 67 Beetle (it was loud and hot) to Jacksonville to see Paul Rodgers and Bad Company at the Jacksonville Coliseum (also loud and hot).
After a great show we hoped Paul might encore with one of our favorites, “All Right Now,” the classic song by his earlier band Free. Unfortunately Paul didn’t see it that way, but that’s how concerts go.
Last Sunday,almost 30 years later, I went back to Jacksonville to the new arena (loud, but not hot), this time in an SUV with my daughter (Robert’s god-child, by the way) to hear Paul Rodgers again in his new role as front man for Queen.
After another great show (Paul looks and sounds like he’s 30) he finally got the encore right, and everyone there roared their approval,along with us.
Sometimes, if you’re lucky, the circle
comes back around...
Mike Finocchiaro