Letters

Timothy Stansbury Jr.

Will the death of Timothy Stansbury Jr., an African American youth, be a catalyst for change or will his name be added to the list of stolen lives by New York City police? (PWW 1/31-2/6)

I believe “blue wall” of silence is really a wall of deception, a wall of repression, ignorance and racism, which hurts everyone.

Stansbury was just going from one apartment building to another. What child does not yearn to walk the streets without fear? Let’s work together to tear down the “wall.”

Gabe Falsetta.Glendale NY

Takes offense.

As someone born and raised in Texas, I take offense to Don Santina’s revisionist history of the Alamo (PWW 4/10-4/16). While many of the defenders had slaves, the battle was hardly exclusively about slavery as you suggest. Possibly you should read the recent article in the Smithsonian about the historical Alamo for some info.

Bill Pennington .Via e-mail

Author’s reply: Sorry, Bill, but if we compare the constitutions for which both sides fought, the one from the Republic of Texas comes up short. While the Texas constitution promulgates the rights of “free whites” only, the Mexican constitution allowed Indians to be full citizens. (There were no slaves in Mexico.) Consequently, Indians in New Mexico held political office and in California they often held high ranking posts in the military. This, of course, all ended when the Euro-Americans conquered those lands and installed whites-only officials.

Carter’s comments on Bush.

The mainstream American media seem to have overlooked this (big surprise), but on the first anniversary of the Iraq War, former President Jimmy Carter gave an interview to a British newspaper slamming Bush and Blair for their Iraq policies. The article asserts that it is “extremely rare” for a former U.S. president to criticize the current president, which seems like something PWW readers would like to know about.

The full article can be found at: http://news.independent.co.uk/

Deb Wilmer.Tucson AZ

Don’t elect Bush! .

Republicans better than Democrats on national defense? That myth exploded with the first plane that hit the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. Bush failed to defend America on Sept. 11, 2001, and 2,750 people lost their lives. For this reason mainly, George W. Bush does not deserve election in Nov. 2004.

I’m also calling for those people who do not like the scam Medicare prescription drug law that the Republicans passed last year to boycott the Eckerd, CVS, and Walgreen’s pharmacy chains. If you have internet access go to Google.com and do a search on the statement: Tell Congress we want a prescription drug benefit under Medicare Part B. and you will find a link for a petition to sign.

Dennis Baer.Bethpage NY

The Alamo review reprinted.

Hi, I am writing on behalf of the National Association of Latino Arts and Culture (NALAC) regarding the review you did for the film the Alamo. (PWW 4/10-16) We are in the middle of a citywide Fiesta celebration that commemorates the Alamo myth. We are working on our next issue of our publication El Aviso that is sent out to the national Latino non-profit arts and cultural field. We request your permission to reprint your film review of the Alamo.

Maria Lopez De Leon .San Antonio TX

Bush and 9/11.

In the summer of 2001, George Bush took a vacation. In fact, it was the longest vacation ever taken by an American president. We all know what happened in September. Couldn’t he have done more to prevent our nation’s greatest tragedy? And why, after it took place, did he do everything possible to block the 9/11 commission? What does he have to hide? Do we really want a president who hides from the truth? Who wages war based on lies? Who does everything possible to shirk responsibility with negative attacks and deception? I don’t think so.

Russell Josephs.Basking Ridge NJ

Mental health consumer issues.

A member directed us to Tony Pecinovsky’s story about Missouri mental health system and cutbacks. (PWW 3/4-10).

Thanks. I want to bring something to your attention. I know your article was brief but it mainly quoted people who worked in the mental health system.

But today we are working toward a nonviolent revolution of empowerment and self-determination that includes the voices of the mental health consumers and psychiatric survivors, too.

In the current underfunded and oppressive dominating system, you will find the viewpoints of those on the receiving end of forced psychiatric drugging, restraints, solitary confinement and more are sometime different than the mental health workers.

That said there is also a lot of common ground. Often, human rights abuse is an excuse for hiring fewer workers.

We work with a lot of mental health workers, mental health professionals, etc. who are on the side for deep change in the mental health system.

They know that “more money” alone isn’t enough. A top down paradigm that prevents input from those on the receiving end of the “care” is also a big part of the problem.

Now and again we’ll try to keep you in touch with stories from this perspective.

David Oaks.Eugene OR

(David Oaks is executive director of MindFreedom Support Coalition International, an independent non-profit uniting 100 sponsor groups to win human rights and alternatives in mental health.)