Letters

4) While I have only resided in Miami for one year, I have been a South Floridian for 25 years. "The northern pest hole" from which we came is Marathon, Florida, hardly Yankee territory.

5) Lastly, in regard to my "jewels": I do not have the need for a safety deposit box. The valuable jewels that were stolen happened to be a pair of diamond earrings, left to me by my deceased mother.

I am not determined to stay in Miami. I have found I do not adapt easily to the "big city." If I have had an excessive amount of crime perpetrated against me, it is probably because of mynaivete and inherent faith in mankind...or maybe it's just my karma.

I am fully aware of the social and economic inequities in our country. According to Mr. Cleary's "Holmesian deductions," my husband and I are insensitive or unaware of the abject conditions that lead some people to commit criminal acts. I realize that our government, in many ways, has disappointed and abandoned the citizens of our country who are most needy, and instead embraced greed and expediency.

I urge Mr. Cleary to reconsider his judgments against me and my husband. His assumptions and deductions are totally inaccurate. To a certain extent, I support my husband's opinions regarding criminals, as I truly doubt that needy single mothers and their children, or needy families, are committing these crimes. I do not believe that poverty necessarily leads a person to a life of crime. That, Mr. Cleary, is a racist opinion.

Patrice Geary
Miami

PENNIES FOR HIS THOUGHTS
Several weeks ago I was shocked to read an attack on a poor demented individual. I had hoped someone would have written about Ben Greenman's attack on this obviously sick soul ("Fax or Fiction?" November 27) but since no letters have been printed about Jack Thompson, I feel I must do it myself.

How calloused have you become to devote five pages to making fun of such an emotionally and mentally disabled (possibly even brain-damaged) creature? To mock a moral degenerate like Jack Thompson is easy -- to insult such an incompetent is both mean-spirited and repugnant to those of us who are concerned with the welfare of the mentally disabled.

Would you make fun of a cancer sufferer, or of an AIDS victim? Isn't mental retardation as much beyond the control of poor Mr. Thompson as being a quadriplegic would be? Do you really believe that emotional problems (deep psychosis? extreme paranoia? dementia praecox?) are fit subjects for humor?

To humiliate in print this sad moron, so obviously out of touch with reality, this childlike homunculus with the reasoning power of a three-year-old and all the moral grandeur of a Barbie doll (no, better make that a Ken doll) is beyond contempt.

I would rather have expected New Times to express pity for the Jack Thompsons of the world. They need immediate help, and -- if Mr. Thompson had no health insurance -- I propose the creation of a fund to provide him with immediate psychiatric treatment. If, as seems likely, institutionalization is necessary, I am willing to do my share.

Oh what the hell, I'll pay for it all. A mind like his is a terrible thing to waste. I am personally willing to cover the full cost of all treatment necessary to restore his mind to its full capacity, all $1.17 worth, if you'll let me know where to send the check.

Hersh L. Adlerstein
Miami

DOES THIS LETTER CONTAIN A SUBLIMINAL (WE WON!!!) MESSAGE?
In response to Richard Kent's letter regarding the South Florida Rock Awards and certain people in general (December 11), I would like to state that although I agree with some of his comments, I must disagree with others.

Our lead singer, Diane Ward, has no managerial ties to anyone. Not only was she nominated for Best Female Vocalist along with Tovar-managed and Richards-associated artists, but she also won the award. For the record, I would also like to say that John Tovar and Frank Callari of TCA management have gone out of their way to see that our product was given to people in the music industry. Last, Glenn Richards has, without solicitation, played our songs on his local show on WSHE many times. These people are wanted and needed in this business.

Louis K. Lowy
The Wait
Miami Lakes

A SHOW OF SUPPORT
Mr. Kent's letter appears to be as much of a scam as he claims the South Florida Rock Awards to be! I think that while the awards show was far from perfect, it does promote local talent. Why would he put down other scene supporters and other bands? This only proves his immaturity, narrow-mindedness, and lack of credibility.

Although I might not agree with everyone Glenn Richards or John Tovar supports, at least they are doing something positive for the scene without trying to polarize it. Finally, maybe if Mr. Kent listened to Glenn's show, he would hear some of the bands he mentioned in his letter. As for the awards for those bands, maybe if he had helped with the South Florida Rock Awards instead of boycotting it, some of those bands would have been nominated! On the other hand, some probably don't deserve a nomination.