Dissin' Cousins
Give this man a polygraph!: Congratulations to Miami New Times and Francisco Alvarado for having the courage to print the truth about my first cousin, Chris Korge ("Hillary's Money Man," January 24). I will be more than happy to take a lie detector test concerning the events that transpired with Chris in my book Sins of South Beach. Will he? Then we will all know the truth.
Alex Daoud
Via web commentary
Pinko Stinko
You give doves a bad name: Here's what kills me about Chuck Strouse's "Pink Palooza" (January 24): If the Codepink people were truly against the Iraq war and for easing the suffering of all the victims (whether troops or Iraqis), they wouldn't bother with targets like Luis Posada Carriles. There are numerous antiwar, pro-peace, humanitarian groups that are doing the right thing. Spotlight-seeking protesters often do more to hurt the causes they support, by driving away the fair-minded people who actually have pull with their congressmen. Instead they attract old men with more political buttons on their jean jackets than teeth in their head, young idealistic kids with more energy than education, malcontents who pray for anarchy but never prepare, and other fringe ruffians. Not the kind of people you want to associate with the antiwar movement.
I think I hear the Sixties calling: COINTELPRO wants its tactics back.
Ken W.
Via web commentary
Long live liberals!: "Pink Palooza" is very biased. You make those demented, militant Cuban refugees look like heroes while you put down a very good organization like Codepink. The reception Codepink received outside Versailles restaurant was much worse than that Cuban dissidents recently received in Havana on Human Rights Day. These exile militants claim they came here seeking freedom from Communism, but all they do is show intolerance to anyone who disagrees with them. Viva Medea Benjamin and Codepink! Someone has to tell the ignorant or misinformed that Luis Posada Carriles is a dangerous terrorist who belongs behind bars until he croaks!
Curt Bender
Via web commentary
The Real Heroes
A family moment: Janine Zeitlin's narrative in "Frogmen" (January 17) put me in a time and place that Andres Pruna, my father-in-law, experienced in his own skin. For the years I have been married to his daughter and shared stories about this subject over some good wine, as Andy likes it, the detail you offered gave me great insight into the moments he — voluntarily or involuntarily — has kept inside. To see Andy and his brothers-in-arms full of life and hope in that pre-invasion photograph — convinced they were going to return freedom to Cuba — and then to see them defeated is very hard to take. Likewise, those who have this Camelot vision of President John F. Kennedy should learn how he betrayed these young men and, with them, many generations of us.
When the history of Cuba is retold to those who learned only the version being taught under Fidel's regime, these men shall hold a place as high as true revolutionary heroes such as Antonio Maceo, José Martí, Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, and Calixto García.
Ibrahim Reyes Jr., Esq.
Coral Gables
Gutter Sucking
For the greater good: I thoroughly enjoyed Chuck Strouse's article "Happy 20th, You Gutter-Sucking Reporters" (January 17) and wish Miami New Times a happy and profitable anniversary year. I was the brand-new "young" city attorney of Coral Gables during the newsrack case and had the pleasure of meeting Jim Mullin during mediation. He was a gentleman! While I do not always agree with you and find that your paper can be divisive at times, I also applaud some of your best reporters, including Kirk Semple, a true advocate for equality and for legal services of greater Miami.
Elizabeth Hernandez
Miami Beach
Danger-ous Times
I was there: Congratulations on Francisco Alvarado's article "Danger in the Redland" (January 10). I am not surprised to read about Charles Danger's behavior; he is notorious for this type of action. His abuse of power through the years, along with his intimidation of people who don't do what he wants, has caused unjust disciplinary action against inspectors and employees. Check county personnel records.
I would like to clarify the incident in which you mentioned my name. My position was building code compliance officer, in charge of supervising the building departments of Miami-Dade County municipalities, including Charles's "kingdom." My duties were to go with inspectors — as well as Charlie Martinez, Latin Builders Association president at that time — to different projects. I also worked with plan examiners to ensure they were correctly applying the existing building code. This procedure was an insult to Charles, and he manifested this feeling every opportunity he got. Sergio Negreira and Victor Fuego stopped for five minutes to use the toilet and get a cup of coffee, not to have breakfast, as Charles Danger was doing with Charlie Martinez at that restaurant in Kendall. Charles also tried to influence my director to take disciplinary action against me, with no results.
Silvio Silveira
Via web commentary
