The happy tidings of his good escape: Brett Sokol's article "Terror Alert, Miami Style" (June 2), regarding Luis Posada Carriles, made one huge omission of fact. Mr. Sokol informs us Mr. Posada Carriles "escaped from a Venezuelan prison," but he (conveniently) forgets to mention he was awaiting an appeal after his second acquittal on charges stemming from the 1976 bombing of a Cuban airliner.
Mr. Posada Carriles is no candidate for canonization, but how many times should he be tried for the same crime? He does in fact have much "splaining" to do in reference to the 1997 Havana bombings, and for that he should have his day in court. But not in Cuba or Venezuela, where kangaroo courts and summary judgments are the norm, while due process is scarce and human rights are nonexistent.
Emiliano Antunez
Miami
Fortune rubs against the bias: Sometimes it is not what you write in your articles but what you leave out that shows your bias. In Brett Sokol's story he writes about Luis Posada Carriles being "imprisoned in Venezuela for that crime, he escaped in 1985" in reference to the downing of Cubana's aircraft in the waters off Barbados.
He conveniently leaves out that Mr. Carriles was declared not guilty twice, by both civil and military courts in Venezuela, but nonetheless was never released and spent more than nine years in jail there. (Escaping is how one reacts to Venezuelan-style justice.) Keep up the bad work; it makes your intentions clear.
Carlos Mesegue
Miami
Hide not thy poison with such sugared words: I never read your ultraliberal little newspaper specially because your writers always like to take a shot at the Cuban community you hate so much, mostly because of our great influence on politics. You cannot forgive us for our help in turning this city of Miami from a small, sleepy town into the big, vibrant city it is now. But a friend of mine told me to read your poisonous article, "Terror Alert, Miami Style," and there it was: your annoyance at what you call "The White House's persistent wooing of South Florida's Cuban-exile community." How it hurts, doesn't it? Thank God back in 2000 we helped elect our friend President Bush to office and prevented the liberal Democrat Gore from taking over and helping Castro even more than Clinton did. (Remember Elian? That was our revenge.)
Try to channel some of your liberal energy into writing about the thousands of well-meaning Cubans who have served and continue to serve this great country in the military, law enforcement, and other professions. Put your hatred away.
Alfredo Garcia
Miami
This fell tempest shall not cease to rage: I read your article and learned some new details about this whole Posada affair. You tell us that "Posada ... is believed to be the mastermind of the 1976 midair bombing of a Cuban airliner that killed 73 people. Imprisoned in Venezuela for that crime, he escaped in 1985, rejoining the CIA in El Salvador in their contra war against Nicaragua's Sandinistas." Did you know that while in jail in Venezuela he went through two trials and was acquitted in both? Why did you not mention this fact in your article? Lack of knowledge or lack of good will? Of course he had to escape, since they were trying to have another trial against him.
Why did you not mention the theory that Fidel himself was the mastermind of the bombing of the aircraft, just for the sake of blaming his enemies? What are 73 innocent people to Fidel when he never hesitated in sending thousands of people to die in El Congo? Or that he never hesitated to send murderous Che Guevara to die in Bolivia, or, before that, to order the killing of Comandante Cienfuegos just for being anticommunist? Your article fits well for young people or out-of-towners who do not know a thing about Fidel and his followers, but not for the rest of us around here who know better about this 45-year-old oppressive problem.
Adolfo Costa
Miami
Editor's note: In "Terror Alert, Miami Style," ABC News correspondent Jeffrey Kofman was described as being "distressed by the behavior of CNN's Susan Candiotti," who, during a press conference, asked Posada: "Are you a monster?" Kofman says his distress was not directed at Candiotti but rather at attempts by Posada's supporters to portray him in a positive light and to manipulate the media. Additionally and once and for all, the name of a Florida-based reporter for the New York Times is Abby Goodnough. Finally, owing to a reporting error, New Times listed the wrong address for the La Salle Daycare Center in The Bitch ("Does NOT Love the Kids," June 2). The correct address is 2000 NW Second St.
How irksome is this music to my heart: Regarding The Bitch's article, "The Incredible Hinsul Lazo Interview" (June 9). I've been buying records from Hinsul Lazo since he started The Village Record Store back in the late Seventies. His reputation among the local DJs has always been positive. He is friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful and could teach a thing or two to his holier-than-thou counterparts on the Beach. I keep my sound fresh by checking his bins every few weeks, and he never disappoints. In Latin music, this is the only choice anywhere.
DJ Alex Gutierrez
Salsa 98.3 FM
Kendall
Pride went before, ambition follows: I read Kirk Nielsen's "Bombshell Blowback" (June 16) and wanted to add a comment. Is chick the Greek prefix for "shallow drivel"? As in "chick-flicks," and now we have "chick-lit" too? Please. Guys like shallow drivel too. Maybe we can give this genre the prefix cock. We can have "cock-flicks" like The Fast and the Furious and "cock-lit" like, well ... say, do guys read? Oh, now I get it. Sorry, Herald. Right on.
Emily Eisenhauer
Miami Beach
A woman, I dare say without vain glory: Bravo to your paper for exposing this crap in Kirk Nielsen's story, "Bombshell Blowback." I've never seen such hype for such garbage. The Herald should stick to selling posters of the Miami skyline (their latest marketing manure ... I mean maneuver). Keep up the great work.
Warren Kaplan
Coral Gables
What potions I have drunk of sirens' tears: Regarding Kirk Nielsen's feature, "Super Booze Me" (June 9), I can't stand the people who go to these events. As a bartender in South Beach, I have worked some events and the people are so full of shit. They go to these things with no money to tip ("I'll be right back -- my purse is over there ..."), and of course they have a listing of all the open-bar events in their head for every night of the week. Perhaps they can give New Times an update if you ever need the info. They spend no money as soon as the event is over, and they want your attention as if they are the only person there. I think it is so amusing that these losers front that they are of importance, wealth, and social status, because someone might happen to catch a picture of them in Ocean Drive. As far as I'm concerned, you can meet people with more class and knowledge sleeping in a park.
Anthony Wolfe
Miami
Is by a newer object quite forgotten: Sad to see you couldn't find something nice to say about Dustin Orlando and Objex Artspace, or someone to say something nice in The Bitch article, "Inanimate Objex" (June 2). Dustin obviously had problems, but in four years he did a lot of stuff, helped a lot of people, and a lot of people took a lot of pleasure from what he did, including me! Of course sadder still is that it ended like it did.
Robert Wyndam Bucknell III
Coral Gables
Turn insurrection into religion: "Zen and the Art of Press Management" (June 16, Tristram Korten) was a great article! You may now be on The Path. Please see this story all the way through.
David Edwards
New Hill, North Carolina
Why muse you, sir? 'Tis dinner time: First and foremost I thank Bill Citara for the article he wrote about us -- "Plainly Delicious" (June 2). I just wanted to let you know that hamachi is not yellowfin tuna as you wrote, but it is Pacific yellowtail, which is a different fish. Everything else was correct. We apologize if you did not find to your liking the yakisoba or the toro. We will do our best to improve them. Once again, thank you for writing about us.
Rika Enomoto
Miami
Turning again toward childish treble: I am writing this in reference to Mosi Reeves's article pertaining to the lack of electronic music being played in Miami these days ("Home Listening," June 2). Every Tuesday night in June in the upstairs room at Jazid on Washington Avenue, you can find good electronic music. It began this past Tuesday and was a hit. Feel free to pass by and check it out. I know the DJs and their taste in music are to be trusted.
Carrie Raele
Miami
