Deeply disturbed: As I'm sure you would expect, I was very disturbed after reading the "Very Bad Thoughts" article (Susy Buchanan, February 6). First of all, it sickens me that people like this exist in our society, and second, we do nothing about it? This guy has admitted that he would eventually have sex with a young boy, and he wants help?
I have a suggestion: How about a .22 bullet to the head? It's not like the guy is "living" anyway, right? He even said that these thoughts plague him most of his day; what is the point? As much as I am against killing, why should we let people like this roam free, and, for that matter, why do we allow convicted child rapists and killers to live in jail? I say put them all to death; there really is no point to allowing them to live.
Name withheld by request
Very nice thought: If this man only could realize that he was still loved and lovable, maybe he could let the horror go.
Marie Hanna
Phoenix
Something to think about: How awful. Should preemptive conviction become law? Even preemptive execution? I would hate to be the judge of this one.
Marc V. Ridenour
Via e-mail
Organized thought crime: Derek is priming himself and is about to make his move on a victim. If he has disclosed his past, his struggle and his vulnerability, he is getting ready to do something. His disclosure is a license of sorts because he has notified everyone that he is vulnerable and that it is a matter of time. These are the words of a man with a plan.
I should know. I was abducted and sexually abused as a child twice and lived to tell the story. I have been cured of what sexual abuse has done to my mind and life. I don't consider myself a victim or a survivor; I am a conqueror of sexual abuse. I'm different from most victims, though; I know the mind of the pedophile and I can relate to how they think and how they target their victims.
I work with two organizations that are innovative and dynamic in treating victims and abusers, and Derek, I am sorry to say, has been treated by the wrong therapists. What they have to offer is garbage, and this is why he still has such serious issues.
I have been working with victims of sexual abuse for seven years with a high success rate, and the organizations I work with have the same record. The Phoenix organization is currently in organizational stages and is starting training of facilitators for survivors of many forms of abuse, rape, incest, physical, domestic, childhood sexual, and sexual addictions. The organization is The Door of Hope Ministries. We will be offering free support groups and affordable, possibly free counseling for all issues of abuse.
Derek can be helped to overcome the bondage of pedophilia and sexual addiction. He just hasn't been looking in the right places.
Name withheld by request
Rocket Man
Flight of fancy: If I may encapsulate Robert Nelson's musings regarding the Columbia space shuttle disaster ("Flame-out," February 6): He equates it with a downed small plane or an escalated domestic squabble; he neglects to intervene when his son returns to video game la-la-land at the first commercial break; and he battles his own ennui with a fantasy vignette of rural Texans exhorting one another to jam flaming space flotsam up their behinds before selling it on eBay.
Robert, if the prospect of being instantly immolated at 3000° F, or flash-frozen in the near vacuum of the upper atmosphere, or pulverized right through your seat belt (no help there, Dale) in a spin-out into the proverbial wall at Mach 20 with the consequent litter of deep-fried Naut Nuggets across 75 counties isn't enough to seize the imagination of zombie boy, isn't it just possible you forgot to pull his headphones down long enough to explain it to him properly?
And how can you blame the lad for his attention deficit and self-absorption when you proceed to share with the world your own colossal narcissistic disconnect, that if a space mission catastrophe doesn't grieve you for more than an hour, it's time to discontinue space missions?
Robert. Go ahead and give a care. Think of it as an exercise in parental discipline.
Stephen W. Baum
Phoenix
Psych Ward
Dark shadows: Paul Rubin's largely well-intentioned mental health articles, rich in controversy and intrigue, make a point, however, more dark and insidious than the mysteries they hope to unravel ("Dangerous Minds," January 30).
Indeed, working with all and anybody who has a history of violent behavior and complex issues interfering with their lives is somewhat risky to be around 24 hours a day.
Ask the considerable number of Arizona women whose husbands have "alcohol-related issues" coupled with job and family problems. Seventy-five percent of our incredible murder rate comes from this population!
Richard Beeman
Phoenix
Production Values
Critic panned: Regarding Robrt L. Pela's review of Scottsdale Community Players' Babes in Arms ("Playbill Bunny," February 6), we fully admit that while it is not one of our best productions, it has given us one of the highest sales percentages, 98.3 percent of capacity, we have ever had. The vast majority of our patrons have said that it was fun and they enjoyed it, and, after all, our patrons are who matter.
Even with Pela's horrid review (come to think of it, aren't most of his reviews horrid?), we have continued to sell out. And regarding his suggestion that Sheriff Joe send his prisoners to see the show (we have a non-discrimination policy at the theater), if Mr. Pela would like to buy tickets for the prisoners, we would be delighted to have them come to any of our productions after all, a ticket sale is a ticket sale!
And please, Mr. Pela, don't hurry back to Stagebrush!
Allan Fetherolf
Scottsdale
Play right: I just want to express my sincerest appreciation for your accurate critiques, including Babes in Arms. I have agreed with every single commentary (e.g., Simply Sammy, Butterflies Are Free, etc.) you've published so far, and I am delighted that there is finally a reasonable critic in the Valley with decent taste. I'm sure you are getting hammered by all these worthless actors who must be "so offended" at your bluntness, but who cares? Just blow it off and keep writing! You are awesome and I am grateful to read your material.
At last there is an honest judge of garbage vs. good stuff in our theater community.
Sue Sisley
Scottsdale
Bite Back
Sharp taste: All I have to say is I'm canceling my order for Testosterol. Bite Me has conjured a spunky, sharp vixen who is in your face, down your throat, and out your ass before you have time to realize that she just stuck you with a triple-digit bar bill and an antagonized bouncer.
Keep up the good work, New Times! Give Bite Me two more assignments per month and an all-window corner office!
Name withheld by request
You guys really were schlubs: Finally, New Times, at least the one in Phoenix, moves into the 21st century! I came over here from L.A. and used to read Bite Me and The Finger in your publication there every week. So when my company transferred me here, I was disappointed to learn that Phoenix New Times is such a boring publication by comparison.
So at last you have made a move toward getting cool. Keep it up, because you're supposed to be cool, but hardly ever are. There will come a time when nobody will fucking read you if you don't "do something."
Did the Bite Me babe move over from the Pacific Rim like me? Seems she has, because she was parked at Durant's for her first "gallivant." I always thought that that restaurant was for the graybeards, but since Bite Me loves it, I'm going to go. I've got to say again that it's about time you guys put something edgy in your paper, something that pushes boundaries in this uptight desert hellhole.
I'm sure the Bible crowd among us will be sorely offended by the language in Bite Me. I've already heard that from some locals I've shown it to. But once they really read it, they come away with a different opinion.
That "soiling the thong" line was priceless. And as a former cop in California, I can tell you that nothing turned on a date more than handling my, um, weapons. I'm talking about the little story that Bite Me told about her friend getting it on with her police officer dude.
Keep Bite Me coming, because she will become the most popular thing you have in your previously dull-as-shit paper. She speaks to the younger generation, and isn't afraid to write what she wants. My friends and I really respect that, and we respect New Times for having the balls to do something different for a change. Your "alternative" paper hasn't been much different from the Arizona Republic over the past year I've been here, except that your stories are longer.
Brian T. Reed
Phoenix
Taxing Situation
You go first: I am responding to Robert Nelson's column ("The T' Word," January 30). In it he recommends that "Arizonans need to be taxed more, and right away!" What planet is Mr. Nelson from? Not from Earth, I can tell you that.
We in Arizona can't afford to pay the taxes we are forced to pay right now, and he wants us to pay more? Maybe he can afford it, but most of the "average" Arizonans can't. He is right, we do need an infusion of money, just not from taxes. We must find another way to do this; taxing isn't the answer.
One of the ways I can think of is to aggressively market Arizona, not only to the rest of the country but to the world. That will bring about $3 billion a year into the budget, and taxes won't have to be raised.
Mr. Nelson, if you want higher taxes, you are free to give all of your own money to the state. But leave my money alone, I need it more than the state does at this point.
Charles Goodson
Via e-mail
