Letters From the Issue of Thursday, April 26, 2007

ARBORING TERROR?

Send the man packing: How can this guy still be in the United States after all of this? (“The Algiers Connection,” Ray Stern, April 12.) It’s unbelievable! If Sofiane Laimeche is not a terrorist, as he claims, he certainly seems to have connections to them.

The tone of the story was that Laimeche is unjustly hounded by U.S. authorities. My belief is that in this day and time, the government wouldn’t be doing its job if it didn’t hound the likes of Laimeche. The guy was best friends with a man suspected of training 9/11 pilots! How much of a connection does the government need?! If they have to get him on something else to get him out of the country, so be it.

I agree that because this guy has a family, he deserves some consideration, but he broke the laws and regulations of this country to stay here, so he should be deported. His wife and kids can join him in Algeria if they so desire. This may be harsh, but we live in a harsh world.
Mike Garner, Phoenix

Way of the rat : I have read your whitewash article on Sofiane Laimeche. He is an admitted “street rat,” thief, liar, and forger. He has illegally entered this country, stole a job, and defiled an American woman. How would he like it if an American Christian married one of his female relatives? Worse yet, he is indoctrinating his innocent children in his vile form of Islamist intolerance. He is a traitor to America with his opposition to our Mideast policy. Presumably, he hates Israel because of its ability to construct both a working democracy and a working sewage system.

A modest proposal: Deport him back to his Third World pesthole.
Jerome J. Hearty, Coolidge

Guilty by association: Come on! You can’t tell me that all those Arabs who had connections to the same flight schools in Phoenix didn’t know each other, or weren’t at least acquainted. It just doesn’t make sense that Sofiane Laimeche and Lotfi Raissi didn’t have any idea of the future 9/11 pilots’ existence. Whether they knew what these guys were up to is another question. That hasn’t been proved. But with Laimeche’s obvious knowledge of these guys, plus the laws he’s violated, I wonder how he’s been allowed to remain here for as long as he has.
Name withheld

Lies, lies, lies, yeah: Ray Stern sure knows how to play the victim card. Sofiane Laimeche is touted by New Times as a good man, a religious man, a man of principle. A man that would give you his the last $10 if he had it.

He lied to get out of his country. Cheated and forged documents to get to Europe. Stole food and clothing from honest people for four years for a living. Used forged documents to work in this country. Lied about a Social Security card, and cheated on his taxes. Lied to his wife about who he really was in the beginning. Faked a name. Lied to get back in this country (New Times said fibbed — how courteous). This man has no credibility at all.

So what if he lived with terrorists? Associated with terrorists? His name and address was found in an apartment vacated by terrorist? This is all just circumstantial.

He is really the victim here.

Just a man at the wrong place over and over again.
Name withheld

DOWN IN BIRD LAND

The big freeze: Satan must be wearing a parka right now and skating on some pond in hell, because I actually agree with The Bird about something! (“Jarrett and Goliath,” Stephen Lemons, April 19.) Don Imus should’ve told Al Sharpton to kiss his white ass! I can’t believe there’s all this brouhaha over just one stupid little comment, while Dave Chappelle and other black entertainers always get a free pass! Why doesn’t Al baby call for their jobs? Oh, yeah, because they are black and Imus is white. Racism is a two-way street, folks! Wake up and realize that Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are opportunistic black media whores, ready to attack any white people when the opportunity arises!
Jon Krieger, Phoenix

ART’S SAKE

Gone but not forgotten: Thank you very much for your kind review of the Arizona State University Art Museum show featuring my art collection (“Instant Immortality,” Steve Jansen, April 19). Strangely enough, it came out one day after the 14th anniversary of my companion Michael Johns’ death. For me, this show is an homage to many friends who are gone but will live forever through their art, and also a thank-you to those still alive, because of all the joy their art brings me.
Stephane Janssen, Scottsdale

NEW IDEA FOR NUNZILLA

Meet the Mormuns: Although I think NunZilla is somewhat amusing (“Bad Habits,” Niki D’Andrea, April 5), the Catholic parody thing is a bit played out. Now, a band based on the LDS cult, that would be hilarious.

They could do things like wear short-sleeve dress shirts, baptize the dead, and sing about the truth, truth, truth, truth, truth. The show could even include a wet, magic underwear contest during intermission. Let’s hear it for the MORMUNS!
David Jones, Scottsdale

MISGUIDED JUSTICE

Moms grievance: When I read your story (“Indian Takers,” Paul Rubin, March 22), it made me sick to my stomach to read that the Maricopa County Superior Court could have so much consideration for an addict mother who can barely survive on her own and yet she was given every chance to have her daughter with her. I’m a mother with no addictions, makes a decent living and living every day for her children, yet the court had no consideration with me and awarded full custody to the father.

What a joke this legal system is.
Theresa Villa, Phoenix

TWIRLERS’ SYMPATHY

Signs of harassment: I am a competitor of Jim Torgeson (“Sign Wars,” Megan Irwin, March 29) and I can identify with what he is saying regarding sign twirling. I have been harassed in towns in the West Valley, where the head code-enforcement officer comes out and inspects your sign holders and postings and asks for them to be moved to a certain distance from the sidewalk or curb, then a police officer comes along and tells me it’s all wrong, it needs to be another foot farther from where the man whose job and responsibility it is just instructed me to input signs.

The sign business can be very competitive, and Jim and I have not always agreed on tactics and ideals. However, we would like, at all times, to be law-abiding citizens in our business ventures. Morally and ethically, the competition can be very intense in our business. Jim and I have solicited each other’s customers, in most cases ignorant of the other party’s relationship with them. As long as we stay at an arm’s distance, do not sabotage the other’s advertising materials, and do not harass the competition’s clients, I see no problem in backing Jim on this matter. But given some of his recent activities, I would have to testify, if called into court, that his prowess is not quite as dignified as he might portray.

I wish him luck and success in his legal affairs.
Michael Reilly, Arizona Show Manager, Kilowaa Inc., Phoenix

“Hitler-like” control: As a man who has held a sign and earned money to pay for rent, I see nothing wrong with it. The First Amendment protects it. So does common sense. Does it really hurt anyone? No. It causes no harm and there is no evidence drivers are distracted. Is it ugly to promote commerce and provide jobs by having sign twirlers? No. The problem is with the Scottsdale City Council, which has no rhyme or reason for the “Hitler-like” control of the “appearance” of Scottsdale. I think they have infringed on Jim Torgeson’s rights, and he should win in court.
Mike Martin, Los Angeles