Mail

They killed film! You bastards!
I just sent you an e-mail a few days ago, praising your local movie reviewers, and this morning I opened up The Star to discover that you've fired all of them.

Loey Lockerby, Dan Lybarger, and Melina Neet have proved to be the best film critics in town on a consistent basis. All three of them seem to always put forth a big extra effort to not only watch the movie but to research it thoroughly and report on it objectively.

So you fire them.

I know, it's a corporate decision made by your slavemasters in Phoenix. I hope you forward this to them, not that it will make a bit of difference.

When the focus of an endeavor becomes solely to make a profit, as opposed to put out a good product or service, then everyone suffers. The Pitch was founded as an attempt to provide in-depth coverage of local happenings, mainly in the music scene. It evolved into an excellent alternative newspaper. Too excellent, I guess, since it was sold and has become one more corporate clone planted in our branch-office town for the sole purpose of sending the profits from here to somewhere else.

On a positive note, I see that C.J. Janovy is coming back. I consider her an excellent writer and editor and someone Kansas City can be proud of. It will be good to have her back in town -- yet I fear that in true Korporate-Amerika fashion, her job will be no more significant than that of a manager for a McDonald's franchise. The Pitch, McDonald's, Starbucks, Dillard's, Chili's, and soon Sprint -- what's the difference? All owned by outside corporations, all sucking profits out of Kansas City. Increase profits by cutting costs, crank out the crap, screw the once-lofty ideals.

Y'know ... it wouldn't have been so bad if you hadn't run a big article trashing Sun Newspapers only a couple of weeks or so ago (not that it didn't deserve it) for being an out-of-town corporation that laid off its employees after it sold out ("Total Eclipse of the Sun," April 20-26). Now you do the same damn thing.

You bastards. You hypocritical bastards!-- Bill Pryor

Overland Park, Kan.

The big picture
I cannot believe what I am reading. Military professionals personally attacking a high school student for voicing an opinion and then acting lawfully on it. I did not read the article concerning the subject ("Opponents of ROTC Up in Arms About Military Presence in Schools," April 13-19), but I have read every letter concerning the JROTC debate. Let me remind all those military professionals, and I use the word "professionals" loosely in this case, that they are fighting against the freedoms they fought to preserve. How dishonorable.

Let me explain that I am a veteran of two services, as well as a former ROTC cadet. I spent my whole career being the model military man. I am proud of that. My experiences created who I am today and made me into an outstanding employee, model citizen, and loving expectant father and fiancé. I owe everything I have to the military and ROTC.

I am also now a civilian, and I see things from another angle. I treasure my freedoms, and I see things that I didn't see in my military world. Therefore, I am living both sides of the spectrum.

I don't agree with what I understand to be the young man's attack on the JROTC program. Although I understand his concern, it is good to point out that it is a voluntary program and that proper procedures are used in weapons storage. There is no more threat from JROTC students than there are from chess club members. The lessons span a variety of subjects, such as leadership, problem-solving, and discipline. These subjects are useful not only in the military but also in life itself. ROTC is an invaluable tool for those who choose to use it.

As far as ROTC's being a recruiting tool, well, it is. Probably the best the military has. There is nothing wrong with this, and no one is forcing students to sign anything. They make their choice themselves. ROTC simply gives them more knowledge with which to make that choice. While commenting on this subject, I must address a letter directly. I don't know what school Brenda Funk is speaking of (Mail, May 25-31), but please let my teachers and counselors know, because they have never gotten a (free) trip anywhere. I have helped in the recruiting effort, and I have never heard of any of this. I assure you that if it is happening, it shouldn't be, and someone should discuss this problem with the Recruiter's Commanding Officer or First Sergeant.

Finally, I would like to say that I am concerned with the personal attacks from both sides of this issue. Have we forgotten what the military is all about? Are we going to degrade the blood, sweat, and tears of all who have fallen in battle to preserve freedom by viciously attacking one another for exercising those freedoms? I think not.