Doctor's Order

Burn rubber: I also quit going to physicians at the College Park Family Care Center (Backwash, June 30). I find it personally offensive to be preached to in the privacy of my own doctor's office. I am there to have my physical needs taken care of. I have a church to take care of my moral needs.

The doctors in these offices should be ashamed of themselves. I certainly would not want my physician bringing his or her moral conscience into my health decisions.

K.M. Gerhardt
Overland Park

Pap smear: I was shocked to read "Satan's Condom." I have been a loyal patient of College Park Family Care Center and Dr. David Dobratz since 1996. Sarah Carlew should have put the pamphlet back or talked to the doctor about her concern.

The pamphlet in the Olathe office may have been religious in nature, but the message was dead on! There are many reasons why condoms can be ineffective, from misuse by the individual to breakage of the condom. Please see www.cdc.gov for more information on condoms and other medical facts, including STDs.

CPFCC is a Christian-based, family-oriented medical practice no different from St. Luke's medical facilities or Menorah Medical Center. They have never hidden that fact, nor have they preached religion or their beliefs to me.

Donna Raskin
Kansas City, Missouri

Square Roots
Declaration of Independence: Regarding Kendrick Blackwood's "Independence Square" (July 7): I have worked in Independence for 15-plus years and have made Independence my home for more than eight.

It is truly tragic that Independence had allowed its rich heritage to be overcome by apathy, a small-town mindset and suburban flight. When friends and family heard we were moving to Independence, a common response was "Why? It's so dirty, trashy and backward." Unfortunately, some of that is still true; however, the efforts and energy Ken McClain have invested in this town have made it less dirty, less trashy and less backward. You can actually eat, shop and stroll around on the square now. His rehabilitation of homes on Truman Road rid the city of absolute blight, which was less than a block away from the grandeur of the Truman home.

Obviously, Ken McClain has made some mistakes over the years, and as your article points out, he has made some enemies. Has he operated selflessly without any political benefits? Certainly not, but how many real estate developers or attorneys actually do? Independence has a long way to go, and its short-sighted, small-minded, apathetic politics tend to get in the way of that progress. Independence would do itself a huge favor by finding other forward-thinking leaders to embrace a vision that incorporates its historical heritage, pushes for beautification, protects its small-town charm and yet lives up to its status as the third-largest city in Missouri -- and unfortunately, luring the suburban retail market to the 291/40 Highway area won't get it done.

Randall Staton
Independence

Nice Rides
Full cycle: Bryan Noonan's article about the one-percenters was a really good story ("Live Free & Die," June 30). At the end, I was hanging on for more; it was like a movie that needs a part two.

I am a fan of motorcycles; there's nothing like riding around on a good night, enjoying yourself. I think it's bullshit that they get hassled by the man. The man needs to leave those guys alone and let them do what they do. They want to have a good time like everyone else. They should be able to go to a friend's -- no, a family member's -- funeral without the damn cops breathing down their neck. I bet the cops wouldn't want them hanging around a funeral they were at and waiting to fuck with them afterwards.

Also, you have to respect the fact that John Monk has got custody of his little girl, Madison. Not very many guys have custody of their kids. Any boy can say he is a dad, but it takes a man to be a father and raise a child. I believe that's what he is, a father and a man. I think he'll be a good leader for the bike club.

Jen Staggs
Kansas City, Missouri Percentage points: I just read Bryan Noonan's "Live Free and Die" (June 30). As a patch holder myself, I was very amused and entertained. It took balls to get somebody to talk. We one-percenters don't really like the press much.

Name Withheld by Request

Cross Fire
Battle scars:I was extremely disappointed in the Pitch for the fake news article that was written regarding the downtown arena. You have tried to explain that this story was so unusual that any smart and discerning person would not have believed it, but many of the stories that you cover have elements to them that are highly unusual.

In the issue just previous to that, there were allegations of a doctor eating human baby fetuses (Allie Johnson's "Mm, Mm Good," June 16). If I disregarded all Pitch stories with unusual elements, there wouldn't be much left to read. The sad truth is that now each and every time I read the Pitch, I will wonder if this is just an article written to dupe me or if it is a hard-to-believe but true piece of investigative journalism. I would ask that those involved in choosing to deliberately write and print a false story be fired and that the Pitch issue a sincere apology to its readers. So far, the apology-explanation I have read blames me for trusting you and for believing what I read and takes no responsibility for intentionally misleading the public on an important issue. How does the Pitch plan to rebuild its credibility from scratch?