Let's hope they do something like this while baseball's number one spokesman, Buck O'Neil, is around to enjoy it.
S.A. Lewis
Prairie Village
I was particularly saddened by the comment from Carlson regarding his goal of interchangeable teachers. This is wholly at odds with the essence of higher education. Students seeking an education take courses from faculty members whom they understand to be excellent teachers.
There is great oppression at the KCAI that no one should say anything bad about the school because it won't make things better, or one might be blacklisted and never work again. President Collins sent out a letter telling faculty they should speak well of the school and condemning that questions had been raised in the first place. Did she think that no one would care that faculty are in tears at meetings? Did she think no one would hear or care that the school was given three years to shape up or lose accreditation? Though the faculty refuse to stand up for themselves, did she think that no one outside the school would love the faculty, or at least the ideal of education, enough to stand up for them and for the students whose education is in the balance?
Weber Reeff
Kansas City, Missouri
Mr. Averill isn't the only one who has a personal connection to this neighborhood. I lived in the Roanoke and Volker District between 39th Street and Valentine Road since childhood and am aware of my surroundings. If biker bars were better known than eating establishments, just where were they? Enough is enough.
William S. Eastberg
Kansas City, Missouri
Blink-182 writes about what they have experienced. I can relate and dance to what they sing about teenagers, as I am one. Some of their music is just fun, too. Not every song has to mean something; sometimes songs can just be fun. What a concept, huh? They're out doing what they love, and despite Wilson's low opinion of them and their music, they kick ass at what they do. He should try not to put music into categories and analyze music so much -- he may find he likes more than he thought.
Blink-182 has their own signature and their own sound, and they also have devoted fans to keep them going strong. They don't need to persuade audiences they don't stink, but Wilson may need to persuade readers to believe that he knows something about music.
Sarah Johnson
Kansas City, Kansas
