LEO welcomes letters that are brief (250 words max) and thoughtful. Ad hominem attacks will be ignored, and we need your name and a daytime phone number. Send snail mail to EROSIA, 640 S. Fourth St., Louisville, Ky. 40202. Fax to 895-9779 or e-mail to [email protected] We may edit for length, grammar and clarity.
Corrections
Last week’s Sight Unsound incorrectly listed the hometown of Warm in the Wake. The band is originally from Alabama.
Also, last week’s cover story on Living Lands & Waters misidentified the university of some students who were working with the group during spring break. They attend SUNY Geneseo.
Spread the Wealth
Dear Kentucky Legislator,
As we have watched our local Metro Council pass a “comprehensive” smoking ban for Louisville, excluding Churchill Downs, it is now interesting, and we think totally unfair that Churchill Downs and/or other racetracks are being singled out as the only (exclusive) place where various casino gambling machines may be allowed in Kentucky.
As a major entertainment complex in downtown Louisville for the past 17 years, we feel the continued expansion of casino gambling in Indiana has hurt operations such as ours to a much greater extent than it has Churchill Downs. The competition for alternative discretionary entertainment dollars is fierce, a competition made even greater by an aging population.
If casino-type gambling is allowed in Kentucky, why limit it to just the racetracks? If the goal is to raise money for our state (education, health care, housing for the less fortunate or even for bigger purses at the tracks), or to help stem the tide of Kentucky dollars going elsewhere, stimulating economies other than our own, why not allow gambling elsewhere? Hotels? Entertainment complexes such as ours? Convention centers? Bars? Restaurants?
Why not spread the economic opportunities casino gambling may offer, and at the same time dramatically increase funds that will flow to our government?
We would obviously be happy to share our views on this subject in person or in any hearings or committee meetings where legislation on this question is discussed.
Don Blackburn, O’Malley’s Corner
Editor’s note: This letter was sent to all Kentucky legislators. Mr. Blackburn reports that to date, he has received no responses.
There You Go Again
Attn: Mr. Kaplan,
Let’s see, (in your Rumor & Innuendo column) you picked Notre Dame over Winthrop, Old Dominion over Butler, Oral Roberts over Washington State, Texas Tech over Boston College, Villanova over Kentucky. Your Sweet 16 include Maryland, Georgia Tech, Virginia Commonwealth, Virginia Tech, Texas, Michigan State and the Blue Jays? Along with these, from the top four seeds for each region: Florida, Kansas, Oregon, UCLA, Georgetown, Ohio State and Texas A&M. So you’re left with two picks that you went out on a limb on and got right: Vanderbilt and Tennessee. Interesting, two SEC teams. Are you saying that maybe the SEC was underrated? Oh, and that whole thing about Tubby staying at Kentucky. Wow, you nailed that one!
All I can say is, don’t quit your day job.
Just curious, but how much longer is the African-American community of Louisville going to tolerate a middle-aged white man portraying some kind of shady black man who appears on the surface to be somewhat of a negative stereotype in a “progressive” newspaper?
Seriously, the purpose of this column appears to be the platform for a bitter old man to take cheap shots at people who annoy him … with no accountability. Kind of like Dick Cheney without the VP title.
Beau Jameson
Walk for a Cause
Babies need our help. More than half a million babies are born too soon every year. Many die. More than 120,000 babies are born with serious birth defects that can mean a lifetime of disability.
That’s why I’m urging everyone in Louisville to join the walk that saves babies — March of Dimes WalkAmerica. The March of Dimes is leading the fight to save babies from premature birth — the No. 1 killer of newborns — and from other serious threats to infant health.
WalkAmerica supports the innovative research and programs needed to find out what causes prematurity and how to prevent it. By taking part in WalkAmerica, we can help save babies and give hope to families. Give all babies the gift of a healthy start.
You can help by joining me and millions of compassionate people across the country who support WalkAmerica every year. The Louisville event will take place on Saturday, April 7 at Bowman Field.
Walk for a baby you know who was born prematurely or with a birth defect. Walk for a baby who lost his struggle for life. Walk for a healthy child. With our support, there’s hope.
For more information, visit walkamerica.org or call 895-3734.
Greg Stevens
Animal Control Nuisance
Louisville’s Animal Control Ordinance amounts to far more than a “pissing contest” between two factions over insignificant differences of opinion. Read page 96 of the Animal Control Ordinance and report accurately to your readers about the content of that bill — it affects every dog, cat, horse, bird, rabbit, ferret, etc., kept as a pet in the city of Louisville and the surrounding Jefferson County.
The bill was written solely by those with Animal Rights’ (read that PeTA, HSUS & ASPCA) goals and will make it impossible to own a pet in the city of Louisville.
This is a measure passed seemingly on the merits of personality, ego and political affiliation and will do nothing to serve the citizens of Louisville, nor will it protect them from “dangerous animals.”
As one of those who stayed away from Louisville in droves this past weekend, I wish that the media in Louisville would look at the total picture on this issue and report it fairly and accurately. It is far more than a pissing match over dangerous dogs or “backyard breeders.”
Do your homework on the Humane Society of the United States and its current CEO, Wayne Pacelle. Learn about his stated goals for the future of animal ownership in the United States — his ambition extends beyond “backyard breeder” puppy mills — he wants to do away with any activity or use of animals. It’s a POLITICAL, not an animal welfare, agenda.
R.L. Smith