Letters

Holiday Leftovers

No glee with Lee: Geez! I thought Robb Walsh's feature was the first step of the Press's 12-step program to journalistic greatness ["Shooting Bambi's Mom," November 6]. But, alas, no.

If there is a real political turkey in town ["Turkeys of the Year," by Richard Connelly, November 27], it is Sheila Jackson Lee. At least Tom DeLay and John Whitmire fairly and effectively represent those who voted them into office.

Ms. Lee is such a buffoon that she is ignored in Washington and simply fails to provide her constituents with any meaningful representation in the federal government.

I am acquainted with Werner Voigt, a wonderfully eccentric lawyer and former Harris County district judge. I am certain that the Houston Press would wholeheartedly support Werner's criminal judicial philosophy.

As for his shooting of a violent criminal, the bottom line is that Judge Voigt acted lawfully in self-defense, in fear for his life, as he was being physically beaten. His attacker was well known to the police and had a long criminal record. Judge Voigt, who has a game leg and was 60 at the time, suffered a broken nose and multiple contusions.

Judge Voigt had not attempted to take the criminal into custody, he had only demanded the return of the stolen briefcase the criminal was carrying.

Jay Bute
El Lago

Anger Management

Change through Dean:Although Tim Fleck caught a lot of the gist of Governor Howard Dean's spirited address to Houston recently [The Insider, November 27], I disagree with Fleck's slant that Dean's whole message, as well as his following, is about anger.

Saint Augustine said, "Hope has two beautiful daughters: anger and courage. Anger at the way things are, and courage to change them." Dean is quite articulate about the things we have to be angry about, but he comes from a position of hope for positive change, and brings the courage to create that change.

Being disgusted with George W. Bush is not enough. The other Democratic candidates also see Bush as a failure, but only Dean brings a strong record in Vermont of the kind of change we need, and only Dean gives disaffected Democrats a reason to hope and the courage to fight passionately. This is why Dean will win the nomination and beat Bush.

Kimberly B. Stone
Dallas

Out on a Limb

No tree torchers: Your item on "Star Blazers" [Hair Balls, by Michael Serazio, November 20] -- the grand celestial opening of the Pet Columbarium at the Museum of the Weird -- omitted details that changed the whole story. I was there when the stuffed animals were symbolically "cremated and sent to the Gods," and I know for a fact that the tree didn't catch fire! The balloon became tangled in the tree, and the man dressed as Fire and the other using a stuffed dog as a loincloth climbed on top of the party bus (an old ambulance), climbed on shoulders and set the balloon free.

We weren't aware the police were already parked on a back street and the officer (whose name sounds like a brand of feminine hygiene product) had the "not so fresh feeling" of thinking we lit the fire in spite and then left.

Most of the partygoers had left by the time the fire department arrived, led by the officer who is now a front-runner for "The Biggest Douche in the Universe!" (South Park episode 615). All but one of the firefighters sat in the truck, while the head firefighter agreed it was a good concept but wasn't exactly the best idea. I'm still unsure if he was talking about setting fire to the balloons or using a stuffed dog as underwear!

The night ended with laughter and, I swear, in the distance someone yelled, "I'm not a douche!"

Name withheld by request
Houston