Dear Editor:

Thank you for your coverage of “The Caravan of Hope.” MCC is grateful to our entire community for making this Hurricane Katrina relief effort a reality! The generosity of our community allowed us to fill a 27’ truck with much-needed supplies for the good people in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Mississippi. We also want to express our appreciation to the hundreds of volunteers who helped collect donations, sort them and then pack the truck. And, as always, there were many community partners in this act of compassion: a special thank-you goes to The Center, the Imperial Court de San Diego, and 10,000 RV; we couldn’t have done it without you!

The people of Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and Mississippi were in awe of our generosity and kindness (and also impressed with the quality of goods we provided), and they asked me to please convey their heartfelt love and appreciation to the caring people of San Diego.

Thank you, again, to all who helped make the Caravan of Hope possible!

Rev. Tony Freeman

Dear Editor:

I am an avid fan of the local gay press in any community I have lived in or visited. A vibrant and healthy pro-gay media is essential to building a vibrant and healthy gay community.

That is why I am dismayed to see the GLT publish hateful name-calling letters to the editor in its’ last edition. What possible benefit is there for publishing a personal attack letter calling someone a “punk pussy?” People may say intemperate things, but you don’t have to publish them.

If Erin Taylor knows from personal knowledge someone is a “troll,” then this sounds like his/her letter is settling a personal score. If not, then it is gratuitous vitriol. In any case, the GLT’s publishing such a letter only fosters animosities and unnecessary controversy. It does not build our community.

To address the point Bill Lullo originally made an Erin Taylor missed: Coco Lachine has no credibility addressing national issues. Nothing was stated in Coco’s column that hadn’t already been stated elsewhere, by someone with purpose, and certainly in a more timely manner. Coco’s rant was a personal vent by a social columnist...it had nothing new, little factual basis, poorly written, and not very interesting.

I don’t ask my interior decorator for tax advice, and with all respect, I don’t really care for Coco’s opinion on national issues. And it certainly isn’t why I read the GLT. Coco is entitled to a personal opinion and her humanity...it is just misplaced in a social column, and that was the point.

The GLT needn’t publish personal attacks on its’ readers. To do so promotes dissent and does nothing to promote our community.

Ken Bell

Dear Editor:

I read Nicole’s column in which he criticized Jess Durfee, Chairman of the San Diego County Democratic club for attacking District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis for attending the rally for Governor Schwartznegger.

Nicole is way off target and Durfee is correct. Dumanis was not attacked because she is a lesbian but who is a Republican who attends every Republican fund raiser in San Diego county, be it for George W. Bush or any local Republican candidate running for office. She was elected by the gay and lesbian community but she is not an independent but a true Republican. The Republican party is homophobic. The argument by the gay Log Cabin Republicans who say they are trying to work within the Republican party to change their views does not hold true. So why should we support Ms. Dumanis? I for one will not vote for her again nor contribute financially towards her campaign.

I belong to the North Central Democratic club of which Ms. Dumanis’s parents are members. When it comes time to endorse the office of district attorney, I will strongly recommend that she receive no endorsement.

Chuck Cotton

Dear Editor:

For the most part I will allow John Smith’s letter printed a couple weeks ago to sand on its own. Though he claimed he could, Smith verified nothing. It was so poorly written and incomprehensible, I couldn’t tell if in fact, he contradicted facts printed in the GLT and statements made by chairman of the Police Advisory Board and City Commissioner, Mr. Ramirez-Murray.

I would however, like to point out he failed to address what is to me, the main issue. The business has the same irresponsible management that allowed blatant drug use and dangerous sexual behavior back when it was called Mustang Spa. Trying to make sense of Mr. Smith’s analogy, the only “mirror in my reasoning,” is the one opposite George Bush shaking hands with Dick Chaney and Halliburton, knowing they could con the American people.

Kevin McCarthy

Dear Editor:

I agree with Mr. Bill Kelly, that San Diegans would be more honestly served by and respectfully request a series of media covered, independently sponsored, issues and solutions town hall meetings. Allow ordinary citizens to be randomly picked from each of the voting districts to ask the questions of the candidates, without advanced notice as to the questions and with the only limitation being that questions stick to issues and solutions. Let’s leave the often pointless dirty work for the media. With ease and speed, the media will bring all that into the picture for those who are addicted to the legal personal lives and records of other people.

Please, return the power of democracy back to the voters by giving them the power that is their right. Let the voters decide who is best qualified to have the honor and responsibility of leading San Diego out of its abyss without leaving them holding the bag and exposed. Media campaigns, personalities and style created and run by ad agencies and political war chests have molded and sold us the misleading images of the candidates far too often with bad results. It is time candidates once again stood up on their own two feet rise and fall from grace on the merits of their performance not the image or performance that is manufactured to sell themselves and retain their power.

Phillip Akin