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What you said about what we said in our Politics Issue
In our March 28 Politics Issue, Washington City Paper declined to give a give a full endorsement to any of the flawed mayoral candidates, and it was all too much for reader truth hurts. “Pathetic that WCP can’t/won’t say which candidate it thinks is the best one among those who are running mayor,” he wrote. “Truly a new low.”
Other readers responded to our overview of D.C.’s various primary races by getting into a fight about breast cancer with shadow Sen. Michael D. Brown in the comments section. Brown took City Paper to task for describing the shadow senator position as an “imaginary” job. “It’s actually hard work and Paul Strauss has done a great job at it,” Brown wrote. “Just look past the end of your nose (I know that’s a stretch) and you will see his latest successful endeavor of getting support for statehood from Hollywood celebrities, a strategy that helped propel the 1960 civil rights movement into the mainstream of the national consciousness.”
Northwesterner wasn’t persuaded. “Do you really find that publicity is going to affect the D.C. Statehood initiative? I think that publicity is more of a sucker’s game, something that sounds good like ‘Raising awareness for breast cancer’ when research doctors at NIH are actually doing something concrete to fight disease.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Brown fired back. “First of all raising awareness about breast cancer has saved the lives of many women. It has raised billions of dollars that have fueled much of the research that is saving lives today. In the case of D.C. statehood it’s exactly what’s needed.”
Benito Bravo chimed in: “Michael D. Brown: you belie your own point. A real U.S. Senator would not be posting in the comments section of a news article. Bush-league.”
Carry the Decibel
Reader response to Perry Stein’s Young & Hungry column on anti-noise activists seeking to curb loud music emanating from clubs and bars in Dupont was swift and passionate, with most coming down on the side of the noisemakers. “If you object to open-air dance clubs, move to Fairfax,” wrote Move to the suburbs. Some saw something deeper in the neighbors’ quest to turn down the volume in Dupont, which hosts a number of gay establishments. “Why would the City Paper give any publicity to this bunch of homophobic creeps?” wrote Corkey. Added Mario: “They could be using all this time and their no-doubt considerable resources to help truly vulnerable people. Instead they choose to protect and enhance their housing values. What a waste of their, at least seemingly, selfish lives.”
But the anti-noise crew had defenders. “How are these people homophobic?” asked True That. “Is it because they want to get some sleep at night. Tolerance is a two-way street. There is a middle ground and it sounds like both sides are working to find it. Good luck to all involved.”
Patty Meltdown
Jessica Sidman’s pan of local burger bowl options drew criticism from gluten-sensitive folks. “These are great for people with gluten allergies too, not just the ‘carb-conscious,” kc commented. “My dad has celiac disease and loves Five Guys’ bunless burger. It’s not that he WANTS a salad—it’s just that, unless a restaurant has gluten-free buns, the bunless option is his only one.”