news real, august 23, 2007
This is America, damnit!: After reading Aimee Levitt's piece, "Holocaust Revisited," I stepped outside to inspect any offensive sights, such as those described on Lewis Greenberg's property. Lucky for me, none of my neighbors are artists. Instead, I view a newly built shopping plaza that removed a number of houses through eminent domain. I should be happy, right? A grocery and hardware store, not to mention a Starbucks, can only raise my property value. Never mind that families lost homes they had been in for years, even generations. After all, this is America, the land where expression of the individual should only be tolerated if it is behind closed doors — the land where the financial gain of the majority is more important that the rights of one. This is America, where everyone can do what they want, as long as everyone else...likes it?
No, this is America, a land where we have the right to freedom and choice. This is America, the land where freedom creates responsibility to tolerate the views and expressions of all others, even if we don't like them. That is the America I learned about in school and dream of and love. Eminent domain subverts the will of the individual to the will of the majority. The people of Ballwin, in taking Lewis Greenberg to court, are attempting to do just that.
I can only hope that the people of the court will remember the America I loved as a child, and not the America that I come to know as I watch the effects of eminent domain raise the balance of our asset sheet. And if not, I can only hope that Ballwin, and the shopping plaza across the street, is not just another rock in an avalanche that brings death to our country's great idealism.
Stephanie Fitzpatrick, St. Louis
feature, august 16, 2007
Geezers, my arse!: With any luck, Chad Garrison, who wrote the "geezer's paradise" tag line for "Cracker Yak," will die before having to endure the burden of shame of living a long life.Robert Hinklin, Ferguson
feature, august 9, 2007
Finish the job: That poor Marine, Cloy Richards, was not allowed to "finish what he started" because of an overprotective single mom. If the boy had a father at home, perhaps he could have honored himself, his family and the United States Marine Corps. This young Marine was not the first to experience the horrors of war, and his actions were less than honorable. Pride, integrity and fortitude are what the U.S. military service stands for. That boy needs psychiatric help almost as much as his mother. We need to stand proud and stop being a nation of wimps.
Jeffrey L. Halbrook, St. Louis
feature, july 26, 2007
I was pleasantly surprised when I recently opened my mail and found that the RFT had sent me a nicely printed and compiled version of Tim Lane's "Story of Stagger Lee" that the RFT had printed a few months ago. I had entered the drawing for the hardbound versions that you were giving away as a promotion. I received a nice reply back that I was not selected for the hardbound edition, then I received this surprise. Once again, I have to complement you on this extraordinary promotional work by your publication. You do a tremendous service for the community and I hope you will continue to do so for a long time.
Bret Rich, Clayton
