Murillo signs off

Writing for Pointblank was fun. Writing for Cityview was not. Pointblank was a group of renegade writers and hacks that genuinely took no prisoners and could not have cared less what people thought. It was in your face, bold and brazen. Don't like what's in our pages? Screw you. Pointblank was just what the doctor ordered for a sleepy town used to the likes of the Des Moines Register and an extremely tired Cityview. It was the right alternative newspaper at the right time.

When Cityview was purchased and revamped, the new owners went to great lengths expounding on what a "cutting-edge" publication it was about to become. Connie Wimer was gone and big changes were in the works. I'm still waiting to be dazzled and taken by all the changes promised by the new Cityview staff. Hit me Jon, slap me Shane. Show me who's boss. Because what I've seen in the "new and improved" Cityview is basically more of the same bullshit that fueled Jon Gaskell's passion for creating Pointblank. And that, folks, is why I quit writing for Cityview. Cityview has no heart or soul. It's a giant shopper filled with filler. There's very little to get excited about in the new "Gartner Gazette."

I knew my departure was near when some fat-ass right wing crusader by the name of Steve Deace all the sudden showed up in Cityview. Since I don't listen to AM talk radio I'd never heard of the guy but I've read some of his rant and he sucks. And speaking of guys that suck, how about that Jon Gaskell? I hope Michael Gartner gives you plenty of warning, Gaskell, before he turns abruptly left or right because if he doesn't, he'll break your neck given how far up his ass your head is shoved. Maybe Santa will bring you a set of nuts for Christmas, Jon, because you've lost the originals.

Sgt. Dave Murillo
Norwalk

(Editor's note: Had Murillo's columns been as strong as this letter, he'd still be writing for us.)

Smearing Fallon

The supporter of a Democratic gubernatorial candidate quoted in Civic Skinny (Sept. 15) who said that Ed Fallon helped elect George W. Bush by stumping for Ralph Nader does not have the facts straight. Let's review: (1) Millions of Democrats voted for Bush in 2000, compared to the few hundred thousand who voted for Nader. Why do Democrats not harp on those voters? In Florida alone, if only 550 of the more than 200,000 Democrats who had voted for Bush had instead voted for Al Gore, Gore would have carried Florida. (2) Gore ran one sorry-ass campaign and did not even carry his own home state of Tennessee. This is Nader's fault how exactly? (3) Most importantly, let's not forget that it was the Supreme Court who elected Bush.

It is outrageous that anyone would try to smear Fallon with the deaths of soldiers in Iraq. It is the same kind of fallacious reasoning as the assertion that Nader cost Gore the election in 2000 when the facts show otherwise. Those few Democrats who tell the truth about the corruption of the Bush administration instead of sucking up to it may actually get my vote, spoiling the chances of Green and Socialist party candidates.

Janette R. Gerdes
West Des Moines

Only power matters

The hatchet job on gubernatorial candidate Ed Fallon (Civic Skinny, Sept. 15) deserves a response, since the author of the column chose not to ask Mr. Fallon for one. Part of the problem with the Democratic Party is the "good-old-boy" network that includes many of the local Democratic Party "heavyweights." To them, power and only power matters, even if that means jettisoning party principles.

These days, the Democratic Party is only slightly less tied to big business than is the Republican Party, and thus the rights of workers, consumers, and the public in general receive only lip service from these self-appointed party insiders.

No wonder so many grassroots Democrats I have spoken with say that they have no idea what the Democratic Party really stands for.

Kim William Jones
Des Moines

Don't play politics

I am writing in response to Jon Gaskell's editorial ("Reality Check," Sept. 15). I agree that the blame for the Katrina debacle begins in New Orleans with the mayor and Levee Commission. I also blame the Louisiana governor (more than anyone) for not doing more herself. But, I believe that the citizens of both New Orleans and Louisiana will respond in the next election by voting their mayor and governor out of office, something only they can do. The rest of us can only rail against the federal government.

That being said, George Bush did help to create the Department of Homeland Security, an organization that supposedly would provide a quick response to both terrorist attacks and natural disasters. Obviously, that's not the case, however, and we need to find out why now before another disaster of either kind occurs. This is why we need an independent investigation, so that nobody "plays politics" with the lives of American citizens.

Brian Payne
Des Moines

Ask yourself

Jon Gaskell is right on ("Reality Check," Sept. 15). Bush is not to blame for New Orleans. Still, Gaskell missed the big picture. Take off your rose-colored glasses and see the poor, black faces left behind when Hurricane Katrina hit. Ask yourself these questions: Is God a white supremacist? Is Jesus a white separatist? Did Abraham Lincoln die a deluded fool? Was Martin Luther King Jr. smoking crack when he had "a dream"? Is this the promise and dream of America? Is this the best we can do?

Tom Kearney
Des Moines

Average salaries, average conditions

In your "Salaries and Such" briefing much was made about state workers' salaries being above the average Iowan's salary. The observation fails to examine that these average salaries include all state employees including medical professionals, university personnel, football and basketball coaches. Is Cityview implying that no state employee should be paid a wage higher than the average Iowan receives regardless of education level or job responsibility? Does Cityview believe that state workers should subsidize the cost of performing state duties? Next thing you know Cityview will be ranting about our plush working conditions because in the fourth grade they went to the Capitol and peeked inside the governor's office.

Carl Kulczyk
Runnells

Critical analysis needed

Des Moines owes Ralph Gross a big "thank you" for describing the Des Moines Register Reader Advisory Board charade as mismanaged by Paul Anger ("An Educated Reader," Sept. 22). Also, "thank you" to Cityview for giving this article the space it requires.

Without smart reporters digging into facts or intelligent editors applying ethical standards to local issues, opportunists move in, and propaganda substitutes for research. Oversight and regulatory boards falter. Standards deteriorate. Sophism sets in. Public money goes where it should not, as in the sweet deals since 2000 in our downtown and foolish spending by DMPS administrators.

Stick with it, Ralph and Cityview! Much more critical analysis is essential -whether or not the Register ever recovers its status as a respectable newspaper.

Nan Stillians
Des Moines

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