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A D V E R T I S E M E N T
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T
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Sticking up for the Apple
To the editor: I take offense at your treatment of New York and New Yorkers in your article about your recent visit there (Last Call, Oct. 25, 2006). I think you have played into a tired stereotype of the Big Apple that many people down South just love to hear.
Just weeks before your article was published, I visited Gotham for the first time ever. I carried the same bias my entire life, based only on the attitude of displaced Yankees I met down here over the years. On my visit, however, I was more than pleasantly surprised at the friendliness of the city. With the exception of the bitter subway workers (all of them!), I never received sour service — not at a single restaurant, hotel, or store. In fact, I had several splendid interactions with restaurant servers. Although initially fearing the reaction I might get, I finally resorted to asking directions of people on the street. I was never brushed off, I always got a kind and helpful reaction, and I even had some pleasant conversations! In case you were wondering, I do have a strong Texas accent — there was no mistaking me for a New Yorker.
I think our Manhattan friends have changed since 9/11. I felt welcome, and the people seemed genuinely pleased that I had chosen to visit their city. It is time we gave New Yorkers a break from the stigma placed on them for years by the rest of the country. I cannot wait to go back.
One other thing: Although I may not agree with your opinions, I do sincerely love your writing style.
Jim Gaither
Fort Worth
One Turkey, Returned
To the editor: Regarding the Turkey Award you gave to local sports fans (“The 2006 Turkey Awards,” Nov. 15, 2006), I think you should take into account the number of students at TCU before chastising its fan base.
Take a look at the average attendance at our 2005 football games — 32,000 per game, ranking us 73rd in the nation. That’s not too shabby considering the number of undergraduate students at universities with similar football attendance records. The University of Hawaii has 50,000 undergrad students, the University of Memphis has 15,000, and San Diego State has 34,500 students. TCU’s undergraduate student body, by comparison, is only 7,171.
Most other college football stadiums cannot fit their whole student body inside the stadium, while TCU’s total student body could fit inside the stadium six times over (largely because it was built during Southwest Conference days). And TCU baseball is even ranked 33rd in the nation in average attendance.
So please take other factors into account when judging attendance. Also, when you said that “TCU football has had great seasons under coach Gary Patterson during his six-year run, but 20,000 seats are empty at just about every game” — no, it’s only about 10,000 empty seats, thank you very much.
Chuck Langston
Fort Worth
Chïll on the Crüe
To the editor: Good lord. I love reading Fort Worth Weekly just because it provides such a refreshing alternative to the daily average newspaper that is the Star-Telegram. And yes, I love people being able to freely express their opinions.
One thing that really bothered me in this issue though is that Anthony Mariani’s article (The Show, Mötley Crüe) was so completely just his personal rantings that it missed the point of trying to be at least a tiny bit unbiased. He just comes off as a pompous ass. Like I said, I love opinionated people, but when someone is just going on and on (and on!) it is quite annoying. He might have had a few good points, but he really overshadowed them by being so arrogant and ignorant as to what others might enjoy. Tell Anthony to chill out.
Aleda Duran
Grand Prairie
Enforce the Ban
To the editor: After reading the article “The Butts Stop Here” (Nov. 22, 2006), regarding the controversy over the smoking ban, I just want to say that I am a chronic asthmatic. I’ve been in the hospital eight times for my asthma since 1992, and I’m only 40. I have also lost a lot of friends over this issue because they were too selfish and self-centered to not light up around me for the brief time it took to catch up on old times.
I say kudos to any smoking ban that is enforced. Smoking is not a right, especially when it jeopardizes the health of those around you.
Terri Rimmer
Fort Worth
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