Remember the Victims
Geov Parrish blames our infatuation with 9/11 on widespread fear of another attack and/or of an administration that has “exploited 9/11 to pursue its own disastrous agenda” [“Our Obsession,” Sept. 8]. Really? I was under the impression that our national hang-up stemmed from the fact that some 3,000 souls perished on the day in question. Like most commentators, Parrish is obviously good at filtering people into groups and statistics. He may be less good at treating them as human beings.
Christopher Sandford
Seattle
Justice for Paula
I read George Howland Jr.’s article on Christine Gregoire and her experience in the sorority system while a student at the University of Washington [“The Leadership Race,” Sept. 1]. It brought back painful memories.
I want to thank him for bringing attention, albeit controversial, to an injustice committed against my sister, Paula Moore. His article created quite a bit of a “hornet’s nest,” didn’t it?
In a recent television debate against Ron Sims, Gregoire articulated the pain that she and her family have experienced amidst charges that she was or is a “racist.” I empathize with her, as no one outside my family will ever know the pain my sister Paula suffered as a result of the discrimination in the sorority system so many years ago.
Yes, it was 38 years ago, and yes, it is time to move on to the more pressing issues facing this state. But there is no statute of limitations on social injustice.
And so I thank the SeattleWeekly for bringing what happened to light, and for securing some small measure of justice for Paula and for all of her siblings who witnessed her pain.
Ayanna Moore
Renton
Jumpers a Joy
I saw Jumpers and loved it [“How Low the Moon,” Sept. 8]. When I read Steve Wiecking’s review, it seemed obvious to me that he simply didn’t understand it. Jumpers is not On the Razzle. It was not meant to be a laugh-a-minute show. I thought that David Pichette did a superb job. He made George Moore seem more real and believable than I would have thought possible from reading the book.
I agree that there are some problems in the production, but I think Tom Stoppard must take the blame for a good deal of that. The absurdist coda is inherently weak and would remain problematical no matter how much shtick you threw into it. The bit with the tape-recorded trumpets and sound effects could have used some tightening. It barely worked even though I knew what was coming. And I don’t quite see what could be done with the secretary’s role. You can’t have her fidgeting and mugging. Stoppard set her up as a foil, and I think we are simply stuck with it.
I was not subject to the longueurs Wiecking wrote about. Nothing seemed overly long, and I left the theater in a buoyant mood.
David Lamb
Seattle
Norway or No Way!
I thank Douglas Wolk for his interesting article from Øyafestivalen 2004 [Smallmouth, “Øya! Øya! Øya!” Sept. 8]. The description of the Norwegian chick with a Smashing Pumpkins tattoo on her back, awesome. The rest of the article . . . well, rather boring actually.
Here he goes all the way to Norway, even sponsored by the Norwegian government, and this is what he produces?
Our music is, and has always been, influenced by U.K. and U.S. bands and artists. The U.K. leads the underground, and it has a special place in Norwegians’ hearts, from all the way back to the war and, of course, soccer. We love English football!!
And since the ’50s Norwegians have loved the U.S.A. Everything is bigger. Burgers the size of . . . well, the U.S. was rock and roll and still is, and later on rap and hip-hop. Perfect! (But nowadays . . . is it really true? You are actually going to elect this guy for another four years?)
Øyafestivalen is a small underground festival. Norway is a small country, and we are very pleased with music from the U.S. and the U.K. But there is just one problem. Since we are so small, so few bands and artists take their time to come to Norway. Kelis was on her way to the Quart Festival, but she chose Australia. Madonna is coming to Europe! Wow. Norway? No way!!
The biggest headliners for concerts this season are the German Rammstein, British Sting, and a Norwegian called Odd Nordstoga, who sings folk songs about a pig.
So what do we do? We make our own bands. It has to be copy-paste; we really, really love rock, but . . .
Has Wolk ever heard about the Kings of Convenience? Smooth and easy. Gåte? Electronica, folk, and rock. Ralph Myerz & the Jack Herren Band? Party beats! Where was Wolk when they had their concert on Saturday? It was really good!
Next time, send someone less cool than Wolk. Someone who is willing to do a little research and work and drink a little less beer!
Tord R. Naess
Asker, Norway
Norwegian Wanna-bes
Cool article, but it’s too bad Douglas Wolk had a boring time and thinks all Norwegian bands are wanna-be Americans and Brits [Smallmouth, “Øya! Øya! Øya!” Sept. 8]. I can’t blame him for not understanding Norwegian, but many of the artists sing in English and are actually quite good.
Sounds like Wolk got a little too drunk on his freebie tour to Norway and couldn’t enjoy the artists at Øya this year. My advice is to stay home next year and pick up some Norwegian albums, like The National Bank, and listen to the music in a more sober state. Perhaps he’ll also hear that Tungtvann is a hip-hop group and not a reggae group.
Morten Skjelbred
Oslo, Norway
Reggae for Squareheads
It was a pleasure to read Douglas Wolk’s column about the Norwegian Øya Festival [Smallmouth, “Øya! Øya! Øya!” Sept. 8]. But seriously, is the fact that there is such a thing in this world as a Norwegian reggae band a surprise to him? Do they have them in Canada, does he think? Or in Minneapolis? What did Wolk expect? We’ve got rock and pop as well. There is even jazz. And what he refers to as the only Norwegian reggae band in the world is actually known as one of the best, and first, to rap in Norwegian. That it sounds strange to Wolk doesn’t mean that it is reggae.
Kyrre Grinden
Oslo, Norway
Beating Hysteria
I agree that there is a widespread suspicion that the presidential election will somehow be rigged in favor of the Republican candidate, as Geov Parrish says in his article “We Are Coup-Less” [Sept. 1]. These suspicions are the result of the many people, regular people, in this country who are scared. They are scared about losing their job or trying to get one; scared about the cost of health care or lack thereof; scared about their children’s education, the cost of groceries and gas, their retirement funds; scared about America’s relationship with the entire world. There’s all kinds of hysteria. But I also agree that the election “will proceed . . . without a coup, sanitized or otherwise.” We cannot let this hysteria keep us from choosing a stronger America in November: Kerry/Edwards 2004.
Carrie McNamara
Burien
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