San Diego Unseen: An Urban Portrait
Corrections
A caption beneath the photo accompanying last week’s lead music feature about hip-hop events said that The Gaslamp Killer and Pigeon John have both performed at Urban Underground Weekly, an event at Kava Lounge. Only Pigeon John has performed there.
As for The Gaslamp Killer, Quan Vu’s story said that he performed at Critical Beatdown, another event at Kava Lounge. That’s not exactly the case. The show he did was promoted by Critical Beatdown organizers and included resident Critical Beatdown DJs, but the show was not an official Critical Beatdown night. We apologize for the confusion.
Don’t take my money
About your April 20 editorial, “Obama’s battle plan”: Since when does the Constitution guarantee social justice? I always thought U.S. citizens were entitled to equal justice.
Social justice is what that rat Arnold Schwarzenegger promoted when he reduced the sentence of the young Mr. Nunez. Social justice is taking my hard-earned income and giving it to others—Obama’s battle plan.
Why should I continue to work hard to do that? I think I’ll quit working and just go on the government dole too and get my share of social justice.
Tell us, Mr. Editor, how do you justify to your readers borrowing money to give to the less fortunate? Would you go out and borrow $10,000 in your own name to give to NPR or PBS or the very wealthy Planned Parenthood? Methinks not.
Paul Richard, Park West
Editor’s note: Our editorial didn’t say social justice is guaranteed by the Constitution.
Leathe basics
Your editorial views [“Obama’s battle plan,” April 20] are very partisan and seriously lean on basic economics.
Increasing taxes on anyone—“the rich” or the middle class or the poor (who don’t pay taxes anyhow)—during the second worst recession in our nation’s history is flat bad economics and counterproductive to job growth.
Your editorial focuses on taxes way too much. I agree we need to clean up the loopholes and go to a cleaner tax system, but the current mess we find ourselves immersed in is due to excess spending on many pork-filled congressional and White House projects.
Focus on spending cuts and we will be much better off and will protect the integrity of our currency much faster.
I suggest you all spend some time with any intermediate macroeconomics texts before you write your Couric-like editorials.
J. Otis Benton, La Jolla
Editor’s note: While many poor people don’t pay federal income tax, they do pay other types of taxes (sales, gas, property, utility, payroll).
DeMaio’s exposure
Regarding your story about what City Councilmember Carl DeMaio spends his office budget on [“Hey, big spender,” April 20]: When DeMaio came out with his ludicrous statements a while back, I could readily see through the haze of politic grandstanding. He must be a very selfish man to want media ink over the truth.
Firefighters put their lives on the line in our county every day and not just with fire but also a vast variety of emergencies. Your article was well-written and exposed this idiot for what he is—a politician who cares more for his exposure to the public and grandstanding nonsense than true facts. I only wish the Union-Tribune would follow up on your story and do the same, for the sake of hard-working firefighters.
I am not a fireman, and I live elsewhere in the county, but the city of San Diego is very important to me. Thank you for having the courage to stand up to City Council members and writing the truth.
Larry LaHaye, El Cajon
Make trash like electricity
About your May 4 editorial, “So, sue me”: As a homeowner, I agree absolutely that single-family residences should pay for trash collection. Homeowners generally have more assets than renters and should pay their fair share.
However, some house-rich, cash-poor seniors and low income households may find that a hardship. So, one suggestion would be to exempt seniors and low-income households from a trash-collection fee whether they rent or own. If SDG&E can implement such programs, the city should be able to, too.
Seniors vote, and so repealing the inherently unfair “People’s Ordinance” may stand a chance.
Ian Trowbridge, Mission Hills
