Letters and comic

Disturbed by Duane
Dear Rogues:
I read this article [Duane Hagabee’s “People can be SLO rude,” February 2008] with great interest, especially since I have worked with the homeless here in SLO. I was disturbed by two pieces of information presented in the article.
1. Homelessness. There is a basic ignorance among average Americans about the causes of homelessness. We should be aware that a very high percentage of the chronically homeless (and I am not including the homeless who are in need of our help because of temporary problems such loss of employment or illness, and the inability to pay for medical services, etc.) are mentally ill. I have heard estimates made by governmental agencies of as high as 75-85 percent who have one sort of mental disability or another. Another category is physical disabilities, although we tend to be able to provide better services for the physically handicapped than for the mentally handicapped. The mentally ill sometimes react in ways that are inappropriate.
2. Our “Bible Belt” heritage is an interesting one. When I see references to “Christian farmers” and “Christian electricians,” I sense an exclusionary attitude. Does the writer suggest that if I do not share his definition of “Christian” (and if I find reprehensible his view of the homeless) I am not a true citizen of this “Bible Belt”? Then again, from what I know of the “Bible Belt,” maybe I should be happy I am not a member.

Jim Wilson
SLO, Calif.

Let’s go hunting, Duane
If I pick up a Rogue Voice and there’s nothing in it by Duane Hagabee, I put it back in the rack. So I was happy to read Duane in the February issue and liked his article on rudeness in SLO town, even if I’m a north county rancher and don’t have much use for sissy SLO town. I agree with Duane that these homeless parasites are too fat. My only complaint is that my wife, Abigail, read Duane’s article and was upset that he claimed yoga started in Malibu. She says he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Abbie goes to yoga class three times a week and has for years, and the little woman can bend herself into a pretzel. She says some Indian with a strange name started yoga. I can’t pronounce the name, but I don’t think he’s a Salina or Chumash. We ran that rabble and their medicine men out of here a long time ago. I’m talking about first generation Kibblings. Anyway, we’re hunters, and I still want to take Hagabee wild pig hunting, if he’s “game” enough.

Warren Kibbling
Paso Robles

Laugh out loud
Dear Dell:
Your recent story, “Everything my kid touches...” [February 2008], was really funny. Thanks for brightening my day!
While sitting in a Morro Bay coffee bar, enjoying a latte with a friend, I grabbed a copy of The Rogue Voice and settled in, to recharge my batteries. I was pleasantly surprised to actually find something I enjoyed reading. I embarrassed myself by laughing out loud a few times, startling the other customers. Your dad sounds just like mine, only his catch phrase was always moron or idiots. We thought it was an endearment back then. He didn't have much luck with us learning the family business either!

Dawn Ferrini
“It is easier to go down a hill than up, but the view is from the top.”
—Anonymous

Too many blows to the head
Dear Rogue Voice:
As an admitted soccer mom who drives her boys to and from matches, and also Little League, it is obvious to me after reading Mr. Franklin’s senseless and illogical article on helmets [“Pussies rule,” February 2008], that he has taken too many helmetless blows to the head. His old roughneck neighborhood in Compton bores me. I would like to ask him why parents should risk head injury to their children when they don’t have to. And while we’re at it, why let your children roam the streets unsupervised in the new world, where creeps and perverts abound? Don’t take candy from strangers? My lord! Sorry, it doesn’t work any more. My children have all worn helmets while riding their bikes and play-ing Little League, and none of them have turned out as depressed outcasts — according to Mr. Franklin’s description of modern day kids. Parents want to be involved with their children. We only have them for so long! They can still play in the streets, as long as the streets are safe, and in our little suburban neighborhood, Mr. Franklin, the streets are safe.
The only sensible statement in his entire is his confession to being a “borderline idiot” after his sister brained him with her baton. I wonder: Did her two successful boys wear helmets?

Quinny
San Luis Obispo

Dell responds: My sister has long since ignored any advice I’ve given her and made it a point to live as far away from me as possible so I’d have no influence over her kids whatsoever, so 1 suppose, unfortunately, the poor things wore helmets.

Bonehead inspiration
Dear Rogue Voice:
I’ve seen and heard just about everything in my lifetime, but I’ve never observed so much fervor and heartfelt determination to adolescence as the people who write for The Rogue Voice. My, will you never grow up? Have you been so sotted in your lifetimes that you can’t reason the value of wearing a helmet and protecting your head? I have three beautiful grandchildren, which is why I moved to Cayucos two years ago, and to get away from people who promote stupid ideas like the one Mr. Dell Franklin offers in “P-ssies rule” (excuse me, but I agree with Mr. Hagabee about spelling naughty words). I want my grandchildren to grow up without unnecessary head injuries, with all of their senses and God-given smarts and talents intact. Sheesh! It’s hard enough to bring children up these days without them getting silly ideas like the ones you promote in your “magazine.”
As a fit granny, I like to go for long walks on the beach, roam the awesome antique stores, talk to my friends and neighbors who came to Cayucos to get away from the kind of rough characters you seem to want to glorify: reckless skateboarders, pot-smoking surfers and drunks who have no regard for their — or anyone else’s — lives. They practically run you down on their bikes and skateboards, and make snorting noises as they whiz by out of nowhere and scare the wits out of you, which is bad enough, but they don’t even wear helmets, which says a lot about their parenting, and where they most likely get their inspiration: That’s you, Mr. Franklin. Please consider the impact you have on this world, and the messages you’re sending to our children. Do you want to have some poor child’s broken head on your conscience? Do you want our children to grow up thinking it’s okay to run down old people on their skateboards? Do you really want them to grow up and be like you? Mr. Franklin, you’ve done a fine job of encouraging the worst in our children. Just because they wear helmets doesn’t make them “p-ssies.”
Judging from the content of your “magazine,” though, I’d guess the people who work for you have probably taken a few too many lumps of their own and are paying the price for not wearing a helmet, and that’s a shame because you seem like nice people when you’re not foaming at the mouth about “p-ssies” who rule, and it’s also reason enough to think twice the next time you want to publish another story promoting unsafe and irresponsible behavior. I don’t mean to belittle you, I just want to point out that there’s a better way. You can find out very easily by getting help from people who never had a head injury. Just ask around, get people’s opinions, before you write something. Or, the next time you want advice on what to write, look me up. We’ll go for a walk on the beach and talk. I’ll bring my Pomeranian (I know you love dogs) and you can bring your dog and we can chat about stories that will actually help and not hurt people.

Nellie Watson
Cayucos, Calif.