Latent Anti-Semitism

IN RESPONSE to Mr. Freitas' latest ("Slippery Slope to Fascism," Letters, Nov. 19), I don't see how Pinochet's disappearing of tens of thousands of Chilean citizens rises to anywhere near the level of Bush administration round-ups of illegal immigrants (the key word being illegal) in this country. But enough hair-splitting. Sorry again, LD, but your last letter failed to cover the tracks of latent anti-Semitism in your first one with its erroneous good Jew/bad Jew dichotomy.

The question I put to you was simple: what entitles anyone to demand specific thought processes from an entire ethnic group? Answer that and you may learn more about fascism.

Then there's the letter from Mr. Ross ("Bad for Our World," Letters, Nov. 19), who, like me, noticed the lack of criticism in Religulous of the religious basis of many of the state of Israel's despic-ulous policies. Of course, he could've specified, like I just did, rather than referring shadily and provocatively to "the one religion" whose blemishes he prefers to notice. But thanks, Jeff, for the Chomsky quote--more of the good Jew/bad Jew shtick. As for the likelihood that Mr. Ross's last name is a Jewish one: if a Jew wants to buy into anti-Semitism and voluntarily take up the prerequisite to denounce the state of Israel everywhere he goes, then I feel sorry for him.

 Aaron Cress,
Santa Cruz

More Music

I THOROUGHLY enjoy reading your paper to find out about what's going on in and around Santa Cruz. I find it to be a better source of information than the Sentinel.

The one thing that I find it to consistently lack is music reviews. I know there is the Muz section that talks about one or two small shows around town, but there is so much great music that comes through Santa Cruz that is disregarded once it is gone. There is no way I can afford to see it all, but I would love to have read about the sweeping performance of Jenny Lewis last month or the nightly rock your pants off shows at Moe's Alley.

One of my favorite things about living in Santa Cruz is the music scene. Let's embrace it, reflect on it and criticize it.

Daren Zook,
Santa Cruz

A Happy Toots Fan

YES, OF COURSE I have heard the beautiful music Toots Thielemans has played throughout my life, but never knew his name or anything about him till a young lady named Sandy Foote who plays the harmonica invited me to come to Yoshi's in Oakland to hear him play. And when I picked up my Metro Santa Cruz two weeks ago ("Toots Uncommon," Arts, Nov. 12), there he was, and I read the wonderful write-up you did and got so excited on who I was going to see I could hardly wait. I am from Santa Cruz and held first chair at Mission Hill Junior High and Santa Cruz High Marching Band, playing the saxophone, and danced at the Cocoanut Grove with all the big bands in the late '40s and '50s every weekend. Music is a part of my life--can't live a day without music. No one should. It makes for a better world, 'cause music can soothe the soul of a beast. So when I heard this beautiful soul play his harmonica and I could feel his music coming through him to me, I fell in love. I took a picture of him with the young lady Sandy that brought this man to my attention, and I felt I knew so much about him.

Thanks to your article on him, I saw him yesterday for a brief moment and gave him the picture I took of him with us. It's a great picture and I also gave him the history book I did on the all the past and present theaters in Santa Cruz, called Del Mar Now Playing, as a token of my appreciation of what he has given to me through his music. What a guy. Thank you, Metro Santa Cruz, for the honor you have given to this wonderful Music Man.

Daisy Rose Gandolfi,
Santa Cruz

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