LETTERS

Political Intelligence



There is a difference between responsible and irresponsible journalism! One is based on fact and truth and provides a valuable service to the community. The other is based on falsehoods, speculation and innuendo and does a harm to the community.

When you and your staff learn the difference your magazine will then have matured and will be a medium that all can look to with pride. Hopefully, D Magazine will reach that maturity and serve the community.

William A. McKenzie

William D. Elliott

Republican Party of Dallas County



The publisher responds: We’re used to angry letters from politicians; it comes with the territory. In this case, however, I feel a response is necessary, not because of the substance of the letter, but because of Bill Elliott’s signature on it.

I was not at all surprised that county Republican chairman Bill McKenzie should write. In a recent Up Front item (“The Dallas GOP: A Battle Brewing?”, February 1978), we reported that many of the GOP’s younger leaders were dissatisfied with McKenzie’s leadership, and in fact, had contemplated a challenge to him in this spring’s Republican primary. Mr. McKenzie feels this kind of reporting

does “harm to the community, suspect he is more concerned with the harm done to his own political ego. In either event, his sensitivity is understandable.

Bill Elliott’s signature on the letter, however, is not. Elliott, of course, was identified in our item as the young man most likely to challenge McKenzie this spring. If we had printed this based on second-hand information, and had been incorrect, Mr. Elliott’s indignation would have been justified.

But the information was definitely first hand: It came from Elliott himself. Indeed, most of the unattributed material in the story, both quoted and unquoted, came directly from Elliott. Elliott spoke with a D Magazine reporter on the condition that his remarks would not be attributed to him in the story. In that interview, he strongly criticized Mr. McKenzie’s tenure as Republican county chairman, and confirmed talk that he had contemplated running against McKenzie this spring. A few days later, in a separate interview with another D Magazine reporter, Elliott volunteered the same criticism of McKenzie, much of it in stronger language.

We have never been naive enough to assume that politicians will not he political. Nor are we shocked when politicians try to play both ends against the middle with the press. But Mr. Elliott’s duplicity is a different matter: It represents endorsing a false attack on this magazine’s credibility for his own political ends. We do not at all like to reveal the identity of sources who provide us valuable information in confidence. But Mr. Elliott’s behavior demands that we do so in self-defense.



Damn the Yankees, Full Speed Ahead



I’ve lived in the Dallas area for three years and haven’t lived “up north” (as you guys call it) for 10 years, but I guess I’m still a damn Yankee at heart.

I can’t resist submitting another item to add to your list (in the February issue) about what Yankees dislike about Tex-ans: Calling people who hail from Illinois “Illini” instead of “Illinoisans.”

For your information – and also for the information of writer Lindsay Hein-sen, who used the term Illini incorrectly in “The Chicago Connection” on page 76 of the February issue-Illini are students at the University of Illinois. 1 should know. I lived in Illinois for more than 12 years and am a graduate of the U. of 1.

Crystal Bulla

Garland



Editor’s Note: Lindsay Heinsen lived for 18 years in a Chicago suburb and spent 8 years at the University of Illinois. She says she always called Illinoisans Illini-“It sounds better.”



An Eye for an Eye



A “Thumbs Down Award” to D Magazine for the “Up Front” item titled “License to Kill?” (February) and its negative tone.

The article mentioned one licensee was concerned that a kidney would be taken even if the licensee were not dead. That person is not compelled to sign the donor form on the back of the driver’s license if that person does not trust hospitals, the medical profession or organ and tissue organizations.

The 30 minute time limit for transplant is misleading as it applies primarily to kidneys. Corneas, skin and other trans-plantable tissue may be successfully used after much longer periods of time.

Department of Public Safety Chief T. G. Ferguson is certainly privileged to feel that “it just clutters up the back of the card” as far as the driver’s license donor is concerned. However, Col. Wilson E. Spier, Director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, did not have such an attitude and helped publicize the driver’s license donor forms.

Further, if the driver’s license donor form accomplishes no more than publicizing that a person can leave a legacy of invaluable help to some one else, the “clutter” is certainly worth while.

A. H. Snyder, Jr.

Executive Vice President

Texas Lions Eye Bank, Inc.

Dallas



A Tooth for a Tooth



As a tired, overworked dentist I have been begging my sons with tears in my eyes to be plumbers or electricians or carpenters. Instead, for some unknown reason, unless you consider rebellion against all parental suggestions, they insist on going to college.

Now, thanks to John Merwin’s “Why You Can’t Afford Anything Anymore” (February), they can see that dentist’s fees have only doubled in twenty years while hourly rates for plumbers, electricians, and carpenters have tripled. Thank you for providing black and white testimony to my anguished pleas.

Richard L. Banowsky, D.D.S.

Irving



From Best to Worst



Having read D Magazine from its very first issue, I finally found something about which to complain-“Best and Worst.”

Your staff must be huge and have many, many experts to cover meat loaf to disco. However as an antiques dealer in Dallas for over 30 years, I question your “best” Antique Bargains.

I do not know The Browse Shop or its merchandise, but it is evident that your staff researcher does not know the difference between “old furniture, glassware and oddities” and antiques. By law an antique must be 100 years old or made before 1830 (the Industrial Revolution).

Dallas has become one of the centers for antiques of this country. Many of the shops including mine have been and are advertisers in D Magazine. I trust that in the future your staff does some homework and therefore sounds more knowledgeable.

O. Martel Bowen

Heirloom House

Dallas



Editor’s Note: The item Mr. Bowen refers to was given to us by a knowledgeable and experienced collector. We stand by his judgement. Mr. Bowen’s definition of “antique” is correct as far as the law is concerned. However, most collectors use the term more loosely. Selection as a “Best” – or a “Worst” for that matter – has nothing to do with paid advertising in the magazine.



In the January issue of D Magazine, Goodwill Industries of Dallas received a “Worst” award for not providing advance notice on home pickups and for not accepting donations of large appliances. Please permit me to offer a correction and a bit of insight into our operation.

First, Goodwill does arrange for home pickups on a day of convenience for the donor. All of our trucks are radio equipped and personal phone calls can be made, if requested, the day of pickup to confirm a convenient time for arrival.

Secondly, your article was correct regarding Goodwill’s non-acceptance of large appliances. There is, however, an important reason why. Simply stated, Goodwill does not have the required trained personnel to repair such appliances and Dallas City Dump disposal fees are far beyond our economic means.

Frederick M. Sherman

Executive Director

Goodwill Industries of Dallas



We feel that another “Best and Worst” category should be added to your January issue. It would concern your 78 people to watch in ’78.

The “best” portion would have to go to your choice of the McIlhenny brothers, Lott and Lance, who already are and will surely be something to watch in the upcoming year. But the “worst” must go to your article about them. Lott is 17 years old, a junior, and has a total of 1,143 yards rushing while Lance, 16 and only a sophomore, has an incredible total of 2,445 yards, passing and rushing and 24 touchdowns.

K. Baldwin

D. Gilliam

Dallas



When you list Sol’s Turf Bar as the Best Downtown Bar you’ve got to be kidding. Evidently your reporter did not check out “Top of the Stairs” at 14041/2 Main Street. Just next door to the Adol-phus Hotel and upstairs – it is a “neighborhood pub” in downtown – a little haven among the hustle and bustle. Try it and then see how you rank Sol’s.

Carole Humphrey

Richardson



The “Friendly” Rapist



Your Up Front article “Did the ’Friendly Rapist’ Get Off Light?” (January issue) did help bring Guy William Marble and his “non-violent escapades” in “public view.” The crime of rape needs to be in public view to increase citizen awareness by eradicating erroneous views of rape, and to educate on the issues of prevention. But it is not Marble’s sentence that we find “frighteningly lenient.”

We will not argue with the fact that Guy William Marble should not be on the streets of Dallas or wherever he may choose to live in ten years. That is “light.” Conservatively estimating the number of rapes Marble committed, that means he’ll serve one month for every rape committed, a calculation which seems weak considering a person is held incarcerated for six months and that is called a “speedy trial.” It is the possibility of early parole which we find frightening.

No matter how many years sentenced, parole for this habitual criminal will be based on his prison behavior and not how many crimes he might have committed. It is up to the Dallas citizens to write, phone, telegram and in any other way, communicate with the Board of Pardons and Parole and express reasons why careful considerations need to be given to an early parole attempt made by Mr. Marble. Some of the more important reasons are as follows:

1. Rape is a progressively violent crime and the more criminal activity, the more likely it will continue and become more violent.

2. Although Marble was charged undera burglary statute, his plea reads burglary and rape. Next to aggravated rape,this kind of rape is the most dangerousfor the victim – losing control of one’senvironment and one’s self.

3. There are many inadequacies in theTexas rape laws and the citizens need toanalyze that for themselves. It is the public who will decide what, if any, changesneed to be proposed.

4. It is now the responsibility of thecommunity to help insure that Marbledoes not return to Dallas until we can feelcertain he is not likely to rape and burglarize another one hundred plus citizens.

Cheryl M. Phillips

Project Coordinator

Dallas County Rape Crisis Center



Getting the Bugs out of the Type



Apparently someone in the proofreading department was napping when he should have been reading “The Malady Lingers On” (Up Front, January ’78). A virus is very definitely a virus, and cannot be substituted, on the whim of a journalist, by an “elusive little bacteria.” Even if nature permitted such a thing, good grammar would not: bacteria is the plural form of the word. Bacterium is the correct error here.

Valerie Foley

Dallas

In your January 1978 issue on page 22 under your column “Heard on the Street,” you have an article about Gordon McLen-don and also show a picture of him.

In both the article and the picture you misspelled his name which should read McLendon, not McClendon as you printed.

With such a well known individual 1 am surprised that your staff did not pick up such an obvious error.

Martin S. Buehler, M.D.

Dallas



Classic Instance



I feel it was an oversight not mentioning the Peugeot automobile in the article entitled “Class Cars” in the January issue. Our French-made automobile is definitely in the prestige class because of its comfort in driving and riding, excellent styling and safety features.

We quote from the June 1977 issue of Town & Country magazine, an article entitled “Autos: Classic Imports”:



BEST RIDE:

PEUGEOT 604



For several years. Peugeot has been trying to get your attention by claiming their 504 was “the French Mercedes.” That it clearly was not. It was a different size, a different price, bought by different people for different reasons. But with the new 604 they have built a car that is so like a Mercedes that comparisons are inevitable, and, on the whole, the 604 comes off very well. It is roomy, even capacious, for a European car, with excellent styling (by Pinin-farina) and exceptionally good visibility in all directions. But the 604s best feature is its wonderfully smooth, supple ride. Car for car and size for size. French automobiles have always had better riding qualities than German, English, Italian or Japanese cars. The French people, one supposes, have become accustomed to it by now.



Engineers know that It is always easier to make a large car ride softly than it is a small one. Many factors determine a car’s riding qualities, among them tires, spring rates, shock absorbers and valv-ing. It should be sufficient to say that Peugeot’s engineers have done a magnificent job in endowing the 604 with a ride that is the best of any car from Europe.



Geoffrey Kroll

Peugeot Motors of America, Inc.

Houston