LETTERS

AIDS: Response to the Crisis



“AIDS: Seven Days in the Crisis” [March] had to be the most important, socially redeeming article I have ever seen in your magazine. I only hope that other members of the press see fit to approach this subject in such a straightforward and compassionate manner.

I thank the Lord every day that none of my close friends have yet to be afflicted with AIDS, especially when I see the pain on their laces as some of their close friends have come down with this illness and died. This is a crisis that we all must address. As we see by the examples of Ann Ellison and the baby Lindsey, this is not a “gay” problem, it’s a community problem. I’m sure your article has helped educate the homophobic and “AIDS-phobic” in a positive manner. Maybe now the Dallas community will see fit to donate more human time and financial assistance to the AIDS victim support organizations. I refer to the AIDS Resource Center, the Oak Lawn Counseling Center, the PWA House, and such wonderful individuals as Margaret Gallimore. Again, thank you for trying to wake up the Dallas community.

Patrick W. Zanone

Dallas



Thank you for showing us a glimpse of Father Ted Karpf. In these days of tel-evangelists stealing, lusting, and running for office, it is refreshing to know of a minister who is conducting his life as Christ would, were He on earth and in Dallas today. Bravo to those fifty who stayed with his ministry. It would have made me proud to have been counted amongst them! It might interest you to know that I am middle-class, middle-aged, married, and straight.

Letitia M. Peterson

Rhome, Texas

Here it comes-one of those letters you knew you would get from a “preacher” who thinks AIDS is a moral issue. Your story was enlightening, frightening, and sad. But saddest of all was the Baylor Hospital therapist’s devotional reading, “Difficulties are of God’s making…,” read to a world of persons most of whom have been disobedient to God’s commandments but in their deathbed waiting room still have the strength to curse Him. Too bad they can’t thank God for all the people who are comforting them and still loving them and, hopefully, still speaking as Dr. Terry Pulse.

Pulse’s profound statement, “People either have commitments to a relationship. . .or they’re going to wipe themselves off the face of the earth,” is good medicine for all living and dying people. That commitment begins with man’s relationship- not his sexual relationship with another man or woman but his relationship with God. Remember Him? He isn’t dead or dying except of a broken heart. His famous “seven days” are a feature story called “Creation,” not “Crisis.”

Joan U. Preston

Dallas



The Advisory Board and staff of the AIDS ARMS Network commend D Magazine for its coverage of the AIDS crisis. All but one of the persons with AIDS whom you profiled has been helped by AIDS ARMS, and you have accurately reflected the challenges that they-and we-face in securing needed services.

We must respond, however, to the reference in Ruth Miller Fitzgibbons’s editorial to the “fragile coalition” now working in Dallas. Our coalition of twenty-nine agencies striving to care for people with AIDS is in fact seen by many here and nationally to be the broadest and strongest in the country.

We have always held that decision-making should be inclusive, and it is for that express reason that our board includes representation from the Dallas Gay Alliance, among other organizations. We have also purposely established other opportunities for them to be heard, including private meetings with our principal funding source, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Ann Ellison, Don Flaigg, Emma Kelly, Lindsey and her grandmother, Gloria, and the other 373 people with whom we have worked have touched and enriched our lives.

Gloria Hoffman

Advisory Board Chairperson

Warren W. Buckingham III

Project Director



The Von Erichs: Wrestling With the Facts



Skip Hollandsworth’s article about the Von Erichs [“The Fall of the House of Von Erich,” February] was very interesting and for the most part seemed fair and accurate, in spite of some time/sequence distortions. I do think if Hollandsworth was going to dismiss Lance so lightly, he might at least have gotten his name correct. The feeling is given that Lance was brought to Texas as a last-ditch effort after Kerry’s accident, stayed a short while, stunk, got greedy, and left. This isn’t true. Didn’t anyone do any research for this article?

William Kevin Vaughan was introduced to the Texas crowds at the Cotton Bowl by Kerry and Kevin on October 6, 1985. His first World Class match was October 28, 1985, in Fort Worth. Kerry’s accident happened the first week of June 1986-eight months later. Lance did not leave World Class until late June 1987. Hollandsworth seems to feel that bringing Lance to Texas as a Von Erich caused the crowds to doubt the integrity of the Von Erich family, I think if anything made that happen it wasn’t bringing Lance to Texas and World Class, it was the way they handled his leaving World Class. They weren’t content to just let him leave, they told a total lie in an attempt to disgrace him, and even now it looks like they haven’t finished “getting even.”

Jean Austin

Dallas



Tommy, Can You Hear Me?



In response to “The Ballad of Tommy’s Heads Up Saloon” [“Inside Dallas” February]: first, Tommy Allsup was indeed the last to know about some of the club’s problems. Does this show our lack of communication or his inability to perform as club manager? He was there enough to be equally informed about the club’s progress. After all, he’s been in this business for more than three decades. Secondly, in my position as director of Group Sales, I was indeed concerned with publicity and the positioning of Tommy’s Heads Up Saloon as a potential meeting ground for upcoming events and conventions, so when Allsup would constantly inform me that his presence would alone carry the club to stardom, I felt comfortable he was correct. . . I’m still waiting.

Last of all, it’s a surprise to all of us that a musician of Tommy Allsup’s quality has not become a bigger star. However, with a $900,000 building, a wheelbarrow full of publicity, and everything else we provided him, we somehow don’t feel the total blame because he hasn’t made it after thirty years. Catch my drift?

Gary M. Goode

Dallas



Speaking Up for Mickey



In “Best & Worst” [January], you complained about Mickey Dolenz’s (of the Monkees) rendition of the national anthem. Dolenz has been living in England for the past twenty years. What do you expect? You have embarrassed him in front of all your readers! It’s not fair to him or his fans! We are really sorry to have to put ya’ll down like this, but it’s the truth!

Jennifer S., April N.,

Bridget W., and Geoff J.

Plano