Dialogue

Letters to the Observer

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A SWELL WRITER

Matthew Stevenson is obviously lazy, cowardly, or both. (“Chasing Assassins,” August 10) He refuses to acknowledge that there is more than enough evidence for any fool to realize that President Kennedy was the victim of an assassination conspiracy almost certainly planned and carried out by the CIA and anti-Castro Cubans with a little help from the Mafia. The only other explanation I can think of is because Stevenson also writes for Harpers and is now one of the “swells” that would rather live with the tension that comes from threading the needle with a tiny strand of truth than being totally honest.

Tom Kellum Via e-mail

Stevenson’s review of David Talbot’s treatise is exceptional. What is not said is that on November 22, 1963, this country was the object of a well-constructed coup d’etat against the presidency and the Constitution.

It continues to this day, unabated and practically unchallenged. Only God can bless America. Americans are too dumbed-down and numbed-out to do it for themselves.

John Hawk Santa Fe, New Mexico

CAN IT

In “Moveable Feast” (August 10) James McWilliams writes: “I live in Central Texas-where it would take ample financial resources and a willingness to accept a severely limited diet to eat local year-round.” While I don’t challenge the article’s premise that there are flaws in the Eat Local movement, McWilliams is certainly incorrect in this statement. I used to live in Austin, currently in Houston. Both places are suited to year-round vegetable gardening and farming. Much of the organic produce sold at co-ops in Houston comes from Central Texas. Central Texas has its share of cattle farms, goats and chickens. Dairy can also be had locally. Wild foods are available for foraging and hunting.

Preserving food, by canning, freezing, and dehydrating, would allow McWilliams to eat an inexpensive diet of locally grown foods, year-round. The variety of such a diet would depend on the individual in question, but it would certainly not have to be “severely limited.”

Priscilla Lane Houston

I definitely get McWilliams’ point. I wish he had spoken to me about my general philosophy before using the store as an example. I’m not trying to get people to become purists and eat exclusively locally grown or produced foods. That philosophy doesn’t make sense. I do like to support local growers and producers. I’m trying to meet the grocery needs of my neighbors.

Also, it’s a radish not a beet!

Peg McCoy Farm to Market Grocery Austin