Dialogue

TONY, MARTY, AND JESUS

Molly Ivins is really telling people not to put up a primary fight when liberal principles are at stake because the conservative is well-financed and likely to win??? The Democrats cannot stand a contested primary and still elect a governor??? Sounds like she is conceding the progressive cause to the Greens and we saw what a disaster that was in November.

As for Tony Sanchez’ loans to poor farmers in South Texas I would want to know the rates of interest he charged and foreclosure rates before I applauded. Is it really help or is it only a form of peonage?

As for his taking the pro-choice pledge I want to know when he took it-When he decided to run for governor after being a life-long pro-lifer???

Preston D.McWhorter San Antonio

P.S. I read the Texas Observer for political and social information and commentary and would prefer not to have a third of it devoted to general interest book reviews and articles like “The Glen Rose Cycle” (July 6, 2001)

I have recently renewed my subscription to the Observer (I had subscribed years ago when we lived in Dallas and then let it lapse when we moved out of Texas for about 20 years). Maybe I have a wrong impression of purpose of and/or raison d’etre for the Observer (if you have a “mission statement” I’d be interested in reading it). I found myself puzzled about the article “The Glen Rose Cycle” which took up a full third of the July 6 issue and was the featured cover story. I totally failed to see the point of this article, much less its relevance to the core purpose or theme of the newsletter. Among other things I didn’t even find the article well-written, particularly informative or even interesting. It seemed to me to be the sort of stupid piece of fluff I’d expect to find in the AAA Texas magazine (which I throw in the recycling bin immediately on receipt). If there was a “method to your madness” on this, please enlighten me.

Jo Reichler, Livingston

As an evangelical Christian and progressive (not an oxymoron, I don’t think), I must admit I was a bit nervous about reading the article about The Promise (“The Glen Rose Cycle”). I thought Karen Olsson did an exceptional job of describing the event in a manner that was respectful of the participants’ faith, yet also pointed out some of its humor. Nice job.

Bill Holston Dallas

The editors respond:

Since its inception in 1954, the Observer has fancied itself a journal of Texas politics and culture–publishing reviews, essays, and slice-of-life pieces in addition to political reporting and investigative journalism. Beyond that, our madness is strictly unmethodical. While we appreciate it when readers tell us what they do and do not want to see in the magazine, we will continue to dabble in non-political subject matter on occasion.