ustxtxb_obs_2009_03_20_50_00002-00000_000.pdf

TheTexas Observer DIALOGUE MARCH 20, 2009 THE THIN BLUE LIE A wannabe cop does battle with the polygraph. And loses. by Randall Patterson STORM OVER UTMB What happened to the heart of Texas health care? by Melissa del Bosque COMMENTARY 25 Random Things About Texas. by Ruth Pennebaker JIM HIGHTOWER DIALOGUE EDITORIAL POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE BAD BILLS 22 Packing heat on campus, drug testing and pit-bull profiling. by Reeve Hamilton & Susan Peterson READING Yvonne Georgina Puig on poet Charles Simic. BACK OF THE BOOK The Cartoon Versions: Daniel Johnston meets Watchmen. by Brad Tyer REVIEW Tom Palaima on Dan Baum’s Nine Lives in New Orleans. POETRY 27, 31 by Catherine Kasper DATELINE: KERRVILLE 29 A Hill Country neighborhood at the crossroads. by Robert McCorkle cover illustration by Tim Gough WASTE, NOT WANT Since the day, decades ago, when the oil companies bought out the school district with their donations, Andrews has been a company town \(“Waste now it’s nuclear waste driven by greed and power, not concern for people. Jean Kooker Posted at www.texasobserver.org NO LONE GUNMAN I have great respect for Don Graham’s talents, but if he believes the Warren Report, as he implies \(“One Day in know very much about this subject. Gary Moore Posted at www.texasobserver.org BLINDERED JUSTICE The Lubbock district attorney and the judge in the case murdered Timothy Cole and got away with it \(“Innocence interest in justice, only in convicting someoneanyone! The prosecuting attorney and the judge will say, “It was the jury that convicted him:’ ignoring the fact that the jury heard only what they were allowed to hear. I suggest a remedy for such legalistic shenanigans. When a person is found to be wrongfully convicted, the prosecuting attorney and the judge overseeing the case be automatically sentenced to the same punishment the defendant would have received if guilty. G. Curtis Hoskins, M.D. Cross Plains TABLES TURNED I think the study of strengths and weaknesses is a good thing \(“The Curious Faith of Don McLeroy,” Feb. Bible and creationism. Alison Dieter Posted at www.texasobserver.org The strengths-and-weaknesses argument is evidence that the whole controversy about evolution requires Christians to face the fact that the scriptures are not literally true, but allegorical. As long as fundamentalists cling to the literal truth of the Bible, they won’t understand science, and they limit the limitless power of God. Bonnie Boorman Posted at www.texasobserver.org If Texas can insist that only textbooks challenging evolution can be paid for by the state, why can’t liberal states insist that they won’t pay for textbooks that challenge evolution? It can’t be all that difficult for publishers to produce two slightly different editions. Brian Jordan Posted at www. texasobserver. org MIGRANT FAMILY VALUES Sarah Wimer paraphrased Manuel Peria’s book well \(“A Bimusical Mind:’ information as to how a poor Mexican migrant youth climbed the ladder of academic success is noteworthy; the reality is that Mexican youth have the same capabilities as Anglo youth. While the journey through discrimination is filled with obstacles, many MexicanAmericans have achieved their destination through determination probably based on strong family values, which have more to do with ethics and family cohesion than with ethnicity. While alcoholism may be a factor with some parents, the aftermath of codependency may also lead to overachievement. Somewhere Pena developed a good sense of motivation. It must have come from his family’s values. Ben Figueroa Posted at www.texasobserver.org LETTERS TO THE EDITORS: Dialogue, The Texas Observer, 307 W. 7th St., Austin, TX 78701 or editorstexasobserver.org . Include full name and contact e-mail/phone number. FEATURES 10 16 DEPARTMENTS 2 3 4 8 13, 15 BOOKS & THE CULTURE 24 26 28 2 THE TEXAS OBSERVER MARCH 20, 2009