Sojourner's response inappropriate

I'm sending in my subscription donation to support you after reading Mary Sojourner's letter titled "Welcome to 1984" in the September issue. But I'd like to see Ms. Sojourner heed her own convictions about accepting dissent. The letter by Graham Tewksbury about judging people by actions rather than the car they drive or money they have (or not) was a work of art. It was a poignant rebuttal [to a Sojourner essay published in August] with a less than gracious response by Ms. Sojourner.

C'mon, give the guy his credit. A simple "Good point Graham" response would have been more appropriate. There was no need to reiterate the money and mpg issues. Besides, how do we know what Lexus he owns? Some models get over 30 mpg.  And owning a Lexus is not an indication of wealth. Anyone who can sign his name can buy a car (nothing implied here Graham). Not that wealth is inherently bad other than it might make us a little jealous of those who have it.

So thank you Mary Sojourner and Graham Tewksbury for inspiring me to support a worthy printed news alternative for Flagstaff.

By the way, I am a self-employed, still in the red, owner of a $7000 truck that barely gets 20 mpg. I wish a car or truck that would suit my needs for my work existed that gets better mileage but I've researched it and can't find one. How about it Detroit or Japan?

Joel Wolfson, Flagstaff

Wal-Mart deadly to small-town life

In response to your article on the Super Wal-Mart, I would like to submit the following observations and recommendations:

My husband and I spent this summer looking for a small city or town to live in. We put over 8,000 miles on our RV and went to eight Western and Plains states. We started and ended (temporarily) our journey in Arizona. We took mostly two-lane highways so we could take a look at small communities off the interstate. We found, without exception, that every town that had a Wal-Mart - "Super" or not - was dead or dying. Stores boarded-up or in serious decline, residents of the towns and their housing looking in great need of money. And, when we bought at Wal-Mart we have found the quality of the merchandise to be deplorable, albeit returnable.

After reading your article, we now know why. We also find it extremely offensive that the stores push the corporate morality of backwoods Arkansas on the more progressive, free thinking rest of us.

We encourage your fight against the "Big Box."

Connie Shuler, Glendale

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