Concerning your article "Rogue Businessman?" [May 2]: You obviously did not answer your own question. Then again, maybe this type of smut is something Tom Francis is used to writing.
I've known Jim Capwill for four years. While this man cares about his appearance, he has never worn a $15,000 suit. Drugs are out of the question. He is quite competitive and loves sports, so drugs would never enter his body. He never allows anyone to smoke in his office or home.
As to the other lies -- and I counted more than 15 -- consider the source of this information. The Jim Capwill I know never led the type of lifestyle you wrote about. This man goes to church on Sundays, always tries to help out others, and was a mentor to many young adults. I know Jim not only as an honest, caring individual who helped many people out, but as an extremely intelligent, hardworking individual. As for the other lies, I will not waste my time. This article was written with a clear motive to smear Jim Capwill. It didn't have anything to do with finding out any truth or facts.
Stefanie James
Boardman
Bible woefully unclear on slave guidelines:
All the banter regarding the religious implications associated with Cleveland Heights' decision to grant health care benefits to the domestic partners of gay and lesbian employees reminds me of a letter someone wrote Dr. Laura a while back. The letter goes like this:
Dear Dr. Laura,
Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's law. I have learned a great deal from you, and I try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind him that Leviticus 20:13 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the specific laws and how to best follow them.
When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev. 1:9). The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. How should I deal with this? I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as it suggests in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?
I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev. 15:19-24). The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.
Lev. 25:44 states that I may buy slaves from the nations that are around us. A friend of mine claims this applies to Mexicans but not Canadians. Can you clarify?
I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?
Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.
Unfortunately, I have never seen Dr. Laura's response to this letter -- if she ever wrote one. I am wondering if perhaps some member of the clergy who has spoken out recently on similar issues might provide us with some insightful commentary.
Peter L. Schofield
East Cleveland
Thanks for the gubernatorial makeover:
Pete Kotz's entertaining and spirited parody of Governor Taft's acceptance speech ["Bob Taft, Raw & Uncut," May 2] after his likely reelection was a hoot. This clever piece tickled my sensibilities. And that photograph of Bobby T was also a hoot. It looked like a cross between Bill Clinton and Elvis. What really is the difference between those three? None, as far as I can discern. To think, I actually voted for Bobby T.
Just how many other hokey-ass politicos out there could use this same treatment? In my humble estimation, almost all of them. They all seem to be equally pathetic as that homeboy, Bobby T. Pete's exposé of the governor's foibles and ineptness was dramatically accurate and painfully honest. Please give your readers more of this kind of artistic and playful review of our sorry state of affairs.
Dennis McCabe
Akron
Leeches, you know who you are:
Pete Kotz is on the money in "Welcome to Cheaptown" [May 9]. I love it that Scene will print this no-holds-barred journalism, the likes of which will not be seen in The Plain Dealer. Those who vote against support for schools (and municipal services and amenities) are most definitely leeches and cheapskates who are too stingy and mean-spirited to do their fair share. They offer lame and bogus excuses to cover their personal character deficiencies.
Each election reveals that there are thousands of such individuals among us who expect others to pay for schools, roads, and fire and law enforcement services, recreation facilities, public health services, and the many other services and amenities provided by public funding. In my kingdom, these people would, like Hester Prynne, be branded with a scarlet letter "C" for cheapskate, denied public services, and perhaps exiled to a remote location, where they could spend their days reveling in their cheapness and meanness while trading lame excuses with each other.
Bruce Taggart
Mentor
Correction
Cutlines for the houses pictured in "A Stab in the Dark" (May 16) were inadvertently transposed. The top photo shows the Dickens house, where Willie Young was killed; the bottom photo shows the home where Evelyn Moyer often lived. Scene regrets the error.
