Roar of the Crowd

February 2013

Free Lance

Are you kidding me? Lance [Armstrong] put Austin and Texas on the cycling map, and now you want to pile on? Whatever he did or didn’t do, he did it better, and isn’t that what Texas is really all about?

Jim Burnett, Austin

I stand with Lance and [Washington Post columnist] Sally Jenkins and against the leftist oinkers of Texas Monthly, most of whom are well known to be too fat to ride a bike more than fifty feet. Yeah, that’s right, Texas Monthly, fifty feet. Not your commie “metres.”

Doug Welty, Arlington, Virginia

The Bum Steer Awards were much better when you focused mostly on politicians—they were much funnier—and, in my opinion, the best thing in the December issue was the recipe for King Ranch chicken casserole [“Vittles”].

Rosemary Colvin, Katy

This may have been the worst Bum Steer edition ever published by you all. All the space wasted on the Texanist’s contrived homilies could have been much better spent on that embarrassment of a governor we are saddled with. For instance, how wise and economically prudent is it to place armed police officers in every classroom in the state (at an approximate cost of $50,000 per year) while at the same time drastically cutting school appropriations?

I am a fifth-generation Texan but ashamed to tell anyone I’m from here. This state has been reduced to a joke, which the rest of the country enjoys as a pleasant respite from the rigors of modern life.

Murry Walker, Medina Lake

You seem to be so gleeful in your attacks on Governor Perry and Lance Armstrong. Governor Perry did not shame any Texan because of his attempt in the GOP primaries (unless radical liberals feel it must be “win at any cost”)! And Lance Armstrong has athletic prowess displayed by few, has demonstrated that cancer survivors can see light at the end of the tunnel, and has established Livestrong to continue optimism for many who fear the word “cancer.” What have you done, other than put down those who do more?

George Lilley, Grapevine

Open Mike

As a former newspaperman, I’m aware that nothing is worse than a whining profile subject, so know this clarification of Nate Blakeslee’s piece [“Primary Targets”] comes with great appreciation for his time and energy; heaven knows he picked a boring enough subject!

First, there was no “settling” for Texas A&M; it was my other first choice. As a member of the Corps of Cadets and Aggie Band, I bleed maroon. Second, while I didn’t feel a desire to follow my dad onto the gridiron, I love the sport as much or more than most—especially when it involves either my Fightin’ Texas Aggies or the Mean Green Eagles of [the University of] North Texas.

More serious, though, is the incorrect implication that I or my organization supports raising the sales tax. In fact, we have taken a very consistent position that reducing the burden of property taxes should be accomplished through greater spending restraint. While tax swaps are permissible under the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, provided the overall burden stays the same, we urge Texans to proceed very carefully when creating or expanding any tax. 

Just as importantly, the elephant under the pink dome is that Texas’ state budget bloat has indeed been driven, in large part, by federal dollars and associated mandates. Taken together, these threaten Texas’s long-term ability to discharge its most basic responsibilities, like education. Texas legislators must stop enabling the federal spend-aholics; no longer should we segregate portions of the state budget as a political accommodation to their expensive whims. 

Michael Quinn Sullivan, Austin

Game Changers

My honest reaction after reading [Bryan Curtis’s] article [“Friday Night Tykes”] consisted of three words: Oh. My. God. I played football for ten years, from peewee up through high school varsity, and I loved it. But I certainly wouldn’t have loved it as much if I’d grown up in Allen. Helicopter parenting doesn’t do it justice.

Jeff Baxter, via email

I thoroughly enjoyed Bryan Curtis’s article on the Allen Hawks youth football team. I have coached youth teams for years and have only one Super Bowl ring to show for it. A team such as the Hawks comes around only once in a lifetime.

Byron Harris, via email

Water Works

After reading [the Texanist’s] response to Mr. Brookshire’s question about Crazy Water, I was persuaded to respond. Crazy Water has been continually bottled from wells right here in Mineral Wells since the 1880’s, and our company has been in operation since 1904. We are a small company that has experienced significant growth over the past few years thanks to grassroots efforts. It may look to an outsider as if we have just recently started re-marketing our waters, but we have many “ol’ timers” like Mr. Brookshire who have been drinking Crazy Water since their childhood and have made Crazy Water part of their healthful routine. Over the past few years, many health seekers have once again been drawn to the simplicity of replenishing their bodies with minerals like those found in Crazy Water. Because of FDA restrictions, we do not make health claims on the waters, but we have thousands of customers who have once again come to rely on the minerals and electrolytes they gain from Crazy Water. Mineral waters are like organic gardening for your body. [The Texanist’s] response to Mr. Brookshire’s question about Crazy Water being a key to health as unfounded would be like saying that his body does not need essential minerals such as magnesium or calcium. In our modern ways of eating less fruits and vegetables and more processed foods and meats, Crazy Water is a very smart addition to one’s diet.

Carol Elder, crazy Water owner, Mineral Wells