Fenner article disputed
After your article appeared regarding the Fenner Nature Center
activity (‘Fenner Nature Center copes with excess nature,’
April 20), my wife and I received several phone calls. Some
were from irate individuals thinking we were religious, homophobic
crusaders. After we told them what we really said and how we
were misquoted and important information was not included in
the one-sided, obviously slanted article published by the Pulse,
they apologized for bothering us and wished us good night. Obviously
the Pulse didn’t bother doing a lot of research as we
easily found a similar, although better written, article by
John Schneider from last year stating different information
and opinions by officials. One of the biggest things you didn’t
bother to state is that people don’t report the behavior
and/or incidents because most visitors don’t get close
enough to the incident to observe it, especially with children
in tow. Thusly, they go elsewhere. What I can’t understand
is how you can begin your story telling how you observed stuff
going on and yet conclude the story with there is no problem
and this is persecution. Is there a police report on what you
observed on file? I think you better go back to writing comic
books. As for the actual issue, people need to keep in mind
that this is not a simple one to resolve and I feel for the
city and Police Department. In their jobs there are time, money,
staffing, legalities to be observed and the ever-critical watchdog
citizens. The end result everyone wants, including the administration,
is to have a safe and family friendly park to enjoy. In closing,
the illicit behavior being conducted by self-gratifying, thrill-seeking
individuals is belittling to all alternative lifestyles and
the hard work that has been put forth by so many toward acceptance.
Brett Stockhill
Lansing
(Editor’s note: City Pulse sought an explanation of the
statement that Stockhill and his wife were misquoted. Stockhill
replied by e-mail last week that they intended to “formulate
a response.” By City Pulse’s deadline for this week’s
issue, however, no response had arrived.)
What crime in Fenner Park?
I read the three letters from people in the home schoolers’
association about alleged criminal activity in Fenner Park,
and I have to ask, what crime do they think they saw? Near as
I can tell, the only thing they report is single individuals
leaving their parked cars. Is that a crime? If so, thousands
of Lansing folks are guilty as charged every day. Perhaps that’s
why the police had no record of complaints: There was no crime
reported. As far as concluding by inference that this sexual
behavior is taking place, I could just as easily conclude by
inference that the home schoolers’ association is trying
to take over a public space for their privatization of a public
services agenda, which I find far more disgusting than their
sexual fantasies of what is going on in Fenner. They can deny
homophobia all they want, but it was a key motivating force
for their political party’s success in the last election
(i.e. gay marriage amendments), so making this a public issue
clearly slides right in with their cultural politics. So the
home schoolers’ association won’t be going back
to Fenner. Breaks my heart.
Raymond Garcia
Lansing
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