Letters.

Dear Editor:

I was disappointed to see that Mr. Ford ("Powerful Illusions, "by Glen Ford, Winter 2002/2003) did not really commit himself to efficient research prior to publishing the above article. The first step might have been to determine the proper spelling of the victorious congressional candidate in Alabama. It is "Artur" Davis and not "Arthur. "The second step, would have been to do some research on Artur Davis and find out what he is actually about as opposed to lumping him in the same category with Ms. Majette and Mr. Booker.

I happen to know Artur Davis and was privy to the campaign that is described in passing in Mr. Fords article. Artur, also Harvard trained, hails from meek status. He grew up poor in an African American neighborhood in Montgomery, Alabama. His politics are sharply aligned with what Mr. Ford would consider the true black voice, and he made it clear during his campaign. The voters were tired of Mr. Hilliard's empty promises for jobs, infrastructure, scandals regarding use of funds and ethics and his 100 percent voting record with the NRA. You will note that during Mr.Hilliard's tenure, African Americans in his district remained among the poorest and most disenfranchised in the state and the country. You may also notice that Mr. Hilliard did not even win his standard boxes such as Selma, Alabama.

Mr. Ford underestimates the raw and basic intelligence of the poor. Because the "good ole boy" connection, yes even in black communities, often means more than merit and because our older brothers and sisters who are leaders often have a sense of entitlement as opposed to a true spirit of service for the people (and I could name many, as I have done my research), Artur had to be smart. He was unsuccessful in his first race against Hilliard because he could not raise sufficient funds to inform the people of his platform. The second time around, he asked a simple question, "Who is so tired of Hilliard that they are willing to make a contribution to a strong contender?" The answers sent him checks.

But perhaps Mr. Ford should take the time to ask Artur what he thinks of the Palestine/Israel conflict (as his article makes it clear that he did not endeavor to determine Artur's stance prior to printing)...ask him what he thinks on a number of relevant "black" issues. Based on what Mr. Ford has written, I have no doubt that he would be pleasantly surprised and perhaps apologetic.

Eden Gaines

Dear David Leonard:

I have been playing games for years and was somewhat turned off by GTA Ill, but I couldn't really place my finger as to why. I believe you have figured out the problem ("Live in Your World, Play in Ours," by David Leonard,Winter2002/2003).As one who saw postmodern literature and cinema study as two increasingly growing academic studies in college, I find that videogames and their impact on culture, and also culture's impact on them, are topics that haven't been discussed as much as one would think they would be. Also, I play over 20 hours a week, yet I spend little time thinking about anything besides the plot of the games, I never think about the ramifications of said plots on culture in the same way I did when viewing film or reading a novel. This is something that academics and laymen alike need to evaluate, as many developers don't understand their narrative responsibility towards their audience. I look forward to reading future articles by people such as you who take the time to think these important topics out.

Baer William Bradford