Dear Editor,
I enjoyed very much your article on The Martini Brothers. I saw them for the first time at the benefit concert at Appalachian Brewery [The Celebration of Life benefit concert for Tiffanie Salvadia held June 25]. It was a very high-energy performance, and they have style!

I also enjoyed Big Tubba Mista and their Big Band sound, but, I will have to say, my favorite was the last band of the evening, Trick Bag — they are GREAT! I love that fiddle and that voice.

Harrisburg has come a long way in offering lots of nighttime live entertainment. Last Thursday night we were at The Rusty Nail and caught Mike Dugan doing blues. He is a very talented gentleman, some of the crowd was young, and when Mike asked for requests, a group insisted on Hendrix. What a wonderful fun trip back in time and how Mike plays that guitar is nothing short of amazing! Next we stopped at Midtown [The Midtown Tavern, Harrisburg] to catch Trick Bag’s last set, and the place was hopping. This spot is like the best keep secret in Harrisburg on a Thursday night late.

In fact, on Thursday nights, in little old Harrisburg, there are sometimes just too many choices of places offering live blues. I love it.

Dear Editor:
I have read MODE for years. I do so because it prints "alternative" (for lack of a better word) articles. So, I expect to read things in it with which I do not always agree.

Also, I am the pastor of St. Paul’s Church in Shipoke, so I speak from that perspective. I also live in the "gay" section of Harrisburg. I shop in stores they own and find them to be excellent neighbors and citizens …

As a Christian, I am presented with texts which are given to me as the guide of my faith … In those texts it is rather plain that certain practices are not to be exercised by the people of the faith. One of those many activities is homosexuality … I firmly believe that most (but not all) of the people of faith I know view homosexuality in the same light. We list it as being immoral by Bible standards (along with gossiping, lying, adultery, stealing, murder, etc.). So we do not do it.

If we are asked we will admit to this belief but I have not found all that many Christians that will go out of their way to accuse others about it. It … is not really at the top of our list of topics…

When I read letters like the one you printed from the mother in Vermont it really touches my heart, for it is obvious that she is heartsick over how her son has been treated as well as how she perceives he has been treated. However, I personally do not know any one in the Christian community who would single out a child and treat them in the way she described …

It is a shame that she is so filled with hatred and bigotry toward people of faith …

What confuses me is why certain people in the gay community hold me personally responsible, as a Christian, for what was written in the Bible? I cannot change it. True, I would like to see every person become a Christian for I feel it is a very good path to take in life, but I do not hate people who don’t, or try to force every one I meet to validate my faith …

Why do gays feel that I cannot believe and exercise my faith as I wish?

Why must they require that I declare their sexual activity is just fine and correct? Why do they care what I think or believe? Is it really that important that they have my permission to have sex with a person of their own gender?

Why do articles that are favorable to the gay community need to always be filled with so much hatred toward the communities of faith? We are slandered and our faith is attacked at every turn. If the gay community doesn’t like the Bible, why can’t they just ignore it? Lots of other groups do. Why is there a need to attack it? The only reason I can see for this type of activity would be because an individual holds that the Bible has some validity and the scriptures are pressing upon them to change. Can you blame us for a conviction that you personally feel? It would seem that the more you protest, the more you validate the scriptures and give to them the power of truth.

It is my contention that most Christians love others, and in our church we seek to do good works as acts of faith. We are not people of hatred or bigotry. We are people who practice an ancient morality given to us by God. When practiced in its pure and proper form it is a force that seeks to elevate the race and improve the world around us. If you have not seen this in the Christians you know, possibly it is because you do not know the Christian community well enough.