Check Hate
Amanda Weinberg wrote a letter criticizing my chess career, in which she claimed I don't play against men. This is completely false, and must have been based on a knee-jerk reaction rather than any knowledge of my career [Letters, Oct. 13, 2005]. Since the age of 9, when I started playing in tournaments, I have played against male players 90 percent of the time. Occasionally, I do play in segregated women's events and do not think these events are anti-feminist, unlike some critics who automatically consider women's tournaments as an admission of inferior ability. I view them as a positive forum for women, such a small minority in the chess world, to compete against and bond with each other.

The chess world, a tiny subculture, needs a lot of help in both organization and publicity, but a quest to completely eliminate separate women's tournaments is misguided and dogmatic.
Jennifer Shahade
Two-Time National Women's Champion
Author, Chess Bitch: Women in the Ultimate Intellectual Sport

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Space Degraders
Joey Sweeney must think it's very cool to dismiss those working on the Near Earth Object threat as "British and American eggheads develop[ing] technologies to protect white people." Evidently, he thinks the laws of physics will be suspended for less privileged populations in the event of a collision [Naked City, "TV/Tivo Tips!" Oct. 13, 2005]. This makes him just as "with it" as those who saw no hurry about preparing against killer tsunamis or once-in-centuries hurricanes because, after all, what were the odds?
Eric Hamell
North Philadelphia

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Boooo-ce
As a card-carrying member of the glittering advocacy industry in Philadelphia, I strongly disagree with Bruce Schimmel's pooh-poohing of efforts to use policy to fight against corporate media consolidation [Loose Canon, "New Media, Old Whine," Oct. 13, 2005]. A theater showing indie movies will not by itself topple media conglomerates that threaten the very fabric of our democratic society.

The fight for media justice must be waged on many fronts. Artists need to create independent and innovative content. Some of them don't have laptops to do it, and may have a hard time breaking into the extremely competitive world of grant fundraising. For those most disenfranchised, we need a community access cable channel.

Advocates need to hold politicians and regulators accountable to our needs, not the needs of well-moneyed special interests. While Philly filmmakers are whispering into Bruce's ear about the need for a repertory theater, Rupert Murdoch and Brian Roberts are screaming into the ears of members of Congress, the Bush administration and the FCC to give them everything, and give it now.

Should we have more bricks and mortar for indie media producers to show their stuff while sipping vodka tonics? Absolutely. But those of us who chase rainbows and the Holy Grail will still be hard at work fighting for a media system that serves the public good.

We should be ashamed of ourselves if we let Comcast and city officials string us on until we tire out.
Beth McConnell
Director, PennPIRG

If you aim for public space for the innovative video made by locals, why do you attack the people doing good work for public access?
Deborah Rudman
Via e-mail