Dear readers:
Here’s a sampling of email — and voice mails (see audio icon below) — responding to Sunday’s to on-point column suggesting it’s time for Ted Haggerd nemesis Mike Jones to leave the stage:
(Note: to read the original column).
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From: Rodney Bake
Date: March 25, 2007 1:41:08 PM MDT
To: DP OpenForum
Subject: Mike Jones Needs To Leave The Stage
Dear Editor,
John Moore seems to be aghast at the opinions of a hooker/masseur/drug liaison and calls for his voice to be driven from the stage. Somehow his voice is less valuable. Should his voice be less than that of say Jim Baker, Paris Hilton, Anna Nichole Smith, Mel Gibson, Mark Foley, Newt Gingrich, Tom Delay, Scooter Libby, Joe Nachio, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Rove, or the thousands of other smartest men in the room whom have made hypocrites of themselves and still attempt to maintain a presence on the stage?
If anything Mike Jones has been the most straightforward (no pun intended) in addressing issues of sexuality and his participation in the disclosure of the hypocrisy and homophobia centered in Colorado Springs than any of these other men and women have been in addressing their faux pas’. What irony that “Conviction” was released after Haggard’s trysts were revealed. Mike Jones’ participation was the exclamation point of the event.
It is incredulous to believe Moore’s hypothesis that Mike Jones single-handedly undermined Referendum I’s defeat. Decades of injurious homophobic legislation has preceded last year’s renewed efforts. That this positive effort fell short was no one’s surprise. To think Mike Jones’ disclosure of his relationship undermined the thinking of the electorate already fully embracing homophobia defies logic.
Regards,
Rodney L. Bake
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From: Aaron Talbot
Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2007 8:36 PM
To: Denver Post – John Moore
Subject: Today’s Column
Thank God someone in the media finally had the decency to voice the truth about Mike Jones. Your viewpoint very likely mirrors that of the vast majority of decent Americans. With the rampant PC policing today and their extreme terror methods through media, the majority you spoke for today definitely feel vindicated.
I have a son, and I would definitely not uphold Mike Jones as a person he should emulate. I don’t have a daughter, but, if I did, I would hold up those three nuns from “Conviction” as ladies she should model.
To put it succinctly — Mike Jones is a pathetic loser. True, it’s not a PC way to state things — but fortunately an eloquent person with the power of the pen was able to state so in a commendable manner.
Thanks, Aaron
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From: Suzie Morrison
Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2007 1:37 PM
To: Denver Post – John Moore
Subject: onpoint article
Dear Mr. Moore,
It seems to me if you want Mike Jones to go away you would not write an entire article about him. I personally had forgotten his name until you brought it up in big, bold print. It seems a shame that the movie screening you went to was barely discussed, and your focus was on Jones. If the film was as wonderful as you briefly alluded to it should have been discussed more. The whole topic is yesterday’s news. I enjoy reading about the arts — not Mike Jones.
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From: Name withheld
Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2007 11:01 AM
To: Denver Post – John Moore
Subject: Column on Mike Jones
(Noet: The following letter was signed, but the author requested anonymity so the content has been edited to protect the poster’s identity):
Dear Mr. Moore,
About the only thing you got right was that Mike has a big heart. Indeed he had the courage to do what he felt deep in his soul was right. Even if greatly controversial and at great risk to himself.
Mike is a greater supporter of theater than you will ever be. In fact, you may be horrified by this, but I think you could learn something about theater from Mike. As you may or may not know, he gave massages to many of the actors in the touring companies that come through Denver. You might have learned something from a audience point of view if you had gone to see “Crazy for You” with Mike. No joke — he has a greater depth of knowledge of the range of theater in Denver than you will ever have. Not that I think you are homophobic, but rather like the character in “Queer as Folk” who wrote articles denigrating edgy gay sex — and then turned up at a bareback party.
You also show political naivety when you blame the defeat of Amendment I on Mike Jones. You only have to look back at Amendment 2 to see a direct correlation. It showed it was not going to pass in the polls all the way until the end and then did. Almost exactly like Referendum I. I had a lot to gain by its passage but never really believed it was going to pass, Mike or no Mike. This will come, however, it is only a matter of time. I am well aware that there are a lot of (gays) out there that take a morally superior attitude toward Mike and blame him for this. I don’t. It was just a few years too soon.
As to your comment about “aging,” have you looked in the mirror lately? We can’t all be invitees to Tim Gill parties. You should look so good and be so fit at any point in your life. That was cruel, and you should be ashamed.
There is a big community theater scene in Denver that gets no support from you and depends on real theater fans and friends to support them. Mike Jones has been one of those people and you have not. Many times audience members come to see a friend and have never seen a play since high school. It opens their eyes to a world they did not know. And many of these productions are surprisingly good.
There is a theater community in Denver that values all the Mike Jones of the world when you won’t even darken a door of them.
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From: Erik Erikson
Sent: Monday, March 26, 2007 8:37 AM
To: Denver Post – John Moore
Subject: I liked your article on Mike Jones………
I thought it was fantastic, and you hit it spot-on. His 15 minutes of fame was so last year! I am a gay man and he is an embarrassment to the gay community! We don’t need a meth whore representing “our cause” — whatever that might be at the moment. But it was funny, he was quoted by Out Front Magazine, the gay rag of Denver,as saying, “It was sad. When I decided to out Ted, no one came to my defense. No one supported me or helped me or asked if I needed anything.”
Oh, boo hoo! Let’s all rally around the prostitute? Please — he disrupted a lot of lives, and for what, his putrid 15 minutes of fame and talk shows? He made his bed, and now he must lie in it………..but I liked your idea better; he should just go away!
Erik Erikson
Denver
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From: Bob Charlton
Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2007 9:48 AM
To: Denver Post – John Moore
Subject: Applauding your commentary this morning…
Thanks for stepping up to confront Jones as the sleazy, slimy opportunist that he is. Admire your candor, honesty and transparency to finally confront this guy’s motives. The entire situation is a tragedy … but to exploit gain from a sad situation is the ultimate hypocrisy.
Bob Charlton
Cherry Creek North
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From: Judy E. White
Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2007 9:28 AM
To: Denver Post – John Moore
Subject: Mike Jones
Kudos to you for your extremely well-written missive about Mike Jones. I couldn’t possibly have said it better. Too bad it wasn’t in the obituaries.
Judy White
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From: Armand de Beque
Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2007 7:44 AM
To: Denver Post – John Moore
Subject: (no subject)
Mr. Moore,
Thank you for speaking out on sleaze-bucket male prostitute Mike Jones. I have the unfortunate task of listening to him every morning in the gym I attend. He practically yells out his exploits with Montel, Springer or whoever, for all of us to hear, and most of us got tired of it months ago. Surprisingly, he has many fans – “star (expletives),” as we call them, but decent people are sick of it.Armand de Beque
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From: Elva Edwards
Sent: Monday, March 26, 2007 1:02 PM
To: Denver Post – John Moore
Subject: Mike Jones
I do not favor the man and I can see why he shouldn’t have been leading the discussion. But your column keeps him from quietly going away.
Frankly, I know we are all have our assets and liabilities, but Haggard was the one who placed himself on such a high pedestal. Don’t blame anyone but him for that topple.
He did it to himself. Now, I feel for his family. I feel for him:a man who cannot accept his own homosexuality. But don’t blame Mike Jones and don’t give him four columns in your writing. Haven’t you seen any good plays lately?
Elva Edwards
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From: Ed Hutchinson
Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2007 1:57 PM
To: Denver Post – John Moore
Subject: Today’s “editorial”
I think you really hit the nail on the head with your column today about Ted Haggard’s nemesis. I must confess that my interest in the entire sordid affair consisted mostly of headline reading, but what you said today made extremely good sense.
I am not a theater buff, but have long admired your articles (when I happen to read them.) My interest is just a bit more than idle. Your father and I were classmates at Regis College in the late 1940s. In fact, I believe we graduated the same year. He, of course, went on to a nice career with The Denver Post, while I mostly labored locally as a hired “hack,” beating the tubmy last 23 years before retirement for dear old Public Service Company of Colorado.
Cordially,
Ed Hutchinson
