Thank you for the ¨Bare-Bones Criminal Justice news article (issue of April 2). Im an educated black man from the East Coast and am very aware of the great divide between justice for the poor and people of color.

Im sorry to say that Margo Pierces article presented nothing new for me but am glad that someone here is willing to present the truth. Ohio is years behind the East Coast, and Im glad that you presented this fact for the Cincinnati masses. Its no wonder that when a black male and a white male with similar criminal histories commit the same crime, the black male gets four times the jail time as the white male.

Its sad that Cincinnati doesnt have a progressive black community to bring these issues to the forefront.

-- Bruce Bennett, Deer Park

Just Innocent Fun in Newport
Larry Gross' column "The Pleasure of Her Company" was a scream (issue of April 2). Let me welcome him to Newport!

Gross was right to get out of that bar when he did. You open up your wallet for one of those dancers, and they're going to flock around you like seagulls. The same thing with the dollars for the jukebox. Gross should have said, "I'm here to drink." They would have gotten the message.

There are only a couple of these places left in Newport. Kind of a shame. If you can keep your wallet closed, it's really just innocent fun.

-- Bob Carlson, Newport

Nothing Wrong With That
Did Larry Gross "in some primitive, ridiculous fashion, want the pleasure of her company?" (issue of April 2). He knows he did. Not sure what's so ridiculous about it, though.

Feelings and desires come over us -- without our consent, they just come. Then our self talk jumps in and adds how we shouldn't feel this particular way or how it's wrong to want a particular thing. Know what I mean?

The judgment passed by this little voice, at least for me, has been the source of much suffering. And it's all bullshit. Just a thought.

-- Christian ONeil, Clifton