Editor’s Note: Welcome to our letters to the editor page. Here you’ll find reader comments on Advocate articles and other news. We collect readers’ opinions from emails, letters, Facebook comments, and comments to valleyadvocate.com. Want to get in on this? Email deisen@valleyadvocate.com and put “BackTalk” or “letter to the editor” in the subject.

Joe Magrone had a marshmallow center

In response to “‘Big-hearted’ Problem with Dragons bassist Joe Magrone dies at 38,” (May 24 – June 6, 2018):

Joe was a great guy and a solid musician. He may have projected a tough exterior, but he had a marshmallow center. He was loyal to his friends and certainly had their backs. The valley music scene has lost a great bassist.
— Kyle Cohen, website comment

A really wonderful guy. The last time I saw him he did me a big favor, without a second thought. That’s just the way he was. Always a great friend. He’ll be remembered with a big goofy grin on his face.
— Studebaker Hawk, website comment

Joe joined the Justice League just after his birthday in 2005. He played with the Justice League for a few years before Problem with Dragons even began. We celebrated his birthday on 6/6/6 and Rob and I gave him his first tuning pedal.

Joe was an amazing dude; he didn’t have time for bullshit. He perfected the Irish goodbye and was good at pretty much everything. That dude helped me pack all of my belongings in my car like a game of Tetris, got everything to fit before I moved across the country. Joe is one of the most solid and best friends I had. He will be missed greatly.
— Allie Justice, website comment

Springfield police contract should be fair for everyone

In response to “Springfield police union pickets Sarno following contract negotiation breakdowns,” published April 11, 2018, on valleyadvocate.com:

We the people urgently need our police patrolling the streets and we need a fair contract that takes Springfield into consideration. Recently there has been controversy over what constitutes a fair contract for the Springfield Patrolman’s Union, but we would like to ask: what constitutes a fair contract for the residents of Springfield? The money that is spent for the police department by our tax payers does not exemplify a suitable citizen-police relationship. With break-ins, gang activity, and drug use; crime is once again on the rise. Twenty months and counting; how much more time must go by before our police and government officials can come to a consensus? Springfield is not made of gold; we have to spend our money wisely. It is illogical to promise the union pay increases, updated equipment, and more patrolmen while our city falls apart. Both parties here are in the wrong. Yes, the union should have handled the negotiations better, but shame on the mayor for postponing an already overdo promise to the union. We the people expect our politicians to fulfill every promise they make. I hope the security for our residents does not perish due to the lack of civility by both parties involved in these negotiations. It is time for change. It’s our turn.

— Michael Jones, Springfield

Roseanne never should have gotten show revival in the first place

We might say that [the show cancellation] was anything but fast — and took entirely too long. Roseanne for many years has engaged in blatantly racist, antisemitic, Arabophobic, Islamophobic and transmisogynist hate and conspiracy theory. She once even co-hosted a radio program with an actual Holocaust denier. She should never have been picked up for that new program in the first place.

— Owen R. Broadhurst, Facebook comment