Final word on "becoming"

The Author weighs in....

David

-----Original Message-----
From: Barry Graham [mailto:bgraham33@hotmail.com]
Sent: Monday, May 14, 2001 5:46 AM
To: The Gray Wizard
Subject: Re: Star of Justice


Hi, David -

Yeah, I'm happy to weigh in...what I meant by saying that Phoenix is still
becoming is that the city is still in the process of giving birth to itself,
becoming whatever it will eventually be. This is what makes it such an
exciting, vibrant place, I think. Phoenix right now is where LA was in the
forties and fifties. LA is now a dead city that lives on its history, but
Phoenix is still a very happening place. It's on the edge of things, but the
edge is always where the action is, never the center.

I appreciate your interest in my work, and am very grateful that you and
your friends cared enough to debate it.

Barry



  ----- Original Message -----
  From: The Gray Wizard
  Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2001 4:09 AM
  To: bgraham33@hotmail.com
  Subject: Star of Justice


  Sorry to bother, but an email list in which I participate has just had a
  rather spirited debate about one of your articles in the April 2001 issue
of
  Harper's Magazine entitled "Star of Justice (letter from Phoenix)".  The
  relevant portion of the article that generated such debate was:

  "Phoenix is a boomtown where nearly a quarter of the children live in
  poverty. If there's any one thing that distinguishes Phoenix, it's that
the
  city is still becoming. There may be arguments as to what it's
becoming..."

  The debate centered around the intent of your meaning of 'becoming' in the
  first instance.  Some suggested that you meant it as the adjective meaning
  'attractive' and then punned with its second use.  Others suggested that
  both usages were intended to be verbal.  In the end, all agreed that only
  the author could resolve this.

  Care to weigh in?

  David

  David E. Bell
  The Gray Wizard
  www.graywizard.net

  Wisdom begins in wonder.





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