Austin American-Statesman from Austin, Texas • 28

This section it recydabat Sunday. December 2a 1 992 Austin American-Statesman A29 Letter bashing St. Louis flam very encouraged. I'm not satisfied, but I'm encouraged. 3 Sheila Stix, Confluence SLLouis i Black people are treated like they're on a plantation in this city.

5 Dwlsht BilHngsfy. director of fiscal policy hits raw i i.a. bwJl n. 1990 AP photo The 27-year-old Gateway Arch Is the best-known landmark In St Louis. The city Is working to Improve Its reputation as a highly segregated, racist city.

see Johnson leave, Stix has a dif- "It does take some time to see a ferent view. She wants people fed lot of changes in an area that for so up with racism to stay in St Louis many years has been subjected to and help tackle the problem. bad habits," she said. racism any other city. She just knows it exist.

Whenever someone raises the issue whether through aa open letter, such as Johnson's, or a public report response will vary, Stix said. "Some people will do hateful things, some people will do helpful things," she said. "You get both reactions." In many cases, Johnson's fetter seemed to strike a raw nerve. De-. fensive responses have poured into the offices of the Post-Dispatch, which ran a batch of letters lashing out at Johnson and one supporting him last weekend.

Ed Higgins, editorial page editor, said he thought most people were reacting to the biting tone of the letter rather than its individual criticisms. "It's an outpouring of people with wounded civic pride," Higgins said. "Is there racism here? Heck, yes. "But he went overboard." As for Johnson, he was packing bags last week to move back to the Boston area. He said his Boston relatives would sleep easier after he left St Louis.

"I can't wait to get out of here," he said. He says he doesn't regret writing the letter, but he does lament moving to St Louis. "St Louis," he wrote in closing his letter, "you are without a doubt the angriest, ugliest, weirdest and most hateful city it has ever been my displeasure to call home." While many letter writers responded that they were happy to -V 7- -i Santa-La Jf: 1 1 I I overly harsh language that insulted many in the community. But Johnson said he wanted to attack the intolerance he has seen toward women, gays and black people during the past three years. Johnson said he knows of black and gay friends who have been called derogatory names on St Louis streets "by people riding by in pickup trucks (and) while walking through the Central West End." No one denies that such prejudice exists.

Some say it's just a matter of perspective. "There's no question that St Louis is a backward city," said Dwight Billingsly, director of fiscal policy for St Louis. "This is the only place I know where people still say in business, Til have my girl call your "Black people are treated like they're on a plantation in this city." A study of 1990 census data by The Miami Herald ranked St Louis as the country's second-most segregated large urban area. Chicago was ranked first And last year, when PrimeTime Live wanted to do a story on racism, it picked St Louis for its un 4 If! Paytome 1 at rr.vnnfn check per iarn TO tiovj thru i 13-- I ri rr th nerve i r. I Open Evenings 1 and Sundays For Your Shopping Casio 2.2" Portable TV i ib: II 1 I i i r.

i -ijr dercover mission. Film crews showed how a white man received better treatment than a black man in everyday situations such as shopping and looking for housing. But some offer a more positive view. "St Louis is trying hard," said Richard Callow, a spokesman for Mayor Vince SchoemehL Callow said there's a growing awareness in the city of the need for different groups to work together for change. In 1989, Confluence St Louis, a citizen's group that researches local issues, issued a report calling racism a prevalent problem in St Louis and suggesting ways to reduce prejudice.

Since then, business and civic leaders attending a conference took personal pledges to combat racism in areas such as jobs, housing, politics and education, said Sheila Stix, executive director of Confluence. "There are many who are hungry to help and who are looking to help in any way they can," Stix said. "I am very encouraged. I'm not satisfied, but I'm encouraged." Stix doesn't know whether racism is worse in St Louis than in r. i ti niscount 20-24 only- Contemporary Ls4 Sofas! BO tut $368.99 Gentry 2 Pc.

Motion Sleeper Sectional Two niece prmm reclining piece and a sleeper in the perfect blend of both comfort and function. Reg. $2399.98 91-120 Matching Lovm 3Pc 9 Angry responses, bombing threats force out author By Pringl Pipkin Nf Yortt Thnet Nwi Svtc ST. LOUIS, Mo. Paul Gerard Johnson wanted to let off some steam before he packed hia bags and left St Louis forever.

Before heading back to bis hometown of Boston, the former Washington University law student wrote a letter to the editor of the St Louis Post-Dispatch. "I found your 'city to be filled with hateful, angry, bitter people who are full of ignorance, racism and prejudice," Johnson said in his letter, published Dec. 5, "a plethora of white trash so bizarre that my friends and I have concluded that your whole city is one big twisted cult." The letter went a few steps beyond most criticism of St Louis racism, which has included a nationally televised report last year and a study that said the city was the country's second-most segregated. Johnson, 28, who is white, expected a bitter response, but he never imagined offended residents would slash his car tires and threaten to throw bombs, kill him and his wife and burn crosses on his lawn. "I said this was an angry city, and they're proving me right" Johnson said.

"I called the police and they said, "You'd be lucky to get out of here with your Johnson, who worked at a St Louis law firm, concedes he used For first time, a hacker faces spy charges New York Times News Service SAN FRANCISCO In the first use of espionage charges against a computer hacker, a federal grand jury has indicted a well-known Silicon Valley programmer on charges of stealing a classified military document The 14-count indictment, filed this month in federal district court in San Jose, supersedes a previous indictment that had charged Kevin Poulsen and two others with computer and communications fraud. The espionage charge, which applies only to Poulsen, allows prosecutors to seek stiffer penalties. Poulsen's lawyer has argued that the information was declassified before his client obtained it, making the case a simple issue of theft "The government is trying to turn Kevin Poulsen, a curious computer nerd, into Julius Rosenberg, and it just doesn't fit," said the lawyer, PaulMeltzer. But an assistant United States attorney, Robert Crowe, defended the new indictment "According to the evidence we have, we believe that Mr. Poulsen's conduct fits the statute." The new indictment charges that Poulsen, 27, illegally obtained an Air Force order classified "secret" It is a violation of espionage laws simply to obtain classified information, even if no attempt is made to pass it to a foreign government The indictment charges that Poulsen stole classified flight orders for a 1986 military exercise at Fort Bragg, N.C.

The indictment also repeats charges from the first indictment that Poulsen and another hacker, Mark Lottor, repeatedly broke into the offices of the Pacific Bell Telephone stealing technical manuals, telephone gear and access codes to telephone switching computers. The government says Lottor and Poulsen were able to eavesdrop on telephone users, including two Pacific Bell security investigators who were trying to investigate them. Under the new indictment, a third hacker who was charged in the initial indictment, Robert Gil-ligan, is named as an unindicted co-conspirator. KilGB 14 leant i brt pir. genuine (-: lupaz Purchases i'" 'It Great Gifts! ii it 1 Jtr i it-s umaen uormess High resolution PnOne 10 number memory, display, antenna, French Stvlina pause key, redial, auto earphone ack, talk, pulsetone, 3-way power replaceable battery SUPP'Y sysKm- back.

te. $149.99 "Chalon" French styling, cherry finish on cherry solids and veneers and select hardwoods. 64" door dresser, landscape mirror and fullqueen panel Reg. $1299.98 92-63 72-310-1 s6Cr $1 49" Pilliod Entertainment Zenith 20" KlonKor TV Zenith Custom Series TV has remote with direct access and flashback, ACC, and 157 channel capability. SS6045 Reg.

$349.99 70-177-0 Stand S179.99 $349.99 tnnn 290 39 Douglas Dinette Center Countrv srvle ren. ter has oak finish and measures 48" 18" 51" Rtg. Velvet Swivel Rocker or BenchCraft Leather Match SRHC199 Action blue velvet rocks and reclines, while the Features 42" 72" beveled class too table BenchCraft's chair surrounds you with soft leather and leather look upholstery. Reg. $599.98 85-0736 with faux stone base, six upholstered parsons chairs.

Reg. $999.98 84-218-0 FrPA 9nH Rpmntal 7 PCi with purchase of any Zenith TV. ru-jw beyond our normal contract term 12 months. Subject to credit payment deferral. buy with no money down and make no payment until February 1993 plus get an extra 6 months over which to pay your account.

Minimum purchase of $499 and minimum initial contract term of approval and does not apply to previous purchases. Finance charges will accrue duhng period of I SfliEra LS 2 Pc Set 1 wm. ANDERSON MILL CTR. 13782 Research Blvd. (512)258-8031 Holiday Hours: WESTG ATE MALL 454JS.lamar at Ben White (512)892-1520 Mnliil.iv Tlnnrs! Mon-Fri 10-8, Sat 10-7, Sun 12-5 AUSTIN CENTRAL 2020 W.

Anderson Lane (512)454-2795 Unliilav Honrs! Mon-Fri 10-8, Sat 10-7, Sun 12-5 Mon-Fri 10-8, Sat 10-7, Sun 12-5 mennis prM for pick-v al our iton.