A new week, a fresh issue, and a not-so-random sampling of Mercury readers' concerns: Hello, Letters page!

—We knew Anthony was going to provoke a response with his original letter questioning the legitimacy of a "third-sex gender," but KB's succinct and respectful response is somewhat more succinct and respectful than we anticipated.

—Dan isn't alone in his, erm, dissatisfaction over the (inevitable?) street fee, bitterly noting: "I'm happy to read they're only reconsidering how to charge the fee, not how to reprioritize spending to meet these pressing maintenance and safety needs." By "happy" I don't think he means happy.

—Waiting in line for a drink in the bar: Is it the polite thing to do, or are you just a chump for going along with it?

—Much of the focus around police reform in Portland lately has centered on citizens with mental health issues. Monica says we shouldn't let race get lost in the discussion: "When we focus only on mental illness without acknowledging a much bigger issue being suffered by the community, or the fact that these communities intersect, and the treatment by the PPB toward people of color exacerbates mental illness, we are assuring that the brutality will only continue."

—And goddamn, you guys are kinda cranky about bikes!

—Lastly, poor Katherine is just about ready to give up on the whole changing scene in this city: "In 10 years they'll have finished scrubbing every speck of beautiful, essential, working-class imperfection from the face of this town and there will be no reason left to live here." :(

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  • ILLUSTRATION BY LEO ZAROSINSKI