Dear Mbo,

I don't feel particularly offended by the song. I just feel that it looks at the problem through a rather narrow lens, not seeing the whole picture. I didn't want to make you feel like you're mean, but I did want to try to broaden your horizon. I can understand why some people may feel that we are too lax with criminals, but it is imposssible for me to accept imprisonment of any innocent people, long terms for victimless crimes, a prison system that makes no effort to rehabilitate prisoners, and unequal terms handed out to those of different races. As far as the death penalty goes, I don't believe in that at all, for anyone. Two wrongs never make a right.

I admit I'm unfamiliar with the songs of Jr's that Gene named. I could be wrong, but I tend to think if Jr. had shown much of his dad's genius, I would have heard about it. "I'm so lonesome I could cry" is like a haiku in a song-a few words, a few crystal-clear images, a simple melody that evokes exactly the right feeling for the words.

Mary McCaffrey