Overlawyered letters

I'm one of the students that lived in Madison, Wis. during the period the taverns conspired to fix prices (May 2, 2005, Mar. 29, 2004).

What I thought might interest you is that we've had riots 3 years running during the famous Halloween party on State St. This year, the city government and university have asked the bars in the area to close early to help prevent riots for a fourth year. Shockingly, the taverns have grown a backbone and said no.

What lessons can we draw from this? When acquiescing means they stand to make money, the ruthless city government is just *too mean* to withstand, but when listening to the same officials means the taverns will lose money, well, that's an entirely different matter. Shocking how they've grown a backbone when they can't use the city's request to steal money from folks, eh? I'd say that pretty well undermines their claim they were coerced to raise prices.

Now, having this firm sue them isn't ideal, but since no one else is stepping up to the plate to make these people pay for what they did, I'll take what I can get. -- Earl Hathaway, Madison, Wis.