To: FORTUNE magazine
Date: January 30, 2005
Subject: Response to article about Dallas in January 24 issue
Result: Not printed because it was a paid "advertorial"

 

Dear FORTUNE Letters,

I don't know if you're allowed to respond to special advertising features that appear in FORTUNE, but the spirit of Dallas, Texas that was portrayed in the January 24 issue does not match my experience.

Dallas prides itself in its independent spirit. It says it loves the renegades and the "mavericks" and those who "think outside the box." What I have found is that this applies only to those who have already made their billion dollars. And as for the box, you better be in the "out of the box" box, or forget it.

As one who is totally in a league of his own, I have been trying for 20 years to find a way to start a computer-related company in Dallas, and have never gotten past square one. Had I been able to do it when I first started thinking about it, it would be no less a company than Dell Computer, and I believe more. It would have created a lot of jobs and paid a lot of taxes, as well as been very helpful to its customers. And if I could have ever gotten that one going, I have many more companies I could do, at least 2 of which would also start whole new industries, as my computer company would - as Ross Perot's company did.

In fact, I presented myself to Mr. Perot, and also to Mr. Nasher (arts patron; former "Cultural Ambassador of Dallas"), many times each over several years. Also to Mr. Cuban a time or two.  They were all mentioned in the piece in FORTUNE. Another guy who heard from me many times was Stanley Marcus, who wrote newspaper columns and received accolades which all suggested that he was an adventurous, open-hearted person.  I had hoped to appeal to the spirit they say they represent, but not one brave soul among them or many other luminaries in Dallas who I contacted were willing just to hear what I have to say. 

You can say, well, the reason people have left me alone in Dallas is because of my wild and crazy web site, radicalview.com, where I post my censored letters to the editor of The Dallas Morning News.  I'm too hot to handle. But all that was after the fact. My inability to find a single ear in Dallas long preceded that.

It's all show, no go to me.

Thank you, John Vehon