web powered by 
Home 
Opinion Letters to the Editor for Oct. 29, 2010
Letters to the Editor for Oct. 29, 2010
|
Support our troops To the Editor: We support our troops. This statement comes with a question — how do we support our troops? Put a yellow emblem on our car? Fly the flag? Vote? Oh, I’m sorry, you don’t want to vote. So, here’s the deal. Since the founding of this country hundreds of thousands of our military personnel have given their lives so you and I can enjoy all our wonderful freedoms. Now four out of five California citizens thank these men and women by not voting. They died for you and this is the thanks they get. If you are a non-voter then you should be ashamed of yourself. Who Supports our troops? I guess not most of you. Harry Burton Arnold Land Use Plan To the Editor: Much has been written regarding the Tuolumne County Land Use Plan being considered by the Board of Supervisors. For those who may not be aware, the original document was considered to be too long at 80 pages. The board voted to send the plan back to staff to condense it into a more concise and workable document. The staff shrunk the plan to a little over 20 pages but, unfortunately, they also changed it fundamentally. The overriding purpose of this plan is to provide the citizens of Tuolumne County access to the decision-making process when the Forest Service is planning how our National Forests are to be used. Coordination is the term most often used throughout the plan when discussing this. The plan initially made provision for a committee made up of citizens from the private sector, but it was generally agreed that at 21 members, it was too large. The revised plan substitutes the citizen committee for a smaller group of county staffers. That is unacceptable. For this plan to be viable there must be input from those who base their livelihood from the public lands. People who know about mining, timber, tourism, agriculture and transportation must be able to participate, along with any of the myriad of environmental groups that have concerns. While there are other problems with the revised version, it’s fatal flaw is replacing a citizens committee with a group of hand picked staffers to decide what the board’s policies and decisions should be. To not include working families in consideration of expanded employment opportunities is not in the best interests of any of us. Guy Emery Columbia Health Care To the Editor: It broke my heart to read about the little girl Savannah LeVey, the 9-year-old now battling brain cancer. Thankfully she is receiving treatment at Stanford for this illness. Also, thankfully, Stanford has financial medical help for those who are unable to pay. But, I am furious at the state of our medical insurance situation in this country. This is a good example of why we need a government-funded medical program. No one should be turned away for medical treatment like this child was when she went to see five ophthalmologists because she did not have insurance. I’m appalled and disgusted that a funded medical insurance program hangs in the balance of passing depending on if you’re Republican or Democrat. I’m abandoning the party-line system. They are becoming more like a group of teenagers or children, with the attitude of what side do you play on. Think about it. The party-line system reminds me of children’s rules. If you’ve raised children you know what I mean. Instead of Democrats or Republicans, how about thinking independently and voting for what is right. When you are controlled by a group of any kind you lose individuality. Vivian Jantz Jamestown Evaluate the facts To the Editor: Seemingly intelligent people write wordy editorials that sound factual, but often omit truth, wisdom and logic. Whichever is more convenient to their cause. A wise person will learn all he or she can about something, evaluate the facts and come to a conclusion. The conclusion may be right or wrong. Choose the right and leave what’s left. Pat Loring Columbia Williams, NPR, Fox To the Editor: A little history may be in order. In 2004, the manager of the Al-Arabiya news channel confronted his fellow Arabs with his observation that “it is a certain fact that not all Muslims are terrorists,” he began, “but it is equally certain and exceptionally painful that almost all terrorists are Muslims.” I am not aware of his audience’s response. Then, in October of 2010, Fox News host Brian Kilmeade said, “all terrorists are Muslims.” A simple statement for simple minds. Factually untrue, of course, racist and hateful. Fox apologized. Then, a few days later, Juan Williams, on contract as a host with NPR, gets on Fox News and says that he gets nervous when he sees someone in muslim garb in an airplane with him. Like Kilmeade, he allows his gut feeling to overwhelm his thinking. Perfect for Fox, embarrassing for NPR. After all, NPR is for the brainy, Fox for the brain-dead. Different audiences. When NPR fired Williams, his First Amendment rights were untouched. He may say whatever he wants, when and wherever he wants and the government will not touch him. NPR, on the other hand, is under no obligation to let him bare his soul and say whatever he wants on their stations. Now, Fox has for the right wing what terrorists cherish in suicide bombers, a martyr. However, there remains a significant difference. While radical islamists tell their suicide bombers to expect to dance with 72 virgins, all Fox rewarded him with was a $2,000,000 contract. Klaus Kraemer Sonora Homeless Shelter To the Editor: If people can raise and spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to shelter elephants, why not an overnight shelter for the homeless? Ron Fuentes Sonora |
Tuolumne front page
Get home delivery of the Union Democrat for only $7.00 a month. After filling out one simple and secure online form you could be on your way to learning more about your city, state and world than you ever have before.
