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U.S. Foreign Policy To the Editor: While ordinary Americans are focused on the latest proposed draconian cuts in their pay and pensions (present and future) and Washington argues over our military/industrial/wall street spending and how to increase that continued waste, our President speaks the language of perpetual war to protect “our interests and values.” Say what? Not like Bush II will he “thump his manly chest” and dictate that we till track down those who oppose us and eliminate, but uses other phraseology that is suppose to anesthetize us into believing that his war agenda is “softer” than the previous constitutional shredder. What better opportunity for the western arms merchants to have another “splendid little (successful) war” to display their “superiority” over the “backward north African classes” that are continuing their lifelong struggles against those who still believe in the “White Man’s Burden” and Western/European Imperialism? As I asked in 2003, “would we be invading Iraq (now Libya) if their main exports were carrots and green onions?” While our economy struggles from the colossal financial rape of Middle America by Wall Street, we continue to plunder outside our country all in the name of “values and interests.” To prove that thesis, where, oh where would our “values and interests” be confined following our plundering corporations and covert activities that we wouldn’t be involved in perpetual war? Not only have we been raped in financial body, but now we are being mentally raped by another corrupt regime in Washington spewing out more warlike propaganda that will certainly lead to the threat of “another nuclear mushroom cloud” and facilitate more immorally wasteful military spending and more austerity cuts for ordinary Americans. Bert Canepa Groveland Cooperstown Quarry project To the Editor: The Union Democrat editorial on the Cooperstown Quarry project that ran March 25 was right on. The supervisors of Tuolumne County should support the Cooperstown Quarry project. County staff has done a thorough job in reviewing the environmental aspects of the project. Tuolumne County needs to move forward with making decisions to provide jobs and secure the future of its citizens, not getting caught up in reviews that only prolong the project, cost a lot of money or cause it to move away. The only reason it has become a problem now at the last minute is because of the prominent neighbor next door to the project. Supervisors do the right thing. Support the project. John Maciel Twain Harte High School spelling  To the Editor: For the past 35 years I have been awarding a scholarship at Sonora High School in memory of my aunt, Stella Stubblefield. She was a teacher for over 40 years. Five years ago, I asked that “applications with spelling errors will be disqualified,” be added to the instructions on the standard application forms. This was done, but apparently no one has been taught to read, spell correctly or follow instructions. Recently, when I received the applications for this year's scholarship, I was shocked to see that 63 percent of the forms contained two or more spelling errors. Some examples are the following: "phsycology major," "elementry school teacher," "sophmore," "scholorship," "passinate about," "St. Patiricks church," "babtised," "chemisist" and "physisist." Is it too much to check your spelling and proof read a one page application? Teachers introduce your students to Mr. Webster, he’s not a bad guy. I consulted with him throughout grammar school, high school and two years of college, and you know he was never wrong. My aunt would roll over in her grave if I awarded a scholarship, in her memory, to a student who can’t read or spell. Two final questions: Is Sonora High School graduating 63 percent of the class who can’t read, spell or follow instructions? Is this an example of Tenure? Tom Gookin Oakdale |