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YOUR VOICE
From The Reader
"Your Voice" features longer and distinctively personal commentary from readers on topics that don't seem to fit in a letter to the editor. Try to limit submissions to about 600 words.
Send proposed articles to chief editorial writer Patrick O'Callahan, The News Tribune, PO Box 11000, Tacoma, Wash. 98411 (or e-mail Patrick O'Callahan). Articles may be edited and republished in any format by The News Tribune.
"Your Voice" features longer and distinctively personal commentary from readers on topics that don't seem to fit in a letter to the editor. Try to limit submissions to about 600 words.
Send proposed articles to chief editorial writer Patrick O'Callahan, The News Tribune, PO Box 11000, Tacoma, Wash. 98411 (or e-mail Patrick O'Callahan). Articles may be edited and republished in any format by The News Tribune.
Vince Baird’s Your Voice (TNT, 11-18) regarding the funeral processions for police and fire personnel was thoughtful and poignant. I appreciate the view of the editorial objecting to the length of the procession (11-12) – that was a touchy topic and took guts to write – but Baird is correct in his statements about being human, the grief process, and the shared and unique bond that develops in these trades.
There was a senator from Chicago whose voting record in the short time he was in the U.S. Senate was mostly “Present.” That means no decision.
I am writing in reference to the current debate going on about health care in this country.
“Eat Local for Thanksgiving” week has officially begun, as proclaimed by the Pierce County executive and County Council on Tuesday to recognize the regionwide, buy-local campaign sponsored by Puget Sound Fresh.
Re: “Obama suffers by comparison” (letter, 11-19).
Re: “More building loans in default” (TNT, 11-5).
Re: “Obama suffers by comparison” (letter, 11-19).
The Bonney Lake Planning Commission has recommended that the City Council change the zoning for the WSU Forest, so Quadrant can move ahead with its plan to develop the 150 acres of forest.
Re: “Sarah Palin might become our very own Evita” (Eugene Robinson column, 11-17).
Re: “Washington Dems lockstep with Pelosi” (letter, 11-14).
Re: “Obama’s effort to discredit network is working” (letter, 11-9).
Re: “Skip mammograms in 40s, start at 50s, new advice says” (TNT 11-17).
Our compassionate win on Referendum 71 this month was made certain by just and conscientious voters, many of them Christians, many of them devout in other faith communities, and many others who believe strongly in human rights including the right to freedom from religion – a community of diversity dedicated to equal treatment of all people.
It’s starting! A government task force now knows more than the American Cancer Society does regarding mammograms for women. In its infinite wisdom (read cost savings), the government task force now recommends that women wait until 50 to have mammograms and then every two years (TNT, 11-17).
Re: “Beach access is dandy, but what about a lahar escape route?” (letter, 11-10).
For a welcome change, Tacoma’s recent mayoralty election featured two well-qualified candidates, Jim Merritt and Marilyn Strickland, each with a distinct set of talents.
Re: “Wake me from this nightmare” (letter, 11-15).
A recent letter writer (11-10) favored the proposed health care bill for forcing insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions. That’s like getting fire insurance after smoke is seen.
Re: “Hard to stay, hard to leave” (TNT, 11-16).
An acquaintance was bemoaning her high health insurance rates to me. “They keep going up and up. That’s Obamacare in action,” she said.
In the 2009 legislative session, Senate Bill 5208 was proposed and ultimately died. SB 5208 would have allowed judges and juries to impose harsher sentences for repeat domestic violence offenders and would have allowed the court to look at the offender’s entire criminal history.
Re: “Alley divides city” (TNT, 11-15).
Re: “As Christians, we paid a price for fighting R-71” (Viewpoint, 11-11).
While reading letters to the editor, I see a common thread concerning Referendum 71, Veterans Day, Islam and President Obama: If you are Christian, you are not entitled to an opinion. I would maintain that readers who profess that view are the real bigots.
I would like to commend Congressman Dave Reichert for his investigation into the AARP (TNT, 11-16). Finally, someone may show that this “organization” is just another front to corporations trying to push products and services aimed at seniors.
On Nov. 13, I arrived at the Pierce County District Court on South 96th Street at about 1:15 p.m. I checked the door, and it said the court would open at 1:30 p.m. I waited in line with about 15 to 20 others for the court to open. Just before 2 p.m., a lady came out and said the court was closed “because of budget constraints.”
Re: “More can be less with police processions” (TNT, 11-12).
Veteran TV viewers probably remember Jack Webb in his role as Sgt. Joe Friday on the TV show, “Dragnet.” His famous weekly quote was “Just the facts.” Unfortunately our modern-day cop, Rep. Dave Reichert, seemed to be overlooking many of the facts when he voted against health care reform. His judgment may be clouded by the $252,000 in campaign donations received from insurance and health interests since 2005.
I must express my outrage after attending the last two Puyallup City Council meetings. Here’s the story in a nutshell:
A radical Muslin shouting “God is Great” murdered 13 Americans while wounding many others. Still, President Obama will not condemn Islamic jihadists and rally Americans to fight jihadists at home and abroad.
Re: Viewpoint (TNT, 11-11).
I read the opinion (editorial, 11-12) about the police procession for Seattle Police Officer Brenton and was absolutely disgusted. What a slap in the face to all public servants. I don’t know why the military doesn’t have processions, but those young men and women deserve it and I would never complain if they closed down Interstate 5 or the roads around Fort Lewis for a few hours to pay respect to those who have died serving our country.
Once again, a theocratist insults history and current reality (letter, 11-10). My father was a veteran of World War II. He was the most highly decorated soldier from our Texas county in that conflict, earning two Silver Stars, a Bronze Star, the Purple Heart and the French Croix de Guerre. He did not fight for “Christian heritage.” He fought for secular American values, and for his American buddies beside him, against a nation that threatened the world (and was supported by most “Christian” churches in Nazi Germany, along with their ally the uber-Christian Italy).
Although George Will has written many thoughtful columns during his career, he has once again gotten it wrong on climate change. In past columns he spread misinformation on climate change, confusing weather with climate and theory with speculation. He has relied on journalists, novelists and other non-experts rather than climate scientists as his information sources. In his most recent column (“A lot of talk about global warming – and little consensus” 11-8) he repeats the claim that 30 years ago climate scientists were predicting global cooling.
Concerning Judge Hecht, I really think the jury convicted an innocent man. And I think The News Tribune was unfair in its attempt at a paper-saving story. Peter Callaghan’s column about lawyers not wanting to run because of retaliation from the incumbent hit it on the head. But at the same time he still thinks the jury got it right? Look what happened to Judge Hecht. As soon as he started to campaign, that’s when Sergio Armijo’s son started to look for something. How fishy is that?
I could write volumes about the surreal feeling I have after reading several recent letters and columns from conservative Christians regarding Referendum 71, Veterans Day, Fort Hood, President Obama, Islam, etc. I feel like I am in the middle of a terrible dream in which religious zealots are trying to turn our democracy into a conservative Christian theocracy.
Re: Lakewood photo enforcement.
My 84-year-old mother who suffers from breathing difficulties tried to get a flu shot from her doctor recently. Her doctor advised her that he could not give her a shot since she didn’t fit the profile he received of those eligible to receive the vaccine. In fact, he had to sign a form stating he could only give the vaccine to specific groups of people, and no one else.
That President Obama’s failure to answer General McChrystal’s urgent request for 50,000 more troops has become inexcusable begins to go without saying. Leaving America’s mission in limbo (especially the men and women tasked with executing it) for such an absurd expanse of time approximates acute dereliction, a fault aggravated by the fact that he now finds himself incapable of deciding whether he is going to fulfill or nix a strategy he announced less than six months ago.
I hate to waste my monthly allowance on a subject that should be obvious to the editors – especially since there is so much going on that is worthy of comment – but here it is: David Ogilvie (letter, 11-12) used the term “tea-bagger” to describe a group of people who are exercising their rights under the First Amendment in opposition to the “progressive” agenda, out-of-control spending and onerous debt imposed on our descendants.
Re: “Memorial: Soldiers don’t get miles-long processions” (letter, 11-13).
I shook my head when I read Rev. Joseph B. Fuiten’s article (TNT, 11-11) concerning Christians inability to stop gays from having the same rights he enjoys. I struggled for years to acknowledge I was born gay. Growing up in Idaho, where coming out meant sure and vicious mistreatment from the “normal” people, I pretended to be straight, hurting myself and others in the process.
It seems that the Washington contingent of Democrats should now be called Pelosi’s Puppets. Except for a courageous Brian Baird, they are lockstep with her. They are so far out of step with the American people, I find it hard to believe their consciences would let them sleep at night.
Re: The “Brewery” Revitalization: Arts, creativity, light industrial” (TNT, 10-25).
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© Copyright 2009 Tacoma News, Inc. A subsidiary of The McClatchy Company
1950 South State Street, Tacoma, Washington 98405 253-597-8742
© Copyright 2009 Tacoma News, Inc. A subsidiary of The McClatchy Company