November 19, 2003
Cruel and immoral
The Oregonian’s article about Douglas Schmidt included the following: His hospital bill totaled $272,364; $7,200 a day because he was deprived of anti-seizure medicine that cost $13 a day. And that doesn’t include doctors, convalescent home and other, even
more expensive hospitalizations since his debilitating seizure. Douglas’ family says the total is near $1 million.
The anti-tax movement is not only false economy, it is cruel and immoral. — Joi Riley, Talent
He can’t be serious
Professor Steven Kelman, Nov. 8, has written (in an apparently straight-faced piece) a denial that there could be political hanky panky in government contracts awarded in Iraq.
My first thought was that this guy can’t be serious. I kept looking for hints that he was being facetious or cleverly satirical.
People believe what they want to believe. There is never a smoking gun. There are no written guarantees of favored treatment for political contributions. You have to put things together.
Consider:
1. Some of the biggest contracts have been awarded secretly without competitive bidding.
2. There is this "revolving door" practice whereby generals retire to top-level positions with firms and CEOs are appointed to decision-making positions in the Defense Department.
3. Most of the biggest contracts have gone to firms with close ties to the administration.
When you see the inevitably personal and social relationships among the decision-making parties, consider the money and power involved and put all of this together, it does seem to require suspension of common sense to believe with Kelman that these allegations (of a stench of political
favoritism and cronyism) are somewhere between highly improbable and utterly absurd. — Harry Cook, Ashland
Disgusting and reprehensible
There is nothing more disgusting and reprehensible than slandering and denigrating policemen and soldiers who died protecting their fellow citizens.
Imagine the outrage you’d feel if Dan Rather or Larry King told a nationwide radio audience that the American soldiers who died at Normandy and Iwo Jima were "a bunch of spineless cowards and storm troopers."
Yet that is almost exactly what right-wing radio announcers have done for 10 years regarding the four police officers murdered by terrorist fanatics in Waco, Texas, in 1993. Pursuing their fanatical hatred of Bill Clinton, they gleefully slander dead police officers to promote their dishonest
agenda. That’s disgusting.
Three jury trials and a six-year Senate investigation proved conclusively that all of the state, local and federal law enforcement personnel present at the 1993 Waco standoff and fire carried out their duties in a lawful and professional manner. Period. All 184 deaths were caused by the anti-
American "Branch Davidian" cult and no one else.
Michael Savage and many other sleazy talk-show announcers display their hatred toward America and its police officers with such talk. — James Snyder, Medford
Support organic farming
A commentary was recently run stating that Hillcrest Farm should stay. I could not agree more. However, for those property owners who chose to purchase a home near there and did not realize that the orchards were being sprayed with poisons, I would urge those homeowners to prevail upon
the Hillcrest owners to go organic. We have some organic orchards here in Phoenix and they had banner crops this year. What’s wrong with going the safe farming way? — Louis Junghans, Phoenix
Get back to work
It’s Veterans Day again, and here I am at work. Almost all government officials, teachers and even bank tellers have the day off. I wonder how many of them are veterans. I am, and yet here I am.
I wonder how many of the Bush-bashing, anti-war protesters are enjoying a day off. Do you think that you deserve a day off because of the sacrifices made by those that you are so quick to criticize? Where does your hypocrisy end?
All veterans of the United States military should be remembered today. It is a time for us to reflect on what we’ve done, sacrifices we’ve made, and to remember friends and comrades that have died.
I wonder why so many veterans that have made so many sacrifices are working today, while so many others that haven’t raised a finger to protect this great country or to help other countries in need are reaping the benefits.
If you are a veteran, thank you and God bless. If you are not, and don’t respect the military and are not spending the day remembering them, get back to work! — Rob King, White City
Shame on Tribune
Shame on the Mail Tribune. On Veterans Day the best you could do was an article about the Hornbrook Cemetery and a brief article on the editorial page. I think the comics page did a better job than that.
I guess I will have to do the job for you.
Thank you, veterans! — Charlette Krumm, Central Point
