THANKSGIVING
Take the real turkey
Regarding PETA’s “If you wouldn’t eat your dog, why eat a turkey?”
How many people do you see walking/jogging with their turkeys? Maybe one or two, and they’re located on the left coast. PETA’s juxtaposition is a stretch.
Given the choice between tofu “tofurky” and a drumstick with mashed potatoes and gravy, I’m fairly certain most kids will choose real turkey.
As far as “Turkeys being drugged and bred to grow unnaturally larger upper bodies,” I’ve always looked for the 38D size of my Butterball feast.
Now, after the quail appetizer, pass the drumsticks! I’m getting hungry.
DR. JOEL COURTIAL, Eagle
CANCER SOCIETY
Community support critical to research
I am a volunteer for the American Cancer Society (ACS). I am serving on the Relay for Life Committee as the mission delivery chair. My responsibility is to get the message out about what the American Cancer Society does. Throughout the year I will be submitting letters to keep the community informed.
It is so important for our community to know about all the programs and information available to them 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer, do you know what you need? Do you even know where to start? The ACS has information that can help you understand cancer, help understand a word a doctor used or your treatment options, help you figure out where to start, help you obtain a wig and much more. Go to www.cancer.org or call our extensively trained specialists at 1-800-ACS-2345. You’ll always find a warm voice who will talk with you as long as you need.
We’re excited about Relay for Life next year. It will be July 12-13. We invite you all to come see what it’s about.
SHAUNA SWENSON, Meridian
POLITICS
Young Americans should feel pain
Changing demographics led to the re-election of Obama and his ilk. Traditional America is fading. Fading from values and virtues like hard work and resistance to government control. Accountability is no longer an aspiration.
Americans ignore realities that don’t fit their view of the world. They ignore history and events that conflict with the belligerent pursuit of a free-for-all and weakened nation. If it feels good, do it. If it’s done in Europe, it’s good enough for us.
Young Americans don’t know American history, or understand its relevance. The world is smaller, younger people are exposed to other cultures. They’re influenced by foreigners’ resentment of our greatness. Young people don’t seek multiple perspectives on events and affairs.
Immigrants take what’s given. The first act of many who enter this country is an illegal one. While immigrants take from this country, they don’t adopt our culture. Instead, it’s expected that we accommodate theirs.
Apparently, only financial collapse will save America. The fiscal cliff approaches. Young Americans must feel pain to understand the folly of their antipathy.
Pain may lead to a changing culture that rebounds through hard work and values. The alternative is surrender.
CHRIS ATHERTON, Eagle
EDUCATION
Voters missed boat on laptop proposition
Postmortems on the late propositions 1-2-3 seem irresistible.
Proposition 1 pertained to the powers and prerogatives of public employee unions. Negotiations between one set of public employees (teachers) and public administrators with all costs being paid by the taxpayers causes concerns to some people.
Proposition 2 addressed merit pay for teachers. Effectiveness of individual teachers varies, of course, but what is the criteria for differentiation of merit and pay? How can it be administered equitably without prejudice?
You can readily understand people in good faith having different opinions on 1 and 2.
Proposition 3 laptops: technological changes from pencils to typewriters to computer word processors, from smoke signals to smartphones, from slide rules to mainframe computers to desktops to laptops, were enormous benefits.
The cost of laptops as an argument against them was nonsense. Land, buildings, salaries, benefits, buses, books, etc., are OK, but laptops are too expensive. Ridiculous. I hope enough teachers are smart enough, honest enough to realize the disservice that has been dumped on Idaho students and a way will soon be found to get those laptops to the students. Let’s start in the sixth grade vs. ninth. Kindles anyone?
TOM CARROLL, Meridian
Voters subjected to misdirection
I did the best I could to educate myself on the issues. And I voted. But to be honest with you, I don’t really care. Don’t get me wrong, I realize the importance of voting, and I most certainly mean no disrespect toward those who have sacrificed to secure my right to do so. As a matter of fact, if I was one of those who made that sacrifice, I would be livid.
Why is there so much misdirection? A quick glance at yes4idaho.com (regarding Props 1, 2 and 3) and the words at the top of the page say, in bold, “In 1986 the national unions in Washington, D.C., attempted to strike down Idaho’s right-to-work laws.” What does this have to do with my child’s education? It seems to me like the authors of this website don’t like unions. On the flip side, votenoprop123.com says “Is it OK to starve your children for a long time and then promise them that, if they are good and don’t complain, they can have some candy?” What is this? It seems that both sides have hired decent writers. I am currently very disenchanted. Good job liars.
MIKE MCCARREL, Boise
Luna demonstrates that he’s out of touch
The Idaho electorate resoundingly rejected Propositions 1, 2 and 3 by 14.6, 16.0, and 33.4 percent, respectively. Idahoans saw through the well-financed misinformation and outright lies spewed by plutocrats and good old boy politicians more interested in quashing teacher input and directing taxpayer dollars to private entities with past ties to the Idaho government than true education reform and teacher remuneration.
In the face of complete repudiation of his non-collaborative, divisive “reforms,” Superintendent Tom Luna released a statement exhibiting how entirely out of touch he truly is. Superintendent Luna has lost the trust and confidence of Idahoans that he can effectively lead the Department of Education. If he does care about the future of Idaho’s education program, which I am skeptical of, he must resign as superintendent. Given that he has exposed himself as a self-serving politician beholden to corporate shills hell-bent on privatizing Idaho’s education to the benefit of a few, it is doubtful he will do the right thing and resign.
SCOTT HAUSER, Boise
GET OUT OF U.N.
U.N. hurts America
The 110,000 U.N. peacekeepers on 20 worldwide operations represents a sevenfold increase since 1999, with the U.S. picking up 27 percent of the cost.
Future and present concerns:
Æ Global prosecutor, judge and jury — U.S. law could become subservient to the international community.
Æ Global taxman — a present independent tax on all air travel.
Æ Global fed — supersizing the IMF with a global currency, special drawing rights to replace the dollar.
Æ Global trade cop — recently a bill ordered by WTO, a corporate tax bill, was given priority and passed by Congress.
Æ Global environmental cop — expects sanctions to comply with featuring junk-science treaties instead of realizing God-controlled events are the cause.
Æ Global gun grabber — arms trade treaty and program of action on small arms undermining individual rights to possess firearms.
Æ Global Internet control — already in Asian dictatorships with censorship and spying.
Æ UNESCO — controls food, production and consumption; federal and state school curriculum including emotional wellness evaluations.
Thirty-eight U.N. programs with divisions are and will be spread everywhere and be in complete control. Get us out.
PATRICIA W. FELTS, Boise
