Liberal bias is the real Page 1 news

3/19/2004

Are you kidding me? Is this what we have to look forward

to for the next eight months? President Bush rolls out his first

campaign ad, and it becomes front-page news?

Let me see if I can figure this out: President Bush gets savaged

by his opponents and their surrogates for the last several

months, some not-so-subtly hinting that he had prior knowledge

of terrorist intentions about 9/11, the loonies at MoveOn.org

are showing despicable nonpartisan commercials each

day, fi guratively demonizing the man, and somehow this benign,

upbeat, patriotic ad is deemed so controversial so as to warrant

front-page attention?

Whether the liberals on the lunatic left like it or not, George

W. Bush was the President at the time of the horrifi c attacks

upon our country on Sept. 11, 2001. This election is, in part, a

referendum on how the citizens of this country feel the President

has handled this unprecedented assault to our way of life.

Whether they like it or not, President Bush is inextricably

and eternally linked with this tragic period in our history, and

mentioning those events during this campaign is not only appropriate but essential.

Thousands of people died on American soil not even 30

months ago, and the President s handling of this crisis is supposed

to be off limits, but off limits only to him? John Kerry

served four months in Vietnam more than 30 years ago, and he

seemingly doesn t go fi ve full minutes without mentioning it.

I wonder if family members (i.e., political partisans) were

morally outraged and offended when FDR made mention of

Pearl Harbor during his campaign for re-election in 1944? If

so, I wonder if The Blade made it front-page news? Somehow, I

highly doubt it.

ROBERT C.W. BIRMINGHAM

Vermaas Avenue

Now let me get this straight. It is all right for Sen. John Kerry

to have one ad after another showing his involvement in the

Vietnam War (exploiting the war?), in which thousands of our

servicemen lost their lives, but as soon as the Bush campaign

comes out with an ad with some pictures of Sept. 11, your news

report reads Sept. 11 Images in Bush ads spark anger, disgust in

victims families.

What about the families who lost loved ones in the Vietnam

War? Where is the outrage concerning the exploitation of the

Vietnam War?

It is obvious where The Blade stands politically. It would help,

however, if some fairness would enter into your decisions on

what to publish. I know you do not make the news, but you sure

determine what news to publish and where it appears.

MICHAEL J. RENCH

Sylvania

I am a nonsmoker but I like to have a beer or sandwich now

and then. I fi nd now that with the new city law against smoking

I can t go to most bars in Toledo to get a drink or sandwich unless

I join their private club. The bar owners are complaining that

they do not have the customers, but they are driving nonsmokers

away because I certainly am not going to join an obviously fake

club that is simply a way to get around the law.

I think the city council should amend the law to allow smoking

in places that are primarily bars so we can put a stop to this silliness.

I can understand the bar owners complaint because the

law is not area-wide and customers can go a short distance

away and smoke.

GERALD CARTER

Waterville

The Democrats are falling deeper into the pit of absurdity.

Each time they open their mouths it gets better and better.

They are against the war in Iraq meaning they are against the

liberation of 50 million people against the ouster of a ruthless

dictator, against the enforcement of 10 years of United

Nations resolutions, and against the $85 billion that will help our

troops fi ght, survive, win, and rebuild Iraq as a peaceful democratic

nation.

I don t know how they plan to continue bashing the ousting of

Saddam once he goes on trial and the world is given testimony

of his brutal murderous regime. They blame President Bush

for everything, including the loss of jobs. I would like to remind

John Kerry that the trade center attacks were not fi gured into the

budget. Likewise the war on terrorism and funding of a Homeland

Security Department don t come cheap.

Now the Kerry ad claims that he will bring back jobs by recalling

the tax cuts, which means he thinks that raising taxes on businesses

will somehow give them the incentive to hire more employees.

What planet are these people on?

I keep my sanity by remembering that the liberals are a

minority in America, their ideas are far from the mainstream,

and they will lose this election because Americans won t buy

into their bull.

KIP BROWN

Cherry Hill Road

In his endorsement of John Kerry, a man who has fl ipped

and fl opped on important issues more than the cheerleaders at a

UT basketball game, Jack Ford stated now more than ever

we need a president who is for Toledo. Unfortunately for Mr.

Ford, he doesn t realize we already have one.

During his campaign for office, as well as during the last

three years, President Bush has visited Toledo several times and

demonstrated the importance of this area to him. However, Mr.

Ford, and others associated with his partisan brand of politics,

have not only failed to embrace the President, but, in fact, have

gone out of their way to alienate him. Not really a good way to win

friends and infl uence enemies.

But then, no one should be too critical of Mr. Ford. Look at

all of the elegant accomplishments of his administration: the

revitalization of the Southwyck area, the tremendous progress

being made on the Marina District, the wonderful shape of city

streets and other infrastructure, the new Sports Arena. Oops, I

was dreaming again.

Area residents can only hope the new mayor, who is not that

far away, will do a better job of forming a relationship with

Washington during President Bush s second term in office.

DAVE KUBACKI

Maumee

I commend Marilou Johanek for her Feb. 22 column, Legacy

of bridge workers will go on. I very rarely agree with her as

she has very liberal leanings, and sometimes her columns are

empty of soundly based information. This time, however, she

had an exemplary column.

On the other hand, Roberta de Boer really missed the boat in

her Feb. 24 column, Ohio misses job prospects with ban on gay

marriage. Normally Ms. de Boer seems to have a rational outlook

on current topics. This time, however, she s way off base.

It would be a sad day indeed if we descend to the lowest level

of morality in order to entice more jobs to come into our state.

It s not that we don t need jobs, but we must keep our priorities

straight. Which is more important, to be poor while living a

good moral life or to have wealth and live in a decadent society?

It is a fact that it is not possible for two men or two women to

marry. Nature has dictated that only male and female bodies

complement each other in the most intimate of human acts

that belongs solely to married couples. This natural law is the

foundation of the moral law by which we must live if we are to

fi nd happiness and eternal salvation. We must not lower our

standards just because those who want to legitimize their

unions are clamoring loudly.

This isn t discrimination, it s just common sense.

VIRGINIA L. WYSONG

Berkey, Ohio

Three cheers for the city of Toledo for clearing the smoke

from the bars and restaurants and providing the clean, clear,

healthy air we all deserve.

Unfortunately, Sylvania Township, with its classy dining

spots, has not asserted the same courage. It would take the

three township trustees to get this on the November ballot in

order to remove smoking from the township eateries.

Will the trustees have the same courage the city of Toledo

has shown?

E. GOTTLIEB

Beaconsfield Court