It's difficult to talk while eating crow

2/17/2005

George Soros, Jimmy Carter, Michael Moore, and other naysayers who noisily opposed President Bush's effort to bring democracy to Iraq, may have forgotten to get their tetanus shots. The sudden silence of these normally loud-mouthed Bush-bashers could be the result of a medical affliction commonly called "lockjaw."

Mr. Soros, who spent a bundle trying to defeat President Bush, must have stepped on a rusty nail. After declaring that the Bush Administration's plan for a democratic Iraq "was a sham and would never succeed," he cannot seem to get his million-dollar mouth open wide enough to utter the words, "I was wrong."

Former President Carter declared the security situation in Iraq too dangerous to send in election monitors. Consequently, he dispatched his human rights organization to the safety of nearby Jordan and watched as 60 percent of the Iraqis bravely faced the threat of death in order to vote. Surely, if he could talk at all, he would at least speak out about the courage and determination of the Iraqi people.

Mr. Moore, the Machiavellian filmmaker who characterized the insurgents in Iraq as "Minutemen" and predicted, "They will win," seems to be suffering from both the inability to see and speak. One would think a man who has made millions with his myopic propaganda films claiming to point up the plight of the oppressed, would jump at the opportunity to go out into the desert and film a narrative on the poor murderers being run out of Iraq by the advance of freedom. Perhaps he has been too busy Oscar-hunting.

The mysterious infection that has mercifully silenced all these folks was most likely caused by something foul they have been eating a lot of recently. It's called crow.

FRANK E. MILLER

Maumee

A Jan. 29 letter writer asked why there was such "vitriolic opposition" to George Bush's $40 million inaugural extravaganza and not for President Clinton's.

Here's his answer: Bill Clinton was responsible for a budget surplus of millions while George Bush is responsible for a budget deficit of billions.

As for FDR deceiving the country about his physical condition during his fourth re-election campaign, that was one man's problem. Let's compare that omission of all the facts with George Bush's whopper about the reason for going to war with Iraq, ie. "weapons of mass destruction."

In the meantime Iraqi citizens were bombed and are still being killed and Americans are also being slaughtered. This is lying of a major magnitude with no apologies.

Unfortunately, you can "fool some of the people all of the time."

NANCY B. WOLCOTT

Bowling Green

Now that the White House has issued a stop-order on any further searches for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, maybe the Bush Administration will have more time available to focus on the "other WMD": the deity-like, arrogant, and secretive causes that are contributing to the gradual advancement of Washington's Moral Decay!

MARVIN GAGNET

Commonwealth Avenue

Over the last four years Downtown Toledo Incorporated has worked hard to organize the redevelopment of Toledo's core. There have been many frustrating and challenging times, including some that caused us to question the wisdom of moving forward. The last year has rewarded those efforts.

Mayor Ford has on many occasions championed the master plan for downtown. Streets have been repaved, crosswalks upgraded, the waterfront has been elevated in importance. The city has approved the Special Improvement District which will provide the money needed for enhanced services.

There seems to be a new spirit of cooperation that didn't exist before. Toledo is beginning to come into its own not because of one group's effort but because of the efforts of everyone who believes that we can be something much greater than what we are today.

I commend Mr. Ford and Toledo City Council for their commitment to the master plan and their support while we worked to establish the Special Improvement District. We couldn't have done it alone.

Pete Gozza

President

Downtown Toledo Inc.

The senseless death of 41-year-old Jeffrey Turner from the overzealous use of Taser force was appalling. This man was shocked possibly nine or 10 times before dying. The only reason he was apprehended in the first place was for loitering.

When I first heard about the case, I thought to myself that Mr. Turner clearly showed signs of either drug use or paranoid-schizophrenia. Is there not any training given to our police force in these areas? I am not a trained law official, but I would imagine a Taser clearly would not benefit either situation.

This man was already in a cell after the first "round" of Taser shocks had been given. Why did the police force have to administer a second round?

Was there ever any medical assessment given prior to the unresponsiveness noticed after nine or 10 shocks? I would think this man's behavior demanded medical attention upon arrival at the jail.

If an individual cannot be subdued with a Taser after one or two shocks, why would anyone in their right mind think any additional shocks would aid the situation? Should not better standards be established?

This barbaric method of subduing suspects needs to be evaluated and perhaps abolished. We really need to investigate the travesty on this man's life.

Cathy M. Weygandt

Findlay, Ohio

The power of Kirby Dick's documentary, Twist of Faith, lies in its starkness and expression of raw pain. Tony Comes is riveting and haunting.

I am reminded of a scene in the Christian Gospel where Jesus, in the midst of his passion, is brought before Pilate. As Jesus stands there, bloodied and bruised, Pilate says only, "Behold the man."

Today Christ stands before Pilate in the person of Tony Comes. Now, as then, the same choice exists. It would behoove the Diocese of Toledo not to wash their hands of him.

Ann-Marie Borgess

Secor Road

I would challenge the assertion in a recent letter that The Passion of the Christ is the "most popular and beloved movie ever made."

Popular? Certainly. Plenty of popular movies never get nominated for an Academy Award.

Beloved? That's hard to prove. Perhaps it wasn't nominated because of its anti-Semitic undertones and sensationalistic, divisive portrayal of Jesus' death.

Of the "liberal media elite," who are these people? Is it just anyone who isn't Catholic? If you don't like a certain media outlet or its views, don't watch or read it. That is your freedom as an American, just as it is their freedom to express their views. The statement "liberal media elite" reeks of conspiracy theory.

The other "Hollywood cheap-shot" described in the letter, Twist of Faith, is described as "obnoxious" and "guaranteed to offend most Catholics." I would hope most Catholics, and for that matter most human beings, would be offended. Child molestation is offensive.

This man has every right to tell his story, no matter how much most Catholic Toledoans dislike it. I would challenge the writer of this letter: Have you even seen it? And if molestation claims against the Catholic Church are false, why are people winning their lawsuits?

Michael A. Smith

Philadelphia

Your commentary suggesting that former President Clinton would be a good candidate to lead the United Nations fails to consider a former president who, in my estimation, would be even more qualified.

That person is Jimmy Carter.

BARBARA MURRAY

Sylvania