President not able to admit his mistakes

3/31/2007

Your March 24 editorial, "The Speech we didn't hear," was the best editorial I have read in my 25-plus years of subscribing to this paper. I only wish that the paper had put it on the front page in large, bold type so that no one could have missed reading it. It would also be great if the wire services were to pick up on it and give it much wider circulation.

Unfortunately, those editorial comments, regardless of how widely they are distributed, are not going to make a difference. American voters spoke loud and clear this past November that it was time to end this debacle in Iraq, but the reaction from George W. Bush has been to not only ignore this clear mandate, but to thumb his nose at it by increasing the number of Americans fighting this senseless civil war - even as our so-called allies are packing up and going home.

George Bush has neither the character nor the courage to say, as suggested in the editorial, "I turned out to be wrong." And because he is lacking in those areas, we will continue to see more senseless deaths in Iraq and more strain on our ability to support this folly militarily and financially.

And, in the end, be it this year, next year, or the year after, the United States will ultimately be forced to acknowledge that this was indeed an ill-conceived idea and leave this unfinished business to Iraq's neighbors.

Don M. Decker

Holland

Loved your March 24 editorial, "The speech we didn't hear." Bill Clinton was impeached because he lied about sex. At least no one got killed because of it, and it didn't cost this government $500 billion and counting. George is, without a doubt, the worst thing that has ever happened to this country. He really needs to leave.

Jerry Bunn

Columbus Grove, Ohio

I am befuddled as to why I should look to "big daddy government" to protect me from unclean produce. Am I not capable of thinking and caring for myself? What is needed is public education.

Look at it this way: Vegetables and fruits grow in dirt. Dirt is "dirty." Therefore, thoroughly washing food is appropriate to prevent disease.

Bagged salad? Pre-washed? Ready-to-eat? Packed and shipped thousands of miles over several days, even at refrigerated temperatures, during which time bacteria will proliferate?

Don't put blind trust in the food, the preparation, or the humans employed to process it. Wash food before it is eaten or served. Yes, it takes a bit longer to re-wash that bagged salad or spinach, but isn't it time well spent, just in case?

Be responsible for one's own health and that of one's family. I can do a much better job than the government can. E. coli? It is present and normal in the digestive tract of every living animal, including humans. Yes, some species are pathogenic, but cleanliness of food preparation, not government intervention, is the solution to preventing disease.

E. coli is often present on any surface humans touch without proper hand-washing following toileting, and in soil or where manure is used as fertilizer. While bacteria are both ubiquitous and necessary for life, individuals must be responsible for their own health and safety.

Marcia Punsalan

Oregon

The opinion of the women's studies professor on the purity balls as being borne out of the mindset of Christian men that sex is dirty could not be further from the truth.

With former beloved Pope John Paul II's teachings on "Theology of the Body," the Catholic understanding of sex has been elevated to be a spiritual and sacred act between a man and woman who are married to each other, one that touches the very creation by God.

As human beings, the closest we can become like God is to become "co-creators" with him, through us, as parents. This is no small thing, and certainly not close to dirty. The cultural or world view of sex is what one might consider dirty, or at the very least, objectifying and self-serving. It is, in fact, so holy and so special that the large triangular bone in the body at the end of the spine is known as the sacrum - because, it protects that which is indeed sacred: the uterus and life.

James J. Kettinger, MD

Bowling Green

It's no surprise that Timothy Walberg, rookie Republican congressman of Michigan, is as clueless about the City of Detroit as he is about the fiasco in Iraq.

Though only in office for just three months, his out-of-touch qualities have become pretty apparent. Representative Walberg voted against increasing the federal minimum wage for working stiffs, which has been $5.15 since 1997.

Mr. Walberg served 16 years in the Michigan House, from 1983 to 1999. Mr. Walberg, according to the U.S. House of Representatives financial disclosure statement, signed last May, is collecting $32,230 a year from his State of Michigan Legislative Retirement Pension. Assuming a person working 40 hours a week for 52 weeks a year makes this, that works out to $15.50 an hour. Nice bit of change for feeding at the public trough, while hundreds of his 7th District flock are losing their jobs. All the while he is making his day-job salary of $165,200 a year voting against every issue affecting the bottom rung of the economic ladder.

Alan Goldsmith

Ann Arbor

Hats off to Steve Pollick and his crew who willingly give of their time and energy to clean up after thoughtless and careless people who think nothing of throwing their garbage along the roadways.

It is a never ending and thankless job that I find the necessity to do, too. I can't do it all, but I try to keep the litter picked up that is strewn along property that is owned by my husband and me. The only reward I get is the exercise and the feeling of satisfaction when I see how nice the area looks. But to my aggravation, in no time there is new litter replacing the old.

It would be so nice and thoughtful if everyone would wait until they get home or find a proper receptacle rather than tossing the throwaways out the window. I admit that occasionally I throw out an apple core, but I know it will go away on its own.

My pet peeve: "Roadside Litter Bugs!"

DORIS CULLER

Swanton

What is wrong with our system? I was disturbed and angered after I read your March 18 article, "Alcohol, drugs, guns a deadly mix in the fog."

The Blade listed many domestic events in this child's life (Robert Jobe) except one. Where was Children Services?

Why was this child in his early years not removed from his parents? It is pretty clear that they were unable to give him a proper and safe home. Now you are trying to figure out if he should be tried as an adult. Was he ever a child?

I hope his mother really feels guilty for what she has put her son through. She should have taken better care of Robert. Whatever happens to Robert at this point I hope will be better for him. I hope in juvenile jail or adult jail he will be able to get help and better himself.

Nothing can bring back Officer Keith Dressel and I am saddened by this, but the system needs to take better care of our children today when parents are unable to.

Sheryl Wingate

Northwyck Drive

I have been reading all the negative comments from bars and restaurant owners about losing business to bordering states. Did they ever consider they might receive a lot of business from bordering states, people wanting to eat and drink in a smoke-free environment?

Smoke is a proven carcinogen. If they blow smoke in my face they shouldn't mind if I blow asbestos in theirs.

RICHARD HAMPSHIRE

Fremont