Nobody buys local goods only

The Blade and the mighty United Auto Workers have browbeaten Lucas County Commissioner Pete Gerken into sending back his new foreign vehicle ("Gerken gives luxury auto with foreign brand back," Jan. 6).

Let's tour the homes of all these UAW workers who are in an uproar. How many foreign-made electronics are in their homes? Have they looked at their clothing to see where it is made? Where are they purchasing their food? Pot, meet kettle.

Dan North

Sylvania Township

With an unemployment rate hovering around 11.8 percent in Lucas County, I find it incredible that Commissioner Pete Gerken didn't support the community in which he lives and the people he represents.

General Motors, Chrysler, and Jeep represent the American automakers in the county. By purchasing these products, we directly support the community in which we live.

As GM Powertrain hourly employees and UAW members, we give back to our community by supporting numerous charitable organizations.

Autoworkers in Lucas County also tend to spend their hard-earned dollars locally, which supports the operation of the county and pays Mr. Gerken's salary.

Pete Gerken is out of touch with the economics of the county he represents. If he can't support his constituents, he should consider moving to seek public office elsewhere.

Donald F. Swider

Lambertville

Maybe the unions that blather about loyalty should take a hard look at what they produce. Maybe they should study why Honda's Marysville, Ohio, plant [where Commissioner Pete Gerken's Acura TL was made] has continued to flourish as American plants falter.

Maybe they should learn to play well with others, and then Toledo could attract some real industry. Maybe they should leave private citizens alone to make their own choices, and then the unions could tend to more pertinent issues.

Susan Kahl

Sylvania

The Blade has created a scorecard of dogs adopted and killed by the Lucas County dog warden, to help people gauge the agency's performance and possible overuse of euthanasia. May I suggest adding a running scorecard on the status of human U.S. citizens?

The Blade could periodically publish tallies on infant mortality, mental health, drug abuse, education, imprisonment, social mobility, community life, and other elements of civilized societies.

Scientific studies provide evidence that societies with large distances between the top 20 percent of the population and the bottom 20 percent have higher degrees of social problems. The evidence indicates that the United States has a great deal of work to do to catch up to many other nations.

Maybe once we properly take care of each other, we will also take care of animals as they should be cared for.

Christy Besozzi

Perrysburg

Police now are allowed to fine drivers who do not display their headlights while their windshield wipers are operating.

I don't recall any debate on this, nor do I recall this being on a ballot.

This is purely a tactic to raise revenue. Officer stops you for something else - then a $100 fine for not turning on your lights. "Oh, and sir, I see you were not wearing your seat belt - another fine. And your wife is not wearing her seat belt - another fine. And while we're at it, have you had anything to drink today?"

Where does it say that government has to protect every aspect of our lives? I am tired of it. The erosion of our freedom is continuing, most of the time without our knowledge.

Louis Stefanoni

306th Street

The new law about having your headlights on with the windshield wipers makes about as much sense as would a law about turning on your radio if you have to pass gas.

What kind of loons do we have working for us in Columbus? They are always finding new ways to collect revenue from us in fines or penalties.

Rodger Kokensparger

Kinder Road

I feel so much safer driving now. While lawmakers are at it, why don't they make it illegal to turn without signaling? I see that every day.

For those of you who don't know where the turn signal is, it's connected to the steering wheel. You push it up to make a right turn, and down when turning left.

Drivers may be surprised to learn that the turn signal has been around awhile. General Motors first installed in on a 1939 Buick, along with brake lights.

The next new law should fine motorists for not using common sense behind the wheel. Ohio could wipe out its budget deficit in less than a year.

Craig Spear

305th Street

On Jan. 3, the Northwest Ohio Peace Coalition rallied more than 100 people in West Toledo to commemorate the 1,400 Palestinian civilians killed by Israel last year in Gaza, in solidarity with protests around the world.

According to the Council for the National Interest Foundation, Israel has destroyed more than 24,000 Palestinian homes in the occupied territories since 1967, and more than 11,400 since the 1993 Oslo Accords. During Israel's attack on Gaza last winter, the Israeli Defense Force destroyed 4,247 homes, mainly by bulldozing them. Another 6,261 homes suffered heavy damage.

Israel has allowed no reconstruction equipment or materials into Gaza. Families whose homes were destroyed have had to move into crowded accommodations or stay in tents.

Palestinian residents of occupied East Jerusalem and Hebron are losing their homes through demolitions and takeovers by Jewish settlers. In East Jerusalem, home demolitions average 90 per year. Extra demolition orders, keeping Palestinians in Jerusalem in a state of constant fear.

This is supported by $11 million a day in U.S. tax revenues, while millions of Americans have no health insurance and our infrastructure is collapsing.

Anne Marie Dwaihy

Brookside Road

The Blade's Jan. 6 article "Clinton star speaker at local fund-raiser" quotes Bill Clinton as saying that Democrats have to pay special attention to the "disaffected independents and disillusioned progressives" to keep Democrats like Gov. Ted Strickland in office.

Clinton's North American Free Trade Agreement opened the floodgates of job loss in Ohio. Why would we listen to anything he has to say? It's incredible that he would even show his face in northwest Ohio.

Paul Wohlfarth

Ottawa Lake, Mich.

The Blade should run an article on all elected politicians and judges in northwest Ohio, to see what bran of auto they or their spouses drive. This way, people will know just how loyal these individuals are to the hard-working American autoworker.

CLYDE APPLEBY

Ottawa Hills