The jailing of Bartsch was ridiculous

1/15/2006

The jailing of a high school student who was attempting to do the right thing by contacting the immigration authorities leaves all citizens of the great experiment in democracy, whether naturalized or born, confused.

What possible danger was avoided by keeping Manuel Bartsch in jail over the Christmas holiday?

The very idea of deporting this Americanized student is preposterous. This can only make sense to an unthinking bureaucrat.

The other message of this fiasco is that it is the same government organization that is supposed to make our air travel safe.

I will be thinking of this the next time I go through the airport security check and see them searching a 90-year-old man or a little old nun, or taking a fishing lure from a 7-year-old boy. I will utter a small prayer that the captain has a gun that can provide a lot more safety than the bureaucrats.

LARRY D. MANLEY

Fostoria

I have been closely following the story about Manuel Bartsch. His release from prison was a glimmer of hope that our federal immigration courts are listening to the citizens of the United States.

This business of jailing gentle non-criminals is ludicrous and should stop. Our immigration officials should be hunting for those engaging in criminal and terrorist behavior and others who are real threats to society.

Our country loses its moral high ground and hurts its credibility on human rights when we imprison the likes of Manuel Bartsch or Young Jung.

Manuel could certainly benefit from the dream act authored by Sen. Orrin Hatch and co-sponsored by Sen. Richard Durbin. It encourages me greatly that Rep. Paul Gillmor became involved in assisting Manuel, and I would hope he would continue to be supportive of comprehensive immigration reform.

My best wishes go to this young man, who seems very polite and positive in light of the murky immigration laws in this country.

Now is the time for immigration reform!

JULIE JESSOP

Sylvania

Why doesn t the COSI board try to live within its budget like the rest of us do?

Why should the taxpayers have to pay for a severance package they didn t ask for? It seems like every time some organization runs short on funds it comes to the taxpayers for money.

Did they ask for our input before they got into trouble? No, because they were not smart enough to make decisions like that.

WALTER FAUST

Belvoir Drive

Let s see if I understand this proposed levy for COSI. Attendance is declining, no reason given, no improvement plan offered. The board is stuck with paying a $125,000 severance package they were unaware of the scope of it. They owe an unforeseen payment of several hundred thousand dollars to a San Francisco-based science center. They may have to pay COSI-Columbus for use of its name.

I like science and I want our kids to have all the exposure to it they can get. But who has oversight responsibility for this organization?

What other COSI land mines might Lucas County taxpayers have to pay for?

JERRY LOHMAN

Maumee

I was appalled by the blatant disrespect shown by a returning soldier s family in a recent Blade photo. The mother and daughter of the soldier were shown holding a U.S. flag which they had disrespected and dishonored when they defaced it by writing on it.

Do they not know proper etiquette for the flag their loved one was fighting under and under which they so freely live? Proper etiquette says, among other things, that the flag should never have placed on it, or attached to it, any mark, insignia, letter, word, number, figure, or drawing of any kind. There was no reason to write on a flag to welcome someone home. There is posterboard to write on if they needed a sign to hold.

REBECCA SWINNEY

Heatherdowns Boulevard

Frank Szollosi is an excellent example of what has held Toledo and Lucas County back for many years. Unfortunately, he finds it necessary to continually bash newly elected Toledo City Council President Rob Ludeman simply because he is a Republican. It is time for Mr. Szollosi along with every other Democrat in Lucas County to look at the person and not the party.

The Republicans on City Council are the only ones who demonstrate the leadership needed to move Toledo forward. For example, Mr. Ludeman, along with Republican George Sarantou, has called on PUCO to investigate why natural gas prices are much higher in Ohio than Michigan and other states. This action has positively affected every business and citizen, not only in Toledo, but all of Lucas County.

Mr. Szollosi immediately began criticizing Mayor Carty Finkbeiner.

Mayor Finkbeiner accomplished more in the time between his election victory and inauguration than Jack Ford accomplished in four years.

Mayor Finkbeiner also looked across party lines when developing his transition team. He realizes that both parties need to work together for Toledo to reverse the decline that has crippled the city the last four years.

What projects has Mr. Szollosi spearheaded to improve the lives of the citizens of Toledo? I never hear him tout any accomplishments.

He is more concerned about bashing other officeholders who don t share his Democractic principles. He needs to remind himself that he barely won the sixth and final seat for councilman at-large and understand that voters in Toledo realize that Lucas County Democrats are more concerned about pushing hidden agendas than improving the lives of Toledoans. Officeholders need to look across party lines before Toledo and Lucas County can move forward.

BRENT SCHLEGEL

Robinwood Avenue

The Ohio Board of Education is now under fire for encouraging students to critically analyze the theory of evolution. Ohio schools should encourage our children to critically analyze the theory of evolution, not have blind faith in Darwin. Scientists always engage in critical analysis because it leads to new discoveries what is so sacred about the theory of evolution? I don t want public schools teaching religious principles (they aren t trained to) but if there is physical scientific evidence that conflicts with Darwin s theory, it should be taught.

If the next generation were to stop critical analysis of scientific theories, what discoveries would be missed? After generations believed for a scientific fact that our solar system has nine planets, scientists discover a new planet beyond Pluto. The Blade wrote, The new planet could have been easily discovered much sooner if anyone had looked at that part of the sky.

Will scientists ever find a cure for cancer without critical analysis of current theories? In a July 25 editorial, When researchers err, The Blade reported that two thirds of the scientific findings published between 1990 and 2003 in the top three medical research journals (NEJM, JAMA, and Lancet) later turned out to be wrong! The best scientific minds using modern technology reached wrong conclusions two-thirds of the time. The Blade wrote, What scientists report in today s research often does not hold up tomorrow. Lives are saved because of critical analysis.

If critical analysis is vital in astronomy and medicine, why are scientists afraid to expose Darwin s theory to critical analysis? Persons of faith can be closed-minded now it is the scientists who are closed-minded.

BARRY FISSEL

Perrysburg

Pimps, prostitutes, Nazi protesters, anti-Nazi protesters, perfidious politicos, fishy financiers, kid-stomping punks Toledo has em all.

JOE O CONOR

Lasalle, Mich.