LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Ghosts of war haunt veterans

7/5/2014

Your June 22 article “Wasted sacrifice: Chaos in Iraq riles U.S. war veterans” compares the situation in Iraq to that of Vietnam. The article mentions theories of who was to blame for how the Vietnam war turned out. It came down to politics versus the military.

Each man or woman who knew a wounded or dead service member in either war is not thinking of a theory. I know how it feels to be affected by war.

During my 26 months in the Marine Corps, I spent 19 months in Vietnam. One cannot get rid of the sights, sounds, or smells or the dead going home in boxes.

The men and women who lived through their times in Iraq will have ghosts to live with. That’s the price of war — not the theory of it.

RALPH MUSSEHL

Vermaas Avenue

 

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Photos of injured dogs upsetting

A picture of a maimed, injured, sick dog on a section-front page of a newspaper is not appropriate (“Dog found with infected wounds,” June 14).

The Blade promotes itself to schoolchildren to help them learn to read, and to teachers to use in the classroom. I used The Blade when my children were at home to encourage them to read news or sports stories of interest to them.

If I still had children at home, I would cancel the paper so that they would not see such photos. I like dogs, but I don’t want to see these graphic pictures.

If you have to print them, put them on the back pages.

ANGELE McGRADY

Sylvania

Homeless helper will be missed

As a volunteer at St. Paul’s Community Center on 13th Street, I had the pleasure of working with Marcia Langenderfer, the center’s executive director (“Ex-director’s part-time job grew into full crusade; St. Paul’s chief retired in May after 28 years,” June 11).

Mrs. Langenderfer is a caring person who was devoted to the well-being of homeless people that her institution serves.

She proudly gave me a tour of the corporate offices, and described in great detail the services offered to residents. St. Paul’s is much more then a soup kitchen, she emphasized.

She will be greatly missed.

JAY JINDAL

Sylvania

It’s time Congress works in unison

Members of Congress, who can’t get anything done, now will spend time pursuing a lawsuit against the President because he is trying to do something (“GOP looks to sue Obama over his executive actions; Boehner claims President’s moves are unconstitutional,” June 26). Can our lawmakers please start working together?

HENRY RYBACZEWSKI

Douglas Road