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On Your Mind is the Herald/Review’s telephone opinion line and is intended as a public forum for our readers. Comments represent the opinions of callers and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the newspaper or any specific knowledge that we have. Readers may share their opinions by calling 458-0332, or by e-mail to svhoym@transedge.com or regular mail at 102 Fab Ave., Sierra Vista AZ 85635. Please keep comments less than 90 seconds. Comments are edited.
April 9
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Enough already of the cheery reminders of how grateful to be for having life, health, a roof, food choices, a credit card, enough cash to owe the IRS and the state of Arizona in our “democracy” we’re spreading into the other hemisphere. Uncle Sam has told us shut up and pay our taxes. We don’t have a democracy; our government is a republic. Our northern European ancestors invaded this country when the Iroquois natives flourished with a true democracy. The U.S. supplies more weapons and fights more wars in the name of homeland security than any other nation on Earth. We are hated and known around the world today as arrogant, averse to learning foreign languages, and trying to control other governments including peaceful benign kingdoms. We insist that we are the only “Americans.” Well, Canada, Mexico, Central and South American residents are also Americans. And we need to regain some compassion for not only other human beings but also for all living creatures. Wild animals are more considerate of each other than people are, unless they are confronted in an eat or be eaten situation. So there. I’ve paid my taxes, thank you, and I am not smiling much.
The article in Wednesday, April 9, written by Lt. Jim Adams, “The cost of crime,” was nothing less then excellent. I always try to read his articles but found this one to be the best one. I can only hope some of the drivers on Highway 92 that pull out from the side streets and or businesses read and heed the part about pulling out into traffic and negotiating their turns into the correct lane. On Highway 92 people are traveling at 55 mph and the side traffic does not hesitate to pull out right in front of them causing the drivers on 92 to be the ones who have to break for them. Often they get into the left lane and are not yet even traveling the speed limit because they have not had time to get the car up to speed. Many times they are on their cell phones and here is a question for Lt. Adams, when are they going to make it illegal to talk on the phone and drive at the same time? Why don’t they pass a law that says if they want to talk, pull over in a safe place and talk to their hearts content? By the way, Lt. Adams, I noticed your rank has been changed from sergeant to lieutenant, congratulations!
I’m responding to OYM today about the person saying we don’t have a choice except to vote for McCain because who would vote for a person named Hussein or whose husband was impeached. I don’t believe anybody has a name choice. Their parents name them. Just having the name Hussein doesn’t mean anything. And just because a woman’s husband was impeached doesn’t mean she’s bad. It doesn’t mean she’s good, but I think we’re very narrow-minded when it comes to politics these days.
I’ve seen the newspaper today regarding the Memorial Wall being at Huachuca City. I heard that originally it was planned to be at the Sierra Vista Veterans’ Memorial Park, but Bob Strain and the City Council refuse to allow it there. I think it’s appalling that we have the Veterans’ Memorial Park in Sierra Vista and it’s not being used for things like the Memorial Wall for Vietnam vets, especially since most of our town is made up of veterans.
Editor’s note: The Traveling Wall has been displayed in Veterans’ Memorial Park in 2000 and 2002. The mayor and City Council did not vote on any action to “refuse” to allow it there.
I’d like to know why the Boys & Girls Club insists on having promotions and events to raise funds that involve alcohol? The last one involved a wine tasting and this one involves a beer function. I think it’s disgusting and disgraceful. Any comments would be appreciated.
I’d like (reporter Bill) Hess to stop referring to today’s soldiers as GI Joe’s and GI Jane’s like he did in Saturday’s and today’s newspapers. They deserve the respect of this generation. They’re referred to as soldiers.
I’d like to comment on the motorcycle accident. There isn’t any need to put in here that they weren’t wearing a helmet. Arizona law doesn’t require a helmet. There isn’t any way to know if wearing a helmet would have saved their lives. There’s no reason to put that in the newspaper.
When are they going to finally put in a stop light at the exit from Wal-Mart onto Charleston Road? There have been six accidents there this month alone. Every month there are accidents with injuries there. When is the city going to get around to putting a stop light there before somebody gets killed?
I’d just like to comment on a couple of articles I’ve read about illegal immigrants and Border Patrol agents. First, the so-called illegals are made by the same God as you or I. They’re not coming to cause trouble or break the law. They’re looking for a better life just like everyone else. The Border Patrol agents seem to be on a serious power trip. I saw the video where Corbett shot the guy in front of his family when he was on his knees. How do you think that family feels? And what about everything we don’t hear about? I think everyone should remember that we always want to treat everyone the way we want to be treated.
To the caller who said our country’s deeply racist and not ready for a black president, I’m going to guess that you are deeply racist, fearful, and out of touch with our changing country. What our country is not ready for is an old white man who is out of touch and who has only memories of war and memories of yesterday.
I just finished seeing “American Idol Gives Back.” It was unbelievable, incredible and hard to even comprehend the misery, the death and dying, the sick, the poverty, the deprived not only in this country but in other parts of the world. It exists in every small town and big city, and includes our own Indian reservations. What angers me the most is that George Bush’s war has cost people in this country trillions of dollars on an unwanted war that should have never taken place. And yet, to see so much misery everywhere. It is hard to believe the sacrilege of the people in Washington and the White House, that they could be so callous and not see our own circumstances. God forgive them for their atrocities to humanity.
April 10
A van killing a motorcyclist is like someone with a gun killing another person, each should be manslaughter and goes to jail.
I see Hillary Clinton has set the new law for not having to count labor as a cost but as a donation. She had someone from another country raise money for her but they donated their time. So if you are remodeling, you don’t need a permit, if you donate your labor. Hillary says so.
After reading “Giffords: U.S. should pull troops out of Iraq” — in which Bill Hess interviewed Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, retired Gen. John Wickham, and retired Maj. Gen. Donald W. Shepperd via telephone conference — I sensed all three had one thing in common with al-Qaida and Iran. All are calling for the retreat and defeat of American and Iraqi troops in Iraq. Giffords seems unaware that Osama bin Laden proclaimed in March Iraq is the central battleground for al-Qaida. She ignores what U.S. Iraq commander Gen. David Petreaus and U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker to Iraq both testified — that Iran is intimately involved in the fighting in Iraq. Giffords, Wickman and Sheppard ignore how a U.S. withdrawal will leave the Shiite province of Basra — where 80 percent of Iraqi oil is located — open to Shiite Iran’s takeover and Iran becoming the dominant oil producer in the world. Be ready, then, for the price of gasoline to go through the roof. Shepperd said, “The American public is weary of the war, and the military is stressed.” What delightful music to the ears of al-Qaida and Iranian leaders! And what a terrible “morale booster” to our troops! I’m grateful the generals are no longer on active duty and grateful for the opportunity to vote Giffords out of office in November.
Editor’s note: To clarify, senior reporter Bill Hess was one of several reporters from different news organizations who participated in a conference call with Giffords and the retired generals.
Bisbee High School is handing out condoms to kids?! I couldn’t believe what I was reading when I saw this. People seem to forget that we do not live in San Francisco or Seattle or L.A., Massachusetts or D.C. where these things seem to be permitted. We live in the regular USA and not in la-la land USA like the above mentioned cities/states. If I were a Bisbee parent, I would picket the school, flood them with letters, and be a thorn in their side for every single school board meeting. They’ve proven that they’re underhanded, sneaky and are dedicated to thwarting the will of any parent who would oppose this, thus they cannot be trusted. It’s amazing, if the schools were handing out Bibles it would be a national scandal, but since it’s condoms it’s OK and slips by. The choice is yours Bisbee as to whether this is what you want your town to be.
I say “kudos” to Jenny Simpson who wrote the letter to editor about Sierra Vista being a great place to live. My husband and I have lived here over 50 years. I was born in this county. Sierra Vista is a great place to live. It’s confusing to me why people choose to live here then complain about how we don’t have one thing or another like the big city. You shouldn’t have come here. This is a rural area. It’s disheartening to hear comments and complaints. If you don’t like it here why don’t you call the Chamber or the city and find out how you can help fix some of the things you’re upset over?
With all the complaining that I read in the newspaper about the county attorney, Mr. (Ed) Rheinheimer, I see no attorneys filing petitions to run against him in the upcoming elections. But three attorneys want to be judges and signed up to run against Ann Littrell. I hope they split up the vote and she is re-elected. The same thing in Sierra Vista. Everybody complains, but very few people sign up to run against the existing councilmen. You people in this county deserve what you get. It will keep being run by the retired military high-ranking officers who hold all the big time positions. You enlisted men who retire will always do what you’re told. Vote for the officer, for evermore. Nothing will change around here. We will make no progress.Why do we have 75,000 occupation troops in Germany, 36,000 in South Korea, and many more throughout the world while we’re rotating the National Guard and our regular Army into Iraq, some for the third and fourth time?
The Herald is to be commended for its efforts in bringing an awareness of the critical issue of water conservation. An article in the February National Geographic magazine indicated the research predicts that the Southwest will have a dust bowl condition by mid-century. That could mean that by then our grandchildren and great-grandchildren will not have a sustainable environment. What a legacy Sierra Vista will be leaving for future generations. The present destruction of desert vegetation by developers with the blessing of city government will hasten that day. Why don’t the final plans from the Planning Commission include desert plants, flowers, and trees — vegetation that can sustain itself with minimum amounts of water? Not only will the city become a beautiful desert environment, but drip irrigation can also be eliminated. It’s very important that we not have those irrigation systems. They are a waste of our water supply and would not be needed if Sierra Vista would have a mandatory desert vegetation plan for the developers.
I’m calling in reference to the OYM comments about taxicabs. I own the largest taxi company in Sierra Vista. It’s called Transportation Express. The phone number is 459-7778. You can reach me at 520-249-4768 for more details.
April 11
(Sierra Vista police) Lt. Jim Adams writes a great column for the Herald. I really enjoy reading “Behind the Badge.” He covers very interesting and useful topics on the local scene, with some really funny stuff woven in, so you never know what to expect — all with a tone that’s respectful and unassuming. He seems to have a good perspective on his profession.
I would like to point out how rude people are to women with babies. I can’t count the number on times I have struggled to open a door to try and get my daughter’s stroller through or even just carrying her in. And I am constantly having doors closed in my face. Would it kill you to open a door? Apparently 90 percent of the people in Sierra Vista were raised to be rude. And I’m sick of it.
To the OYM person who thinks white folks have forgotten slavery. Why should any of us, of any color, need to remember something that we’ve never been involved with? I never had a slave, never wanted one nor has it ever crossed my mind to even consider it. This was a reprehensible thing done generations ago by our ancestors. How long do you want every day Americans to grovel in remorse? Granted, there are still racial problems, but there are many African-Americans who have made a good life for themselves and made a difference through education and hard work. Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice are two of my favorite people, for whom I would vote without hesitation. Quit whining and trying to blame someone else for whatever your problem is. Be a good example for your race, whatever it is. Life is not always fair, but you can make an effort to stand out as a representative of your race.
A comment in today’s On Your Mind column left me totally dumb-founded. What on Earth does this issue of slavery have to do with the anti-American rhetoric of the Rev. Wright? Slavery was a horrible thing, but was also abolished in 1865. This is the year 2008 and the sentiments of Wright are nothing more than hatred and bigotry. To correct the statement, no one has forgotten slavery and most white people were not even a part of it. The problem is every time someone wants to stir up problems; they start by blaming all white people for slavery. This type of comment is part of the problem and not a solution for unity.
I don’t feel sorry for poor Roger Barnett. Anything he gets he has coming to him.
When is this town going to get a real car wash? All we have is one car wash that is so slow my grandmother could wash faster, and then they act like they are doing you a favor to smear your windows. Other than that, there are several drive-through car washes that are doing their part to conserve water by leaving soap scum on the car. If gas didn’t cost so much, I’d drive to Tucson just to get a decent car wash.
For the writer in OYM who wrote the comment about reading a book on slavery and how the slave master cut off the finger of a man and his wife: Most Americans are hard-working and don’t have any slavery or slave owner background. It’s past history. We fought a war to end slavery. We don’t believe in it. I don’t know anyone who has slaves. We need to let this go and just be Americans.
Jesus died for my sins? Who asked him to? I always thought it better to be responsible for my own actions. But thanks anyway, Jesus.
To the comment in April 2nd’s OYM complaining that Charleston Road should have a stop light going into Wal-Mart, that’s true. He or she needs to know there was a man killed there in April 2006. He was on a motorcycle and a woman turned right in front of him and killed him. He lived one week and suffered. I’ve noticed that the bushes there haven’t been lowered at all and they really prevent you from seeing out east.
I’d like to state my opinion about the Border Patrol agent shooting the man’s dog. That Border Patrol agent shot the man’s family pet. In return, Nelson grabbed him by the throat. I think Nelson should have broken his neck instead of wrenching his finger. That would be turn about is fair play. I see the Border Patrol agent is suing Nelson. It should be the other way around. It probably would be if Nelson had the money to back him up.
I’d like to refer to today’s newspaper on page 10. You have a picture and article about a local man who molested a 12-year-old child. I think that’s front-page news. If he molested one child there could be others who might come forward. I think it would be more visible and more readily accepted on the front page where everyone could see it and possibly take advantage of it. Child molesters need to get top headline billing. I know the opening of the coffee shop at the library is important, but I think you could have slipped this in somewhere. I think somebody dropped the ball on this.
This is for Child Protective Services. They need to look at grandparents because 90 percent of the grandparents in Sierra Vista and all over the U.S. are raising their grandchildren. CPS steps in and takes them from their grandparents where they are safe and happy and give them back to their mothers who are on drugs and refuse to get off. They need to look at both sides of the story before they step in.
April 12
To the recent caller who used the word atheist as if it were something bad, atheism is inspired by one thing most of all, honesty with yourself. If you look at all the evidence and make an honest decision without clouding your judgment with fear, guilt, love, duty or anything else, you will come to one logical conclusion. There are no gods. Even if there were, they have made no contact with humans or even claimed to exist at all. The only evidence there is, supports the conclusion that gods are fictitious and no more likely to exist than elves, gnomes, trolls, ogres, spirits, pixies and, yes, even Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny.
sarah wrote on Apr 29, 2008 10:31 AM: