We welcome letters, but please include your
full name, address, and daytime telephone number. We edit all
letters for libel, length, and clarity. Send letters to Letters, Illinois Times, P.O. Box
5256, Springfield, IL 62705; fax 217-753-3958; e-mail
editor@illinoistimes.com. BRING THE TROOPS HOME More than 2,300 U.S. military personnel have
died in Iraq. Our only child, Cpl. Jacob C. Palmatier, was killed
in February 2005. More than 16,000 U.S. troops have been wounded
and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have been physically wounded or
traumatized by chronic violence and insecurity. Even as these numbers continue to grow, the
Bush administration has requested an additional $65 billion for the
wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This is in addition to funds
previously allocated to the war, which already amount to $2,250 for
every U.S. household. How much more must we pay? We believe we cannot continue to fund failed
policies. The cost in dollars and lives is too high. We will never
see our son on God’s earth again. We are proud of him and
that he stood up for America. We supported him, and we still
support our troops. But there has to be an end to the loss. We
don’t want any others to feel the devastating loss we know
all too well. Congress should reject further funding for the war
and focus on bringing the troops home. David and Margie Palmatier Springfield WHEN BUREAUCRATS DON’T CARE This week’s feature story,
“American Girl” [Dusty Rhodes, March 9], is another
thorough, thoughtful and revealing piece of high-quality journalism. It’s a
comprehensive case history of the bureaucratic nightmare that too many
honest, hardworking people have to cope with in dealing with a
government bureaucracy that gives a greater priority to compliance with
rules and regulations [than to] the reality of unique individual
circumstances. Thank you for another take on our human
condition. Kurt R. DeWeese Springfield TIME TO STOP BEING IGNORANT Your reference to how Muhammad dealt
nonviolently to aggression was reassuring and educational [Fletcher
Farrar, “Cartoons and clashing cultures at the Daily Illini,”
March 2]. In your own way you did what you asked of others. You
educated instead of criticized. Ignorance, like deer, can be cute
and amusing until it grows so large it becomes a dangerous threat.
We have a pandemic of ignorance in this country. We stood by while
a very dangerous and reckless man became the leader of country,
dragged us into a immoral war, and plunged us into billions of
dollars of debt. We cannot turn back the clock, but we can renew
our commitment to hold ourselves and our leaders accountable for
their actions. This means admitting our mistakes, correcting them,
and going forward. Impeaching George W. Bush is the very best step
to eradicating a very big mistake. After that, let us do our best
make sure we educate our children to think for themselves and seek
things greater than a big screen TV or a bigger SUV. America can do
better. Let’s try. Anne Logue Springfield BLAGO DISMANTLED ROADS PROGRAM I am an engineer, a civil engineer with a
background in bridge design. I am also an unemployed engineer and
laid off now for over a year. I have watched as Gov. Rod
Blagojevich has dismantled the Department of Transportation program
and created the atmosphere where I now find myself. While raising license fees and diverting
gasoline-tax money and sales-tax revenues on gasoline to the
general fund, he has effectively cut the transportation budget in
favor of other pet projects and reduced downstate highway funding.
Now, in an election year, he proposes issuing bonds to restore the
transportation jobs which his policies have cut. His proposed new
program is smoke and mirrors. I hope others can see through this. Jerald Jacobs Springfield LOST IN A THESAURUS: THE POINT It seems as though Illinois
Times has provided a springboard
for an up-and- coming journalist; apparently, he will also be the
de facto reporter for anything theological, as he intimates his
immense insight into religion. Thomas Yale’s rambling diatribe
[“Letters,” March 9] about Dusty Rhodes and Don Jackson
left me wondering if this guy has a life outside of the thesaurus
and Nerds Gone Bad DVDs. He systematically, albeit ignorantly, [rebuts]
Jackson’s letter. Jackson did open the door for some
criticism, and he paid the price for doing so. However, as virtually every other letter on
the subject has addressed, the real issue is that [Chief Deputy]
Tony Sacco misused his position in order to ensure [that] an
investigation was immediately initiated. Conceding Yale’s
ability to recite Roget’s and his analytical approach, I would strongly
caution him to refrain from watching further episodes of CSI —
excessive viewing has manifested [itself] in the self-delusion that
he is an investigator. Reality check: He’s not. Even more astonishing, Yale [likens]
Jackson’s statements [criticizing Rhodes] to “slamming
Mother Teresa.” How did he come up with that goofy
comparison? Brett Cameron Mount Zion GOOD KIDS OUTNUMBER STINKERS I have observed many families with children in
which the parents are not in control. Children screaming, crying or
running around do not positively add to the atmosphere in a dining
establishment. Now what most don’t notice is that most
children are well behaved. No one gives them much attention. People
glare at the disruptive kids but pass over the well behaved ones. I
have seen children behaving like little responsible citizens even
with a tantrum throwing child two tables away. I have several times
stopped by a table where there is a very well-behaved child and
complimented the family and child on how well-behaved the child is.
If we show kids that they only get attention when misbehaving there
is no wonder that they do. The well-behaved kids outnumber the
others, let’s let them know that it is noticed and
appreciated. Patrick Johnopolos Springfield
This article appears in Mar 16-22, 2006.
