Letters to the editor, March 23

| Sunday, March 25, 2007

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Reasons to impeach and indict President Bush and Cheney

Reasons to impeach, indict and imprison Bush and Cheney:

1. Violating the United Nations Charter by launching an illegal “War of Aggression” against Iraq without cause, using fraud to sell the war to Congress and the public, misusing government funds to begin bombing without congressional authorization, and subjecting our military personnel to unnecessary harm, debilitating injuries, and deaths.

2. Violating U.S. and international law by authorizing torture of captives, resulting in dozens of deaths, and keeping prisoners hidden from the International Committee of the Red Cross.

3. Violating the constitution by arbitrarily detaining Americans, legal residents, and non-Americans, without due process, charge, and access to counsel.

4. Violating the Geneva Conventions by using illegal weapons including white phosphorous, depleted uranium and a new type of napalm.

5. Violating U.S. law through widespread wiretapping of Americans’ phone calls and e-mails without a warrant.

6. Subverting the constitution and abusing presidential power by asserting a “Unitary Executive Theory” giving unlimitied powers to the president, by obstructing efforts by Congress and the courts to review and restrict presidential actions, and by promoting and signing legislation negating the Bill of Rights and the Writ of Habeas Corpus.

ADAM SZYMONSKI

New Underwood

Hope the mayor says no thanks to councilman’s help

I’ll bet Mayor Shaw is breathing a sigh of relief now that Councilman Schumacher has rolled in to save the day.

I heard Mr. Mayor was sweating bullets and losing sleep over who was going to run his re-election campaign.

Shazaam: Mayor’s prayers are answered with Big Ol’ Mike to the rescue. For an undisclosed amount of cash Schumacher decides to throw his best friend on the council under the bus. OUCH! With friends like that who needs enemies, right, Sam?

Schumacher says his vote is not for sale but actions speak way louder than words.

Doug Hamilton says jump and Councilman Schumacher says, how high, sir?

Schumacher’s history of negative campaigning is not to proclaim a positive message of what a candidate can do but to write negative, hurtful and misleading letters to the editor.

But what the heck; all is fair in love and politics, right.

I guess Mayor Shaw will change from honest, straight-talking positive campaigning to mudslinging, negative, gutter attack politics that Councilman Schumacher is so very good at!

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, right, Mr. Mayor? I hope the mayor will say thanks but no thanks to Councilman Schumacher.

TODD OSSENFORT

Rapid City

Little Wound should be banned from postseason play

I attended the Little Wound/St. Thomas More game on Saturday evening. I cheered for Little Wound, hoping that David would slay Goliath.

It was a hard-fought game, but it was obvious that St. Thomas More was the better team that night.

The officiating in no way determined the outcome of the game. The only technical foul was deservedly given to a St. Thomas More player for throwing a tantrum after a call.

Several technicals should have been given to Little Wound players after similar tantrums, but the officials showed restraint, realizing the magnitude of the game.

Then, after the game, an intolerable display of disrespect took place. Little Wound decided not to accept their state runner-up trophy!

This display showed disrespect for the SDHSAA, the civic center, and those of us "neutral" fans who were cheering on the Mustangs.

My suggestion to the SDHSAA is to ban Little Wound from playing in the post season next year.

If the SDHSAA's officials and awards aren't good enough for Little Wound High School, then they shouldn't even bother partaking in any part of the post season. My suggestion to the civic center is to ban Little Wound from playing in the Lakota Nation Invitational for the same reasons.

JUSTIN CHRISTMAN

Rapid City

Post 22 baseball skills clinic was ‘awesome’

I am writing this letter to personally thank the staff from our Post 22 baseball team. For the past three weekends the dedicated staff opened their doors to provide the youth of Rapid City a baseball skills clinic.

The staff provided instruction to kids 10 through 12 years old on things from hitting and fielding to pitching and base running. My son Brenden attended and in his words the outing was “awesome” and, in fact, the staff headed by Kyle Yamada even took the kids onto the Fitzgerald Field, allowing them to get a feel of a large ballpark atmosphere.

The kids who attended even received a T-shirt, and did I mention the clinic was free? On behalf of myself, my son Brenden and those kids from Timberline Little League in attendance, for that matter all the local baseball families, we owe Kyle and his staff a huge thank you.

It is nice to see organizations give back to the youth of our great city and the Post 22 team just made an avid admirer by simply giving back!

THOMAS J. BERGER

Rapid City

Young gay, lesbian people need hope, love

We applaud recent efforts and discussions at reducing the high rate of teen suicide. It’s a huge problem needing to be addressed seriously with open minds.

However, young gay and lesbian people are sitting in churches hearing preachers tell them they’re evil; or hearing parents spew hatred toward gay people. Do these parents and preachers not understand those comments may be driving someone they love to the edge? Don’t they care? Better dead than gay?

Falsely insisting sexual orientation is chosen dramatically increases risk factors for teen suicide. Bearing false witness kills!

Religious bullying makes organizations, schools and agencies afraid to address the issue and our children are dying!

Young GLBT people need to know there’s hope and people who love and care about them for who they are; churches steeped in the gospel of love that’ll welcome them; agencies that won’t condemn or ignore them, their needs or circumstances; parents who love unconditionally and accept their GLBT children; and a community that’ll accept them for the beautiful people they are.

The Center West can refer them to those resources and a community that loves them. Call 605-348-3244. E-mail info@thecenterwest.org. Unconditional love, acceptance and courage prevent suicide. Love is God!

MICHAEL COATS

Director, The Center West

Rapid City

Congress should look at Cheney’s offences

If it’s too late in his term and politically unrealistic to impeach Bush, Congress should at least take a hard look at Dick Cheney. The Scooter Libby verdict is really the tip of the iceberg.

It is shocking that we were told that the “smoking gun” might be a “mushroom cloud” when the story of Iraq’s nuclear ambitions was a total fabrication.

And Cheney’s office was directly involved in discrediting Ambassador Wilson and identifying his wife Valerie Plame as a CIA agent, after Wilson flew to Niger and found no evidence to support Bush’s false claims in the State of the Union speech.

The bigger issue is the billions of dollars given to Cheney’s old company Halliburton in no-bid contracts. Cheney may be recorded as one of the biggest war profiteers in history. Halliburton is now preparing to take its corporate profits “offshore” to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. They may perceive that UAE will be a friendlier regulatory environment than the post-Bush America. This truly is the worst administration in our history. Congress should begin hearings into impeachable offences by Vice President Cheney.

JAY DAVIS

Rapid City

It’s not a war on terror, but war of terror

Governments lie. In a democracy it is absolutely necessary that a free press bring the lies to light. A press that does not act in that regard is not free. It is a corporate press and is undemocratic and unpatriotic.

The corporate press in the United States is largely responsible for the change from the rule of law to the rule of man that has been perpetrated upon us. Lies that remain uncovered are too numerous to list here.

There is no change in sight. The press continues to be controlled by corporations. Corporations and stockholders continue to act to maximize profits. Uncovering lies is not a lucrative business, and definitely not a corporate priority.

I write this on the day before the fourth anniversary of the war. It is not a war on terror, it is a war of terror. Many think our country was misled by our government to gain support for the international violence. I agree.

Some know the lies leading to these four years of murder and torture began in 2000 in Florida, and that Bush and Hitler used the same method to start different wars. I can prove it. Some are cowards; some are traitors.

THOMAS DIGGINS

Rapid City

Where is tax on wood stoves and alcohol?

I hear all the time about health problems from smoking. I have a friend who had his heart and both lungs replaced, caused by Agent Orange in Vietnam.

A family member and friends with lung damage from working in auto paint shops and some from working in oil and chemical plants. What a joke, the people who complain go home and light up fireplaces and wood stoves and pollute the air for miles. Where are the taxes on these and alcohol that cause many more deaths and illnesses?

When a huge tax is put on a small element of people, the only way we can combat this as American citizens to stop price gouging is our right to purchase the products we use at the cheapest outlets. The last I knew, our border states were still a part of America, so how can South Dakota put the state above our rights as American citizens who are buying products for our own consumption from another state and then make us pay a tax on this product in South Dakota?

DARYLD FRITZ

Hot Springs

Fined for wrong turn, but others weren’t

On Saturday night after returning home from the motorcross races with my son, I was stopped by the local police for turning the wrong way off a side street onto a four-way street. I received a $74 fine.

As the officer was filling out the paperwork, I saw two other vehicles do the same thing. When I mentioned this to the officer, he admitted seeing them and then was rude to me about it.

Can you tell me why one can only make a one-way turn on a road that I have made turns on before for 23 years I have lived here?

What next? I will be paying my fine in small change!

MICHELLE GARNETT

Rapid City

Editor’s note: A story on page C1 of the Friday, March 16, Journal explained that Rapid City police are enforcing no left turns at the St. Charles-St. Joseph streets intersection because of the high number of accidents at that location.

Facing retaliation for opposing government

Have you been stomped on by government? Buried on page A8 of the March 17 Journal is an item about Harvey Frank Robbins, who was stomped on. Lawyers call it, “retaliation.”

He is suing the Bureau of Land Management. He “maintains that BLM workers pulled his grazing permits and otherwise persecuted him to try to get him to give the government road access.” This is now before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Millions of people have faced retaliation from government because they dared to stand up for their rights and for justice. I have fought this battle several times.

What should be done? First, provide more protection for everyday people. Second, pay for legal help for those who are abused by government -- local, state or federal. Third, remove any protections government employees have against prosecution for illegal acts.

Finally, vote for people who will limit the power of government.

TOM GERBER

Sturgis

Coverage made for good St. Patrick’s Day

Building up to St. Patrick’s Day, the local media provided generous coverage of the cultural aspects of the day as well the events planned by local organizations. We had great weather for the largest St. Pat’s parade in recent memory. There were dinners, concerts and public celebrations to follow.

Prior to St. Patrick’s Day, articles in the local newspapers about specific organizations and their coming events were accompanied by event announcements for other groups. The Scottish and Irish Society benefited from this full coverage by our local reporters.

I wish to express my gratitude to the reporters from the Rapid City Journal and the Rapid City Weekly who took the extra time to call me about the Scottish and Irish Society’s plans. Including us in the articles resulted in a full house at our annual St. Patrick’s Dinner and Ceilidh.

Thank you to all who attended all the local events. I want to extend thanks to Celts of America and Dakota Celts for holding their events and seeking the publicity that benefited us all.

A rising tide floats all boats.

GARY HAMILTON

Scottish and Irish Society of the Black Hills

Rapid City

Biker’s behavior poor, but anger understood

Virginia Moncrieff (Letters, March 18), you’re absolutely correct, your daughter shouldn’t be terrorized; however, you give less than a sentence to acknowledge that she “may” have made a mistake.

It appears that you would put the entire blame of the incident on the motorcyclist for being on the road in the first place!

I don’t condone his after-incident behavior and he should feel ashamed; but I understand his frustration. The outcome could have resulted in his being maimed or lying in a morgue.

I am exhaustingly frustrated with the “It’s all about me” driving attitude in this town. Perhaps your daughter made an innocent mistake — we all do daily.

If your daughter is like most young drivers I see, she probably had a cell phone glued to her ear, music turned up so loud that people in Sioux Falls could hear it, and other teens in her car. If not, my apologies, ma’am, to you and your daughter.

Unfortunately the examples of our “mature” drivers, including law enforcement (who don’t obey the driving laws either) leads me to believe it is nothing more than one big free-for-all on the highway anyway.

RICK JOHNSON

Rapid City

Hospital monopoly causing medical crisis

The medical crisis affecting many Spearfish residents is, in my opinion, the result of Regional Hospital’s monopoly of hospital services in our area. Regional’s Spearfish Hospital unilaterally quit accepting Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Dakota as a network provider.

Therefore, people with BC/BS insurance will have to pay the extra Spearfish Hospital charges that BC/BS is not willing to pay. At the same time, most, if not all, of Spearfish’s physicians and all other area hospitals owned by Regional still accept BC/BS as full payment. This means a BC/BS client in Spearfish must travel for baby deliveries, emergency room services, occupational therapy, etc., if they can not afford the extra expense.

Imagine having chest pains and needing to decide whether to go to the emergency room in

Spearfish or driving to Sturgis or Rapid City. Once one pays the employee’s premium, co-payments and deductibles, paying more to the hospital is about out of reach.

As a patient you can not fix the problem because insurance is usually tied to employment, so you can’t change it and the monopoly means you can’t choose a more equitable hospital. As for Regional, they don’t need a fix, they get the money regardless.

LOUIS LEAHY

Spearfish

Let’s get railroads out of land-grab business

Ray J. Hillenbrand provided incredible illumination of the bootheel approach that DM&E is using to line their own nest (Forum, March 18).

The Triple Seven Ranch is a treasure to South Dakota in every respect. DM&E would use eminent domain (a throwback to the expansion of the West) laws to move last-century energy (coal) in the 21st Century.

We don’t need endless coal trains crossing the plains, we need coal gasification and pipelines moving that energy.

Rather than try to accommodate places like Triple Seven (and Dan O’Brien’s ranch), DM&E chooses to “stick it in the ear” of anyone in their own self-serving way.

DM&E is not a good neighbor (just check the rows of billboards along the freeways in the Hills that are planted on DM&E right-of-way).

Come on Sen. Thune, how about some legislation for the people of South Dakota? Let’s get the railroads out of the land grab business!

GARY LILLIE

Piedmont

HPV vaccine studies not all gathered yet

In regards to HPV virus vaccine from Helen Raschke (Letters, March 14) and sex education from Lanice Archer (Letters, March 7), it makes me wonder when they became authorities on how parents should raise their kids and what is deemed to be the moral thing to do in regards to vaccinating or not.

Have they done all the studies to see exactly how effective this vaccine is and what the side effects are? A researcher, Diane M. Harper, professor and director at the Gynecologic Cancer Prevention Research Group at Dartmouth, has stated that the studies for side effects have not been gathered to know if it is safe to use in young girls.

She also stated it could increase cervical cancer rates. She said that using this drug in 11-year-old girls is a “great big public health experiment.”

This big push to require this vaccine to be given to young girls is coming from the drug maker Merck and Co. at the rate of $360-$400 per child.

Before one speaks with such authority they should educate themselves about the facts and keep their opinions to themselves.

Funny how you don’t want the government to interfere with your right to choose.

JODIE MADER

Rapid City

We burn firewood to save on natural gas

I am responding to the person (Letters, March 18) who said burning wood polluted her air beyond tolerance. My family and I burn wood during the winter. We pay $25 to the Forest Service to go and harvest their slash piles. We harvest enough to burn all winter. It takes us several days to do this between cutting, loading, stacking. We choose to do this so that we can use our fireplace to heat our house. Also, we are moving out dead wood that could possibly cause a forest fire. You may talk about “affordable” natural gas here, but even with the fireplace our gas bill was over $100 a month last winter and this winter.

That might not be “affordable” to some families. We don’t own a huge house either, its less than 2,100 square feet.

We may as well start charging people because they drive their cars more than four hours a week, or barbecue more than three times a week, or camp out more than twice a month.

I have lived in places where the air really stinks, and believe me, I don’t want Rapid City to become one. Maybe we should focus on limiting the amount of building going on before we start blaming people who are just trying to save a few bucks. The same goes for water conservation. Thinkabout it, folks.

ANGELYN MUKO

Rapid City

Does ‘performance artist’ receive grants?

Jean-Louis Costes seems bewildered (Journal, March 18) that so much attention has been paid to the vomiting, dung and urine flinging, nudity and potato chip spitting in his act. Instead, he’d like to ask people to concentrate on the “romantic and mystical” parts.

That seems rather like asking, “Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?”

I have a couple of questions of my own. Does Costes receive any U.S. taxpayer-funded touring grants? If so; Why?

BRUCE NEUBERT

Rapid City

Vets fortunate to have superb VA hospitals

I would like to take this opportunity to praise the VA hospitals at Hot Springs, Fort Meade and Minneapolis for the outstanding care and treatment I have received for the past 45 years at these facilities.

They have been always 100 percent any hour of the day or night. My flights to Minneapolis have been handled to the best and the doctors, nurses, emergency room personnel, X-ray technicians, labs, pharmacy, office workers and anyone in all departments I have needed always are the best that could be found anywhere. The facilities are always very clean and sanitary.

I think the veterans like myself are very deserving and fortunate to have this service.

GLADWIN PAULSEN

Custer

Council should spend money on our needs

Every day brings a new idea from the Rapid City Council to spend more money that they don’t have. The latest is the 15-story behemoth of a building to “give” us more office space we don’t need, more retail shops to augment the ones that are struggling to survive downtown and new condos only a few can afford.

Great idea. Let’s build more things and float more bonds and increase taxes to pay for them. What’s next? Maybe a heliport downtown so the average Rapid City person can fly downtown to shop and visit the other taxpayer-subsidized boondoggles: The Journey, the ice rink, the indoor swimming pool, the trolleys (love that one) and the expanded civic center, complete with skyboxes that only the few can afford.

How about we spend money on our needs, not our wants. Maybe the Rapid City Council should consider spending some money for the water treatment plant we need. How about we let the few pay for the the things they want.

Shame on the Rapid City Council; can’t wait to vote you out.

ED RANDAZZO

Rapid City

Gov’t power should be severely curtailed

Politicians are not supposed to have power over us; we are to be free. One’s relationship with the government is never voluntary. Every edict, policy, regulation, court decision and law is backed up by force, in the form of police, guns and jail.

That is why political power must be fiercely constrained by the people. To have power over human beings is not something to celebrate, but something to condemn. Our constitutional system was designed to restrain political power and limit the size and scope of government. The role of government is to provide security and defense, a court system for civil disputes, a criminal system for acts of fraud and violence, and little else.

The power of the government to tax, spend and regulate should be severely curtailed. Instead, government seeks to involve itself in every area of our lives from cradle to grave. Political power is dangerous in a free society. To say nothing when you see something wrong threatens our fundamental freedoms. Join me and speak.

BONNIE REDDEN

Rapid City

Bike path users should be more considerate

Irresponsible and inconsiderate people are users of the bike path/trail. Irresponsible (Letters, March 13) is the dog owner who took his dog off leash at 6:20 a.m. March 18 for a five-minute break in Memorial Park. Irresponsible are the dog owners who used the trail this weekend and did not clean up after their dogs.

Inconsiderate are those individuals who could not use a trash can at the volleyball court or left the six aluminum cans by the restrooms at the tennis courts. You might just get some much-needed exercise by walking to a trash can, instead of depositing your trash on the ground.

Irresponsible is the bike rider (in a blue green jacket) who cannot be bothered to let other trail users know when you are about to pass a walker, runner or other rider. Would it do you great harm to say, “Passing on your left?” One of these days you will cause serious injury to yourself and that person you failed to warn. This also applies to walkers and runners.

The trail is a beautiful place for all of us to enjoy, so let’s be responsible and considerate when using it. Everyone will thank you.

SUSAN RODRIGUEZ

Rapid City

Some advice for Mayor Shaw’s re-election

Regarding the Shaw re-election, Michael Schumacher and Doug Hamilton might consider doing the following: Raise your hand to eye level, turn your palm towards your face and lightly slap your forehead saying, “What was I thinking?”

VERN ZIEBART

Rapid City