Viewpoints

by State Representative Patti Ruff

by Msgr. Ed Lechtenberg

by Dick Schilling, Editor Emeritus

To the Editor:
What we need in Iowa is only family farms. I encourage everyone to write, call or email Governor Branstad, DNR Director Gipp and your reps in congress to change laws for the DNR. Iowa is invaded by confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs). I have a hog confinement going up 1,900 feet or so from my house door and another a half mile west of me. That one my neighbor (a family farmer) wanted but couldn’t outbid a CAFO owner.
These CAFOs pollute our waters with fecal bacteria, nitrogen and phosphorous. Also in the last 15 years there have been 715 reported manure spills, with most coming from factory farms. If you inner-tube the Turkey River you are swimming in it. So write your letter.
Another health hazard is in the air. Over 200 gases, including hydrogen sulfide and ammonia, are emitted (we are all breathing it, not just me). And do you know anyone with respiratory illness or asthma? CAFOs contribute to it, so write or call.

To the Editor:
In his recent letter to the editor, Gene Averhoff seems to suggest that we should deport American citizens who exercise their first amendment right to symbolic speech. I would like to remind Mr. Averhoff that the freedom to engage in expressive or symbolic speech, even when it takes offensive forms, is one of our country’s cherished values. As Justice Brennan held in 1989, “Freedom of speech protects actions that society may find offensive, but society’s outrage alone is not justification for suppressing free speech.” We should be proud to live in a country where no symbol, however venerated, has the power to trump our fundamental constitutional rights.

Cate St. Clair, Waukon

by Dick Schilling, Editor Emeritus

To the Editor:
As every holiday approaches, we hear and read that old stale blurb “buckle up,” and our so-called safety officials are more concerned about protecting that sacred idol, the seat belt law (SBL) than they are about “true safety” which is to prevent crashes. Their primary concern is SBL compliance. They never tell us what percent of the victims were seat belted that were crashed into by big rig trucks. Of course those victims are politically correct even when dead if they’re just seat belted.
I asked several area sheriff’s departments how much speed enforcement they do on big trucks. I got no answers, or evasive ones, which I’ll take to mean they aren’t doing any speed enforcement on them. They don’t get any funding to do truck speed enforcement, but I’ll bet they get funding to do seat belt enforcement. They love doing the latter because its easier and less dangerous to officers than to do the former.

To the Editor:
Our American flag is a symbol. The symbol of our country. She’s recognized throughout the world. Feared by some, loved by others and, hopefully, respected by all. It’s proudly flown in parades. She’s been carried by our military personnel at the forefront in battles and wars this country has engaged in, whether you agreed with the war or not. She’s adorned the coffins of fallen soldiers and national leaders. It proudly and boldly flies in front of government offices. Many churches display the colors near the front of their sanctuaries. We have postage stamps commemorating her. Occupational uniforms of many Americans are decorated with the red, white and blue.

To the Editor:
Recent news about the Iowa Legislature has focused on when we will adjourn. However, what matters more to Iowa families are the disagreements preventing adjournment.
The most important disagreement is education funding, something that directly affects economic prosperity.
Iowa’s families depend on educational opportunity.  Education is the primary tool we have to give our children and grandchildren a leg up in life.
Investing in education is also key to building a stronger Iowa economy. Iowa’s schools help make Iowa’s workers among the nation’s most productive.
Rather than more tax giveaways for low-skill, low-wage jobs, we should promote the high-skill, high-wage jobs and businesses of tomorrow.
Educational leadership starts at our local schools. Today, Iowa invests $1,600 less per student than the national average, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency.

by Dick Schilling, Editor Emeritus