Viewpoints

To the Editor:

Iowa has one of the highest quality, lowest cost health care systems in the United States. And at the heart of that system are 118 community hospitals that stand ready, day and night, to serve everyone, regardless of their ability to pay. A significant reason for health care excellence in Iowa has been state oversight of institutional health care services through the Certificate of Need law.

Iowa’s Certificate of Need regulations were first enacted in 1977 for the express purpose of providing for the orderly and economical development of health care services, thereby avoiding unnecessary duplication of services, controlling the growth of overall health care costs and ensuring the stability of community hospitals. Since that time, these regulations have been re-examined multiple times and each time the same conclusion was reached: Iowa needs Certificate of Need.

To the Editor:

I take exception to Dick Schilling’s ‘And Then I Wrote’ column February 15, 2017. First, Mr. Schilling stated, “The old Ku Klux Klan pretty much disappeared nearly 100 years ago…”. More than being inaccurate, this statement falsely minimizes the threat presented to targets of the KKK’s hatred and bigotry through the present day.

On a different topic, Mr. Schilling discussed membership of the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, taking an unveiled and offensive slap at anyone who is not heterosexual. In a bigger sense, I am troubled by a continuing theme of viewpoints in The Standard which appear to endorse a reactionary and Christian-based lifestyle at the expense of all others. I invite The Standard to rather put forth an image of inclusion and tolerance, one that I think is more representative of the people of Allamakee County. 

Sincerely yours,

Matt Brandt
Cedar Rapids

To the Editor:

I stood opposed to the collective bargaining reform rushed through the statehouse. As part of my opposition, I contacted each legislator currently representing the state. Senator Breitbach responded to my message. He seemed to take offense when I suggested that the collective bargaining reform was the result of lawmakers beholden to out-of-state interest groups. He said he saw no problem with lawmakers using model legislation from out-of-state groups instead of drafting it from scratch.

by Dick Schilling, "Editor Emeritus"

... that the Klan is back, in a new guise.

Riots, on university campuses in particular, are being led by the new Klan. The old Ku Klux Klan pretty much disappeared nearly 100 years ago after being revived briefly by an early Hollywood movie. The members were recognized by the steps they took not to be recognized, that is, by wearing white robes and white cone-shaped headdresses.

But lots of local people knew who they were.

The new Klan calls itself “Black Bloc.” The name does not come from the skin color of its members, but rather from the step they have taken to avoid recognition, that is, wearing black clothing and black hooded masks.
But do locals know who they really are?

The apostle John writes: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

In the end there are only 2 religions in the world. One looks to man and his good works for salvation and the other one looks to Jesus and His works for salvation. The one that looks to Jesus and His works for salvation is the Christian religion and the one that looks to man and his good works for salvation is all other religions of the world.

John tells us about the Christian religion, the one that looks to Jesus and His works for salvation.  He says: “Behold, the Lamb of God.”

In the OT God told the Israelites to look at the serpent lifted up on a pole, and when they did they would be cured of leprosy.  And so too John says in our text: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

To the Editor:

There is a video made by a veterans organization for viewing on the web (http://www.salon.com/2017/02/06/votevets-calls-out-president-trump-by-na...) and on television, free for the nation to watch and for your local representatives in Des Moines to watch who want to take away healthcare for seriously wounded veterans for a Bush-Cheney war and people who dodged the draft over and over. And now the party in power wants to take away healthcare, known as Obama Care, for these seriously wounded and PTSD combat veterans.

by Dick Schilling, "Editor Emeritus"

... that first, nota bene, Donald Trump was not my first choice among Republicans for nomination. Nor second choice. Nor third choice.

However, having said that, he not only won the nomination but also the presidency.

I listen to public radio Saturday and Sunday mornings by default, because regular AM and FM stations have nothing to offer in the way of news and information at those times.

Since way back several years ago, the Wisconsin station denigrated Republicans, in part because of the Republican governor who three times defeated their efforts to oust him. The Minnesota station was not as bad.

But from Trump’s nomination through and since his election, both have been unceasing in their attacks on him. Even the so-called entertainment programming includes several jokes at his expense.

Is an executive order forthcoming taking away federal funds from an obviously biased medium?

To the Editor:

The law that prohibits teachers and ministers from being involved with politics will likely soon be abolished. If you are a Christian teacher in our schools, don’t be afraid to show it. You can wear a cross necklace, pins, etc. You can place the Bible on your desk and after hours, on your own time, you can invite anyone that is interested in a short Bible study to attend a meeting.

The only way America will become great is to raise our moral standards. Every child should be entitled to a mother and father, and if they will raise their children to fear the Lord they have them started down the right path of life.

As a teacher you will be admired, trusted and imitated by your students. If you are concerned for the student, show it. You are a Christian, maybe the only Bible some kids will ever see. Don’t be afraid, you will not be punished or fired. There’s a new sheriff in town.

by Dick Schilling, "Editor Emeritus"

... that I think I am suffering SAD... seasonal affective disorder.

As of today, Jan. 23, we are experiencing another day without sunshine, one of a long stretch of such days. It hasn’t been cold, and in fact we have succeeded in getting rid of almost all the ice and snow... finally! But the forecast says we will see it replaced by the middle of this week.

So SAD continues.

Recent stories about the closing of Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus, the “Greatest Show on Earth”, caused me to reflect on a long-ago experience.

When I was about 11, my Uncle Joe and Aunt Elsie invited my mother and me to go with them to see the circus in La Crosse. Joe had spent a lot of time in La Crosse getting treatment for a medical condition, and so knew the city pretty well.

To the Editor:

I live along Highway 9 outside of Waukon and I am totally astonished at the amount of trash and garbage that appears along the highway at times, from the airport hill out to the recycling site on the highway. There has been anything from articles of clothing, broken kid’s toys, an ironing board, a small dresser, construction debris and some with nails, cardboard, blankets, pillows, a cement finish broom, styrofoam coolers, empty beer cartons, chunks of wood, a box of very used pots and pans, bags of unknown trash and the usual Christmas trees.

Come on people, if you know you loaded it and it isn’t there when you reach the recycling site or wherever you are going, it means you lost the trash or stuff along the way. I know many people utilize the site but if you lose your trash along the way, stop and pick it up. Tying it down or weighing it down will help, especially on windy days. I have stopped to remove stuff from the roadway so it doesn’t get hit.