Friday, April 6, 2007

Letters on the attack


The Coeur d'Alene Press is like a snappy little dog. The moment it has its jaws on something, it keeps chewing and chewing and doesn't quit until the topic totally disintegrates. Professor Bryan, as usual in a couple of letters. Hans Neumann of Spirit Lake can't seem to find a time or a place when people of his own party or belief could have demonstrated the sort of savagery that Professor Bryan only "joked" at. --Killing all the people who vote Republican. Never mind the boasting letters from the local hot-headed anti-abortionists who declared that now, all the GOP are "pro-life" and that they drove out anyone who thought differently than they did. There are still pro-choice Republicans; indeed, I am one. Rebutting that boast and the savage attacks began. Or the angry arguments that pagan beliefs can't possibly be a religion. And yet, Christian history shows us, that Christians themselves adopted much that was pagan in ritual, practice and symbol; even the gods became "saints." The utter hatred by anti-abortionists toward anyone who doesn't think their way and toward women "those Jezebels" who for what ever reason have abortions. Incidentally, Jezebel was a condemned queen and child killer who in the bible was fed to the dogs. Or take Rumsfeld, in "Cobra II" jesting about killing 50 generals on the behalf of the U.S. Army and the Pentagon. Or John Bolton arguing that eliminating 10 stories of the U.N. building and it would not be missed. Is that with people still inside? I'll agree with Neumann on one thing, it does indeed depend on whose ox is being gored. As long, of course as it isn't his.

Doug Miller demonstrates in a mile long letter that education is totally lost on him. Education is a distinct entity from "market forces." Just as health care should be. Linda Cook decided to take offense at what one of her instructors said and demands her money back. I'll agree that "customer service" took care of a whiny and tantrum throwing "student" who could not deal with political disagreement and could indeed get her money back. But, what has that to do with "market forces?" If people flipped out over every issue even in the venue of those most vaunted "market forces," what would survive? At some point, the Linda Cooks of this world have to grow up and recognize life doesn't always hand you roses. Or should she demand her money back from God because he handed her a living and breathing Professor Bryan. Well, she was born, I believe. And the more writers opine on Cook's behalf, the more they paint her as an ignorant spoiled brat. Bryan comes off better by comparison.

Like Curt Hammond, I too was born in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and grew up there. Only recently did I move to my present location in Dalton Gardens. On the field burning issue, more people move into the area and they may indeed have the health problems that field burning can only agravate. However, is every open space going up in residential housing? Try big box retail and wholesale stores populating the area as fast as residential houses go up. And by the way, so increase property values and property taxes that it actually becomes unafordable for we natives to live here. But, Hammond doesn't get into that. No he carps about people who apparently have never before survived Idaho winters. Who blame everyone else, even the environment their kids had lived in before coming to Idaho for those kids bad behavior (but not themselves), I'm not so sure that's just a transplant problem. I think that's a problem of anyone who sees parenting as a matter of birthing them then someone else can become the surrogate parents: Teachers, neighbors, the kids, criminal gangs, drug dealers. Even parents born and raised in Idaho can have that truly p*** poor attitude about being effective parents. So, while Hammond is venting, neither does he think. Which is particularly unfortunate. His letter might have been the better for it if he had.

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