Letters to the editor, 09/24/2007 - Put Iraq strategy to work in schools

Put Iraq strategy to work in schools

No one in the Bush administration says war is important and education is not. They just act that way. If a public school had missed half its benchmarks, as the Iraqi government has done, it would be tossed in the trash heap so fast it would make your head spin.

Fortunately, there is an easy solution: The U. S. Army should invade and occupy our public schools. After initial casualties — regrettable perhaps, but you can’t make an omelet, etc. — the security situation in schools would undoubtedly improve. Moreover, troubles with tight budgets that many school districts now face would vanish overnight, as the Pentagon takes over responsibility for school funding. If we spent an additional $3 billion a week on public education, like we do in Iraq, imagine the improvements that could be expected.

And if expectations aren’t met, well, just stay the course!

Grant Franks
Santa Fe

Alarm’s ringing

More and more Americans are waking up to the fact that we’ve been lied to about everything for the last six years. We have learned that the Central Intelligence Agency knew beforehand what would happen on Sept. 11, 2001. How can we not become increasingly skeptical about the fact that our air defenses just evaporated on 9/11, allowing any terrorist plot to succeed on that day?

After the deaths of 3,000 Americans in New York City, and even more in Iraq, after squandering a trillion dollars or more searching for weapons of mass destruction that weren’t there, and chasing al-Qaida who weren’t there then, but are there now, thanks to our invasion, isn’t it time that the American people were finally told the truth? Isn’t it time to end our occupation in Iraq, reopen the 9/11 investigation, and begin impeachment proceedings for Vice President Dick Cheney for peddling forged documents and inciting a civil war in Iraq instead of concentrating on al-Qaida terrorists? It’s time for continuous wake-up calls to our senators and representatives.

Sharlene White
Santa Fe

Mission abandoned

Recent letters condemn detractors of President George Bush and Gen. David Petraeus’ plans for the Iraq catastrophe.

Let me remind them that we have consistently opposed the policies from the beginning, not because we are anti-Bush, but because the policies were wrong and history proved this. Generals greater than Petraeus who disagreed with the policy were fired; mission drift to suit political needs has caused the deaths of as many as 1 million Iraqis and 3,770 Americans.

We were called traitors for questioning the presence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, the removal of a tyrant, then democracy-building and, lately, the surge that will now look like troop reduction when those men rotate out, though it is not. Now we question a “permanent presence,” which completely contradicts earlier statements by Bush. No progress has been made and the vast majority of Iraqis want us out.

Why do supporters refuse to review history? Of what are they afraid?

Brian O’Keefe
Santa Fe

Occupational hazard

President Bush is still trying to push the fanciful notion that if we don’t continue to occupy Iraq it will turn into an al-Qaida-dominated terrorist state and become a platform for launching attacks against the United States.

He doesn’t mention that the main objective of the terrorists is to have the U.S. leave Iraq and all other Middle Eastern Arab nations.

Our presence in Saudi Arabia was why the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001, happened, according to al-Qaida. Bush continues to tell us that “they hate our freedoms,” and that it’s not a struggle for control of the resources of these oil-rich nations.

The United States has more than 700 military bases in dozens of countries around the world — our modern version of colonialism. There are a couple other reasons why so-called extremists might want us out of the Middle East: our unconditional support of the Israeli occupation of Palestine and our support of the repressive Saudi regime.

Russ Tyldesley
Santa Fe

Name one

My son is attending college in Denver. He met a wonderful exchange student from Mexico more than two years ago, and they were married a year ago. They are struggling with the immigration process, which they initiated more than a year ago. He is working and attending college full time. She is not allowed to work until she gets her papers.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security seem to be one and the same. I’m wondering how many immigrants from Mexico have proven to be national security threats. Perhaps we should watch out for the Canadians, too?

Diane Streeper
Santa Fe

CSF a great asset

Over the last 10 years, talented students from the College of Santa Fe have interned at the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Recently an intern partnership was established that offers students a stipend and the opportunity of professional work experience within museum departments including curatorial, education, marketing and public relations, and development. In addition, the art department at the college has been a supportive community partner by offering studio space for the award-winning O’Keeffe Art and Leadership Program for Girls and Boys. We have worked with the department of Moving Image Arts and the Screen to present modernist films and bring speakers of note to present on these films for the students and general public. The College of Santa Fe is truly a community asset, and the museum looks forward to its continued collaborations with staff and students alike.

George G. King
director
Georgia O’Keeffe Museum

Still awaiting HD

Back at the beginning of the year, The New Mexican covered the story that Comcast still didn’t offer its customers television network CBS in high definition. At the time, the company said it should be available in time for the 2007 Super Bowl. Nothing changed.

In early summer, we were told CBS-HD would be available in time for the new 2007 TV season — which is now. Repeated calls to Comcast customer service get the same response: “We have no idea when this will happen.”

Comcast rates have just gone up again, yet one of the Big 3 networks still can’t be seen in HD. What’s the story?

Sue Byrom
Santa Fe

Forget support

As a parent of a Capital High School Jaguar football player, I find it hard to believe that the team is constantly having to prove itself to get the support and respect it deserves. In short, I’d thank The New Mexican for not supporting the Jaguars. They have all the support they need from fans, parents, students, coaches and staff.

Roberta Cole
Santa Fe

Damsels at the pump

Driving down Cerrillos Road, I saw a gas station sign that reads “Full Service to Women and Handicaps” outside Discount Gas at the intersection of Cerrillos and Siler roads. I stopped in to let the management know how I felt about the sign; I believe it is sexist, implying that women are incapable and are more likely to need help than men. I asked for a manager and politely stated my opinion.

His reply was, “If it offends you, that’s your problem, not mine.”

I asked if it would be possible to change the sign to “Full Service Upon Request.” He continued to tell me that it was “my problem” that I was offended, and that he was proud of the service he offered.

While gas stations should offer full service to those who feel they need it, I urge the public to let Discount Gas know that singling out women as needing this help is offensive and unacceptable.

Charlotte Jusinski
Santa Fe

Anti-seniors system

Regarding the recent crackdown on people who hadn’t paid estimated New Mexico income taxes, it was reported that some senior citizens collecting only or mostly Social Security payments were fined more than $100 for underestimating their taxes. If so, the state Department of Taxation and Revenue may still be having problems with its computer system. Social Security payments are taxable from zero to 85 percent, depending on how much other income one has. For someone with only Social Security income, the federal and state tax should be zero. Even in cases where there is some additional income, there should be no need to make estimated tax payments. The amount of Social Security income that is taxable is difficult to derive without a tax computation computer program. The worksheet in the IRS 1040 instruction booklet would be challenging for many senior citizens, and I expect some people might mistakenly report all their Social Security income as taxable.

Alfred Koelle
Santa Fe

Nip weed in bud

As an arborist I visit most of Santa Fe County on a fairly regular basis and have noted with concern the appearance and spread of a noxious weed. This plant is listed by the United States Department of Agriculture among the “Dirty Dozen” non-native, invasive weeds found in New Mexico. The plant, Dalmatian Toadflax, is unfortunately attractive, being related to the common snapdragon. It has blue-green, usually pale, stems and leaves and is about 2 feet to 3 feet tall, by 1 foot to 2 feet wide. The leaves are heart-shaped and “clasped” in pairs to the stems (there’re no leaf stems). It bears numerous tall racemes of yellow snapdragonlike flowers from late spring to midsummer.

I’ve known uninformed homeowners to encourage the toadflax on their properties. Anyone who sees one should pull it out. If it has set seed heads, remove them, put them in a bag, then pull the plant and put the whole thing in the trash.

Robert Berry
Santa Fe

Returned to sender

As usual, I recently dropped my outgoing mail into the curbside boxes opposite the main post office.

However, I not only dropped my mail, but accidentally also an invoice that I had taken with me. A few days later, and to my pleasant surprise, I received a letter from the Postal Service containing the invoice. I am impressed by and grateful for this thoughtful type of service. Thank you very much!

Rainer Wollmann
Santa Fe