Newsweek Koran story
Re: “Newsweek retracts report about Koran abuse,” May 17 news story.
Newsweek’s retraction of its report about Guantanamo Bay interrogators desecrating the Koran to get inmates to talk does nothing to address the problem this story illuminates. Newsweek should publish the name of the U.S. official who gave them the information that is blamed for the Afghanistan riots, and in the future, make it a practice to independently corroborate such stories.
Now it is Newsweek, and no longer the Bush administration, that is under scrutiny on this issue. Isn’t that curious? Do you think Dan Rather is feeling deja vu?
J.A. Loyall, Colorado Springs
Drug-buying pool
Re: “Drug-buying pool beneficial,” May 19 editorial.
Your editorial makes the reasonable point that as long as the state is buying prescription drugs, it should use the most effective means available in the marketplace to get the best price. The underlying problem is that under current policies, very large numbers of people must be provided with an unlimited supply of drugs – including forthcoming drugs that may be very expensive to develop and get approved – at no cost whatsoever to themselves. Any short-term savings from drug-buying pools will soon be overtaken by that fact. So will the ability of many drugs to get on or stay on the list of drugs provided. In that context, savings for Colorado taxpayers are an illusion until current policies are changed in favor of more individual freedom and responsibility, and more efficient private charity.
Richard E. Ralston, Newport Beach, Calif.
The writer is executive director of Americans for Free Choice in Medicine.
Pensions and 401(k)s
Re: “Downsizing employees’ dreams; United’s pension-dumping is a frightening step for labor,” May 18 Marie Cocco column.
In her recent article about United Airlines’ failed pension plan, Marie Cocco mentions that she anticipates a rise in workers’ use of 401(k) plans. As a former participant in a 401(k) plan, I strongly urge employees to take a critical look at the program before investing, and to be ever-vigilant if they decide to proceed. The plan is only as good as your employer is honest. You can expect no assistance from the federal government if your employer decides to dip into “your” 401(k) savings. I speak from personal experience, as this happened to me more than 15 years ago. I got no support from the government, because the $10,000 I lost was too insignificant to justify an investigation. I was finally able to recover most of the lost funds, but only after taking legal action.
Joseph K. Crea, Arvada
Denver pit-bull ban
Re: “City is right to outlaw pit bulls,” May 13 Reggie Rivers column.
I disagree with Reggie Rivers. I am not a pit-bull owner, but I can sympathize with those who are. As a dog owner, I can’t imagine anything more devastating than someone telling me I had to give up or euthanize a member of my family.
There is no debating that dog attacks happen. However, there is no evidence to show that pit bulls are the ones that are solely responsible. Bad dogs come from bad owners. Yet every time a pit bull is involved in a dog attack, it’s front-page news – not because it happens more frequently, but because it’s a hot issue and because no one seems to care when the dog is a German shepherd. Vicious, snarling dogs being taken away by animal control make a much better picture than a good family pet lying on the couch with its owner.
Meghan Hughes, Denver
