Homeland insecurity?
Since most of us have had a “brush” with airport homeland security, I thought my recent experience could add another slant to our improved safety.
Earlier this week, I tried to get into the federal courthouse to view a case in which I had a personal financial interest. At the door is the usual X-ray machine for items and the metal detector manned by three guards. The guards were being extra careful of any metal object getting past them and checking ID’s of each individual. I emptied my pockets and handed the guards my Colorado driver’s license. Sorry, I was told, your license expired two days ago and you can’t enter without a valid ID.
I assured the guard that I was the same person as on the ID and offered the rest of the contents of my wallet as proof. I asked if he thought the person listed on the ID had changed in the two days since it expired. “Doesn’t matter,” said the guard. “Federal marshal’s orders.”
“Look, an ID is only required to assure you that I am who I said I am, not to drive down the halls,” I said. The guard would hear none of this and refused my entry.
While all this was taking place, I watched as a person with an oxygen tank gave it to the guard and he put it through the X-ray machine. It could have been filled with propane or other explosives, and it would have passed though, but my legal folder and I were locked out. Safety or a show?
Kenneth Simon, Denver
Discussing homosexuality in public schools
Re: “Elementary schools shouldn’t be teaching homosexuality,” Aug. 17 Al Knight column.
Al Knight’s column is nothing more than ignorant rhetoric that mistakenly interprets multicultural education as nothing more than a deviant form of “indoctrination.” The elementary school referred to in Knight’s piece should be applauded for preparing students to live in a diverse world. An essential component of secondary education is to teach students the skills they will need to be good members of society.
A healthy democracy depends on the ability of its citizenry to tolerate and understand differences, a virtue that is being threatened by an increasing number of far-right political zealots. Knight’s paranoid assertion that books written to educate students about gay families and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered student groups are part of a vast conspiracy to indoctrinate America’s youth is absurd. It should be clear that such resources are not utilized to recruit gay youth or force anyone’s beliefs on homosexuality but are rather meant to provide youth with a better understanding of an undeniable culture and way of life.
Sergio Gonzales, Denver
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It is attitudes like columnist Al Knight’s that will keep homophobia alive for generations to come. Introducing children to the idea that homosexuality is acceptable is no different than teaching any other type of acceptance of differences, whether they are innate like race or a choice like religion. Anyone who shuns their children’s learning to accept human differences, whether they be race, religion or sexual orientation, is giving their child an increased chance to grow up to be ignorant and bigoted. The longer we continue to preach intolerance to our children or shelter them from different types of people, the longer our society will remain hateful and intolerant.
Raishel Wasserman, Englewood
Protests in support of fallen soldier’s mother
Re: “President’s refusal to speak to mother of soldier,” Aug. 18 Open Forum.
The prevailing view that President Bush has failed to show compassion toward the families of our fallen soldiers is false. The president met with Cindy Sheehan in June 2004, two months after the death of her son. At that time, she expressed her anti-war views to the president, but also told reporters that she believed his grief was sincere.
President Bush has met with more than 900 family members who have lost a loved one in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has repeatedly met with the families of the fallen when visiting U.S. military installations. Many of these families recount the sincerity with which the president offered his condolences, how he was moved to tears, how he held the hands of grieving widows and mothers, and how he listened attentively to their protests.
The president grieves for each loss, and yet maintains a professional and personal “balance” in his life, allowing him to govern.
Diane Manning, Colorado Springs
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Re: “Colo. vigils offer support for protest at Bush ranch,” Aug. 18 news story.
The Post buried its story about the peace vigil for Cindy Sheehan on Page 3B of Thursday’s paper. I find it suspect that the vigil was not on the front page. Post editors favored violence in Gaza, a sentencing change for a woman involved in a 1997 police killing, and a college dorm photo.
The vigil affected 900 people directly in Colorado (those who attended Wednesday night’s events) and thousands indirectly – Americans interested in soldiers dying, Iraqis killed and whether the president cares about those deaths. Sheehan’s plight has stirred national debate on whether this war is worth thousands of lives. This affects far more Coloradans than Gaza, the police killer or the dorms.
Pattie Logan-Olson, Littleton
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Irony is fighting for peace. Our men and women sacrifice a normal life, get shot at, and yes, sometimes lose their life, for a cause they believe in. We do not draft people into our military. We are a 100 percent volunteer army.
While soldiers and sailors may not always agree with their orders, they believe in the U.S. military and in the United States of America. They serve, fight and die for the freedoms we enjoy. That includes the right to protest and speak out against the military, the government and, yes, the president.
I am proud to have served in the military that gives the right to the Cindy Sheehans of the world to protest. I am, however, sad that she would desecrate her son’s honor, because he died fighting to give that freedom to somebody else who is not as lucky as her.
Darick Walter La Selle, Littleton
Gaza pullout
Re: “Israeli pullout from Gaza Strip,” Aug. 17 Open Forum.
Letter-writer John F. Kane, professor of religious studies at Regis University, wrote hoping that the present withdrawal of settlers from Gaza indicated an end to Israeli colonization of Palestinian land but was concerned that it meant no such thing. Kane concluded, “I hope I am wrong.”
Good news, Professor: You are wrong. Israel is not a colonial nation occupying distant lands. Israel occupies adjacent territory as required for its security. It is from these territories that Israel has been attacked since the inception of the modern state.
The Israeli aim is security. The Palestinian aim is statehood. The Israelis are withdrawing from Gaza as required to create a Palestinian state in the hope of a secure future. I hope the Palestinians will form a pluralistic, tolerant and liberal state that will live in peace with their neighbors.
And I hope I’m right.
Jim Jones, Littleton
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