State prison spending
Re: “Throwing away money; Colo. faces prison spending crisis,” April 16 Perspective article.
Mike Krause’s article makes clear the reasons for prison population growth. Colorado really is not experiencing exponential increases in numbers of criminals; rather, we have a needless increase of prisoners. Colorado lawmakers, instead of seeking more money for more prison beds, need to take a critical look at prison sentences for non-violent crimes and at the denial of parole for eligible prisoners. Colorado lawmakers must revise laws that sentence so many nonviolent offenders to so much prison time. Prisons need hold only those people who pose obvious, serious threats to other people. Tax dollars need to be spent on reform, not prisons.
Suzanne Marriage Wheeler, Colorado Springs
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Kudos to The Post for printing Mike Krause’s article on the overcrowded Colorado prisons.
Twenty-two percent of prisoners incarcerated in 2004 were sentenced for drug-related offenses. The irony here is that these 1,300 prisoners did not violate anybody’s rights when using, possessing or selling drugs. But they certainly violate all of our rights now, to the tune of more than $36 million per year taken from our pockets. Thank you, nanny-state.
Gary Halpin, Castle Rock
Faith and charity
Re: “Remember the carpenter,” April 16 John Andrews column.
Does John Andrews really think that “believers” are morally superior to atheists?
So he found some English atheist – columnist Roy Hattersley – who confirms his own bias and he runs with it. Truthfully, he has no idea what group makes the greater relative contribution to society and their fellow man. Sending a dollar to the ACLU to defend some innocent from the abuses of our Christian Republican government might be better than sending a dollar to the Salvation Army to compensate the victims of Katrina (made necessary because my dollar sent to a Christian Republican FEMA was wasted).
A dollar spent to stop abuse might be better spent than a dollar to compensate the victim of abuse.
Atheists will concede that John Andrews art holier than they, but that doesn’t make him a better person or a better American. In fact, his column convinces me of the opposite.
David Habecker, Estes Park
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John Andrews, in his Easter column, chose not to put forth the love and compassion of his savior, but to attack those who are not believers.
His argument that atheist and free- thinker organizations do not involve themselves in helping with disaster relief is absurd. That is not what those organizations are there for.
The NRA doesn’t send groups of members to help tsunami victims, but that doesn’t mean gun owners do not care about or help others. My non-believer friends and I send a great deal of money and goods to organizations that help the needy. These organizations are both religious and secular in nature. I support the Red Cross, Salvation Army, Oxfam, Second Harvest and many others. An organization may or may not be based on religion, but let’s not assume its support and donations come only from Christians.
Art Paolini, Denver
Woman for president
The time has come for a female president. It is well-known that women multi-task better then men. Look at our current situation; we need to be addressing critical issues like global warming, planning for the peak oil crisis, hunger and poverty (domestically and abroad), outsourcing, etc. The only apparent issue on the radar screen of the current president is the war and the shameful budget being dedicated to this losing proposition.
Why a female president? Because women don’t mind stopping to ask for directions. They understand the value of utilizing other people’s information and wisdom. Men, on the other hand, refuse to change course even when it is clear they are headed in the wrong direction – even after they have been given directions. Think Iraq.
Women know what it means to care for other people. The decisions they make take into account the impact on lots of other people. They see the big picture. Women are creative and successful at solving problems. They understand the need for family and friends to get along. Think diplomacy.
Women are better shoppers. They know the value of a buck, and they know when they are being taken advantage of. Think gasoline. Women are intuitive and they know when they are being scammed. Think privatization of Social Security. Women understand the value of money well spent and investing in things that last. Think the environment.
Wake up, America. It is time for women to solve the problems that men continue to ignore at the peril of ourselves and future generations.
Susan Harman, Centennial
Colorado natives
Re: “The Colorful Colorado Quiz,” April 16 Colorado Sunday article.
As a Colorado native, I take offense to this article. It suggests that “if you can answer seven out of 10 questions correctly, you have the right to consider yourself a native.”
Bullstuff! Unless you were born in Colorado, you will never have the right to call yourself a native. I consider myself a hostile native. I was born and raised here and am not pleased with what all the transplants have done to my state. I don’t care if you memorize a bunch of trivia; I don’t care if you have lived here most of your life. You can never, ever be a native!
Non-natives argue that we (the state of Colorado) need all the money from the exploding population, but I believe that the state would be much cheaper to run if we didn’t have to support all the new growth. I understand some growth is necessary, but I wish someone would have put out the “no vacancy” sign long ago.
Being a native is not something you learn or earn. You are born with it.
Donna Farrell, Aurora
To the point
Who’s in charge here? Having retired generals dictate the actions of the commander in chief would be like allowing the inmates to run the asylum.
John DeFrancesco, Monument
Regardless of where you stand on immigration, one thing about Wednesday’s student march from North High to Civic Center is self-evident: At least the kids got some exercise.
Bob Potter, Denver
This mess with immigration demonstrates that the federal government, whether Democratic or Republican, is not able to manage difficult issues either before or after they become a crisis.
Dolly Craig, Denver
Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove is shifted from policy-making duties to focusing on the fall midterm elections. Let the character assassinations begin!
Virginia L. Wielgot, Aurora
I can’t imagine why anyone, other than their families and friends, would give a rat’s pierna that Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes had a kid.
Craig Marshall Smith, Highlands Ranch
