Former mayor Peña
Re: “Peña raises voice for immigrants,” May 28 news story.
Thank you for your insightful article about former Denver mayor Federico Peña. Like Peña, I also grew up along the border in south Texas and witnessed the effects of immigration enforcement policies on my hometown. Those childhood experiences shaped the ways in which I view immigration as an issue of human rights. My family members and I proudly marched downtown with tens of thousands of other families on May 1, and we were profoundly moved by Peña’s speech. The Post’s article further helped me to understand that his words were not mere political pandering; Peña’s actions in support of immigrants are shaped by a deeply felt conviction to fairness. I truly hope Peña’s reputation as a respected policymaker will bring clarity around the immigration issue to other Colorado voters.
Julie Gonzales, Denver
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Would it be too much trouble for you to put the word “illegal” in front of the word “immigrants” in order that the headline on this article be accurate? If you think dear ex-mayor Federico Peña left his so-called quiet life behind to stand up for people who have become American citizens legally, you are wrong. He is grabbing the media attention to support people who have broken the laws of our country – rather disturbing behavior for someone who was the mayor for years and probably promised to uphold the laws of the city. If using the word “legal” or “illegal” in front of the word “immigrant” is a burden for your staff, then just use either “legals” or “illegals” in your paper and at least hit some level of accuracy.
Mary Ann Lueckel, Arvada
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Immigration is certainly what America is all about. That being said, how dare Federico Peña compare the hordes of Italian, Irish, German, Russian, etc., immigrants who arrived through Ellis Island – legally, I may add – with the illegal immigrants who are crossing our borders. My family arrived in this great country to better their lives and to contribute to America. They would never have sneaked into the USA; and moreover, they became Americans, speaking English and becoming citizens.
D. Weinstein, Denver
Iraq and other wars
Re: “American wars, past and present,” May 27 Colorado Voices column.
F.R. Pamp’s column saluting Memorial Day and his family’s sacrifices started out well enough, but his true colors eventually shine through. He denigrates America’s leaders as those who “have no personal experience, and never heard a shot fired in anger.” His hall of shame includes Dick Cheney, Condoleezza Rice, Donald Rumsfeld and Paul Wolfowitz. Not to be left out, President Bush is mentioned as having “strings pulled” to have ingloriously served in the National Guard.
Whether these individuals ever served in the military is immaterial. No one can argue their qualifications even if they disagree with their politics. Pamp argues that “Our troops deserve leaders who understand better their sacrifices.” Perhaps, but I wonder if he voted his convictions when President Clinton ran against war veterans President George H.W. Bush and Sen. Bob Dole.
Douglas W. Hoeschle, Littleton
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Why in recent history have we been led into so many wars and foreign affairs that have been marked by needless sacrifice, support of brutal dictators, and wasted resources? Why do we make enemies instead of friends?
I have my own opinion. Our intellectual leaders, like those at Yale, where President Bush went to college, do not revere, admire, promote or understand those ideals represented by a “free” society. Thus we have become our own worst enemy. Instead of individual liberty, we are being led into dependency on a massive government-managed bureaucracy that destroys individual liberty and individual opportunity, especially for the lower and middle classes.
The difference between a free society and a massive authoritarian state is that a free society respects people’s rights and liberties. Until we rediscover the ideals on which this great nation has been built, we will continue down the wrong path.
John Zaugg, Denver
Initiative process
Re: “Colorado’s crowded ballot; 18 issues could face Nov. voters,” May 28 Perspective article.
Secretary of State Gigi Dennis was on the right track when, as a legislator from Pueblo, she tried to rein in Colorado’s ridiculous initiative process. Too bad we don’t have more elected representatives like her with the wisdom and courage to confront this monster. Initiatives are mob rule masquerading as democracy or, as David Broder calls it in his book, the hijacking of democracy. Term limits and McCain- Feingold are bad enough, but initiatives are mangling our state constitution and our elections. To preserve these important tools of democracy, we should return lawmaking to legislators and return voters to the job of voting them in and out.
Tim Jamison, Aurora
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I appreciate Fred Brown’s article on the numerous issues that could be on the Nov. 7 ballot in Colorado. There was one thing that was noticeably missing, however, which is that the only commercials on television in the run-up to Election Day will be ads for and against all of the ballot issues, in addition to all of the candidates for public office. Say goodbye to the car commercials and ads for cleaning products, etc., starting on or about Oct. 7 – one month before the election.
Thomas J. Foster, Aurora
“The Da Vinci Code”
Re: “‘Da Vinci’ at best is a fraud,” May 28 guest commentary.
I read “The Da Vinci Code,” and last weekend saw the movie. The first was a novel, the second an entertainment movie. The one is not a history text, nor the other a documentary, as Carl Rashchke, chair of the Religious Studies Department at the University of Denver, seems to believe. Personally, I find it a bit troubling that a(nother) Colorado professor is apparently unable to separate fact from fiction.
Perhaps I can help: Dan Brown is a novelist. He makes up the stories he tells, which – regardless of whether he believes he is basing them in kernels of legend and myth or in hardcore fact – are published not as history texts, but as fiction novels. If you don’t believe me, pop into a bookstore. You will see Brown sold under “Thrillers,” with Clancy, Cussler and King, not under “History” with Toynbee, Campbell and (Winston) Churchill.
Those like Raschke, who are unable to tell the difference, should probably skip movies like “The Da Vinci Code.”
Besides, why bother with Brown’s droning historical documentary anyway, when Al Gore’s phantasmagoric tall tale of planetary destruction wrought by suburban SUVs is due out any day now?
J.M. Schell, Arvada
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Somebody needs to explain to Carl Raschke what the term “fiction” means. In attacking Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code,” Raschke misses the whole point. Fiction writers turn out stuff that they hope will be purchased so they can make lots of money. In writing “The Da Vinci Code,” Brown produced an exciting murder mystery and adventure novel. Great numbers of readers have had hours of pleasure reading it, resulting in considerable financial rewards for the author.
That some readers, such as Raschke, have taken it as “gospel truth” is not surprising. In Britain, some people spend Sunday afternoons looking for elves in their gardens, thanks to J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings.” The flap over “The Da Vinci Code” is just further evidence that, on the evolutionary ladder, the human race may still be on the bottom two rungs.
Holmes Brannon, Woodland Park
Toll roads in Colorado
Re: “Truth be tolled,” May 28-30 news series.
The Post’s series points out the failure of toll roads to succeed and be used. It delves into the greed behind what is more of the raping of America. The system is wrought with corruption and greed, and after the toll roads fail, at a high cost to taxpayers, the developers have already made their money and left – to start new toll road ventures elsewhere.
The privatization of America by the capitalist right is a growing phenomenon. A society wants its government to provide basic care and support for its citizens. One of these is basic and safe roadways. If the government isn’t expanding heavily used roads such as C-470 or building new ones, talk to your elected representatives. Don’t let the greedy capitalists try to sell you a road you have to pay to use. How much are you willing to pay for basic entitlement? Should the use of a public road be just for the haves and not the have-nots? Write your elected representative and stop the privatization of our public roadways.
Keith Francis, Morrison
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Congratulations to The Post on your excellent three-part series on tolling Colorado’s highways. Your emphasis on the dubious justifications for similar enterprises nationwide is well- placed. Two other significant aspects need to be addressed.
First of all, the Colorado Department of Transportation’s Peggy Catlin is wrong in asserting that an environmental impact statement can most likely be avoided by a privately funded toll-lane expansion. The National Environmental Protection Act is the law, and it and the public’s interest cannot be avoided by assigning a major highway project on publicly owned right of way to private interests.
Secondly, the only reason tolling is even being considered is because of a revenue shortfall relative to our state’s highway needs. Last year, CDOT had revenues of approximately $790 million, of which $424 million (54 percent) came from the state fuel tax. Since CDOT is the only major state department with a constitutionally protected funding source, raising the fuel tax should be considered as a means of raising funds for projects such as the addition of lanes to C-470.
The fuel tax is arguably the fairest tax we have. It is directly related to miles driven, rewards owners of lighter and more efficient vehicles, and non-highway users don’t even pay. And this modest increase is certainly a fairer and more equitable way to raise funds for needed highway improvements than by placing tolls on our existing highways.
Edward Stewart Wright, Denver
The writer is transportation chairman for the Rocky Mountain chapter of the Sierra Club.
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Colorado officials should take a hard look at toll roads such as E-470. Paying a $5 toll to travel from the airport to Park Meadows almost constitutes “highway robbery,” especially in these days of higher gasoline prices and the taxes included in those fuel costs. The Post’s series on toll roads clearly shows the difference between the thinking of government and business. When the airlines want to fill up empty seats, they reduce fares. When a retail store has excess inventory, they reduce the retail price of goods and advertise it as a sale. Why doesn’t government do something bold and business-like: lower the price of E-470 tolls to $1 per one-way trip for cars and $2 for big trucks for a one-year trial? It’s likely the number of vehicles using the toll road for $1 would greatly increase while also reducing traffic on some of the other metro highways.
Let’s face it: If these toll roads continue to miss anticipated revenue/traffic expectations, there’s little doubt in my mind that taxpayers will end up getting stuck for the bill at some future point.
Don Ireland, Denver
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My thanks to The Denver Post and writers Chuck Plunkett and Jeffrey Leib for their recent series of articles exposing the flaws of private toll roads. Last session, our legislature made huge strides in correcting some of our outdated laws and protecting private property owners, but it is clear that the battle is far from over. I am grateful for your effort to shine some light on these types of projects. Colorado needs common-sense solutions to our transportation challenges, and efforts which benefit all of our citizens.
Turning this beautiful state into a wasteland of empty highways is in no one’s best interest.
Marsha Looper, Calhan
The writer is executive director of Colorado Citizens for Property Rights, which educates the public about private toll roads and eminent domain.
TO THE POINT
The gay-bashing bigots of today remind me of the race-bashing bigots of yesteryear. Just as today’s generation embraces racial equality, so will tomorrow’s generation embrace gay rights. It’s just a matter of time.
Virginia L. Wielgot, Aurora
Trickle-down representation: The hand-selection of a Republican candidate by the party elite, performed with the intention of silencing the broader voice of the party. See: Bob Beauprez, George W. Bush.
Tom Porte, Denver
On Memorial Day, I honored Sen. John McCain for his past courage. However, I am disgusted as he flip-flops and acts like a “political prostitute” in his efforts for higher office. I cannot support him in his quest for president.
John L. Tracy, Golden
Regarding The Post’s May 29 editorial on the financial scandal at Fannie Mae, should not the Fannie Mae executives be similarly prosecuted as were the Enron executives? It appears the crimes were of the same nature.
Norman Kautsky, Centennial
I saw, in an edition last week, that the president compared himself to Harry Truman. How I so wish that Lloyd Bentsen were still alive.
T.J. Conway, Colorado Springs
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