Senate detainee bill
Re: “Senate passes landmark bill limiting rights of detainees,” Sept. 29 news story.
I am thoroughly disgusted with the passage of the detainee bill. Congratulations, we no longer live in America. We live in a place that places little to no value on human rights. It is well known and well documented that this country is torturing people “suspected of terrorism” in violation of the Geneva Conventions. I used to be proud to call myself American. Now I hang my head in shame.
Donna Miller, Black Hawk
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For most of my life, I was a Coloradan. I remember how proud I was in school to learn that our governor during World War II, Ralph Carr, was the only one in America who had the guts to denounce the internment of Japanese-Americans.
Now there isn’t a senator in Colorado who possesses the moral courage to say that torture is wrong. Both Ken Salazar and Wayne Allard broke their oath to uphold the Constitution when they voted to suspend habeas corpus, and they did it for fear: whether fear of terrorists or fear of midterm elections.
Colorado deserves honorable, courageous and moral leadership.
Madeline Ferwerda, Oakland, Calif.
High school shooting
Commentary on the tragedy in Bailey has mentioned that the Jefferson County SWAT team had learned its lesson from its dithering in Colmbine and was now much quicker to act. A hostage situation calls for a very different response than when active killing is going on. Everything I know as a psychologist indicates that the best response to a hostage standoff is to wait the perpetrator out. Unfortunately, when fools either rush in or fail to rush in, the outcome is the same.
Stephen Greenspan, Littleton
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I figured it wouldn’t take long for some gun-control enthusiast to write in claiming stricter laws would have stopped the horrible tragedy at Platte Canyon High School.
Letter-writer Paul A. Thompson (Sept. 29 Open Forum) blames the National Rifle Association for fighting to maintain our Second Amendment rights, but his anger is misguided. He should be blaming the politicians who write such inane laws like the one banning concealed-carry permit holders from bringing their guns on school grounds.
Why don’t we try leveling the playing field for a change and begin saving these kids’ lives before another wacko can squeeze off the next round?
Kipp Welch, Phoenix
Clinton reaction on Fox
Re: “Clinton vs. Fox, GOP,” Sept. 29 Open Forum.
Being an Australian, I have come to the conclusion that the divide between Democrat and Republican is a national sport in this country. Your letter-writer references the dust-up between Fox News and Bill Clinton as if it was the hit job that Clinton claimed. It amazes me that a respected journalist like Chris Wallace asks a legitimate and obvious question about Clinton’s efforts to catch Osama bin Laden, Clinton loses his cool, and his supporters immediately jump on the bandwagon agreeing that his loss of composure is justified.
If anybody watched the interview, it was obvious that Clinton was clearly frustrated at the shadow placed on his legacy, and Wallace was perplexed at what he was witnessing, particularly as this appeared to be an easy warm-up question.
Nadya Lambert, Monument
Minimum wage on ballot
Proposed Amendment 42, which would raise the minimum wage in Colorado, institutionalizes a practice that has always bothered me. The amendment provides that workers who may receive tips will only be paid a new minimum wage of $3.83 instead of the $6.85 new “minimum wage.” Thus, when you tip a waiter or waitress or others, you are actually relieving the employer from paying the full minimum wage. I am voting against Amendment 42 and hope others will do the same in the hope that our legislators will see the light and make the minimum wage a true one for all employees and let service workers keep their tips for good service.
Leo Cone, Denver
