Civil unions and legal rights, Ref. I on ballot
Re: “Civil unions ensure legal rights,” Oct. 5 editorial.
The Denver Post got it right with its endorsement of Referendum I. The ability to visit a partner in the hospital, make medial decisions and inherit property isn’t just common-sense legislation, it’s good public policy for the state.
With the passage of Referendum I, Colorado will become a more attractive state for people to work in.
A majority of Fortune 500 companies already offer domestic partner benefits because they recruit and retain talented workers. Referendum I ensures that couples that are committed to one another have the ability to make important decisions for each other.
On Nov. 7, the people of Colorado will have to ability to lead the nation in providing basic legal rights for all couples.
I encourage everyone to vote “yes” on Referendum I.
Donald C. Kuzela, M.D., Denver
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I can’t in clear conscience support Referendum I. The people that wrote this up are trying to pull the wool over our eyes.
The “basic legal” rights that they are trying to get passed are already available to all same-sex couples. This is nothing more than them trying to get their foot in the door to get gay marriage legalized in the future.
I have seen some so-called religious leaders lending their support for this bill, but they are sincerely wrong in their theology.
Eventually each voter will have to choose to vote their conscience. As for me, I have studied the issues and will vote for what is truly right.
Gregory Burnett, Cañon City
The Denver Art Museum’s Hamilton addition
Re: “Crowds wander in wonder,” Oct. 8 news story.
The new art museum building not only doesn’t fit with any of the surrounding buildings, it fights with them. The building has become the focus rather than the art. The outside doesn’t affect the quality of the displays inside. Tying the two together is how some attempt to justify the huge waste of money on a building that can’t be seen through the buildings that surround it.
Put the building in 20 acres of open space between Denver and Broomfield and it will attract attention – perhaps not positive attention, but at least it could be seen.
Mandell S. Winter Jr., Denver
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A great city may contain great architecture, but it’s not what makes it a great city. Why the inferiority complex? Great cities are a combination of a multitude of factors: diversity, location, economy, attitudes, history and architecture lastly. Denver is a community of suburban sensibilities; “hey, look at me” architecture will not change that.
The Denver Art Museum’s new Hamilton Building may be good sculpture, but its poor interface with pedestrians, adjacent buildings and spaces makes it poor urban design.
Buildings are backgrounds to the human activities that occur in and around them. What Denver needs is better urban design. Mayor Hickenloper’s legacy hopefully will be about much more than buildings.
Terrance Ware, Denver
Columnist Navarrette on the war in Iraq
Re: “Bush, Democrats getting worked up over wrong issues,” Oct. 6 Ruben Navarrette Jr. column
The opinion piece by Ruben Navarrette could serve as a textbook example of muddled reasoning. First he mentions the National Intelligence Estimate that says the Iraq war might actually be fueling terrorism. But then he lets Bush off the hook because we were at war with terrorists before we were at war in Iraq. In other words, by Navarrette’s reasoning, as long as there was a terrorism problem before Iraq, it doesn’t matter that Bush’s Iraq policies have made it much worse.
He then proceeds to excoriate Democrats for ignoring reality. Why? Because they cannot come up with a workable strategy to clean up the mess in Iraq. The administration has made such a botch of the war that no one, Democrat or Republican, can figure out a good exit strategy.
James J. Amato, Woodland Park
Coal-based power
Re: “Coal’s power surge,” Oct. 1 business story.
Xcel and Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association are planning more coal-based power plants for Colorado. This comes at a time when we need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by two- thirds to minimize the impact of global warming.
This is equivalent to closing a 500-megawatt coal power plant every week for the next 45 years!
I’ve reduced my electrical consumption 50 percent, mainly by being conscious of what consumes energy and turning off appliances when not in use. This was easy to do and cost nothing apart from a few energy-efficient light bulbs.
Wake up, Colorado. We have the fifth-best solar resource in the country. Let’s do the right thing and look at efficiency first, solar second and avoid coal altogether.
Matthew Hall, Littleton
Cluster bombs
Re: “Cluster bombs still kill,” Oct. 6 guest commentary.
Dan Winters’ guest column on cluster munitions was interesting and somewhat informative. Maybe the Israelis should have used 2,000-pounders instead, or revert back to clubs and stones.
Winters failed to point out that the terrorists primarily target civilians with their rockets and use their own civilian population as human shields. A one-sided perspective is in itself very informative – or not.
Jake Painter, Parker
Death of Buck O’Neil
Re: “Baseball pioneer O’Neil, 94, dies,” Oct. 7 sports story.
A legend was lost Friday. My two sons were fortunate to meet Buck O’Neil at Coors Field a number of years ago. With a bright smile, handshake and hug, he seemed genuinely glad to meet them.
My boys were amazed they actually met a Major League ballplayer, talked with him and were given an autograph. When I explained a bit of his baseball history to them, they were in awe.
They still brag about meeting him, even now as young adults. Yes, we lost a legend, and God gained an angel.
Bruce Hartmetz, Centennial
