President’s plan in Iraq
When it comes to President Bush’s idea of sending more troops to Iraq, I am reminded of the ending to that old nursery rhyme about Humpty Dumpty: “All the king’s horses, and all the king’s men, couldn’t put Humpty together again.” It’s a simple premise, Mr. Bush. You broke Iraq. It is beyond repair. Sending more Americans to try to fix it is futile. Not all your horses, or all your men, can put Iraq back together again. Not one more American should die for this mistake. Bring our people home.
George Hope, Morrison
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What a bunch of pantywaists we have in this country. These people will scream and yell and riot about sports events, but when it comes to winning the war in Iraq, they cry that they are tired. Do you hear military families crying and whining? I spent 20 years in the Air Force and Navy, and I can’t for the life of me see why anyone would want to make a career in the military. Half the country has no respect the military. You cannot support the troops if you don’t support what they do. They want to win – got that? If you think Vietnam vets were angry, just wait. I was betrayed with cut-and-run from Vietnam. Don’t do it again.
Foster Wendell, Denver
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When then-Secretary of State Colin Powell, a loyal Republican, advised the Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld war planners, “You break it, you bought it,” a more succinct and prophetic warning could not have been given. The Bush hardheads paid no attention to the coolest head in the administration. They broke it, and we Americans bought it. More than 3,000 brave solders and their loved ones paid the dearest price. Bush’s Iraq debacle spiraled in one direction only, down to total failure.
Now we are led to believe that the president’s “new plan” will fix four years of ineptitude, pain and suffering. I don’t believe even President Bush believes that to be true. His real “plan” is to have this asinine “solution” nixed by the Democratic Congress so he can always claim, “We were that close to victory and the Democrats tied our hands.”
Daniel O’Brien, Evergreen
Catholic abuse settlements
Re: “Archdiocese settles sex suits,” Denver Post Online news story.
Denver Catholic Archbishop Charles Chaput is quoted as saying, “I sincerely hope that each of the individuals who participated … begin to truly heal.” He also used the word “closure” during an interview on KMGH-Channel 7. As the wife of a survivor of clerical sexual abuse, I’d like to offer the following insights learned about healing and closure.
One important aspect of healing from clerical sexual abuse involves learning, from scratch, who God is. Those of us who were lovingly taught that our bodies are “temples” have a hard time visualizing growing up any other way. Ravaged as though he was a “drive-through restaurant,” it has been heartbreaking to watch my husband struggle with childhood misteachings by a priest and Catholic school principal. Decades later, he has only begun to unravel this terrible perversion of faith imposed upon his young self.
Money will never bring “closure” to grown-up children who struggle daily with loss of faith. Like others who have experienced atrocities and tragedy, sex assault victims will search for God indefinitely. That is why I believe “closure” is a myth.
Rochelle Brancato, Northglenn
The writer is a support group leader for the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.
Colo. Mountain College
Re: “Adventures in hypsometry,” Jan. 9 Ed Quillen column.
I was dismayed to read in Ed Quillen’s column that he’s relying on old, out-of-date jokes to describe Colorado Mountain College and our students.
As a comprehensive community college, we do not tolerate drugs and alcohol. Our Timberline Campus in Leadville has a powerful substance-abuse prevention program. Last year, compared to the previous year, we saw a 73.4 percent drop in alcohol violations and a 94.5 percent drop in drug violations.
As Colorado Mountain College nears our 40th year, we have grown to serve the learning needs in communities across 12,000 square miles, at seven different campuses. Our students have gone on to great things, including winning a Pulitzer Prize in photography, clerking at the Colorado Supreme Court, conducting research for NASA – even being elected as a Colorado state representative (Dan Gibbs). CMC grads are the police officers, firefighters, nurses and teachers of Colorado. They work at ski areas, in natural resource management, in the forest service, in child care.
We are proud of our graduates’ accomplishments, and honored to have had them as students.
John Marrin, Timberline Campus Dean, Colorado Mountain College, Leadville
Ethics of PERA investment
Re: “PERA says that Sudan divesting could backfire,” Jan. 12 news story.
I am appalled at Colorado Public Employees’ Retirement Association executive director Meredith Williams’ casual, amoral reasoning that PERA divestiture from Sudan-supporting companies will make no difference, since others will just buy the stock PERA would sell. That’s a little like me suggesting to my fourth-grade students that they might as well be dishonest, since it often pays well and there are dishonest people anyway in the world who make money and it might as well be them.
Following Williams’ reasoning, why don’t we PERA members dump him for another executive director, since any warm body could do nothing about ethical issues just as well as him, and maybe for less money a year?
Micki Amick, Denver
Health care and the states
The new legislatures across the country are being faced with that old devil, health care financing. The insurance companies, etc., will be in the middle of the fray with every politician they can buy.
Can we provide comprehensive care for all for less money? Yes, indeed. However, there is one minor little problem. We have to restructure the entire delivery system to eliminate the duplication, fragmentation, cream-skimming, profiteering, and administrative waste that permeates the present non-system.
Anyone seriously intererested in the matter should contact his congressperson for a copy of HR 676, which is a proposal developed by Physicians for a National Health Plan for a single-payer plan that would do the job for, at least, 20 percent less cost.
Frederick C. Sage, Boulder
Democratic agenda
I read with interest the agenda the Democrats have outlined for the upcoming term and was delighted that they, unlike the Republicans, will stay out of my bedroom, doctor’s office and medical research labs. The Democratic agenda lists major items affecting us all that must be addressed; these do not include gay marriage, women’s private choice of reproductive rights and flag burning.
Gayle Merves, Lone Tree
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