Wednesday, October 22, 2003
Patriotism and criticism ofthe president have no link
EDITOR:
Regarding the letter, "Unpatriotic attacks must end," in the Oct. 10 Vindicator, let me preface my remarks with a most emphatic statement. I am and have always been supportive of the American military, wherever they are and whatever they must do or are called upon to do.
Now that that is out of the way, let me say that regardless of the Home Security Act or the Patriot Act or any other act the Congress of the United States wishes to enact, I believe that I can criticize the president of the United States and anyone who serves at his pleasure, or whomever has been elected to any office without being called unpatriotic. As a matter of fact, I believe that I have a duty as an American citizen to do so. Whenever that right is taken from me for whatever reason, then this country is not the country that the Founding Fathers took upon themselves to establish.
This president has used almost everybody you can name to attempt to absolve himself of starting a war to satisfy an agenda. Only he knows what that agenda is. By what he has done, we can now be called an aggressor nation. We had, up until this time started only one war, and that was a revolution, and for just reason. To call the French & quot;spineless and two-faced & quot; is to forget that it was the French who helped to win the revolution. The French may not even like themselves sometimes, but if you need a real fighter, you need only to look to a Frenchman for assistance. As to British intelligence, you have been reading too many Ian Fleming books.
President Truman had a plaque on his desk in the oval office. It read & quot;the buck stops here. & quot;
As to the Christian principles you ascribe, I quote to you from the base of the Statute of Liberty, (given to us by the French):
"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door."
The above was written by Emma Lazarus, a Jewish poet.
LEONARD J. SAINATO
Warren
Proposed pool levy shouldnot be priority for Hubbard
EDITOR:
I want to appeal to Hubbard voters to vote NO on the proposed pool levy. While it would be nice to make much needed improvements and continue to operate the community pool, I feel in the current economic climate, this is a luxury we simply cannot afford. Looking at my family budget, I know it is something I cannot afford.
First, Ohio increased the sales tax, then it started taxing services that weren't previously taxed. It raised the gasoline tax. Then most recently drivers license fees were increased. Trumbull County raised its sales tax 0.5 percent (which voters should cancel Nov. 4). It costs you more to file anything at the courthouse.
Health insurance is so expensive many must do without. Homeowners and auto insurance increases are absurd. This summer we were gouged on gasoline. Milk is up. Even the price of lumber is up because the federal government thinks Iraqis need it more than we do. I don't even want to think about how much it is going to cost to heat my home this winter.
Our police officers continue to work in a mold-ridden police station, and the fire department is also in desperate need of funding. A fire and police levy to fund our safety forces is necessary and inevitable.
Finally, many American's don't seem to fully understand we are in the midst of World War III. Threat assessments continue to indicate another attack on American soil is imminent. Many of Hubbard's senior citizens will remember the rationing of food and raw materials during the last World War. Thank God we are not there yet, but during times of war it all comes down to priorities and sacrifice.
I would hope voters will take this into account when they enter the voting booth. I know I will.
JEFF SANSON
Hubbard