Letters to the Editor: Sept. 6, 2012

Slick as black ice
Dear Editor:
A few days ago while trying to negotiate County Road 13 (Flag Creek), I slid off the road and nearly rolled my Jeep. I should have known better, but in the space of a quarter mile the road changed from slightly muddy to as slick as black ice. A Division of Wildlife pickup with Joshua Matijas, Brandon Tyez and Dave Collins happened on the scene and stayed with me and my friend, Bill Costa, until the wrecker arrived. They even gave me the assistance I needed to get out of the car and crowded us into their pickup when it began raining. I appreciated that very much. A lesson I learned: “Don’t drive the Flag Creek Road after even a light rain.” With professional service from Valley Wrecking, my Jeep came through without a scratch.
Dick Prosence
Meeker

Looking for Nancy
Dear Editor:
I roomed with Nancy A. Beard in Denver in 1966. Her parents were from Rangely and I am trying to find her or information on her. Anyone that knows her or might have known her I would like to get in contact with Nancy. Information can be sent to [email protected].
Ginger Morrison
California

Thankful seniors
Dear Editor:
Sixty-plus seniors and workers had a great day up river at Campbell Ranch Aug. 28.
Thanks to Bud and June Striegel of Rangely, the Chuckwagon of Meeker and the Radino Center of Rangely, for the wonderful chicken dinner and outing. The dinner was fixed by Shonia Richardson, Debra Barney and Diana Giles of Meeker. (Chuckwagon) and Tamra Williams (Radino) of Rangley.
Mark Rogers bused the Meeker nursing home residents and helpers. Linda Divine bused the seniors of Meeker. AnaLee bused the Rangely seniors.
It is wonderful to have such a great place as Bud and June’s to enjoy with such a large group of people. Chuckwagon and Radino have enjoyed Campbell Ranch a few times before.
Thanks to all the workers that made such a great day for us seniors.
Doris Walters
Meeker

Dog leash law?
Dear Editor:
Has the town also done away with the leash law? I have seen more dogs roaming the streets this summer apparently just visiting other dogs, following their owners on their bikes, OHVs, or other than I have the previous 12 years of town living. Some of the dogs are friendly, some are not. Either kind, they are supposed to not wander freely, I thought.
Thank goodness for pepper spray.
Bev Devore-Wedding
Meeker

Personhood
amendment
Dear Editor:
While the fate of the 2012 Colorado Personhood Amendment is uncertain, I would like to take this opportunity to point out that for the ethical person, of whatever religious or political persuasion, the pro-life position is the only possible option.
Let me offer the following examples as proof.
1. If you believe that an unborn child is in any sense of the word, human, regardless of development, you must be pro-life since then abortion would be murder.
2. If you are unsure, as to whether or not an unborn child is, in any sense of the word, human, you must be pro-life since abortion in the face of said uncertainty would be, at the very least, criminally negligent for you may be, by your own admission, killing a person.
3. Similarly, if you do not know if an unborn child is, in any sense of the word, human, you must be pro-life. For instance if you are driving down the road and you see a man-shaped coat in the road in front of your car you are both morally and legally required to stop, or at the very least to avoid running over it. Why? You do not know if it is a man or a man-shaped cloak.
On the other hand, if you know for certain that an unborn child is not human, abortion is OK. The problem is of course, you have to be able to prove that beyond the shadow of a doubt. A question even our President believes to be “above his pay grade.”
Simply put abortion in the face of uncertainty is at best manslaughter and most probably murder.
Cordially in Christ,
Rev. Rogers Huck Meredith
Meeker

Support for Caloia
Dear Editor:
I am writing this letter to express my support for Sherry Caloia for 9th Judicial District Attorney.
While reading the April 26, 2012, Glenwood Springs Post Independent, I was appalled that Martin Beeson was quoted stating that he seeks justice for victims (“…to be tough on crime and seek justice for victims…”). This statement can only be one of two things: an outright lie; or the reflection that he is completely out of touch with the actions of his office.
My ex-husband and I were victims in October 2008 and Martin Beeson’s office treated us like the criminals! The “victim advocates” in his office were nothing of the sort; our assigned advocate completely missed the first court date because she “forgot” to attend — and this was more than a full year after the incident (which the other person admitted guilt from the beginning); we were then pushed out another two months before the hearing. I left numerous messages for our DA that “seeks justice for victims,” to no avail; I never received a phone call.
I have known Sherry Caloia for three years. Sherry is amazing; whether as an attorney or friend. It is my firm belief that Sherry is the future of the 9th Judicial District. Sherry has the knowledge, experience, drive and recognition of the changes that must take place in this district. I cannot say enough about my support of Sherry for district attorney.
Danielle (Cerise) Gillman
Glenwood Springs, Colo.

A house divided
cannot stand
Dear Editor:
The words our leaders use matter a great deal; the reason being their words also carry the authority of their office. For instance, if you had a problem that required involvement and the preliminary judgment of a law enforcement officer, the lens the officer sees you through may impact your freedom and life. Forms of negative prejudice can occur in many ways such as skin color, economic, religious and political. Dictators and tyrants use political prejudice all the time, it is their modus operandi; they stir up hate within their country, that later leads to socially acceptable incarceration and or murder. One of the best examples we’ve all studied of this was Hitler; he used hateful words like “rats” and “pigs” on the Jews to justify the imprisoning and later the extermination of millions of them.
So when Joe Biden, the vice president of the United States of America, calls critics of the current presidential administration, which is 49 percent of the people, “pigs,” it matters. Now I do not believe our current administration’s leaders are dictators or tyrants, nor are they resembling Hitler, but I am pointing out that the hate speech in America from its leaders along with other governmental actions has us heading toward some of the same crossroads that Germany came to prior to World War II.
The new media (The Blaze and The Drudge Report) have reported that thousands of people, mostly American veterans, are being locked up for their anti-government postings on forums like Facebook. However, they aren’t being arrested and being charged with sedition, they are being detained indefinably on mental health accusations. They are never given an audience with a jury of their peers; they are just taken. Furthermore, it has come out that the Department of Justice is involved in the monitoring of these sites, and then, when needed, they use state officials to carry out the detainment. Take notice that freedom of speech was never infringed upon when George Bush was in office when the left was screaming for the overthrow of the government. In point of fact Arianna Huffington, the founder of the far left Huffington Post, started out with a website called, and addressed, overthrowthegovernment.org. We don’t see the Occupy Wall Street crowd being locked up until it’s their “blow up the bridge day” like happened in Ohio. The point being, since justice is not applied equally, it makes these veterans and others on the right who are being incarcerated political prisoners.
Obamacare is set to begin next year. Many Americans can’t afford to buy health insurance and along with them there surely will be many Americans who will simply refuse to be obedient and buy insurance out of their sense of rebellion to an ever expanding big government. This refusal can be seen as a protest that could easily involve thousands of people in a city the size of Craig, Colo. Now there are not enough prisons to hold them all and issuing fines won’t make money suddenly appear. So where do these great offenders of society go, these “pigs”? That depends on our leaders. See now why words from people with authority matter? The current administration is unlikely to have mercy on these people based on their past language.
People of America, we need to denounce hate speech and any leaders who speak with the adversary’s tongue. These leaders seek to stir up division, envy and strife among Americans. We need to turn our backs on leaders who view our relatives and neighbors with disdain. President Abraham Lincoln said it best when he warned us, “A house divided cannot stand.” All humans are entitled to keep their humanity and are endowed by their creator to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. No one is a pig because they hold a different political view than you; we are all one nation under God, now is the time for us to unite for freedom’s sake.
Patrick Wayne Germond
Craig, Colo.