April 18, 2008 04:00 am Cruel, unjust war In all due respect to Taylor Groh (whose letter appeared April 12), the March 24 front page picture showing an Iraqi man in grief for his loved one is indeed touching. One thing that people do not see in this conflict are all the flag-draped coffins of our men and women coming home. Nothing on TV, in the paper or any other mention. Now that is insensitive, and is done deliberately to keep our thoughts of what is really going on out sight and out of mind. He is too young to have seen all the flag-draped coffins coming off the transport planes with the dead from the war in Vietnam; that was not a war but a police action. All these young men and women were killed in action and all belonged to a family here in the U.S. or one of our territories. They all gave their lives for us. It is scary how we never learn from our greatest mistakes, but then we need a leader who can. Maybe more pictures on the front page can finally bring home what a cruel and unjust this war is. All to fill the pockets of Bush and Cheney! Richard Stearns An awesome example We have known Mike Stein and his family for nine years, so we were not surprised to see that he chose to stand up for what was right in his workplace, the 13th Circuit Court's Family Division. He has coached our children, done good deeds for his neighbors, and worked for youth in Traverse City tirelessly, wearing many hats but helping and encouraging in any way he could. Mike, though stripped of his court position, still works for justice in our community and gets results. We respect those who seek to end injustice. Mike called upon his courage, strength, intelligence and conscience and followed through rather than sit idly. What an awesome example for our community! Mike Stein's integrity is secure: He did what he knew was right. If Judge Stowe has done nothing wrong, he will wholeheartedly welcome further investigation. Janine and Jeff Winkler Equal Pay Day April 22 is the national day of action against pay inequities between men and women. That day is the point in the new year that a woman must work in order to earn the wages paid to men in the previous year. Nationally, women earn only 77 cents on the male dollar; in Michigan it is 67 cents on the male dollar. Over a lifetime, this pay gap amounts to over $700,000 in lost wages, affecting both women and their families. Legislation to address the problem is pending in the Michigan Legislature (SB 417, HB 4625, HB 4626, HB 4627, HB 5136) and needs to be passed. If we had more female representatives I bet these issues would be taken seriously. Kay Boyne Willow Hill Kids talking, teachers working, and laughter in the halls is what you'll hear and see at our school. Willow Hill is an awesome school to go to. It has teachers that enjoy being with us, and we feel like it feels cozy and safe here. Right now it is changing because our family is getting bigger. We will have friends from Norris coming here. We will be saying good bye to our fifth and sixth graders. Donovan Flickinger The writer is a second-grade student at Willow Hill School. Why the intimidation? I work fairly late most nights, leaving work at 11 or 11:30 p.m. I'm tired, and all I want is to get home. I follow all of the "rules" -- stop at red lights, drive the speed limit. However, more and more of late, I've been followed a good way by a police officer. I'm not talking about being followed at a distance, either. I'm talking about police squad cars so close to me that I can barely see their headlights. I may not have done anything wrong, but it makes me extremely nervous when I have "non-biased" law enforcement following so closely behind me, but never actually pulling me over. Why the intimidation factor? Mallory Brems The dark truth of war I sympathize with Taylor Groh's April 12 letter objecting to the upsetting photo of a grieving Iraqi man in the Record-Eagle. It upset me, too. It upset me to know that we Americans are responsible for this man's agonizing grief. Five years ago we invaded Iraq because of the Bush administration's falsehoods. Our continued occupation has resulted in over 80,000 Iraqi deaths and more than 4,000 American deaths. That photo is a direct result of Bush's war policy. A healthy democracy needs informed people. Sometimes we'd rather put our collective heads in the sand instead of facing painful realities. But the cost of our ignorance -- or our apathy -- takes a horrific toll in lives and treasure. For this reason, I believe it's essential that the press gives us the facts and shows us the tragic face of truth, even when we'd rather look away. And if the dark truth of the Iraq war upsets us, we can elect a president who will end it. That's one reason why I support Barack Obama for our next president of the United States. Barbara Klugh Ignorance or road rage? If you saw a 5-year-old on her bike at the edge of the road, would you fly by her at 55 mph without slowing down or moving over? If you saw your 80-year-old neighbor walking on the edge of the road would you do the same? I am not 5 or 80, but I am someone's child, mother, wife, neighbor and a medical professional. Every time I am out enjoying some exercise, running or biking, I am faced with drivers who are too close! Please move over in your lane to give me a safety margin. Ninety-five percent of the time that someone opts to not move over at all, there is no one coming from the opposite direction. Always expect the unexpected. When you approach a bicyclist you need to leave a margin for error. We've had squirrels, dogs, tires blow, pot holes, and even deer cause swerving. If you are driving by at these precise moments without concern for safety the potential outcome could be tragic. There is a Web site, www.yieldtolife.org, that gives some very helpful information to motorists and cyclists (runners). We all bear the responsibility for our actions. Jody Hofstra
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