Out for himself
Reading the Sept. 24 Record-Eagle pertaining to ex-Sheriff Robert Blank's lawsuit against Benzie County, I was very pleased to see that Judge Batzer had the clear judgment to throw out portions of Blank's lawsuit. He already gained financially years ago (his first retirement) on what I felt (along with many others) was a frivolous suit.
He retired without even putting in the full number of required years.
Blank knew full well the retirement rules when he ran for sheriff, yet he made no complaints nor filed any lawsuit until he decided to retire.
Again. How many times does he think he needs to be paid?
Here is a person who claimed to be looking out for the citizens of Benzie County. Yeah, right.
He looked out for no one except himself. Imagine that!
Steve Littler
Beulah
A general audience
It is interesting that Horizon Cinemas is planning on showing the movie "Capitalism: A Love Story" by Michael Moore. This is the same theater that would not show the film "Shooting Michael Moore" because of protests by his followers.
I would expect this of the State Theatre, because they haven't tried to hide their bias toward Michael Moore or other liberal movies. But a "public theater" should remain for the general audience.
Lon McKinley
Frankfort
Unsatisfactory response
I recently had an incident occur at my place of work that required me to call 911. The officer who came to the store to "help" me was so incredibly rude and condescending, I was in awe. While calling my issue "small potatoes," he spoke to me like I was dumb.
Vandalism and harassment do not happen to me every day so excuse me for not thinking it wasn't a big deal.
When a citizen calls 911 for help, that is what they should get, not rude treatment.
Kaytlyn Clous
Traverse City
A good steward
I am glad to learn that the National Park Service has funds to acquire additional property within the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, according to an Oct. 2 story.
I reflect back to the 1940s when my grandparents owned a summer home on little Glen Lake, and the drastic difference when I became a property owner in the 1980s. There was an incredible difference in the quality of wilderness from the time of my childhood experience to my adult life on Glen Lake. In those early years there were mostly rowboats and a few low-powered motor boats used by fishermen. The lake and surrounding area were serene then, but not so today, not with high-powered motor boats, jet skis and pontoon boats all polluting the air and water with exhaust added to the noise of their engines and motors.
My feeling is that the National Park Service has been a much better steward of the lakes and lands than those individual property owners who feel entitled to noisy, polluting pleasure crafts. I hope the Park Service is successful in additional acquisitions.
Mary Sharry
Empire
A worn-out analogy
I'd like to suggest that the Record Eagle discontinue paying for the columns by Thomas Sowell. I've grown accustomed to his conservative rants, and even find them mildly amusing, but Sowell is way over the top and no longer relevant when he takes the giant leap to compare and caution us against the intelligence of Barack Obama because Adolf Hitler was also "brainy."
C'mon, it's a lame connection, and an even more lame argument that conservatives continue to make to try to scare us. It's a tired, overused, worn-out analogy and we would all be better off to rid our dialogue of such vacuous arguments.
Beryl Striewski
Traverse City
Moved to tears
Recently I had the opportunity to see Michael Moore's movie, "Capitalism: A Love Story." Please see the film, regardless of your political views. This movie is about America and our system that is failing to meet the aspirations of our founding fathers.
Our democracy only works when we participate and when we hold our leaders, elected officials, financial and business institutions and, most of all, ourselves accountable. Several congressmen and academics were interviewed, along with many individuals who are in crisis.
None were more moving than the Catholic priests who spoke eloquently about why Christian principles are at odds with capitalism and why we need to embrace values that affirm all and not those that aggrandize the few. I was moved to tears and left with a lump in my throat because of Mr. Moore's ability to bring so many issues into focus in such a powerful way.
The film leaves you wondering how to effect change. Wouldn't it be wonderful if after seeing the movie we began a communitywide dialogue about what we can do to improve life for the all the citizens of Traverse City?
Sue Bowerman
Traverse City
Never a good ending
I worked long hours on the Obama campaign to get us out of unnecessary, unwinable wars that drain the economy, morality and credibility of a Democratic nation. Why then is Mr. Obama such a turnface on this issue?
Is it because the war profiteers in the military industrial complex along with the Federal Reserve really run this country? They are the only ones who gain from this massive mistake that will never have a good ending, is making more enemies faster than we can kill them, and creating a more unstable region that has never been conquered though tried by many other world powers.
I support the bills that will stop more foolish war expansions in Afghanistan, Iraq or anywhere else that we don't belong as the world's moral police. American doesn't belong in foreign nations, setting our agenda to a population that only wants food and shelter never understanding corrupted puppet Democratic governments.
Brad Krull
Glen Arbor
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