Letters, 10/12: Behavior isn’t American
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The recent rhetoric at McCain/Palin rallies is not only disgraceful but dangerous. John McCain and Sarah Palin supporters have grown so desperate to win the upcoming presidential election that at rallies, crowds are accusing Barack Obama of being a “terrorist” and guilty of “treason.” The worst of course is the rally attendee allegedly yelling “kill him” toward Barack Obama.
At Palin rallies, attendees have become hostile to the media, including yelling a racial epithet at an African-American sound man.
Neither McCain nor Palin responds to these shouts from their crowds. I am concerned that by their silence they must condone such behavior.
Eight years of failed Bush economic policies have left some Americans in dire situations. Some are without jobs and losing their homes, have no or poor health care and a government more intent on helping the extremely wealthy rather than those of us who are the backbone of this nation.
It’s scary to think the person who allegedly yelled “kill him” at a recent rally could be desperate enough to actually commit an act of violence against Obama or his family.
This type of behavior at the rallies isn’t American, and it isn’t putting country first.
Donald White, Lincoln
We need McCain, Palin
Americans, stand up and salute our flag! We need to elect John McCain and Sarah Palin so we can continue to be proud American citizens. Obama wants to turn Americans into global citizens, and he admires China’s infrastructure! Obama didn’t put his hand over his heart or wear the flag lapel pin until just a few months ago when his not doing so was made public.
McCain/Palin want to keep everyone’s taxes low, reduce government, reward American work ethic and enterpreneurialism, cut special interest spending and get our economy back on track by putting more money into our pockets that we can, in turn, pump into our local economy. Obama wants to increase taxes. Obama claims to only be taxing the rich, yet in a free market, if he increases the cost of doing business for the rich, then those business/corporation owners will pass those new taxes down to the middle class through one of the following: higher costs of goods, lowering of benefits or laying off workers. That’s how it works.
McCain/Palin understand the conservative principles that made our country great. They understand that our freedom is in jeopardy with the hatred our enemies have toward America, and they will do everything needed to protect our country and our freedoms.
McCain/Palin have always put the American people first and have always been proud Americans. Citizens’ votes are extremely important in this election.
Cindy Hochstetler, Lincoln
Seek potential cures
In response to Chip Maxwell’s letter (LJS, Oct. 5), “Keep stem cell facts straight,” I want to give a layman’s understanding of the differences between adult and embryonic stem cells. Adult stem cells come from a number of sources, including umbilical cord blood and other tissues, and are already specialized — or programmed — to become certain cell types in the body, such as muscle or skin. Embryonic stem cells, on the other hand, can become any cell type in the body. Embryonic stem cells come from the inner cell mass of microscopic embryos that are created in a dish in fertility clinics. Those that scientists seek to use are embryos that otherwise would be discarded.
As to adult stem cells, a Sept. 29 article from the University of Michigan’s The University Record On-Line quotes Lawrence Goldstein, director of the stem cell program at the University of California, San Diego, as saying he would like to take unused embryonic stem cells and introduce genetic mutations for Alzheimer’s disease to discover better treatments and drugs. He says it’s not possible to do this research with any other kind of stem cell. The article, the source for some of my earlier comments, continues: “It is mistakenly said that there are 50, 70, 100 diseases that are cured with adult stem cells,” Goldstein said. “But it is simply not true.
“Nobody wants, more than I do, to find treatments for people with these diseases. If I thought there was an adult stem cell treatment that would work for people with Alzheimer’s disease, we would be working on it. It is not there,” he said, explaining the importance of being able to use embryonic stem cells in research on disease.
The foregoing summarizes the reason behind our need to do embryonic stem cell research. I rely upon scientists who report promising results from using human embryonic stem cells to treat Alzheimer’s, ALS, diabetes, Parkinson’s and spinal cord injuries in rodents, and they also say there is no evidence of successful use of adult stem cells to treat such diseases and conditions. Research is about exploring new areas of scientific inquiry, and universities should be encouraged to seek life-saving cures.
Earl Scudder, Lincoln
Keep watching Russia
I admire Sarah Palin’s talents and her ability to put things across, and of course she’s an attractive, likable person. But it seems to me her ability to make good things happen should be to remain as governor of our great state of Alaska, a state full of natural resources.
What bothers me is that Russia is “next door” — that country has a strong military and has been marching into smaller countries — and it would be easier for Russia to attack Alaska than for us to be sending supplies overseas to those war-torn areas.
I think Palin would be doing our country a much better service by being at home and keeping a watchful eye on that “big neighbor” close by.
Helen Jochim, David City
Bailout theft from Americans
History will show the following as the proper headline for Oct. 4, 2008: “Largest heist ever — $1 trillion stolen in single day.”
President Bush gave a parting gift to many supporters and friends by looting the U.S. taxpayers of close to $1 trillion when Congress voted to allow the Hank Paulson bailout. The American people were powerless to stop this action.
Paulson approached Congress one week prior to recess with a doomsday scenario that required immediate action. Congress in essence had a gun to its head and was given no option based on the mounting financial pressure.
Congress, feeling it needed to justify the heist, proceeded to dress the bill with very little that actually addressed the American people’s concerns and added the usual pork to a bill that would not dare to be held up. Congress has just one month until Election Day and needed to finish quickly so members could get home and campaign for their jobs.
A few investment banks will move sour assets off their balance sheets and stick them to the American people, while American families continue to see tightening credit, high inflation, dwindling property values and the inability to meet their mortgage payments, increasing debt, a falling dollar and a commodity crisis in full bloom.
Dave Wetzel, Page
Get out and vote
Did you ever think that maybe someday
There wouldn’t be a USA?
You think “Oh my, what a terrible thought”
Are we all doing the things that we ought?
There are so many things to think about
And sometimes I have a lot of doubt
Global warming, terrorists, should I recycle?
To save on gas, should I ride a bicycle?
Are the elected ones doing what they should?
Or maybe someone else would do what you would
From the top to the bottom and some in between
There were some better choices, or so it would seem
With all this in mind write yourself a note
This coming November get out and vote!
Jack Hendrix, Lincoln
Don’t attack messenger
Regarding the community column by Roger Conrad (LJS, Oct. 4): He paints liberals with a very broad brush. I consider myself to be very liberal. Neither I, nor anyone I know, would want to have Conrad banned from voicing his opinion. I may not agree with his views, but he has a right to them.
Regarding his claim of a liberal media, I would argue that most media are neither liberal nor conservative. They are for the most part driven by rating and advertising. The stories covered are the ones they believe will be of the most interest to their audience. The bigger the audience, the higher the ratings and the greater the advertising revenue. You would think this would be something conservatives would like because it’s market driven. As far as bias, as long as the story gives both points of view, which most news does, by the way, then it’s up to the reader to decide if it’s true or not.
The other problem with the column is that while Conrad cites the news as being biased, he uses “Saturday Night Live” and “The View” as his primary examples. Neither of these could even be remotely considered news programs. And while he cites NBC and MSNBC as liberal news sources, which I will agree have a liberal tilt, he completely overlooks stations such as Fox News, which I don’t think anyone will argue is not a conservative channel. So I would argue that those two news sources cancel each other out.
If people find the media to be biased, perhaps it’s they who are biased. I think we should all stop looking for bias and just be more concerned with what is true and what is not. With all the sources for information out there today, there is no reason to be uninformed on the issues. Claiming media bias is just a way to try and discredit the source. By attacking the messenger you don’t have to back up your arguments with pesky facts.
Brian Shaw, Lincoln
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Are you voting Republican cause you think you are Republican..and Democrat because you think you are Democrat?
Are we NOT all supposedly Americans? Did we not agree to be called
America, the home of Freedom; the land to speak what we feel without prejudice? Then WHY oh WHY are we voting one party or another; discriminating each others party, bringing each others secrets out of the closet, instead of acting as an American should? We are American people, we live in the United States of America, we SPEAK ENGLISH..not bend over backwards to ACCOMODATE those that don't wish to follow the rules and laws and be truly American.
Mr. Obama is AMERICAN for those that are racist against him..He SPEAKS ENGLISH,and quite well. He addresses the problems and tries very hard to steer the debate back to the issues if so allowed.He isn't an illegal alien or even an immigrant. He is American! Wake up and truly listen!
My opinion is Americans need to drop the "Republican" or "Democrat"
titles..and vote as an American..one title, one people, voting
for the person not the government title. VOTE FOR AMERICA'S BEST
CANDIDATE, and end this finding fault with each other. I care about
what we CAN do for our country..not what you did or didn't do. God Blessed America! Its about time we truly did. "
Thank goodness wrote on October 12, 2008 4:24 am:
RJ wrote on October 12, 2008 5:21 am:
has our country come to??? Palin is a danger. She encourages this kind
of racial hate. Yesterday I heard one say "Off with his head." People
give it some real thought as to if this is what you want running our country. Someone encouraging hatred. We don't need that in this country now.
Cindy, sounds to me like you have been listening to much to Rushy. Every
thing you point out that Palin, McCain is going to do, isn't what McCain
says, if you would LISTEN. "
Proud Liberal wrote on October 12, 2008 5:57 am:
You have obviously 'drank the Kool-Aid' of the movement conservatives, which advocates (among other things) lowering taxes on the wealthy, shrinking the government whenever possible, and scaring the bejesus out of the citenzenry over terrorists first and Democrats second. We've tried this for the last several years, and today we have a huge income disparity between the wealthy and the middle class, a government that is largely non-functioning, and a scared, suspicious and angry electorate. Gee, maybe we should try something different! "
So Cindy wrote on October 12, 2008 6:05 am:
If you take notice at the state the world economy is in now, due to Bush's economic policies of de-regulation, it will only get worse when McCain, who admits he knows little about economics, his own words, takes office.
As for feeling safe, I actually feel less safe now than I did 8 years ago because Bush has ruined the military and has done nothing to secure our borders. The only thing he has done is increase the number of illegal immigrants coming across our borders every year. He has done that by making it profitable for businesses to hire illegals to work for less money than a citizen and pocket the excess profit in the name of good business. He has also moved millions of good paying jobs overseas and put millions of Americans out of work.
As for McCain, I can't trust him because I don't know what he was subjected to while he was a POW, was he brain-washed or not? The communists were known to do that back during the Korean and Vietnam war. Is McCain a sleeper agent for the communists? One has to wonder. Have him open up his records that the North Vietnamese have on him so we know the truth.
Go ahead and vote for McCain and watch this country go down to disaster. "
Fear Tactics wrote on October 12, 2008 7:25 am:
My dear cindy wrote on October 12, 2008 7:43 am:
Unfortunately for almost all of us, that is not how it works. That is how Republicans since Reagan have been telling us it works but the facts show a very, very different scenario. Based in the economic theory of Milton Friedman the ideas of 1) deregulation to encourage the 'free-market' and 2) give to the wealthy and corporations because they create jobs that the rest of us benefit from has come to be known, somewhat disparagingly though not inaccurately, as trickle-down economics. We are seeing the results of this economic policy today - mass economic crisis. What corporations have done is actually cut jobs through mergers and downsizing or move them to other countries. What the wealthy have done is to stockpile that wealth creating the largest gap between the rich and the rest of us since the last Great Depression. Both of these trends are a result of trickle-down economic policies and neither of these trends have been good for a majority of our population and in fact have been downright destructive to our economy and country.
Until people of both parties stop laying the blame for our current economic mess at the feet of this politician or that, or this CEO or that and begin to accept that overall the economic policies of the last 20 years will bring us regular crisis like we are experiencing now, we will continue to experience an unstable economy. "
Joe wrote on October 12, 2008 8:09 am:
Now can we talk about tuition.....? "
MarkyMark wrote on October 12, 2008 9:02 am:
You forgot to say that Obama is an Arab/Muslim.
Apparently you think the Republicans are Conservative. If you haven't been living under a rock the past 30 years, you will see that Republicans in Washington, have NEVER been Conservative. A complete myth repeated over and over, until people not paying attention, believe it.
Even on the Socialistic Bail-out of Wall Street, $150 billion in pork had to be added to the bill to persuade the Republican Congress holdouts to switch their vote.
Thank you for illustrating what is wrong with our beloved country. Let us Pray! "
Jeff wrote on October 12, 2008 9:55 am:
To Don... wrote on October 12, 2008 10:24 am:
CS wrote on October 12, 2008 10:26 am:
snopes.com, snopes.com, snopes.com, US Flag code does not specify covering your heart and wearing the flag as clothing actually is incorrect, snopes.com, stop believing every forwarded email you get, snopes.com, factcheck.com, tax cuts got us where we are already so everyone will have to pay anyway, snopes.com, Palin puts herself first, McCain puts himself first (see, "divorce of first wife"), snopes.com, conservatism is not the same as fundamental pentacostal christianity, snopes.com, separation of church and state. In short, please read snopes.com before you ignorantly vote in a few weeks. Thank you, that is all. "
Bob wrote on October 12, 2008 10:29 am:
After 8 years of those "conservative principles", our country is as far from "great" as it's ever been... "
Jody P. wrote on October 12, 2008 11:12 am:
You might consider the possibility that if you think those "news" sources are objective it may be because they are reflecting YOUR biases. Do you really think that everyone who has run against Obama (Clinton and now McCain/Palin) are really personifications of pure evil as the MSM has portrayed them, while Obama is a shining light of purity and goodness? Does that sound like a reasonable representation of reality to you? Really? "
Jona wrote on October 12, 2008 11:13 am:
1. According to fellow students at the Naval Academy, he managed to break every rule on the books. He was safe. His daddy was a 4 star admiral.
2. He graduated 5th from the bottom, which means with his activities, he wouldn't have graduated at all if his daddy hadn't been a 4 star admiral.
3. He was shot down in Vietnam for flying too low in a zone he had been told not to fly at all. Oh yeah, respect for orders mean nothing to him.
4. He lets everyone think he was tortured for 5 years. His fellow prisoners said that bad as it was, his torture was only for a short time when the No. Vietnamese decided they could use him for a bargaining chip and gave him medical treatment and more food. NOT 5 YEARS' WORTH.
4. He had an affair and left his disfigured wife to marry Cindy a month later. Really honorable.
5. There are also stories that this was not the first plane in crashed.
6. He's so honorable he allows his rallies to be dens of racial intolerance. He only this week has started to tone down the rhetoric. Never once did he admonish someone shouting, "kill him" when speaking of Obama.
The man doesn't know the meaning of honorable. "
To Donald wrote on October 12, 2008 11:35 am:
Josh wrote on October 12, 2008 11:50 am:
Andrew wrote on October 12, 2008 1:06 pm:
While I do agree with your statement that these things should not be shouted at rallies, but lets look at it from a different angle. These people love their country, they want to stand up for the flag and they support their troops. Then they see a potential threat to America and America's vales, his name is Barrack Obama. People are scarred of him and his polices and are frustrated with the way that the mainstream media has handled the election. These people are passionate about their country, because they know how fragile the US is right now and how the next president could make it much worse. "
MarkyMark wrote on October 12, 2008 1:11 pm:
I do not understand how so many people are getting fooled into voting for Obama. If he was running for any other position, he would not get hired because he would not pass background checks. Anyone who believes that America should be a Socialist or Communist country needs to read history books. This may sound good, but it will turn out worse for all. I love my freedom and I will proudly vote for McCain. "
Beg to Differ wrote on October 12, 2008 1:16 pm:
The Problem here is a lack of education concerning our Government and how it runs. It NEEDS taxes to run. I will grant you that the last 30 years (If you run that through your head Reagan, Reagan, Bush Sr, Clinton, Clinton, Bush Jr, Bush Jr.) have produced a lot of People that apparently have been asleep at the wheel I wont even mention all the people in Congress that have been asleep I couldn't type that much!.
The point is, we have had people cutting taxes so much that they have to get money by pushing overblown bills through( That's the Pork barrel) The recent Rescue plan is an excellent example of this. Instead of just pushing through 700 Billion,they put through 850 Billion.
What we do need is some common sense. Lets figure out just Exactly HOW much is needed. Then go from there.
In that respect, look at the candidates again? I think anyone that says that they are going to cut taxes dramatically across the board or not raise taxes has a few screws loose. Both Candidates need to get honest with the American Public. However, we have become antagonistic to the truth, and that is SAD. "
Yup wrote on October 12, 2008 2:27 pm:
Pete Allen wrote on October 12, 2008 4:07 pm:
Google "gibson gate." The first result is "ABC edits 30% of Palen interview." Print out the transcript, watch the video. Compare the transcript with the video. And you should be appalled at Disney's political bias.
Do the same with "Couric Palen interview." And be appalled at Viacom's political bias. Time after time, story after story, from ACORN to the financial meltdown, media bias has kept the American people from finding out what is going on. And it should be a crime.
Pete Allen "
Early Voter wrote on October 12, 2008 4:09 pm:
Amazing wrote on October 12, 2008 4:11 pm:
Have you read all the position statement information the candidates have put on their websites?
Yes, everyone has the right to vote, if they are registered. But the only question that I have for all is Are you really better off financially than you were 4 or 8 years ago?
You can not make an informed decision unless you have done your homework. Don't trust what you are told unless you have checked it out. I hear too many talking points of both partys just being repeated. Too many Polly Parrots. There are many websites like Snopes.com and FactCheck.org that you can check out the truth of information that is being told to the public.
When you vote, make sure you have done your homework! "
Rxwoman wrote on October 12, 2008 4:23 pm:
"Americans stand up and salute the flag..." Seriously? I ask, what exactly does that accomplish? Does it feed anybody? Does it create any jobs? Does it give anyone access to health care? Does it educate anyone? No, it's simply more of the same old condervative nonsense designed to elicite an emotional response. Standing up and saluting, or wearing a lapel pin does not make anyone more patriotic, or less patriotic. Stop already with the childish, emotional, symbols, and words, and look past the pins and the rhetoric.
As far as cutting taxes on the wealthy, and " how it works.." I think we have ample example of "how it works" with the collapse of the economy. I mean how much evidence does a person need? Clinton raised taxes on the wealthy, and raised the minimum wage, twice, and our economy boomed! Bush has done just the opposite, and the effect has been just the opposite. I mean really, could it be any more obvious how it actually works.
But, like columnist Garrison Keillor writes , " Anyone who got whacked last week and still thinks McCain-Palin is going to lead us out of the swamp and not into war with Iran is beyond persuasion in the Englsih language. They'll need to lose their homes and be out in the street in a cold hard rain before they connect the dots." "
Re Cindy wrote on October 12, 2008 4:38 pm:
Look at the Facts Cindy wrote on October 12, 2008 4:52 pm:
Oh Cindy wrote on October 12, 2008 4:58 pm:
Rxwoman wrote on October 12, 2008 6:27 pm:
The mainstream media ( CNN, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, etc) must answer to their corporate owners. They have no reason to bias anything to the left. They do however have much reason to bias things to the right. They simply are not as obvious about it as FOX News is.
Anyone who thinks that CNN, or MSNBC, etc. are liberally biased have been swallowing too much Limbaugh, Hannity, Coulter, BS. "
Pro Freedom wrote on October 12, 2008 6:41 pm:
No matter who takes office it is clear that they have to overcome a lot of "hate" from the other side. So very sad.... "
MarkyMark wrote on October 12, 2008 9:56 pm:
RE Andrew wrote on October 12, 2008 10:06 pm:
Tzi wrote on October 12, 2008 10:34 pm:
Interesting that the liberals are more concerned with "anger" at the McCain rallies.
Why do I even bother? The Journal Star loves Obama and will just take this down.... "
Nope wrote on October 12, 2008 10:48 pm:
Wow Cindy wrote on October 12, 2008 10:52 pm:
BicycleMike wrote on October 13, 2008 5:01 am:
To Cindy wrote on October 13, 2008 7:33 am:
Thanks to Donald White. He defined American as non-terroristic. One of many definitions I can agree with. "
Hey Rxwoman wrote on October 13, 2008 8:05 am:
Ignignokt wrote on October 13, 2008 9:45 am:
mike wrote on October 13, 2008 10:09 am:
Lindsay wrote on October 13, 2008 12:22 pm:
Zoomie wrote on October 13, 2008 5:39 pm:
I dont trust Obama wrote on October 13, 2008 8:51 pm:
Jody P. wrote on October 13, 2008 10:35 pm:
Yup wrote on October 13, 2008 10:39 pm:
Greg Stahlnecker wrote on October 15, 2008 9:56 pm: