Speak Out 05/11/04

Integrity in reviews

GET OFF her case. It's embarrassing. If reporter Kathryn Alfisi is expected to portray in a positive light every local performance she covers whether she believes so or not, then she sacrifices her journalistic integrity in order to perpetuate the everything-is-beautiful myth so characteristic of a parochial, small-town mindset we should be striving to overcome.

Disgusting news

IT IS disgusting that the news media are acting like the Iraqi prisoners that have been mistreated are the heroes and the American soldier is somebody to degrade, which they're doing with fervor. They are relishing this. I am totally disgusted with the news media.

Expensive station

I THINK the city needs this fire tax that's coming up on the ballot in June. But what I can't understand is why it's going to take $1.8 million to build a fire station. That's quite a bit of money for just a fire station. What kind of a fire station are they going to build for almost $2 million? This has got me thinking about my vote on this tax. Other than that, I hope the tax passes.

Land of the free

WE LIVE in America, the land of the free and the home of the brave. If I want to walk my dog at night or if I want to drive 30 or 40 mph or if I want to drive in the left-hand lane all day, that's my business.

Humiliation tactics

THE PICTURES of Iraqi prisoners being mistreated are very terrible. We hate that type of image. We want our people to do what's right. But we have to understand that these are hardened criminals, and we need information from them. Maybe a little humiliation is the only way to get the information from these people without hurting them. These are people who are trying to kill our soldiers. In the United States, there are lots of prisoners who are kept in solitary confinement with no clothes on. That is because they might be a threat to themselves. It is not unusual. It is not something to get this upset about.

Pattern of behavior

I DON'T know why President Bush is complaining that Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld didn't inform him about the Iraqi prisoner abuse situation. He found out about it only when the photos became public. Bush is not the kind of president who wants to hear bad news from his subordinates. No one in the White House wants to bring the boss bad news. That's not the way to get ahead. Bush is unhappy because the situation became public. He would have preferred the underlings take care of the matter without bothering him. Then he could hold on to his illusion that he's doing a good job. That is his pattern of behavior in the whole Iraqi war.