Our letters
section and your opportunity to weigh in and be heard. Send
us your thoughts and profundities. You can contact us here.
Siesta time: A wicker statue
snoozes on the stoop of a Main Avenue
shop./Photo by Todd Newcomer
Dumbing down Durango?
Dear Editors:
I was extremely disappointed that the peace resolution before
City Council was voted down, especially with such a wide margin.
I wish we could move beyond the simplistic analysis that supporting
peace is tantamount to supporting Saddam Hussein. We do not
live in a black-or-white, us-or-them world, although this attitude
is propagated by the administration to assist in the “dumbing
down” of America, and sadly, we are only too susceptible.
It is incredibly short-sighted to think local politics are
exclusive and independent of international affairs. Our actions
are interconnected. We live in a global community. If the U.S.
begins a pre-emptive war on Iraq, it could potentially unleash
severe retaliation on our country. Will we feel like the domestic
and foreign realms are so separate when bio chemical poisons
taint our town? Or if the U.S. becomes the target of a nuclear
missile? Or when community members return from fighting in Iraq
disabled and sick from chemical exposure? It is crucial that
we involve ourselves in these grave world events.
Seeking peaceful solutions as an alternative to rash war is
NOT disrespecting the people who have enlisted in military service.
Listen to the veterans who have lived war and don’t wish
it on anyone else. By encouraging this impending war, you send
people who serve into almost certain physical and mental harm,
and possible death. And death is guaranteed for thousands of
innocent people in Iraq. Peace is the ULTIMATE respect for human
life, us and them. It is our responsibility as citizens in our
American democracy to stand up for what we believe is true and
right. We might as well live in a dictatorship if people prefer
to silently conform to the president’s agenda. Please
don’t allow patriotism to bury common sense and compassion.
– Elizabeth Suttle,
via e-mail
Give Rendon your vote
Letter to editors:
There is a City Council election for Durango coming up. This
is our chance to elect someone who shares our concerns and desires
for the direction of our city. Michael Rendon, a Colorado native
and graduate of FLC, promises to bring enthusiasm and hard work
to the City Council. Rendon believes in affordable housing,
open space, water conservation, and responsible and appropriate
growth, which does not include trophy homes for part-time residents
and/or Animas Valley development. Rendon emphasizes community
vitality and the importance of supporting local businesses.
His platform seeks to preserve the ways of life we all cherish
in living here as well as offer reasonable, cautious expansion
into the larger city we are growing into.
This election will be our first mail in, with ballots being
sent to the homes of registered voters. If you moved since the
last election you can still vote in person at City Hall between
the dates of March 18 and April 1.
Vote Michael Rendon.
– Rachel Turiel,
Durango
No child left standing
To the Editors:
President Bush’s “No Child Left Behind” education
law should be relabeled the “No Child Left Standing Act”
if his latest proposed tax cuts are allowed to go into effect.
It is unconscionable and irresponsible for the president to
propose tax cuts for the wealthiest citizens while reducing
after-school program funding by $400 million, including $4 million
in Colorado.
What is the president thinking? After-school education programs
are popular with parents and children and provide a safe, supervised
and supportive place for young people to spend their after-school
hours. Even before Bush’s latest tax cuts for the wealthy
were proposed, 44 Colorado communities that sought after-school
funding did not receive it. This means that more than 61,000
Colorado kids are already shut out of after-school programs
before the situation gets worse still with the new Bush budget.
According to the national Afterschool Alliance, a recent study
shows the profound impact that after-school programs can have
on the safety and behavior of teen-agers. It found that teens
who were unsupervised by adults compared with those in an after-school
program were much more likely to commit a crime or smoke, drink
alcohol, have sex or use drugs.
President Bush and congress, especially Colorado’s U.S.
Senators Wayne Allard and Ben Nighthorse-Campbell, need to restore
the funding to after-school programs to support the millions
of families who won’t benefit from the administration’s
economic incentive plan. The president is pulling the plug in
Washington, and the lights are going out on our youth and families
here in Colorado.
– Sincerely,
Jeannette Galanis
policy director, Colorado Progressive
Coalition
Some kind of Christian thing
Dear Editors:
This is just a personal observation that I thought I should
mention – it’s about your logo...
I have nothing against Christian publications, I just don’t
read them. For the first few months that the Telegraph was on
the stands, I didn’t pick it up because I thought the
“telegraph pole” on your logo was a “cross”
and your paper was some kind of Christian thing, so I missed
the first few issues. Once I finally looked at an issue, I realized
my mistake and regretted missing them.
I don’t know if this has happened to anyone else –
but you might be missing some readers because of it. Just something
to consider...
Your paper is great, by the way. Keep up the good work.