Corporate chains are no joke

Dear Editors,

Last week, questions were addressed to the noble and respected Diver regarding corporate businesses coming to Durango. The response was in typical Diver form, but on a more serious note Johnny's concerns should be addressed.

The economic value of independent, locally owned businesses by far outweighs that of national chains. A study in Austin concluded that for every $100 spent at a chain, $13 remained in the community. For locally owned businesses, $45 remained. Studies also show that new chain stores eliminate as many jobs and as much tax revenue as they "create." In addition to carrying more locally produced goods than chain stores, locally owned businesses hire local accountants, advertising agencies, computer consultants, attorneys, architects and sign makers, which means more jobs for locals. Profits from chains are promptly sent out of Durango and to corporate headquarters. Locally owned businesses also given more to charities, relative to their size, than corporate chains. Ironically, public funds or sales tax rebates are often provided by cities to lure chains.

In addition to corporate businesses leaving an economic void in communities, the social costs are also very real. Consumer choice and a diversity of products are reduced as independent businesses close due to chains moving in. Even though tourists may walk off the train and get their coffee at Starbucks, lunch at McDonald's and clothing at Ralph Lauren, it is the character and uniqueness of Durango that brings visitors and keeps them coming back. We will lose the cowboy mountain charm as downtown becomes Anywhere, USA.

- Also drinking locally with the Divers,

Leah Bathen

A misguided thumb?

Dear Editors,

I usually agree with "Thumbin' it." However, I have to question thumbs down for $2.15/gallon gas (March 10, 2005). Does this imply thumbs up for drilling in the ANWR and the HDs? More giant SUVs on the road? More coal-fired power plants? Military occupation of all nondemocratic OPEC countries? Cheap energy comes with a price. I'd give my thumbs up to reducing consumption.

- Chris Wilbur,

Durango

In the eye of the beholder

Dear Editors,

I enjoyed your "Missing in Action" article (March 17, 2005) but I wonder why you failed to mention the bronze cat that disappeared from the front of the Main Mall not too long ago. That seemed more valuable than a signed photo of Jon and Ponch, but hey, depends on the beholder. I did not know that pool scene was shot at the Holiday Inn; guess I'll have to go check that out.

-Thanks,

Danial Grinnan

Give Ward Churchill a raise

(The following letter was sent to the University of Colorado Regents regarding the controversy surrounding professor Ward Churchill)

Dear Regents,

What do the Founding Fathers, Martin Luther King Jr., Jesus Christ and Ward Churchill have in common? They had the courage to speak TRUTH to power. When our government does corrupt and evil things, it is up to the TRUE patriots to expose and stop it. (In fact, this is what our constitution requires of all U.S. citizens) Shame on all of us for not having the same courage as Dr. Churchill. U.S. foreign policy has killed at least 8 million people since World War II (Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Iran, Iraq, Indonesia, Panama, Haiti, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Grenada ... etc., etc.) In 1967 Martin Luther King Jr. said, "My government is the world's leading purveyor of violence." Our foreign policy goes against every American value, except for greed. The same American value that allowed us to commit genocide against the natives of this land. Jimmy Carter, one of our more honest presidents, said our oil/energy policy is the "moral equivalent to war." 9/11 was a logical response to our war for oil. If our government treated Americans like it treats many foreigners, there'd be a million Timothy McVeighs running around this country. If we don't stop ignoring the elephant in the bedroom (U.S. foriegn policy) terrorism is only going to get worse. We're spending hundreds of billions of dollars to fight "terrorism" when what we're really doing is creating more. Ward Churchill is the one actually trying to save lives by telling the truth, while the real terrorist, George W. Bush, proceeds with killing thousands more Iraqis on top of the already 1.2 million Iraqi deaths that the U.S. has caused in the last 15 years. By the way, the Iraqis already had elections 50 years ago. In 1958, the Iraqi people overthrew the British puppet government and established a democratic republic.

The new "George Washington" of Iraq wanted the majority of the nation's oil wealth to go to the Iraqi people instead of British and American oil companies. (Iraq has the world's second-largest reserves of oil. Saudi Arabia is first, and Iran is third.) Because of this, the U.S. government hired and trained Saddam Hussein to assassinate the Iraqi people's hero and liberator. The U.S. government also overthrew the democratically elected government of Iran in 1953 for similar reasons. The history of the Middle East and U.S. foreign policy should be required of every college student (and not just the western view). The people of the Middle East have suffered invasions from the West for over 2,000 years, beginning with Alexander, then the crusaders, the Turks, British colonization and now American domination for oil. It's time we apologized, made reparations and left them alone. Please support and thank Dr. Churchill for his bravery. And give him a raise!

- Thank you,

William LeBon