Celebrate patriotism not pacifism

Dear Editors,

Regarding your article in this week's issue glorifying Charles and Mary Lou Swift's six decades of pacifism, I would submit that their "pacifism" is much more selfishness and hatred of this country. When the Swift's pacifism began, American men and women were dying defending this country against Germany and Japan. For the past six decades, they have relished in the American way of life but felt no responsibility to defend it against evil in the world. Let others, including me, take the risk and leave the enjoyment of freedom to the Swifts.

Of course, they have the freedom in this country to do their Friday afternoon antics. But, they don't thank America for that freedom, they only find fault. They don't thank the men and women defending this country for that freedom, they only stand behind that tired left cliché - "Of course we don't blame the troops." Ask the troops what they would think of the Swifts.

I challenge this misguided couple to parade in front of Castro's house with their "peace" message, take their message to Syria or Iran or North Korea. What would their life expectancy be? Of course peace is the answer, but only after evil is eradicated. They say they object to all killing - why did they not travel to Baghdad and protest Saddam's killing of hundreds of thousands? Why do they not go to North Korea to protest the oppression there? Why? Simple answer, they love abusing the freedom they enjoy here in America and would much rather have other people confront evil, take the risk of death, and sacrifice years of their life in dangerous and uncomfortable circumstances.

As for Vietnam, something near and dear to my heart, the Swifts and many others on the far left like them bear the responsibility for the deaths of over 2 million in Vietnam and Cambodia because they forced us to leave an honorable country in the lurch. Why did they not protest the killing fields of Southeast Asia and the "re-education" camps that were a result of our leaving S.E. Asia? Simple, their side won and to hell with the consequences. They have the guilt of millions of deaths because of their selfishness. On the other hand, Vietnam Veterans (scorned by those on the left) have the honor of trying to aid a country threatened by communism; and to this day is an oppressive society.

There is one word which describes the Swifts, and it is not pacifism; rather it is selfish. When I think of the hundreds of thousands of men and women who have died to give these two the right to be "pacifists" and hate their president, I get sickened. But, that is why people serve to protect this country; so that people like the Swifts can live their misguided lives in peace (here in America) and freedom.

America is not perfect, but thanks to the men and women who defend this country, we have freedom unprecedented in history and we have a way of life second to none. We have the freedom that the Swifts can hide behind as they parade their insincere "pacifism." They, and your other readers, have the freedom to hate our president and his staff. But, while you are enjoying this freedom, know that the majority of us love this country (yeah, I know, the Swifts love this country (crap)), our freedoms, and our government despite its imperfections. And millions of us, men and women, have sacrificed so that you and the Swifts can enjoy your freedoms.

I challenge the Telegraph to profile some of the men and women who have defended this country and our freedoms. But, that would not fit within your far left, anti-Bush agenda.

- Ben McDonald,

Durango

Paying for this generation's greed

Dear Editors,

Laurie Dickson's letter (April 7) implies that one of Durango's big problems is people who want to close that door to others, once they are here. I think that I remember Ms. Dickson at City Council meetings, she makes a nice living taking pretty pictures of pretty trophy homes. If anyone stands to gain from attracting outsiders to this area, she would. Might that not qualify for "narrow minded," that Ms. Dickson speaks of? As well, the psychological concept of transference, where others are to blame for problems, might also fit. The problem she does not comprehend, is that the Durango area and its resources cannot sustain a large number of humans. One of those global, local things.

In speaking of provincials, how I loved "A Year in Provence." I've lived here, maybe, as many years as Ms. Dickson has lived. How nice that she imagines my rustic qualities so quaintly. She is pointing out that outsiders may have solutions to our town's problems. All "outsiders" now here had a final solution to their last town's situation. They left. Even elevators state logical limits. Not too many of us would tempt that disaster.

Many of us give time we very much need, to attend meetings, write letters, etc., to protect ourselves from people who profit from overpopulating our town.

Durango crawls with newcomers and old-timers alike who look to quick and huge profits from construction, real estate and development. Just as the business-marketing profit scheme has screwed our professional sports teams, it is screwing the team it takes to work a viable community. When only a few profit a bunch, and a bunch of people cannot make it from hand-to-mouth, our community loses, and our children will pay for the greed of this generation. Let's see Ms. Dickson take pictures of people losing their homes, of trailer-houses and occupants with no place to go.

- Sincerely,

Kassandra Johnson

Durango

Don't let corporate giants win

Dear Editors,

We're from Telluride and love visiting Durango for many reasons. We recently were passing through and discovered that Star F#@*!ing Bucks has infiltrated your beautiful town. As strong believers in local business, that which promotes a more unified community and celebrates regional spirit, we would like to stress the importance of supporting your local businesses. We love Durango and would hate to see the corporate giants run the local businesses into difficult financial times or worst yet, closures.

Keep the local love a flowing.

- With all our heart (not our wallets),

Tres Café & Megan Dougherty,

Telluride

Wake up to hydromowing's harm

To the Editors,

I wonder how many of us are aware of what is happening with our precious forests in the name of the fuel-reduction projects, backed by major federal funding from the "Healthy Forest Initiative" of the current administration? Our forests are being "hydromowed" with many stands of old growth juniper being ripped and shredded. Some trees are just damaged by mowers and left to stand as such!

Most of us have been drawn to this area for its outstanding beauty and healthy air. Now so many beautiful forests, potentially millions of acres in Colorado alone, are being cut with no apparent thought of the present impact on life. The trees supply oxygen, normalize weather patterns, and supply sanctuary for all wildlife, plants and humans. They are a large part of the reason so many of us have such gratitude to be able to live here. The diversity of wildlife that is supported in these ecosystems is outstanding.

The soil found at the base of oak, pi`F1on, ponderosa, aspen and juniper forests is vitally rich. Many of the plants that grow in these areas can't sustain themselves in depleted soils robbed of vital microorganisms and nutrients. Many plants thrive only in the shade provided by the trees in a balanced ecosystem. A healthy percentage of these plants also contain powerful medicinals, some of which have become quite rare in other areas.

There are so many alternative ways to protect homes, hand sawing rather than hydromowing, for one. Also, is there not a personal responsibility and accountability that goes with building in a forest? Let's wake up before we are too late to protect the very reasons that we live here.

- Sincerely,

Kalida May,

Durango

The depopulation conspiracy

Dear Editors,

World population is, by all intents and purposes, completely out of control.Plans are under way now, implemented by the New World Order Elite, to depopulate the planet's 6-7 billion people to a manageable level of between 500 million to 2 billion.

There are many means and methods of depopulation that are being employed today, the three primary of which include: unsustainable/exploitative international development, which leads to massive hunger, starvation and famine worldwide (at least 40 million deaths annually); the fomentation of war, hatred and military procurements throughout the nations leading to millions of deaths worldwide; and finally, the creation and spread of infectious diseases leading to global pandemic, plague and pestilence on an unprecedented scale.Other methods used include: the build-up and use of nuclear, chemical and biological agents, weapons and warfare; the poisoning and contamination of the planet's food and water supplies; the introduction and use of deadly pharmaceutical drugs in society; weather modification and the triggering of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis through electromagnetic psychotronic weapons both on Earth and in space; the promotion of homosexuality to limit population growth and spread the deadly AIDS virus; forced sterilization in countries such as China; forced vaccinations, abortion, euthanasia, etc.

Death, and the management of who lives and who dies, has become the central organizing principle of the 21st century.

The previous century has been, by far, the bloodiest in human history. Hunger, famine and disease took billions of innocent lives. World Wars I and II, along with the despotic regimes of Mao, Pol Pot, Stalin, Hitler, Reagan, Bush and others, took hundreds of millions. The 21st century is shaping up to accelerate this dismal trend where hunger, famine and disease are reaping record levels of death (the equivalent of seven Jewish Holocausts annually). Contemporary wars continue to rage on and proliferate. In the nation of Iraq, the killing fields have taken the lives of more than 2 million men, women and children (mostly children) this past decade from foreign and economic intervention. Vastly unreported is the genocide occurring in the Congo, where more than 4 million people have been slaughtered, mutilated and massacred recently with only scant world attention given. Add to this the unrestrained and very profitable build-up of weapons of mass destruction - nuclear, chemical and biological - in the world, particularly in the volatile Middle East region, with the expressed desire and willingness to actually use them, and you have an Apocalypse of World War III becoming a virtual inevitability. The death toll of THIS war is sure to surpass all previous in scale and in magnitude, as has been planned.

The international campaign to eliminate the "useless eaters" (according to the Club of Rome) on behalf of the planet's privileged ruling elite, is surely to take a more voracious toll as global population levels continue to rise.

To implement their "final solution" to depopulate 4 to 5 billion people from the Earth, the world's elite will undoubtedly harness the newly emerging biotech and nanotechnology industries to create a super "bioweapon" virus creating a global "kill-off" pandemic through which only they will have the cure.

- Steve Jones,

Santa Fe, via e-mail