The spoiler and the uniter

Dear Editors,

The Team is finally formed – except for one. Salazar, Isgar, Colgan, Riddle, Walters and Larsen are a powerful slate of candidates for Southwest Colorado. (Our new Republican-turned-democrat, Jeff Mannix, came in late and rather than be a spoiler, decided to support the Democratic team. Keep your eye on Mannix in the future.) The one spoiler is Jeff Deitch. Afraid that he can’t even get the required 10 percent of caucus delegates, Jeff has decided to bypass our democratic process (He says it is a farce) and press on anyway. Last week’s debates showed his true colors. First his rude one liner about Joe Colgan knowing all about Medicare personally was an attack on Joe’s age and the entire over 55 crowd. Second, Deitch attacked all the volunteers from four counties that spend their time and effort making sure the caucus and assembly process works. Like some immature kid taking his ball with him because nobody will let him make up the rules as he goes, Mr. Deitch resembles George Bush – it is my way or the highway. Third, when given the opportunity to tell us if he has ever done any community service, what his major accomplishments might be outside of the courtroom, he decided instead to attack Joe Colgan’s record of public service. Like Bush, Jeff is a divider not a uniter.

Trashing Bobby Lieb and others that built this community when you have no record of public service, is beyond the pale. Deitch needs to bow out now so that we can get on with the real debate – how the Republicans lost their party to an incompetent, ideological driven, and fiscally irresponsible regime at the top, and how this strong slate of democratic candidates and moderate Republicans plan on taking the country back.

– Jim Callard, Durango

Feminine freedom

To the Editors. How ironic that so many are horrified that China forces abortion on women, while the U.S.A. is currently working to legalize coercing childbirth on Americans.

Government officials and corporate partners profit from a steady supply of oppressed, low-wage labor.4  Helpless children who survive malnourishment, homelessness, desperation and abuse make great desperate, low-wage labor.

Their hapless mothers, rounded up and herded into a broodmare corral, are generally low wage themselves. Meanwhile, governments from local to state to federal are giving themselves nice pay raises as well as cutting taxes for the wealthiest. Our emerging plutocracy is currently cutting funds to food banks, shelters and other childhood services, while hungry and homeless children rise in number.

God is not providing for all children. They continue to suffer and die, talk about inconvenience. It’s past time the coercers take responsibility. Women, whose birth control has failed, do not need to be raped by government and religious coercers. Women are the most dependable of primary care givers, and ignoring their decisions is one of the most insane things a nation can do. How have we become so complacent to allow plutocracy to use theocracy, the opiate of the masses, to hijack our nation?

Sperm, eggs and embryos are all alive. Different faiths and religions can argue ’til the cows come home about when human life begins. The churches in Europe were, historically, the largest owners of slaves. It appears that churches still cannot give up power over women. Witness the Southern Baptists declaring women subservient. Beware any religion that entitles one group of people over another. If theocracy removes women’s equality under our constitution, and coerces them to bear babies they choose not to bring, then churches need to come up with the bucks to fully support these children. Too bad there is so little demand in the adoption market for problem children. Supply far outstrips demand.

If our country leaves democracy and the republic, for plutocracy and theocracy, as South Dakota is now doing, then we need laws for the state to graciously support all children coerced into childbirth. At a minimum $10,000 per year, per child, taxpayers will be footing $5 million the first year to prevent 500 abortions. Every year, this of course becomes an exponential equation as more children are added year after year, and deserve support from the coercers until age 18. This is the only way to justify the forcing of children into an unsustainable world. Of course, funeral expenses for women who don’t survive the coat hanger experience would not be as expensive.

All who promote life after birth, our constitutional population thanks you. All who claim control over life inside a woman’s body, pull out your wallets, it’s time to pay. Yet, women could become legally equal citizens, then the best interests of their children have the best chance of being fulfilled.

– Stephanie Johnson, Durango

The straight scoop on radon

Dear Editors,

Last night as I listened to the news, they discussed Dana Reeves and some other celebrities dying from lung cancer. They had never smoked, and discussion ensued as to many people dying who hadn’t smoked and why. I wanted to call them to say it is documented by EPA Twelve percent of lung cancer deaths are attributed to radon exposure. Radon, a tasteless, odorless, invisible gas, seeps into our homes and breaks down to radon decay product, which we inhale to negatively impact our lungs (especially if one is already breathing impaired). This translates to approximately 22,000 deaths nationally and 350 in Colorado impacted by radon (Dept of Health) each year. Radon is the No. 2 cause of lung cancer. Leading organizations have joined EPA in stating that radon is a significant health concern and must be addressed. Awareness is a good start; a simple test of your home is the next step.

It causes more deaths than drownings, fires and airline crashes combined, only slightly less than deaths caused by drunken drivers nationally (National Safety Council report, 2000)!  Based on geology (subsurface uranium) and testings completed, EPA created three classifications based on potential for indoor radon concentrations. In Colorado, most counties are Zone 1 (greater than 4 pico curies/liter of air). La Plata County is classified overall as Zone 2 (between 2 to 4 pico curies/liter). However, because the geology under each home is unique and construction is unique, the only way to determine amount of radon decay product is to complete a simple test.

At a level of 10 pCi/L, if 1,000 people who never smoked were exposed to this level, the risk of cancer from radon decay is 18 of 1,000 or comparable to a two-pack a day smoker. If one is a smoker, it increases to 150 of 1,000 would develop lung cancer as a result of radon impact. For a home with a level of 4 pCi/L (upper limit by EPA), one who has never smoked has a7/1,000 chance of developing lung cancer. If one is a smoker, that number jumps to 6/100.

If you find high levels of radon decay products, there are simple techniques to bring indoor radon levels down to well within the “action level” established by EPA. When Durango tested in the mid-late 1980s, repairs were expensive and recommendations were given out like “seal up cracks and crevices in the basement” or “caulk around sumps.” These are part of the fix but, by themselves, not enough to bring levels down adequately. Homes can now be brought down well below 4 pCi/L.

Free test kits and more details are available. For complete details or to secure a test kit prior to the program, contact me at 247-4355 or Marian Schaub, San Juan Basin Health Department, at 247-5702 Ext 223.

– Wendy Rice, family and consumer science agent, Colorado State University Cooperative Extension

An outrage and blatant theft

To the Editors, The Bush Administration’s announcement of its intent to sell public lands should be treated as an outrage and blatant theft from all of us. Our burgeoning national debt has been substantially created by mismanagement and overspending. These public lands are ours to pass along to our children. They are the outstanding benefit of this great country for rich and poor together. They are not the federal government’s to sell to cover its inability to manage the budget. Corey Wong, GMUG National Forest, stated this sale will make up for revenues lost from traditional uses of public lands such as logging, mining and drilling. There should not be any lost revenues. Drilling on public lands is at an all-time high: these leases should be paying in record amounts. They don’t because the Bush Administration has cut efforts to make the energy companies pay a fair royalty. Additionally, the New York Times reported that energy companies fell behind $500 million in royalties last year. This jurisdiction for selling public lands is, of course, fictitious. Corey Wong, unlike Teddy Roosevelt, is not a straight shooter. The Bush Administration previously cut school funding to help balance the budget, once again creating the need to sell public lands. The announcement is, in a way, a test to see if we will remain an apathetic public and just roll over and let this happen. My advice is to draw our line in the sand and put up a fight. If these sales are allowed, do you believe it will be the last time?

Anyone who doesn’t value our public lands enough to fight for them should do themselves a favor and spend more time out there. Teddy Roosevelt and his buds did us a great favor.

– Mike Fahrlander, via e-mail

A Stranger

He came down from eastern Wyoming

under a side wind of snow.

He sat down,

drank a cheap shot,

and spoke slowly of Anzio and the bent rays of an  

ole Cathedral.

He loved old ponies, this buck sargeant contrite,

Cussin’ a ’53 Ford in the midnight fog.

A slide guitar moan and final shot

for the boys of Kasserine.

I watched him leave, gaunt

in a shadow of smoke

with empty pockets of coin and candy.

– Burt Baldwin, Ignacio