Alarmists at work against Obama

On election night, millions of people — young and old, rich and poor, black, white and brown — poured out into the streets and parks of America to celebrate. Though the massive turnout in Chicago’s Grant Park was expected, many gatherings were spontaneous, word-of-mouth events, without parade permits or police presence. Unlike the celebrations that sometimes follow sports victories, no acts of violence or vandalism were reported. Peace and unity prevailed.

But hatemongers and alarmists were already at work, warning constituents of the evil an Obama administration could — might —will unleash upon an unsuspecting America. White supremacist Web sites claimed to be signing up thousands of new members. The right-wing Concerned Women of America has declared Obama “the most dangerous President ever.” Fox News continued showing video clips of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, William Ayers and the Obamas’ “terrorist fist bumps.”

Gun dealers were reporting record sales, especially of rapid-fire assault-type weapons and ammunition, fueled by dire predictions by the NRA of a “gun ban.” An NRA spokesman says that “gun owners simply don’t trust Obama,” which only shows the success of the gun lobby’s monthslong campaign to instill this distrust.  

Roman Catholic bishops plan to forcefully oppose any loosening of restrictions on abortion or stem-cell research or reversing of decisions allowing health care workers to refuse to provide medical services they view as religiously objectionable. Such attempts “would be interpreted … as an attack on the Church” and would lead to “punitive actions against Catholic officials.” Some bishops voiced dismay that a majority of Catholics voted for Obama, despite the Church’s stated concern about some of his positions.

So, even before Barack takes the oath of office, forces of fear and reaction are arraying against him. Whatever happened to the honeymoon period a new president supposedly enjoys?

Larry Edwards
Burlington

Thanks for helping this stranger

Earlier today, I was riding my bicycle down Little Mountain, south of Mount Vernon, when my back tire blew out. The blowout had blown the tire right off the rim, and, thus, I couldn’t even push the bike. I had to almost carry it with just the front tire on the road. In that I live close to the old downtown, I was in for quite a walk!

As I got down to the main road, several cars went whizzing by. I thought to myself, these days, it will be unlikely that anyone will stop. A pickup went by and around the corner toward town. But as I got to the corner, I saw it was headed back my way. One of the two young men in the cab leaned out of his window and said, “Do you need a ride?” I think you can guess my response.

I didn’t have the foresight to get their names, but I would sure like to thank them. Their kindness was very much appreciated. Their helpfulness to a stranger on the side of the road says a lot about the youth of Skagit County. Thanks again!

Jere LaFollette
Mount Vernon

Editor’s note: The forum comment the following letter refers to was removed from the site because of its inappropriate content.

Leaving beasthood of humanity

Who hates the thoughts, hates the person. “Leland Mellott is just about as crazy as Isaac Zamora,” read a comment in a goskagit.com forum.

One can murder the person who speaks them. One can burn the book in which they are written. But thoughts themselves cannot be annihilated.

The same goes for our spirits should, for example, a nuclear holocaust take place (it’s getting closer by the day), because we also are indestructible.

When you posit enemy it has to grow. There are no enemies. People who have “enemies” want to kill. All hate is hatred of love. (The power of forgiveness turns stone to water.)

Not being able to judge, hate and kill is going to destroy the lives of innumerable people, if they aren’t careful. In this future, which is close at hand, there will be no judges. The wisdom at the heart of each and every one of us will blossom forth. There will be peace on this Earth.

We are leaving the beasthood of humanity for the top of the mountain.Glorious hour. Gracious day. No doubt given, all doubt taken away from me, where these matters are concerned.

Leland Mellott
Mount Vernon

Racism: Our national shame

I guess Americans haven’t grown up yet. It’s painful to see how the election of Barack Obama has brought out the racists in our culture, the racists who still, after 400 years, can’t get over their hatred for African-Americans.

A comment on Obama’s proposal for youth service that could also help Homeland Security: “That’s exactly what Hitler did in Nazi Germany, and it’s exactly what the Soviet Union did. When he’s proposing to have a national security force that’s answering to him, that is as strong as the U.S. military, he’s showing me signs of being Marxist,” said Rep. Paul Broun, R-Ga. (The Associated Press, Nov. 11) For people like Paul Broun, anything left of Atilla the Hun must be Marxist or Communist.

“Just from what little I’ve seen of her and Mr. Obama, Sen. Obama, they’re a member of an elitist-class individual that thinks that they’re uppity,” said Rep. Lynn A. Westmoreland, R-Ga. (Sept. 4) For many, many decades, particularly in the south, “uppity” has been used as a pejorative to describe blacks who fought the Jim Crow system of segregation.

“Cross burnings. Schoolchildren chanting ‘Assassinate Obama.’ Black figures hung from nooses. Racial epithets scrawled on homes and cars. Incidents around the country referring to President-elect Barack Obama are dampening the postelection glow of racial progress and harmony, highlighting the stubborn racism that remains in America.” (The Associated Press, Nov. 16) The Southern Poverty Law Center has documented an alarming rise in racially motivated hate crimes since Nov 4.

Racism is the shame of our American history and society. As an American who proudly served his country in the armed forces during the 1960s, I’m embarrassed by a certain segment of the population that just can’t seem to grow up.

Keith Fisher
Mount Vernon

Structured loan for auto industry

When the truth doesn’t serve their purposes, they can always scapegoat organized labor.

And, surprise, guess what demagogues in Congress are doing? You got it. They are blaming labor for the economic malaise of GM, Ford and Chrysler.

“Workers need to take pay cuts,” they say. Or, “Let the companies go bankrupt. That way they can get out of fulfilling the promises they made to their workers.”

The consequences of poor management by corporate CEOs are always borne by workers. CEOs can take a company into the toilet and still walk away with multimillion-dollar golden parachutes. Workers, on the other hand, lose their jobs.

Liars from the Cato Institute and the Heritage Foundation tell us that unionized autoworkers make $74 per hour. A few unscrupulous lawmakers are repeating that lie. In actuality, autoworkers earn about $27.

Something is terribly wrong in our nation if we allow Congress to get away with punishing workers for the misdeeds of management.

There needs to be a structured loan to the Big Three.

• Send the CEOs packing. No golden parachutes. Replace them with competent, fairly compensated trustees.

• Freeze dividends until the companies are returned to solvency.

• Revamp the auto industry so that fuel-efficient, quality, affordable cars are available to U.S. consumers.

People, the jobs of fellow workers are on the line. If it were your job in jeopardy, what would you be advocating?

Support a structured loan solution.

Contact your members of Congress and tell them to do the same.

Richard Austin
Mount Vernon

Will have to blame Dems now

The only good I can see about our election results is that all the Bush-haters will have to find a new scapegoat, and it will have to be a Democrat because they now virtually have control of all good and bad decisions made.

Other than the Iraq war — which Congress voted for to take Saddam Hussein out — Bush as commander in chief did everything else pretty well for six years. Then Democrats took over Congress his last two years, causing record bankruptcies and unemployment, with their vote-getting platform of “take from those who work, and give to those who don’t.” A proven unsuccessful socialistic form of government. Poor men don’t create jobs or pay taxes, rich men do — creating a prosperous country!

Most newspapers, TV stations, Acorn, Hollywood, etc., degraded and outright lied to win over the young and new voters in this democratic takeover. However, our Constitution and Supreme Court might correct this.

Lloyd Loop
Bow

Life begins with DNA formation

I believe Nancy Pelosi’s assertion on television to be incorrect that scientists disagree on the question of when our life begins. The answer to when our life begins is found in our DNA.

Scientists Watson and Crick less than 40 years ago described the DNA molecule as a double helix, composed of two strands of atoms connected side by side by bonding atoms forming a spiral or helix. Genes and chromosomes are attached to the strands.

I was enrolled in the University of Denver in the early 1980s, when in an organic chemistry class, I learned about DNA. In a lecture, the professor described the chemical process of conception as follows: The sperm cell enters the egg cell; its DNA comes in contact with the DNA of the egg cell. Then, something occurs. The bonding atoms release the strands of DNA of both egg cell and sperm cell. Each egg cell strand then bonds with each sperm cell strand, creating a new DNA double helix unlike either parent DNA but carrying some genes and chromosomes from both.

Our life begins with the creation of this separate DNA in this one cell. This is an inconvenient truth. Our life begins at conception.

Elsie Mullinaux
Anacortes