Letters 07-13-2015

July 9, 2015

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Support Benzie Jail

On August 4 the residents in Benzie County will be asked to vote on a millage renewal of .9000 for six years to fund the Benzie County Jail.

The Michigan Constitution mandates that a jail facility be created and maintained in each county at is own expense. This millage is expected to bring in approximately $1 million annually and is the principle source of funding for jail operations, including staffing, inmate care and the security of the facility. Other necessary funding comes primarily from the County general fund.

The League of Women Votes of the Grand Traverse Area supports the passage of the millage request and urges a YES vote on August 4. Without the approval of this source of revenue for the jail, the Board of Commissioners will have to make deep cuts into other county services provided under the general fund.

Jan Warren, League of Women Voters of the Grand Traverse Area

Fair, Smart, Sustainable & Affordable

Let’s agree for a moment with Thomas Kachadurian (Words of Warning, July 6) that terms such as "˜fairness,’ "˜smart,’ "˜sustainable’ and now "˜affordable’ resurrect "old ideas that have been tried and failed." To be sure, whether it’s healthcare, child care, elder care, education or housing, what we have is a system that fails to deliver basic human needs at an affordable cost to a widening number of citizens.

While Kachadurian’s solution – making a living wage – might eliminate the necessity for government subsidies of such basic needs, it seems this would simply shift the burden for subsidies onto local businesses needing help to afford to pay the living wage.

What we seem to have then is not an affordable housing (healthcare, education, etc.) problem; rather, a market system that fails to deliver income equitably so that people can afford to live without the need of subsidies.

Ironically, this "government taking something from one group and giving to another" (as Kachadurian defines it) was built into the founding of the republic: Wealth was designed to move upward from producers (whether African slaves, women or children) to "owners" who were granted the power to appropriate from others the common wealth (land and natural resources) and ultimately control the means of production. Far from being "in the past," vestiges of this system are still in place today.

Until we as a society come to grips with income inequality and a broken system that does not and cannot honor the worth of each individual, where all workers’ contributions are valued, we will continue to have to subsidize all manner of social necessities in order to prop up a failed, old idea.

Time to transition towards creating a community that truly is fair, smart, sustainable and...affordable for all.

Rolf von Walthausen, Cedar

Science, God and Love

In response to "Faith in Politics" June 29, the spiritualization of thought transcends a building, a religion, race, culture, gender. Love is the "universal solvent." It is the natural spirit within humanity. This "voice" of love cannot be silenced by yet another bigoted group fussing about rubbing elbows with people not of their "belief."

Scientifically, quantum physics has reduced matter down to simply "divine mind," which is to me that God, that is not pantheistic, nor theosophy, nor spiritualism, but is simply love. This love continues on no matter what mere mortals believe. This love is good and is where mankind has turned and will forever turn when seeking truth beyond this bodily experience. Love is the Life and truth of us. It is scientifically perfect, but we humans like to put our own spin on things, thus the fuss.

God is the truth, the life, the love, the perfection of us and all the universe’s. It is continuous, complete, every moment since the dawn of time and is infinite and eternal. This conversation is as old as dirt.

L.H. Bedtelyon, Interlochen

America the Good

Stephen Tuttle’s indictment of America shows his true colors, so to speak. "Flag-waving patriotism?" I suppose he thinks burning it is the thing to do. His liberal buddies sure do.

Indians were mistreated and still are? Oh please. Would Tuttle rather be a serf on some European noble’s estate?

The Bill of Rights is ignored by most of us? Which provisions? Freedom of speech and of the press? He’s right there, these are attacked and suppressed by the Left on a continuing basis. So is free exercise of religion; see Bushey’s letter in the same issue and note Tuttle’s snide remarks about people who have sincere religious objections to sexual deviancy, to say nothing of the continuing assaults on the Second, Fourth, Fifth and Six Amendments.

It took a while to get rid of slavery, granted, but we DID get rid of it, at huge cost.

A post-racial country still a dream? Tell it to black rabble-rousers like Al Charlatan, Louis Farrakhan, and Democrats in general who keep the racial divide going.

The Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act were passed by Republicans, against substantial Democrat opposition, because the Democrat-ruled South wouldn’t abide by the 14th and 15th Amendments. It took a while but it got done.

I defy Tuttle to name one eligible voter who has been disenfranchised by voter ID laws.

So our nation, the only one in history founded on the idea that government serves the people, not the other way around, is a work in progress? Thanks to liberals it is not progressing, it is regressing into oligarchy at best, mostly an oligarchy of judges.

Tuttle’s indictment of America is misguided at best; if he knows of a better country let him move there.

Charles Knapp, Maple City

War Machines For Family Entertainment

Does no one in the Traverse City Commission or National Cherry Festival see the warmongering and pollution spewing caused by military demonstration teams so called Thunderbirds and Blue Angels? They are instruments of war. The same 140 decibels emitted are not allowed by music concerts; these high noise levels have a well-documented deleterious effect on domestic animals and wildlife. Victims of PTSD are deeply disturbed. These F-16 "Fighter Falcons" produce CO2 equivalent to 5 million autos. Taxpayers are billed $25,000 per hour for each plane. Imagine the horror of the actual victims of these killer war machines? This is family entertainment?

The Veterans for Peace are leading an effort to wake up the community to this travesty; you are invited to join them.

Sally MacFarlane Neal, Northport