March 29, 2024

Letters 04-11-2016

April 8, 2016

Don’t Comment, Take Action

I am constantly amazed by the so-called "experts" who send in their comments regarding articles in the Traverse City Ticker.

It’s usually the same people, mostly negative, and always battling with one another. One guy talked about "warehousing people" in regard to the recent homeless shelter approval. Warehousing? You obviously have no idea what circumstances brought them to experience homelessness.

Many of them despise Michael Moore in spite of what he’s done for our community.

If you don’t like the guy then simply stop going to the State and Bijou and stop watching his movies.

Are you all going to move now that the homeless shelter has been approved? Good luck with that. Homelessness is happening all over the country, including Traverse City.

Instead, get involved. Be a mentor. Serve meals. Have some conversations. Get to know your neighbors because they are your neighbors. There are people with jobs who are living in their vans because there is no affordable housing in TC. Stop the attacks and thank Safe Harbor and Goodwill for the constant work they are doing to keep people alive, fed, housed, and understood.

If you don’t like what’s happening politically, do something! But comments are not the answer.

An article entitled "A Night At The Movies" to benefit Michael’s Place, which offers programs at no cost to any person grieving the loss of a loved one recently appeared. Are you ready? Zero comments. Then an article about the National Writers Series announcing $1,000 scholarships. Again, zero comments. Nothing negative to say?

A special thanks to the people who comment but remain positive and know what the hell they’re talking about.

Tom Emmott, Traverse City

Demand Action On Line 5

Communities throughout Michigan are working to restrict Line 5 pipeline to nonoil cargos. To date, 34 resolutions have been adopted asking the Governor and Attorney General to implement their statutory responsibility under the 1953 Easement. This effort is non-partisan, reflecting the public’s broad demand for action now. Last week the University of Michigan’s Water Center released a new computer modeling study of a pipeline burst in the Straits. Up to 152 miles of shoreline could be affected by a single spill in Lakes Huron and Michigan. In some instances, 720 miles of shoreline could be affected. A spill could affect shoreline and open-water areas in Lake Michigan or Lake Huron or both very quickly. High-risk areas include Mackinac and Bois Blanc Islands, along with areas directly west of Mackinaw City.

Our lives as we now know them would be over. A spill would devastate the shipping and tourism industries Michigan relies heavily on. What is Enbridge doing while citizens are working hard to prevent a spill? Ramping up their PR campaign, telling the public Line 5 is as safe as it was 63 years ago, and hosting events across northern Michigan to wine & dine elected officials, the latest of which are scheduled for Alpena, Charlevoix and Mackinac Counties. These schmoozing events are Enbridge’s response to the public’s demand that local and state governments work to keep their citizens and their environment safe from a catastrophic oil spill.

The nation has already seen the consequences of inaction by the current Michigan administration over the poisoning of children in the City of Flint through ineffectual oversight – or worse – indifference. We now demand that the Governor and Attorney General "Don’t Flint the Straits."

Joanne Cromley, Afton

An Addict’s Life

Regarding Kate Heady’s recent letter about addiction and diet, there is truth in that shoveling sugar down your kids’ throats helps create future addicts. But there is a bigger picture. We live in a sick society that chases and promotes everything that doesn’t matter, giving birth to lost kids who give birth to lost kids who give birth to lost kids.

I worked in a drug and alcohol detox unit for a couple years and I’ll never forget one young girl who was smart, beautiful, funny and addicted to heroin; she lived in her truck. She was a repeat customer in detox, and one day I asked her if she had ever had anything in her life that gave her joy that maybe could compete with the heroin high (I hoped). She thought about it for a moment and then said no, she didn’t, and never had. This was so sad and also pisses me off, because if you live in this country and society, she is your child and responsibility, yet you deny this responsibility.

What does America do with kids like her? We label them, marginalize and minimize them, and even lock them up. Most every addict is a victim of childhood trauma and abuse, and the shame they already live with is perpetuated in the criminal justice system and the public eye.

I don’t have the answers, but I can tell you decriminalization is a starting point, and so is educating the medical community and the public.

No one wants to be an addict or live that life.

Mike Morey, Traverse City

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