Letters 9/21/06

Sept. 20, 2006

Lost opportunity
I enjoyed your article, “Real Diversity,” in last week’s Northern Express. Your sentence, “The Christian music Cloverfest produced some strange bedfellows,” really made me laugh. As a 54-year-old, I did feel that I might be a bit out of place as an attendee at a hip-hop-techno-house music event, but I went anyway out of curiosity.
I live in Traverse City, and went to the CloverFest on Saturday and Sunday. It’s a real shame that the community missed this event for whatever reason or reasons. Saturday’s weather with its rain and Miami-like humidity and heat would have ruined the day even for the Cherry Festival, I think. That’s no excuse for a thin crowd on Sunday, though.
One of the real highlights of CloverFest for me was an area they had set up called the “Audio Lab.” Participants were welcome to try out a variety of professional quality recording software programs on computers. As I’m interested in home recording, this was a rare treat. Though the emphasis was on house music production, anyone with an interest in computers and music recording would have enjoyed being in on that, and it was all free. Sadly, I think that when anything is offered for free, the public often perceives it as either having no value, or that there must be a “catch” (the cheese is always free in a mousetrap).
I’ve been a steady Northern Express reader for several years, and always look forward to the next issue. Thanks.

Hillar Bergman • TC

Problems at home
In response to the comment made by Sharon Potere (Letters 9.14), and I quote “For those of you who don’t like it here, you are free to go to Iraq, or any other country.” I understand your concern over what you feel was exploitation, But America does have its faults, and we have the right to be concerned.
Look at the amount of people in our country without health insurance, homeless, working poor, or disadvantaged college students, and I promise you the list does go on. There is a gap between the rich and the poor. It keeps getting bigger. As the needs in our community keep growing, who will support them?
You tell people if they have a problem they can relocate, but how do they if they don’t have the cash to do so? As a college student living without health insurance, trying to pay living expenses, loans, and trying to get an education to survive, I cannot afford to move or relocate. I suggest you rethink that everyone has the ability to just up and leave. Some of us are just trying to make it.
I suggest you think before you speak.

Angela Crandall • TC

Get kids out of prison
In Michigan our children are being sentenced to death. It is lawful for juveniles to be sentenced as adults without discretion from a judge or higher authority. Juveniles are automatically waived into the adult system. We are literally putting children that are under the age of 18 in prisons with adult criminals, without consideration to their age, maturity, and physical, emotional, or psychological development. Children of any age can be placed into this adult system for the rest of their lives without the possibility of ever being given a chance to be evaluated by a governing parole board.
Most of these children are not afforded the basic rights that children in Michigan have, such as proper education, counseling, and due process. If we did not send our children that are under the age of 16 to the public school, we would be contributing to the truancy of a minor. But under this system juveniles are not being afforded this right. Sure they, can get their GED, but are left on their own accord to educate themselves.
As a high school and former middle school teacher, as well as a parent, I see how ANYONE of our children is vulnerable to being at the wrong place at the wrong time and paying for it with their lives. Parents are very naïve if they think “my kid would never do that” because we can not govern our children’s thoughts words, actions or deeds when we are not with them. We rely on the government to protect all of its citizens from harm but they have neglected to protect Michigan’s children from this atrocity.
As the adults, we have to be responsible for our decisions, which include ineffective and barbaric laws. These laws are unconstitutional because they condemn children who are not afforded adult rights to pay adult penalties. These children are children by many definitions of the law: they can’t drink, smoke, serve on a jury, serve in the armed forces, get married, vote, etc. Most can’t even drive a car, but if they commit a crime they are automatically adults.
If we are to be judged by a jury of our peers, why were these child offenders judged by adult juries? Because children are never adults. If these laws are going to remain in effect, then all children should be given adult rights immediately.
You can help stop our children from being sentenced to death. Second Chance Legislation is a package of bills (HB 5512/SB 941, HB 5513/SB 943, HB 5514/SB 942, HB 5515/SB 944) that is being considered by our legislators. These bills will amend the current sentencing practices of child offenders and give parole eligibility after 15 years of imprisonment, not a get out of jail free card. The child offenders will have to be reviewed by a parole board which will scrutinize every detail of their lives, from their case to their conduct every day of their imprisonment.
On September 20, 2006 we are lobbying our legislators to ask for their support on this issue.
Throughout the world, only three countries have a dozen child offenders in total serving life without parole. In Michigan alone, there are 307 child offenders serving Natural Life without the Possibility of Parole. Approximately 60% were first time offenders with no juvenile or adult record and were only 14-16 years of age.

Amy Micheals • Waterford

Correction
Photo credit for the shot of Gov. Granholm and Susan Odgers in last week‘s Northern Seen should go to Tom Mair.