Letters to the Editor: Monday, November 24, 2008

Published: November 24, 2008

No monopoly

Regardless of your religious persuasion or political views, no one on this planet shares exactly your worldview. The vast majority of humans don’t agree with most of your deeply held beliefs. No one’s right all the time; therefore, some of what you say is most certainly incorrect. Finally, even though there are things that you are absolutely sure are true, some aren’t.

At one time people swore that the earth was flat and the sun revolved around the earth. They were positive of these facts. They were wrong. Can we now engage in a civil discussion of the problems facing our country and our planet with an understanding that neither side has all the answers and neither side has a monopoly on the truth? It’s critical that we work together.

Mark S. Thompson, Oklahoma City

Rewarding failure

I disagree with Frances Morris (Your Views, Nov. 14). Americans will lose not only what they’ve worked for but the freedoms and liberties enjoyed by Americans for more than 200 years. The economic crisis was not the fault of President George W. Bush. Both Bush and John McCain warned of the pending economic chaos. Barney Frank and his Democratic buddies caused this mess, saying Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were solvent. They lied and Americans are now trying to figure out how to cope.

Instead of holding these people accountable, a majority of voters put them back in office. When Democrats mess up, they’re rewarded. When Republicans mess up, they’re voted out of office! A majority of voters decided security isn’t important to them. Without that security, our country has nothing.

Oklahomans were smart enough to see that. Too bad the rest of the country wasn’t.

Dolores LaPoma, Edmond

‘In your honor ...’

On Memorial Day and Veterans Day, I always wear my flight jacket with squadron insignia. On this Nov. 11, my wife (a World War II cadet nurse) and I and her twin brother (both of us World War II and Korea war veterans), and a visitor from California, were at a local cafeteria. We had finished our meal and were at the cashier’s counter arguing who should get to treat the others when a young man came up and asked us if we were veterans. Of course we proudly said yes. He replied, "I want to thank you for your service to our country” (an expression many young people have said to us over the years) and then he said, "In your honor, it would be my pleasure to pay for your dinner.”

Of course, we told him that it wasn’t necessary, but he insisted. We will always remember his thoughtfulness.

Jack Moses, Bethany

Rhetorical fig leaf

Andrew Spiropoulos’ "Revisions are overdue” (Opinion, Nov. 17) is the latest attack by legal elitists on our state’s foundational document. His basic message is "old is bad.” The Oklahoma Constitution is no doubt old-fashioned, but Spiropoulos doesn’t trust a lawfully elected constitutional convention to amend the constitution. Instead, he proposes a panel of politically appointed "experts” that would bypass the amendment procedure. He demands a "strong” and "unified” executive branch. In other words, let’s make it easier for the governor to do mischief! Given our gubernatorial history, why would we want to do that?

Division and diffusion of power, as mandated by the Oklahoma Constitution, is good. His plea for a "new constitution for a new people with new priorities” is a rhetorical fig leaf for a special interest power grab. All who support traditional rights should stand together against this ill-advised scheme.

Robert Waldrop, Oklahoma City

This is America
Brandon Wertz (Your Views, Nov. 12) criticized Don Douglas (Your Views, Nov. 7) for not wanting to pay higher taxes. Why should he want to pay higher taxes? And why should those who make more than $250,000 a year have to pay a bigger percentage of their income to the government? I make around $148,000 a year. Most people who make more money do so because of sacrifices they’ve made — going to college, trade school, etc. — and who says Douglas is living beyond his means? People who want the government to help pay their way are living beyond their means. This is America: We all have the chance to better ourselves. It just takes hard work instead of whining.

Suzan Nicholson Olsen, Moore

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