Letters to the Editor 11/15

Republican wrongs

A letter by Susan A. Margolis (Fight for the Right, Nov. 8) hopefully rallied a few Republicans to stay strong and fight. Also, hopefully, a few Republicans will remember the Bush/Cheney years and the reasons why our country is in such a mess.

That deceitful Republican administration caused unprecedented chaos financially and damaged our military structure irreparably. Obviously, the last Republican renaissance was a dismal failure.

But forgetting about the past is easy. Let’s focus on the future and stick to the plan laid out by our conservative friends — whatever that is.

I’m glad every fighting Republican has free, lifelong health care courtesy of their conservative legislators. Stay strong and fight for the Right — the right to pray for our nation if the Republican politicians succeed with their plans to destroy the noble intentions of the current administration.

Darrel Boles Paso Robles

Proud of religious freedom

In response to LaVerne Hawkinson(Letters, Nov. 11), I was raised as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. This forum doesn’t allow me enough words to list the ways I was ridiculed, humiliated and down-right abused by some of the children of so-called Christian parents because I didn’t worship false idols (Santa, a star-topped tree, the Easter bunny, the cross and the flag) or participate in pagan rituals (wreath making, egg hunting, flag saluting) with them.

At the beginning of most years, I was stood in front of class while the teacher explained why I couldn’t and didn’t have to participate and why I shouldn’t be teased or gawked at. That usually backfired. Publicly funded schools are for learning and not religious pageantry.

One linchpin of this nation’s success story is a secular government which doesn’t impose on personal beliefs. And while I have abandoned faith in my life, I do not require my neighbor to do the same.

Be proud and feel safe that you are religiously free at home and out in public. That is a historically rare situation. Also, unless all of your forefathers were Native Americans, you are descendant from immigrants just like most Americans.

Scott Ziering Paso Robles

No benefit to us

Recent news items show that economic growth is slowly improving while employment is slowly decreasing. To me, this is not a surprise. I wonder when our leaders will understand that as long as we spend American dollars to buy products manufactured in a foreign country, it is the foreign workers who benefit. It is very foolish to pretend that this is not happening.

R. A. Zuech San Luis Obispo

Thanks to Altrusa Club!

On behalf of the students and staff, I want to thank the Altrusa Club for its extremely generous gift of $1,500 dollars to allow us to fully participate in the Accelerated Reader (AR) program.

Through the club’s efforts, we will now have an almost unlimited number of books and online tests that can be used toward AR points for our students.

With many more titles to choose from, we know our students will read more than ever. Thank you again for your generous and continued support. You’re the best!

Kirt Collins San Luis Obispo

It’s not difficult

The American people want health care for all. That means a single-payer system, i.e. Medicare for all. It’s not difficult to understand, and it’s not difficult to institute. We could start tomorrow if Congress would do its job!

Julie Dunn Atascadero

Recycle the Warmth

It’s that time of year when the temperatures drop and the nights become chilly.

For the past 10 years, I have held a drive to collect new and used blankets, sleeping bags, jackets, gloves, hats and beanies for the less privileged in our community and then delivered them to the San Luis Obispo EOC Homeless Shelter.

With your incredible aid, we have successfully warmed the hearts and souls of thousands of men, women and children in our community.

Graciously, the San Luis Garbage Company has once again donated the use of a dozen 96-gallon recycle containers for this drive.

I would like to invite you to donate a new or used item to help keep our homeless citizens warm and healthy during these upcoming chilly months.

Simply bring your donation to Old Mission School, Mission College Preparatory High School, Shell Beach Elementary School or Pacific Gas & Electric Company Pay Center in San Luis Obispo between the dates of Nov. 10 to 24 and place it in the Recycle the Warmth Drive container.

Ordinary families can make extraordinarily differences in our community and in our nation. Thank you in advance for your support.

When America’s diverse families and children are healthy, our nation prospers.

Taylor Castañon Arroyo Grande

Differences

Liberals create Social Security. Conservatives cry “Socialism” and fight against it tooth and nail until they realize what this makes them look like.

Liberals achieve civil rights for minorities. Conservatives fight tooth and nail against this and call Martin Luther King Jr. a Communist.

Liberals create Medicare. Conservatives cry “Socialism” and fight against it tooth and nail until they realize what this makes them look like.

Liberals work to create universal health care. Conservatives cry “death panels” and start a grassroots opposition movement bankrolled by the health insurance companies that own them.

When their country is attacked by terrorists, liberals suggest the perpetrators be captured and punished under our laws. Conservatives order the invasion of a country that was not involved, but has lots of oil, and let the mastermind go free.

Conservatives demonize the function of government until they get power, prove themselves unable to govern, drive the country off a cliff and get booted out. Liberals clean up the mess.

Driven mad by loss of power, conservatives lie, scream, snarl and snap at the air with their slavering jaws.

Liberals, sad to say, walk into their cage and say, “Let’s reach a bipartisan consensus.”

Joan Carter Morro Bay