December 2007 Archives

on tuesday, 12/18 the daily poll on the front page of the local section was titled "less then alarmed." "less THEN alarmed." emphasis was added just in case you didn't see the typo—it's "than" not "then"—thereby missing entirely why i'm writing. i understand the english language as i knew it is dying, and despite your paper's occasional, though always humorous, hyphenating of one-syllable words, i assumed that most of those were computer software issues. but the typo above is an editing issue...and in large type. you're supposed to be the defenders of the language. defend it!

steve baker
york

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When I was a child, few people had air conditioners or systems to cool their houses. The windows were open with screens and we had fans to circulate air out and into the house. There were many nights when we just sweated it out. We were lucky if we had large shade trees to help keep the heat at bay.

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I would like to thank the local radio stations Warm 103.3, WROZ 101.3 and WJTL 90.3 Christian radio for turning their stations into Christmas stations, broadcasting Christmas music every day during the holidays.

This has certainly brought a lot of joy to me and many others who enjoy Christmas music. Whenever I am baking, cleaning, or whatever I am doing, it puts me into the Christmas spirit. With sincere thanks.

Claire Glass
Manchester Township

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Government imposed smoking bans breach the freedoms on which this country was founded. Siding with special interest groups that have spun data by twisting science and manipulating the English language is not government’s job. As a Republic, government exists to secure and protect pre-existing rights. Democracy is tyranny of the majority and the reason our founding fathers secured a Republic, not a democracy. Freedom is the absence of government coercion.

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Your reference to the rezoning of the Grove/Godfrey tracts was factually incorrect.

The York County Planning Commission recommended that both these tracts be rezoned.The Township Planning Commision recommended that both of these tracts be rezoned. Finally, the York Township Comprehensive Plan had identified these two tracts as Opportunity Sites to be upgraded in zoning to provide York Township much needed commercial tax base. In fact, the Township Commisioners rezoned it exactly as contemplated in the Comprehensive Plan."Load brain before shooting off mouth."

Robert Katherman
York

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Congratulations to Rep. Eugene DePasquale for his attempt to reduce property taxes. But wouldn't you know it, the Pennsylvania School Boards Association is against it. It seems that any time a program is proposed that takes power away from the local school board they fight it. These boards are elected but have little, or no accountablitity to those who elect them. They set a budget and then tax the district homeowners to meet the budget. Perhaps it is time to change the whole process. Why not add 1/2% to the state tax to be used for education and let the state parcel out the money as needed and stop local school boards from setting the school tax related to property? Let the school boards deal with education and the state deal with funding.

Wayne Upton
Stewartstown

I am a local citizen of York city. I would like to discuss the important issue of pollution that is currently invading our home. York city is desperately attempting to improve to make the city a safer and better place to live. City streets are receiving new roads and sidewalks for the decrepitating homes and crime ridden territories. This would not be so bad, if the city followed through with the improving acts.

On our city sidewalks one can find chairs, mattresses, chip bags, food, and all other kinds of litter. The City of York should make fines to charge those getting caught in the pollutant act. This will discourage citizens by example of minor punishment. I also propose the idea for York to maybe hire the local unemployed to clean streets and sidewalks. This possibly could result in a sense of pride and accomplishment among both individuals and communities.

Like many others, I call York city home. I would like to keep my home in clean condition. Acts need to be taken before York is taken over by the abundance of filth.

Erica Salzano
York

Mr. Argento continues to show his lack of respect for the office of the Presidency by calling President Bush Dubbya and referring to Vice President Cheney as his satanic overlord. This type of journalism is what continues to send our country deeper and deeper into a bankruptcy of morals, respect and honor for America. His article also claims that the President is an idiot because he interprets the NIE report on Iran differently than many in the media do. No surprise there, since most of the media is liberal and opposed to President Bush. I have taken the time to read the report and conclude with the president's position. There is no definitive position taken by NIE that remotely suggests that Iran has completely stopped its entire program. In fact, there are numerous statements that do the opposite. Be just a little more honest Mr. Argento, and a lot more respectful.

CURT COSTELLO
DOVER TOWNSHIP

My thoughts on “A Minor Inconvenience,” an article on the front page of the York Daily Record on Thursday, December 6, 2007.

How is it MINOR if it was your car that got smashed in a crash on slick roads? Would it be MINOR to you? And if someone was hurt or killed, would it be MINOR? All I am saying is IT WASN’T MINOR!

Kailynne Rowe
9 years old
West Manchester Township

Leonard Pitts Jr. GETS IT ! Mike Argento DOES NOT ! All you need do is read the Sunday Viewpoints B front page, Mr. Pitts sees the threat of RADICAL FUNDAMENTALISM.
Mr. Argento only drinks the Bush lied Koolaid. Isn't he a reporter? Aren't reporters supposed to check the facts & report Both side & let us decide ?? Does he really believe Our President Lied ?? Or does he just hate Bush ?? Fact is almost All world leaders & their Intel. Including Then Pres. Bill Clinton, Senator Hillary Clinton, Senator Kerry ETC, ETC, ETC, Believed that Sadam INSANE had the WMD"s. And, what in the WORDS of Iran's leader, doesn't he believe ?? That he really doesn't want a nuclear bomb to WIPE ISRAEL off the map & America next. Or that the NIE got it right THIS time ?? Or that Bill Clinton really was concerned about big brother spying on us & not his affair with Monica ? His administration castrated our Intel so they could not share info ? We are at WAR with these fundamentalist, they want to change our way of life, lets work for the Good of the Country & not any Political Party..

REY PALMER
YORK

A recent article in the YDR written by Melissa Nann Burke, Group Created for Latin Worship, concerning Bishop Rhoades’ creation of the Mater Dei Community for celebration of the traditional Roman Rite of the Mass in Latin contained a serious error of fact.

Ms. Burke said, “Until Benedict's decree took effect in September (the Motu Proprio, Summarum Pontificum), priests could use the Latin Mass only with permission from their local bishop.”

This is not true and Ms. Burke knows that it is not true because I have told her so. She knows that Pope Benedict specifically stated in his letter accompanying his Motu Proprio of last July that he “would like to draw attention to the fact that this (the traditional Roman Rite of the Mass) was never juridically abrogated and, consequently, in principle, was always permitted.” Thus “permission from local bishop” was never required at any time for a Catholic priest to offer or a Catholic layman to attend the traditional Roman Rite of the Mass for “permission” is not required to do what is in fact legally permitted.

When you see a sign demonstrating support a particular presidential candidate, whose name is on it? When you see a bumper sticker, a pamphlet tacked up on a random bulletin board, or look up the ‘08 race on the internet, whose name is plastered everywhere? Ron Paul.

What’s going on? Why is mainstream media downplaying the ENORMOUS support that Ron Paul is getting?

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I see that the killings of Christians in Colorado are being followed closely by all news outlets, and no one so far has mentioned hate crimes. I am used to hearing the term "hate crime" when minorities are targeted, even when no formal hate crime is charged. Some hand-wringing talking head always cries hate on TV or is quoted in the newspapers when his or her favorite victim group is targeted.

Perhaps the latest victims' families will be comforted to realize that, despite appearances, their loved ones did not die -- at least no officially -- at the hands of a hate criminal. Do you think? After all, it is always nice to be killed in love.

But, seriously, isn't it strange that the world's most persecuted minority can be targeted without a mention of the word hate? Aren't Christians really just a throwaway these days, just as they were in ancient Rome? After all, they started out as a persecuted minority, and persecution is "what they do." Besides, who cares?

Certainly not the media.

DON HANK
WRIGHTSVILLE

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I'd like to comment on Clark Ruppert's letter on unions. Mr. Ruppert, at one time unions were a great idea, they helped uneducated workers in horrible, unsafe conditions, earning extremely low pay with little to no legal protection. Unions have served workers well by helping them avoid being exploited by employers however the time I'm talking about is the early to mid 1900's. In todays competitive markets unions now help workers exploit employers making union-made products so expensive and sub standard that sales are lost to superior less expensive foreign competitors and nonunion producers. Unionized American workers have become so comfortable and protected that they lose the incentive to work hard for their employer. It's not the total misconception that most companies are going to foreign countries because they work for pennies it's that they put in a fair days work for a fair wage much like this countries nonunion companies both producing a far better product at a much cheaper price.

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Let me see if I've got this right...Rick Rozell shouldn't have been in Iraq, fighting a war for what? He saw his friend get killed, he learned to kill, or be killed, and he remembers the terror! Coming home in 2003, he suffered from PDST. He was one of the first to come home, so the VA denied him disalibilty. America is so quick to help people from other countries, but to help our owm. Am I crazy? Rozell fought for our country, and all Americans. This is the thanks he gets? No help from anyone? The Apartments at Waterford should be doing all they can for this family. I'm sure I'm not the only person who will say a prayer for you.

RUTH KRUM
MANCHESTER

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By Michael C. Martin

Government seems to be having more difficulty in keeping their noses out of my dinner plate, and I and others are becoming very unhappy about it. We will vigorously defend our right to know what is in the food we eat, and to make up our own minds about whether we think something is safe to eat or may be suspect or unsafe.

The most recent "dust up" locally has been over Rutter's milk advertising regarding rBST. A few months earlier there was a rerun of the badgering of York Water Company to add fluoride to the water supply by some who place their own intelligence above that of the rest of us, and see no problem in forcing others to ingest levels of fluoride they may not desire or require. A little while back the government began to allow bread companies to label their product as "whole wheat" when it isn't whole wheat as long as they add enough fiber to make it equivalent to the fiber level of real whole wheat bread.

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We all have dreams. Dreams are imaginary episodes that we wish were our real life story.
We have an American dream. In it we are at peace by our fireside in our comfortable homes with our happy families. Our neighbors are friendly and would rush to our aid if we needed them. We would harm no one and no one would harm us. We would understand that others also have dreams and we applaud them - whether they are Mexican, Middle Eastern, African, members of other cultures and religions. We want to be their friends.
And then, of course, there is reality. Reality is war; war is not peace. War is not security. The existence of war is instead the absence of peace, and security, and understanding, and friendship.

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