May 16 Letters to the Editor

Purging intelligence

As can be readily understood, you are in danger of becoming conceited if too highly praised by the famous, the wise and the respectable. But 47 years of Longview has taught me that you can develop a towering ego from the persistent criticism of numbskulls.

One of the nicest things ever said about me, during the Battle of the Condoms, was Rush Limbaugh’s statement that I was an “idiot.” Of the 100,000 lesser mortals of Cowlitz County I ask, Have you ever been called an idiot by Rush Limbaugh?

The Daily News of May 11 states that “Waterboard” Cheney wants Limbaugh, not Colin Powell, as spokesman of the Republican Party.

During the last 30 years, Republicans have given us the stolen elections of 1980 and 2000, Iraq, deregulation, recession, the New Orleans mess, faith-based sex miseducation and the Clinton impeachment.

Excepting for a few evil genius types like Cheney, there are few genuinely intelligent leaders in the national Republican Party. Powell is one of them.

Why do Republicans want to purge their party of all intelligence?

L.S. Wagle

Longview

Our heritage

“We do not consider ourselves a Christian nation ….” These were words spoken by President Obama during a recent speech in Turkey. How can our president deny this country’s Judeo-Christian heritage — something our Founding Fathers worked so hard to protect? How can he turn a blind eye to what our nation was built upon, and what so many servicemen and women have given their lives to defend?

We cannot let our leaders rewrite our history and strip America of its religious past. The American Center for Law & Justice is strongly backing House Resolution 397, “America’s Spiritual Heritage Resolution,” just introduced by members of the Congressional Prayer Caucus and led by Congressman Forbes. It’s dedicated to recognizing and “affirming the rich spiritual and religious history of our nation’s founding.” It refutes the statement made by the president and supports the designation of the first week in May as “America’s Spiritual Heritage Week” for the appreciation of and education on America’s history of religious faith.

Stand with the ACLJ in this fight! Add your name to our nationwide campaign by signing our online Petition to Support America’s Spiritual Heritage Resolution to your senators and representative in Washington, D.C.

Elaine Sheldon

Longview

The dreaded season

It’s almost here, that season of the year when we celebrate our nation’s birth and our most cherished treasure, freedom. Now you may question my use of season to describe this period of happy extravagance around July 4, but this thing has to be a season because it starts in mid June and runs through most of the month of July.

Weeks of boom, screech and whee all producing in abundance terrified beloved pets, fears of one’s home being burnt by errant illegal missiles and explosions loud enough to wake us from blessed slumber. The occasional burnt face or missing finger of a slightly tipsy or too brave a miscreant bothers me not; that’s just deserts.

Yes sir, I am talking about fireworks, and before you think I’m opposed to this beloved tradition, I’m not. I like this truly American revelry, plus I applaud the organizations who sell fireworks and put the proceeds to good use in the community. My complaint is this: Why can’t we limit the fun to a respectful period, say June 30 through July 5? Why can’t we enforce our laws pertaining to illegal devices by making the fines so stiff they will represent true consequence? Use fireworks before or after the permitted dates and spend a weekend or two picking up liter or painting over graffiti in a orange jumpsuit.

Celebrate for certain, but keep the period limited and truly sane.

Jim Hill

Kelso

Outstanding columnists

I thank the Daily News for featuring the columns of Marianne Binetti and Debra J. Saunders. In her column, “The Compleat Home Gardner,” Binetti provides down-to-earth advice about how to handle lawn and garden problems with humor and practical, low cost, and environmentally sound solutions. She’ll even answer the reader personally if he/she provides her with a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

Saunders, though I don’t always agree with her, can cut through the political crap better than any political commentator I know. She is honest, forthright and always bases her conclusions on facts.

Please keep running these columnists. They’re among the best.

John M. McClelland

Longview