Letters to the Editor

Who’s to blame for today’s woes?

To the Editor:

I’ve been trying to figure out who’s responsible for today’s troubles.

Apparently it’s the fault of the Democrats, the Catholics, the Council on Foreign Relations, blacks, Mexicans, the Illuminati, the Freemasons, the Federal Reserve Board, the Paladians, the Reptilians, the Baptists, the abortionists, the homosexuals, left-handed people, not to mention Elvis, which of course leads to Timothy Leary and to Charles Manson. Don’t forget the Mormons. They’re a cult. You know they are.

Don’t believe me? Just place your nose in the posterior of talk radio.

I still remember the summer afternoon, a Saturday, maybe 40 years ago, when I asked my best friend returning from his Catechism class what he was told. He said, “You’re going to hell because you’re not a Catholic.” (Unless they had a priest who was “going rogue,” apparently that was the teaching of the Catholic Church).

Now that was a conversation stopper. I can still see him walking up the street with his head down and his hands in his pockets. I don’t know how we got over it, but we did. But why do I remember it? Was he right?

Jack H. Mueller, Chamberlain

Deeply offended by health-care talk

To the Editor:

Am I the only one in this state who is deeply offended by our Sen. Tim Johnson’s blind-follow-Obama’s herd vote for the tyrannical health care amendment that will force us to use our tax dollars to pay for abortion on demand at any time for any reason? Am I the only one who is sickened by our senator’s vote to provide tax-funded health care for illegal aliens? Am I the only one to doubt the ability of government to be more efficient at running business than the free enterprise private sector? Do I represent a silent complacent unconcerned minority, or is there someone reading this who is upset enough to do something?

Doesn’t anybody see that free health care is an invitation to flood the medical infrastructure with government-created hypochondriacs? Does anyone accept the logic that this will create unlimited demand for limited finances? Does it make sense that government-provided health care will develop the thinking process that says, “If I am paying for it with my tax dollars shouldn’t I use it all I want whenever I want for whatever I want?” Doesn’t it appear that we are creating a system that has no choice but to ration care, deny care, and create death-panels?

Is this slobber-down-your-shirt, praise-Obama drivel some kind of mandate to propel Congress toward a foregone conclusion to force us into government-run health care at any cost? Are you willing to accept a multi-layered-socialistic bureaucracy-managed health care system? One vote from Tim Johnson could stop this disaster. If Johnson can hear anything any longer (reasonable question), then he needs to hear your outrage against forcing us to pay for abortions and free health care for illegal aliens.

Every day I hear outrage about what Congress is doing. Today is the time to quit wringing your hands and tuning off the news in depressed resignation because you feel you can’t do anything to stop the communizing of America. Senator Johnson can put the brakes on this insanity. His lone vote could kill the monster. If you like Tim Johnson’s blind acceptance of Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and Obama’s attempt to make the USA into USSA, then do nothing. If you don’t want blood of the “culture-of-death” on your hands, please contact him and ask him to vote against government health care.

David Eitemiller, Mitchell

Plan ahead this holiday season

To the Editor:

“Act Civilized, Call a Designated Driver,” is the message from Dakota Counseling this holiday season as the agency joins with the Department of Highway Safety and the Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse for drunken driving public awareness campaign this holiday season. The message is clear. The message is simple. There are a lot of ways to be responsible when you drink. But only one is downright civilized — using a designated driver.

Dakota Counseling encourages people to drive safely this holiday season and reminds everyone that impaired driving is a deadly crime that we cannot afford to overlook in our community. The greatest tragedy is that deaths due to alcohol-related crashes are preventable — these are not accidents.

Last year in South Dakota alcohol was involved in 41 percent of all fatal crashes. Forty-eight people lost their lives in alcohol-related crashes. Plan ahead before celebrating the holidays. Whether you’ve had way too many or just one too many, driving even slightly impaired is a crime and not worth the risk.

Jen Ross, Stepping Stones, Mitchell

Remember to use designated driver

To the Editor:

December is national 3D Month: Drunk and Drugged Driving Awareness Month.

With this busy time of year filled with social events and Christmas parties and alcohol being served at many events, we would like to remind everyone to get a designated driver. The financial and social costs of a DUI are not the way anyone wants to remember the Christmas season. Nor does anyone want to have their name printed in the paper for using poor judgment.

So during this Christmas season, remember to use a designated driver. Also, if you cannot find a designated driver, use one of the local services such as Becky’s Vans, EZ Ride or Palace Transit. These services are less expensive than the cost of a DUI and far safer for everyone.

Caleb Walters, State Trooper, Mitchell

What is motive of Herseth Sandlin?

To the Editor:

Prior to the U.S. House vote on the health care bill, Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., introduced a good pro-life amendment that would prohibit government funding of elective abortion through the proposed government run health-care scheme.

Staying true to her pro-abortion voting record, Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin opposed this good amendment.

A recent CNN poll showed that 61 percent of Americans oppose using public funds for abortions. Also, 51 percent said women seeking abortions should be the ones to pay for them. Clearly, taxpayers oppose subsidizing elective abortions.

Abortion is not health care. Neither is abortion “preventative care” as Sen. Mikulski, D-Md., defined it.

All this makes me wonder whether Herseth Sandlin knew that this government-run health care bill would pass without her support, and that she could save her hide back home by voting against it. But she couldn’t risk losing her financial good graces from the pro-abortion Emily’s List, the group that bundles donations and gives them to Democrat women who vow to vote only pro abortion.

Norma Beaner, Miller

Tags: our towns, letters to the editor, blame for todays woes, jack mueller, health care reform, david eitemiller, drunken driving, jen ross, stepping stones, designated driver, caleb walters, stephanie herseth sandlin, norma beaner, opinion, chamberlain, abortion, miller