Letters from our Readers - July 2004

Congrats to Mayor Metcalf

I want to congratulate our new Mayor, Tommy Metcalf, for being a leader who can think outside the box by not accepting the attitude: “The way it’s always been done.” Mayor Metcalf has chosen to run our city from outside the box by confronting problems head on and improving our city to the “miracle” status, where it should have been many years before. Unlike his predecessor, Mayor Metcalf does not hesitate to make it known to the public about the problems within our city regarding drugs, prostitution, illegal immigrants, etc. Instead of hiding those problems “under the rug,” he has chosen to work with our police chief, Charlie Ray, and the community as a whole to bring new ideas, information and action to our city, making the way to creating our new “miracle city.”
I challenge all of us, as citizens of Conroe, to work outside the box, to shed the useless conformity to tradition and work with our new Mayor to seek ways to conquer these challenges he has taken on. That way lies the future and the future is where we must be if we are to be the new miracle city.
Mayor Metcalf, I congratulate you on a job well done. Keep up the good work.

Tommy Burrow
Conroe, TX

Bush & Cheney v. 9/11 Commission

Despite that Bush and Cheney say otherwise, the 9/11 Commission leaders found no hard evidence linking 9/11 and Iraq, but Bush arranged for transport of the Saudi royals and the bin Laden family members out of the U.S. following 9/11. Then, after Kerry said he would get international support to contain and end the war in Iraq, Bush photos with His Holiness, Pope John Paul II and European leaders reflect their diplomacy, not accord. They are against the war in Iraq and the prisoner torture/murders. Further, Iraqi Prime Minister Allawi, per Time magazine, has CIA ties, and the new Iraqi governing council Bush appointed claims Iraqis require a continued U.S. presence. Installing a council while keeping 135,000 troops and military control in Iraq is cosmetic change. Sen. Biden reported that 82% of Iraqis want the U.S. [military and civilians involved in reconstruction] out of Iraq. To remain in Iraq in response to a plea by a Bush appointed Iraqi leader is a prescription for carnage. Bush has stated the U.S. will be out by 2006, but he has forced the extended indefinite stay of the U.S. military personnel in Iraq since then. Please also consider that the prolonging of the Vietnam War allowed for $220 billion in war profits, equal to $1 trillion today. That war likely never ended until U.S. citizens realized that 58,000 Americans died, with no end of that profitable war in sight, despite presidential statements otherwise, and protested in numbers large enough to determine election outcomes. Former Sec. of Defense Robert McNamara stated that the U.S. killed 3,400,000 Vietnamese, [an act of genocide in a country that small, with millions more wounded on both sides]. Similarly, as long as U.S. citizens accept Allawi requesting a prolonged, unwanted U.S. presence followed by Bush forcing indefinitely extended tours of duty in Iraq, then the astronomical outpouring of lives and revenues, skyrocketing profiteering in extended warfare, and vast oil and reconstruction profits in Iraq also has no end in sight, despite presidential statements otherwise.

H. Coyne

Legalize Marijuana

Iraq is not the only war that the republicans and democrats were wrong in waging. Another war that they failed miserably at is the war on drugs. Non-violent marijuana users have been locked up and harassed for no good reason.
Marijuana should be legal to grow, buy, sale, and posses by adults who do so responsibly. Laws should be written to appropriately punish people who endanger other persons (e.g. driving under the influence of marijuana).
As a write-in candidate for the office of President of the United States of America in 2004, I promise to work aggressively to restore to the individual states the right to make their own decisions on marijuana use and possession. Furthermore, I will fully pardon all federal marijuana convictions. It is the position of my campaign that a blunt a day should be ok.

Charles Henry Schoonover
2004 Write-in candidate for President

How the Legal System can Allow Children to Lie 

My future husband is looking at 2 to 10 yrs in prison for family vilonce and assault which he did not do the night he was arrested he was correcting his daughter who he has raised himself for 12yrs of her life while her mother was running around in and out of state with other men now she has the child and has been helping to munipulate the system the child already has behavior problems and is aggressive in her behavior now do to the childs action that night and lies stating that her father has slapt her he is now facing 2 to 10yrs in prison.this is a man that will not spank his kid no matter what, if anyone in his family was to he would get extremly upset this child has assaulted members of her family who are disable and no one wants to here the truth it is sad how the legal system can just be blinded by lies.and this man has been harressed by th police officer that arrestted him that night .the officers report is nothing but lies there was another witness that night that the officer did not talk to or nothing and this is the same officer iwent to many times to ask what can we do about her action.we now find out that the cop is related some how to the mothers boyfriend.and that the boyfriend is from this town.moving is a solution but it does nothing for him spending time for somthing he never did when is the legal system going to start being more strict on kidswho lie.when is the legal system going to start looking more into the accused.i can feel my fiances pain i lost my kids a year ago to lies and to money the legal system don't want to here the truth they want mothers to stay home and be on welfare and don't want to help men who are being fathers. 
this world has gone to hell our children live for no morales no respect no nothing why because of the other parents like my step daughters mother.thats why we have so many kids on drugs and in gangs. 

Name Withheld
Willis, TX

Keep John Kerry Out

Probable Democrat presidential candidate Senator John F. Kerry apparently bases his yet to be fully explained Iraq policy on giving NATO command of the military aspect of the operation, and the UN responsibility for “nation building.” His desire to farm out this burden, which would undoubtedly involve reconstruction contracts, is deeply flawed.
President Bush’s plan, as outlined in his May 24th speech, appears limited to near term military assistance, and building a political base. So, who would benefit from Kerry’s power-sharing plan for Iraq? France, for one.
France opposed US action in Iraq, and is a voting NATO member, even though it provides no forces to NATO. Further, France proposes a European Union military corps that would require drawing down NATO-dedicated military forces.
Saddam’s weapons debt to France was $8 billion, and Iraq historically received France’s support for its nuclear projects. France’s president, Jacques Chirac, oversaw Iraq’s original nuclear plant contract. France was also up to its ears in the UN OIl-for-Food debacle, administered by a French bank--a $100 billion slush fund used to payoff politicians and “journalists” to influence policy and public opinion. Finally, as described
in Kenneth Timmerman’s book “How the French Betrayed the US,” France had promised to join the US against Iraq, but reneged at the last minute after Saddam offered France proprietary development of Iraqi oil resources--a bribe worth billions. Germany, another NATO member who would be asked by Kerry to station military forces in Iraq, was doubling for France in the UN, mindful of the $4.3 billion in debt it held from Saddam.
According to the publication Human Events, Russia, who had military advisers in Iraq up to the time the US liberation was launched, is the largest of Saddam’s debtors, holding $9 billion in IOUs. Each nation worked to block UN action against Saddam, and would have received extensive Iraqi contracts once the UN trade sanctions had been lifted.
Meanwhile, the criminal activity in the UN Oil -for-Food program is slowly becoming public. Former treasury secretary Paul Volker will investigate, and congressional hearings are taking place. Unfortunately, the US state department, and candidate Kerry, believe that the UN den of thieves provides “legitimacy” to nation building.
Oil-for-Food was authorized in 1995, for “equitable distribution of humanitarian relief.” Saddam was permitted to sell oil to earn funds for food, medicine, and social services. Instead, as William Safire reports in the June 14th New York Times, the money went for Mercedes-Benz autos, construction of palaces, and French perfume. Records from Saddam’s regime between 1996 and 2003 now implicate about 270 officials and “journalists” worldwide, many in the forefront of opposing the US liberation, according to the May 3rd Washington Times. High UN officials are implicated in the extensive plot to skim over $10 billion from funds that were supposedly for humanitarian aid. While the UN was legally getting $1billion in fees up front from the program, apologists for Saddam were telling the public that it was US/UN sanctions that kept humanitarian aid from reaching the Iraqi people. UN chief Kofi Annan’s son is involved, as a consultant for a Swiss-based corporation that won the UN contract for inspection of Oil-for-Food shipments. The food was often inedible, but the payoffs continued, while Iraqi children went unattended in hospitals and others starved. According to reports by Claudia Rosett on May 5th and 19th in the Wall Street Journal, the UN is now attempting a cover up, with internal reports to go directly to Annan--not the public. Monies that were not siphoned off by UN officials and contractors were kicked back to Saddam to pay for weapons from France, Germany, Russia and China--the very states that Kerry plans to reward with Iraq contracts. These same states may have also bought $10 billion in black market oil from Saddam in contravention of UN sanctions. Old Europe shared Saddam’s goal of building socialism over the bodies of the Iraqi people.
Keep the UN and old Europe out of Iraq by keeping John F. Kerry out of the White House.

William Fielder 
Peachtree City, GA

Cheney's Foul Mouth & Republican Values

Cheney's use of the nasty F-word (see http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/062604J.shtml) reflects some very deep problems in the values systems of many national leaders in the Republican Party. This value system problems was demonstrated this week regarding the sex scandal swirling around Illinois Republican Senate candidate Jack Ryan before his resignation.
Cheney used an obscenity toward Senator Patrick Leahy publicly in the U.S. Senate. Leahy has been very critical toward Haliburton's war profiteering in Iraq and the White House role in steering “no-bid” contracts to this company that Cheney headed just before assuming the Vice Presidency. 
Cheney's tenure as head of Haliburton was marred by many serious allegations including accounting irregularities similar to Enron's, foreign Haliburton entities trading with Saddam Hussein in violation of the UN embargo and paying hundreds of millions in bribes to Nigerian officials to secure contracts in violation of US law. Despite this litany of wrong-doing, Haliburton has been growing very fat on our tax dollars under the Bush Administration. Largely based on “no-bid” Iraqi War contracts awarded by the Bush Administration (often with the close coordination of the Vice President's Office), Haliburton has risen rapidly among the ranks of defense contractors. Before Bush, they were reported to rank 37th in receiving US tax dollars spent on defense. Now, they rank 7th!
For Cheney to use the F-word publicly in the Senate over Leahy's criticisms regarding Haliburton, he should have been asked to resign as Vice President. Instead, the Associated Press reported in two different stories that George W. Bush thinks it is not an issue and the Republican Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee is refusing to criticize Cheney for his obscene language. Cheney has refused to even apologize. In fact, he has publicly stated that he “felt better” after using the obscene word. Right wing talk radio has been militant in defending this obscene language. If Al Gore had used such language while Clinton was in office, they would have been trying to impeach him!
The Republicans claim to support “family values” and Christian ideas look insincere based on this case and that of Jack Ryan in Illinois. Ryan, based on court papers arising from his divorce, pressured his former wife to publicly have sex with him in sex clubs. He was running for office as a “family values” Bush Republican when these incidents became public (see http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-ryan22.html).  
Republican leaders like Senator Rick Santorium of Pennsylvania strongly defended Ryan even after all the scandalous details were publicly reported. Santorium has based his entire political career on being a “family values”
Bush Republican. He has been scathing in his attacks on former President Clinton regarding Clinton's private sexual misconduct.
These are not isolated incidents. Anyone searching the Internet and visiting sites like www.OpedNews.com, www.Buzzflash.com,  www.Truthout.org, www.Democrats.com  or any of the hundreds of non-Corporate Media news sources available there can find hundreds of other examples of Republican leaders making a mockery of “family values” or Christian beliefs. Examples of these behaviors being criticized or condemned by Bush Republican leaders are extremely rare to non-existent. How sincere can the public expressions of these Republican leaders be if they do not match private behaviors and are not condemned when Republicans engage in them?

Stephen Crockett& Al Lawrence
Hosts of Democratic Talk Radio 
www.DemocraticTalkRadio.com

Response to “Commune on Over”

In response to “Commune on Over” by Ricky Roehr in the June 25th issue of The Bulletin, I would like to say that the only recorse the Catholic Church or any other Christian church has to politicians who favor abortion or sodomite unions of same sex couples is excommunication. The sad thing is that it is done more often. The apostasy has already occured by the person supporting child killing and immorality. Christianity is already politicized. When these activities are made legal by criminals in government.
The Catholic Church is only doing what it has done since it was founded by Jesus in 33 AD. Abortion supporters and sodomites are betrayers of God and are in total rebellion against him. It sounds like that goes for these Raelians too.

Jim Doyle
Republican Pct. 56 Chairman

Thank you Friendship Center

I am an elderly woman whose life has been limited by health and back problems. My doctor has advised me to limit the work I do around the house. I am a life member of the VFW Post 4709 in Conore and a past member of the American Legion. Both of whom are aware of my situation but have never offered assistance to me, whatsoever.
However, in my dire need of assistance, Jo Ann, from the Friendship Center, heard about my health situation and took the time to visit with me at my home to offer light house cleaning. Every other week, the Friendship Center sends a housekeeper to help me keep my home tidy.
Prior to Jo Ann’s visit, several mailboxes had been vandalized, mine included. Although I had heard of new mailboxes being installed for other Dugan residents in need, I received none. Within that time, I had received a letter from the Post Office notifying me to fix me mailbox and to reinstall the address numbers or I wouldn’t receive my mail. I tried to fix my mailbox the best I could.
During Jo Ann’s visit, she noticed my mailbox had been vandalized. The next day, she and her husband installed a NEW mailbox with the proper address numbers affixed. Once again, the Friendship Center came to my aid. They did a wonderful job installing the NEW mailbox. I would like to extend my deepest appreciation to and thank the Friendship Center for the help they have given me. I especially would like to thank Jo Ann and her husband from the Friendship Center for their kindness and their continued assistance.
The Friendship Center is a great community service organization to continue either through donations or volunteering. They are there to not only help the Senior Citizens of the community but also to provide assistance to those in need. The Friendship Center will be there for you.
Thank you, Friendship Center, for being there for me.

Viola Burrow
Conroe, TX

A Plea For Help

Dear Mr. Morrison and/or Patient/Family Coordinator:
Seeking flight Friday afternoon/evening -- July 2, 2004 from Baltimore, MD to Little Rock, Arkansas. (3 Passengers)
I am traveling with my 15 year old son and his 11 year old brother while seeking treatment for the oldest boy's pediatric astrocytoma brain tumor. The two boys are best friends and have a strong bond that is critical to the continued upbeat attitude which both siblings continue to keep during this journey in their life. Their father joins us when he can, but at this phase of our travels and treatment, it is the three of us whom I am seeking transportation.
Alexander (4/15/89) is fully ambulatory, needs no special medical care during travel and is a highly intellegent fifteen year old sophomore in high school. Spencer (1/12/93), his brother if necessary, is fully capable of providing any assistance either of us need with our minimal luggage and paperwork I carry. Therefore, our needs ar minamilistic for any corporation willing to share three empty seats on a plan for our journey across country to seek medical treatment. Our total physical weight/load is approx. 400 lbs -- including luggage.
We do not know where we will have surgery or follow-up treatment (radiation, chemo, therapy, etc -- if and/when required). Yet, we must make this decision very soon. For this reason we are traveling to meet with neurosurgeons to seek their expert opinions on our options. 
The financial, emotional and physical demands that will be (are being) made on our family are unquestionably, and understandably extreme. Therefore, your assistance in providing this service to our family would be greatly appreciated as we continue to work diligently to find the best treatment for our son.
We live in Springfield, Illinois, but often use Conway, Arkansas as a base where the children's grandfather lives. This is close to Little Rock and only 2.5 hours by car from Memphis. We can also travel from St. Louis, MO or Bloomington, IL when we are in Springfield.
My sons and I are leaving at 7:00 a.m., Wednesday June 30, 2004 on a corporate plane from Little Rock, Arkansas for an appointment at Johns Hopkins. This flight does not have room for us to return after our scheduled consultations. Therefore, we have made arrangements to wait until July 2 while seeking a flight back to Little Rock, Arkansas from Baltimore, MD. My husband, Jim Chipman, is going to attempt to help in coordinating this for us, as I will be with my two sons and the doctors. Please e-mail us if you think you may be able to be of assistance and/or what other information you need prior to being able to help coordinate our travel arrangements now and/or in the future.
Best regards -- God Bless.

Stephanie
Sent to: James Morrison
President and chief pilot
www.giftoflifeair.org  
giftoflifeair@yahoo.com 

This was how he had to reply:

Dear Ms. Chipman
It is with great sadness in my heart than I have to write you this letter, but due to lack of funding and the lack of people who care we have had to suspend flight operations. 
Although we have applied for numerous grants, sent thousands of letters and have pled with newspapers, TV and Radio Stations for help it has all seemed to fall on deaf ears to date we have been unable to raise even enough money to pay the expenses on just one flight. Even the hospitals and Doctors we have supplied service to have refused to help with any funding, 
We are the only service in the US that provides long range and full air ambulance service in cabin class aircraft. But we seem to be looked at as either unimportant or unnecessary, no one has lifted a finger to help us in our mission.
Without funding we cannot pay our pilots, nurses, maintain or fuel our aircraft.
I have personally funded all flights that we have made in the last 2 years and am financially unable to do so any longer.
It is my hope that we can correct this problem in the near future and resume our much needed service, but for now the prospects are dim.

Sincerely,
James Morrison

Bigfoot Is Back

Thanks for the great write-up. :) 
You did a much better job than that hack at the Chronicle. 

Kriss Stephens 
Email

Volunteers Needed

The Friendship Center is in desperate need of Meals on Wheels volunteers (permanent and substitute) in the Conroe and The Woodlands areas. The recipients of Meals on Wheels are over 60 years old and/or have physical impairments that require them to stay at home. 
Volunteers will pick up a certain number of hot and/or frozen meals from one of The Friendship Center locations (six locations in all) at 10:30 am Monday through Friday. Volunteers can be individuals or corporate groups that volunteer their time to deliver these dinners to a variety of routes throughout the county. For more information about Meals on Wheels or to volunteer for one of the routes, please call Susan Bond at 281-292-6353, ext. 2. 
For more than 30 years, The Friendship Center has provided a variety of programs and services that have helped to meet the physical, social, and emotional needs of thousands of seniors, age 60 and over. Seniors enjoy entertainment, meals and fellowship at several centers, hot meals delivered to their homes, help with household chores, and access to safe and reliable transportation, outings, and more. The Friendship Center is an organization for seniors to turn to for help with practically any problem.

Beverly Haak
Conroe Texas

The Dilemma

I have a long and painful story that I hope to find someone who will listen. I am only a single voice. I went through the most horrific time in my life, getting involved with a drug addict, and it almost destroyed me.
I will try and make a brief history of the dilemma that I now find myself in. I was involved with alcohol all my life, and got mixed up with a major drug addict and alcoholic. For three years I endured every wrong thing that a woman could do to a man. I finally ended up in jail on a charge of assault, because she said, I assaulted her. There was no visible evidence of such an act, and was taken to jail just because I was accused of the offense, just on this woman’s word. I was highly intoxicated at the time of the arrest in a hotel room. My wife, and I say that word lightly had been missing for two days. 
Some one knocked on my door at 7:30 that morning while I was drinking and watching TV, I was also prescribed anti depression medication, that I was taking, because by this time I was losing the battle. I answered the door and two police officers were standing in the doorway. One officer asked me what was the problem, and I replied, “nothing as far as I know”. The officer asked his partner to remain with me while he went to another room to ask some questions. About five min. later the officer returned. I was told to turn around, that I was under arrest. I asked him “ why!” He said I was being arrested for assaulting my wife. I asked for evidence to support this allegation but was told to shut up. I was placed in the police car and was taken to jail. I was left alone in a row of chairs, not handcuffed, no one around. I was left unattended and not in the right state of mind. I heard “ one coming out”. I thought they were releasing me. They unlocked the doors. 
I walked out of the Hunt County, TX. Jail. I walked home. About an hour later the police came and rearrested me. I spent 123 days in jail before finally being offered 7 yrs. Probation on a charge of escape, and a $50.00 fine and time served on the original charge of assault. I was release. At present I have not been able to get a decent job. I have been offered jobs in excess of $18.00 an Hr. until they see the felony conviction. They don’t ask why or how. I have gotten more punishment than a rapist or a drug trafficker, which that’s what they believe I am. I have since quit drinking, and have tried to better my life as much as I can. I have many facts to tell regarding the details of my story. I basically walked out two doors while they were being unlocked an opened by the guard in charge and now am being treated no better than a drug trafficker. Since this incident I’ve been forced to move to Addison to hide from further accusations from this woman. I feel this injustice everyday. I have been blacklisted from decent jobs; I am unable to be employed. 
The government that was put into place to protect me has hurt me the most. I can’t explain the shame and disappointments I face everyday. This is cruel and inhumane punishment. I take responsibility for my actions, but to be black listed from decent employment is just too much. How can I be a productive part of society if I can’t work? Am I doomed to work day labor and donate blood for the rest of my life, because I walked out two doors? I did not understand the consequences or the suffering this would cause me in my future. In 1961 President Dwight D. Eisenhower warned us that the greatest challenge to our freedom would come from a combination of military contractors and the Pentagon, which he labeled “ The Military Industrial Complex”. Are we now entering Eisenhower’s Nightmare? This Country was based on second chances, has the government taken that away to. I believe the background checks started escalating after 9/11. I also this is somehow created by the bush administration, he’s got a past record. They hired him.
My Problem is I have to deal with people that have been given a strict policy to follow from CEO’s or Plant Managers of companies. I take responsibility for my action, but ask yourself, did I deserve to get seven yrs. For walking out two doors. I try to explain the hell I went through with this woman that I allowed her to do what she did to me. She stole my truck last year, got it awarded to her in our divorce and it’s registered in my mother’s name. At present she still has possession of the truck, and the law refuses to allow us to get the truck back. This is just one story out of hundreds. Maybe I should just become a crack smoker, because it destroyed me, from just being around the people that smoked it. Trying to get Employed I’m gradually being forced to lie. If it’s in your heart, PLEASE SOMEONE LISTEN AND HELP ME!

Loren E. Nau
E-mail

Tell Me Who!

Who wrote this piece of trash? Don't they have the courage to put a name with the story?

Name Withheld

Fat And Lazy

Yes that does not surprise me that Conroe fire department, did not fill out the paper work to get the extra money to fight terrorism, 
If you notice that fire department car that drives around Conroe and always on the road but never going no were in particular And they could have used a truck as fat as this guy is if he got in a minor accident they would have to use the jaws of life to get him out ,because the tilt wheel has to go all the way up and the door open to the fullest. They have time to fill out paper work if it is just what paper work they want to. If it would benefit them individually. But what do I know I am just a citizen of Montgomery county Texas 

J.W.Hutchins

POW! BAM! 

The democrats now have their team, its Batman and Robin (Hollywood loves them, and their hair is perfect). This team aka Kerry/Edwards superhero team or super liberal team will take us, ZOOM, into a new progressive europeanized amerika.
When this happens, the French lead by Two-Face Chirac, the Russians commanded by the Penguin Putin, and the Germans Joker Schroeder will immediately, WHOOSH, develop integrity. Osama, the Riddler, will turn himself in, because he heard Batman was in Viet Nam for almost four whole months. All terrorists in the world will quake and cower in fear of these two multi-millionaire superegos, I mean superficials, I mean superheroes. Just the threat of a personal appearance of the spandex clad dynamic duo and BOOM, Iran and N. Korea will have apologized for their intransigence and capitulated.
When Al Qaeda first learned of the legalistic prowess of Robin it examined its pecuniary culpability and disbanded. BAM.
This progressive (liberal) amerika will be a place where the sky is the limit. It will be a positive place where if you can’t marry a super rich woman, a poor boy can still sue his way to super riches. After all we are all sniveling victims just a class action suit away from limitless wealth.
You thought this was the jobs, jobs, jobs, team. Think again. Who are the new amerikans going to work for? You don’t have to work in this new amerika, just PIP, take the money from the rich and the evil corporations.
Robin will see to it that when you see your Doctor, POW, there will be an attorney present. Batman will see to it that you never have to take less than two sides of any argument; he learned this from “the Zipper”
In the progressive amerika you can only go to war if Europe says its ok, after all Europe has a superior morality, if you, POOF, overlook the Holocaust. In the new amerika you don’t have to pay for war if you don’t want to. 
One thing you know for sure about this dynamic dream team is they are very comfortable taking half of your hard earned money, just ask Catwoman Hillary.

Theodore Pierce
The Woodlands

Be Happy

Politics are for people that read and watch the news and stuff. When I wake up and take a huge dump, the last thing I want to hear about is the Republican Leadership Council, some dumb ass frumpy singer songwriter, or what civil liberty is being threatened by our homophobic, ultra conservative redneck leadership figures.
Why don’t you write about flowers, sexual oddballs, Chinese restaurants, your favorite soda pop, or perhaps make light of the fact that its too damn hot in Conroe and that the heat is slowly making people become retarded? 
I’ve got no problem with hippies, but you guys must be some sappy ass hardcore Conroe hippies. That’s cool though. Just shut up every once in a while and try to write something amusing. All this serious crap is so boring. What happened to the article about Christmas? That one was dark and sarcastic, totally funny, and absolutely inspired. Wake up!!!! Make me smile. Clearly I’m harassing you at this point, but hey, everybody deserves to have a little fun. You guys must be sad or something. Be happy, goddamit.

Phil Mifichina

The Tax Man

Many complain about the local appraisal districts and review boards. As long as we are required to protest our taxes every year and individual by individual, we have difficulty in getting anything changed. The "divide and conquer" rule still holds and after year after year of fighting, it's frequently easier just to give up. 
The Appraisal Boards are appointed by the taxing entities who say they have no control over them. This system is putting the fox in the hen house to guard the hens. As long as the fox knows just how many hens to take without upsetting the local apple cart, he's living high! It has to be changed! 
If we band together at the grass roots level, we can make our voices heard loud and clear. Please look at the Petition that has been posted at www.propertytaxrevolt.com and, if you agree with the sentiments expressed, sign it. Together we can make a difference. 
Apathy will eventually take away all our freedoms far more effectively than any foreign government or terrorist can do! 

Dorothy Landoll
Bastrop, TX

Freedom Comes from God

Mr Harry Turley, like the secular humanists' legal arm the ACLU, wants to
do away with the public acknowledgement of God in America (letters July 8, 2004). But God is the source of freedom in America, and God has always been acknowledged as fact in American life, and in American institutions. God is indeed a fact through the clear evidence of the complex creation all around us. 
In his letter Mr Turley tried to denigrate the Bible by saying that the God of the Old Testament was mean and a killer of innocents. I would like to say to Mr Turley that, by definition, God "brought us into the world", so He has the right to "take us out" also - (in the words of Bill Cosby's comedy
routine). It is by His mercy that we breathe anew every day. 
The Bible says that God created certain beings as free moral agents, i.e., with free will, and that mankind followed Satan in sin against God. Thus we have the fact of evil and suffering in the world, arising out of the
actions and will of the free agents God created, not from any act of God. As the author and sustainer of all that is good, God must judge sin. His wonderful solution to the problem of evil reveals His perfect justice and perfect love, as God judges sinful man and reconciles us to Himself through
Jesus Christ on the cross, freely offered to us all who are free to accept or reject Him.
That God respects us enough to have made us free is the basis for American
Democracy. Our rights under American Freedom are not under man, but under
God. The Declaration of Independence is clear: "we are endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
What a small atheist minority want through the promotion of secularism, is
for the United States of America to become a defacto atheist state like the old Soviet Union. If that were the case, then, like the Soviet Union, our rights would no longer be God-given but would only be as stable as the whims of the current rulers of the day. And true freedom would ultimately be
crushed.

Mark Cadwallader
Conroe, TX

Impeach Phyllis Hamilton

In my personal capacity, I write to make this respectful request. Over the past 18 months, arrogant, power-crazed federal judges have done the following: In October of 2002, the U.S. Supreme Court, overturning its own previous decision, ruled that the Constitution guaranteed homosexuals the right to commit sex acts that have been defined as unnatural and unlawful by centuries of legal precedent.
In February of 2003, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, with jurisdiction over nine states, gave children 10 days to stop saying the pledge of allegiance to the flag. Why? Because the pledge dares to mentions God.
And, in June of 2004, a San Francisco federal judge, Phyllis Hamilton, ruled that the outlawing of partial birth abortion is somehow "unconstitutional." As you are aware, this procedure involves the following:
The abortionist uses ultrasound and forceps to clamp down on the leg of, say, a nine-month-old baby - fully developed, ready to be born.
The abortionist pulls the leg, then the entire body out of the birth canal, leaving the head inside.
The abortionist jams scissors into the baby’s head. The baby feels the same intense pain that federal judge would feel if someone stabbed her in the head with a pair of scissors.
Then the abortionist uses a vacuum to suck out the baby’s brains, as the little skull collapses. 
It's now been over a month since federal judge Phyllis Hamilton issued her ruling preventing the ban on partial-birth abortion from going into effect despite the fact that it was supported by 84% of the American people, almost two-thirds of the U.S. Senate (64-34), over two-thirds of the House (282-139), and the President.
There are only 435 Americans who can directly confront this judicial abuse, and you, Congressman - by virtue of Article I, Section 2 - are among that number. How long will Congress stand by and allow judges to usurp the role of the legislature? How long are we supposed to remain passively compliant while federal courts arbitrarily change the morals of our great nation? In the past, judges have been impeached for “arbitrary and oppressive conduct” and “misuses of power.” I urge you to impeach and convict Judge Hamilton on the same grounds. She has arbitrarily imposed her will on the vast majority of the people and kept the abortion mills open for their grisly business - which still includes sucking the brains out of nine-month-old unborn babies.
In the name of representative government and humanity itself, please initiate impeachment proceedings against this butcher -of-the-bench now! It's been said that the cruelest lies are often told by silence. By not so acting, Congress sends an unmistakable message that this judge's decision is not a breach of her "good behavior" requirement for holding office under Article III, Section 1. Though you will no doubt be criticized, my sense is that most Americans would reward such courage and statesmanship. 

Judge Darrell White (Retired)
Baton Rouge, LA

More Schoonover

Regarding "Legalize Marijuana" (July 9): We need more people like Mr. Schoonover to run for political office. If marijuana were legal, the way it used to be, the war on drugs may not look like such a joke as it does with drugs like cocaine running rampant throughout the entire country. 
We could learn more about the health benefits and healing properties of this 5,000 year old medicinal remedy. We could save trees, farmers, and make our own fuel. Industries and new technology would flourish, and we would all benefit. 
Drug dealers would take a big loss, while we focused our saved resources on decreasing the flow of hard drugs and maybe even put a dent in the hideous ongoing and growing crack epidemic. 
This market wouldn't sell to kids, unless the product came in the form of T-shirts or tennis shoes. 
No longer would a person be imprisoned for enjoying a beautiful plant that enriched human life for centuries before our first law was written. Justice would be served. 
Marijuana was not meant to be illegal. For goodness sake, it's even nutritional. Learn the facts, register to vote and run for office. Help make our world a better place. 
Good luck to Mr. Schoonover. Thank you for doing what needs to be done to make what's wrong, right. 

Sandy Cote 
Toledo, OH

End the Witch Hunt

If cannabis were legal for responsible adults the use of harder drugs and most likely alcohol would go DOWN. This has been proven in areas where cannabis is legally regulated or decriminalized.
This would be overall better for society as we would have fewer traffic fatalities and violent, alcohol induced domestic issues. Not to mention the inherent problems of the black market.
Now why would this be a bad thing?
BTW, cannabis prohibition wasn't enacted because cannabis was harming our 
society. And alcohol prohibition wasn't repealed because we discovered alcohol isn't so harmful after all.
Prohibition only worsens our situation.
The past 80 years has proven this. Is cannabis still available to minors?? 
Do dealers card your child before selling cannabis to him or her??
Enough is enough. End this insane witch hunt against responsible adults who 
use cannabis.

Scott Russ
Baton Rouge, LA

Guilty 

I strongly believe that its becoming unfair and an out of hand society. Seeing all these people in iraq suffer for no good reason
could mean that theres a chance of 400 of ungulty iraq's but only 100 gulty which leads to misleading of 75percent. As we know as it says in the rules of a cort everything has to be proven. 
But tell me do these Americans have any proof, do they have any clue what
they are doing for iraq's goods, I don't think they do! What i don't understand is why there was complatement about Sadams Behaviour at the time and how still they want to commit punishment to the president of iraq for his actions, when now they are
doing much worse then what Sadam Husain did and further more Bush is not the leader of iraq so with all due respect he sould stick to his own. I'm very sadened to seeand hear about these tragical stories I just wonder what happened to world peace because iam
frieghtened to go back to my country.

nora al-koubaisi
Online Reader

The Have And Have Mores

Much talk in the US presently is about the Michael Moore film which shows the abuse of the "Have and the Have More" friends of President Bush.
In the US the Congress is creating all these new laws to drug test you here and there, including the privledge to drive. These new laws, as well as the old laws, profit those same "Have and Have More" friends of the President.
These bad drug control laws greatly damage, cause caos, and destroy lives, and families. These bad drug control laws greatly financially benefit the HAVE AND HAVE MORE BUSH FRIENDS. 
I must mention Hepatitis C, a dangerous virus manifested by the federal government with their past decade of locking up its citizens utilizing the drug laws. 
Government needs to develope workable mass transportation before taking
drivers licenses because the driver has 'eaten a plant' not on the approval list. Laws that legislators pass may work in the District of Columbia, but in Kansas, the buses may run twice a day, but stop running at 6:00 PM. Many drug users, poor, handicapped, and mentally slow, can get to work on the bus, but they have no way home. Often these riders must walk, or ride their wheel chair, several miles to reach the bus stop. Legislators forget these persons may be also managing the children to school, or to the baby-sitter.
In the United States our Legislators are far more concerned about making profit for themselves and their friends than serving those who 'joke' they were elected to serve.
Myself personally, who has not had a moving violation in 25 years, would never be able to drive again, for I eat hemp seeds every morning on my breakfast cereal. I am almost 60 years old. For myself to pass a drug test, I would have to give up a food that keeps my body extremely healthy, (with exception of child birth and poison ivy, I have never required the assistance of a physican). Hemp keeps my hair long and
shiny, my vision functioning extremely well, my sleep pure when I close my eyes. I have lots of energy, and wonderful mental stimulation because I have kept hemp seeds in my diet. I would not want to choose poor health to qualify for a drivers license.
Mostly states, counties need to recognize that the government must keep
hemp a depressed agricultural crop for should the recognitation of what criminalization is all about, the federal government would lose their control over the money, and how the money is spent.
Hemp is a vastly abundant plant, with possible known products in human and animal food, heating oils, body oils, fuel oils. Hemp paper, and fiber boards reistant to mould are building homes and commercial
industries abroad. Hemp plastics are presently used in many automobile bodies. Insulation, textiles durable in strength to historically have served to make airplane wings, ship sails, parachutes. No other plant produces the number of bio-mass per acre as does Cannabis. The fact is if hemp was an agricultural crop in your state, your state would not need to import its need for raw fiber resources, it could grow
its own. All that money would stay in the state where it was grown. 
Some agri-business investors would make fuel for those in the state, some building supplies, some animal food, the genius of competition would enpower the states to take the money of its citizen away from the federal leaders who with out the permission of the masses, spend in far
too many ways friviously what the workers labor to produce.
I am ready for laws that up lift life for all humanity rather than depress and ruin persons lives for the profit of the BUSH HAVE AND HAVE MORES.
Do we want to continue to "eat their discarded under-shorts"?

Debby Moore,
Wichita, Kansas

The Dream Team

POW! BAM! The democrats now have their team, its Batman and Robin (Hollywood loves them, and their hair is perfect). This team aka Kerry/Edwards superhero team or super liberal team will take us, ZOOM, into a new progressive europeanized amerika.
When this happens, the French lead by Two-Face Chirac, the Russians commanded by the Penguin Putin, and the Germans Joker Schroeder will immediately, WHOOSH, develop integrity. Osama, the Riddler, will turn himself in, because he heard Batman was in Viet Nam for almost four whole months. All terrorists in the world will quake and cower in fear of these two multi-millionaire superegos, I mean superficials, I mean superheroes. Just the threat of a personal appearance of the spandex clad dynamic duo and BOOM, Iran and N. Korea will have apologized for their intransigence and capitulated.
When Al Qaeda first learned of the legalistic prowess of Robin it examined its pecuniary culpability and disbanded. BAM.
This progressive (liberal) amerika will be a place where the sky is the limit. It will be a positive place where if you can’t marry a super rich woman, a poor boy can still sue his way to super riches. After all we are all sniveling victims just a class action suit away from limitless wealth.
You thought this was the jobs, jobs, jobs, team. Think again. Who are the new amerikans going to work for? You don’t have to work in this new amerika, just PIP, take the money from the rich and the evil corporations.
Robin will see to it that when you see your Doctor, POW, there will be an attorney present. Batman will see to it that you never have to take less than two sides of any argument; he learned this from “the Zipper”.
In the progressive amerika you can only go to war if Europe says its ok, after all Europe has a superior morality, if you, POOF, overlook the Holocaust. In the new amerika you don’t have to pay for war if you don’t want to. 
One thing you know for sure about this dynamic dream team is they are very comfortable taking half of your hard earned money, just ask Catwoman Hillary.

Theodore Pierce, 
The Woodlands, Texas

The Religious Right

Once again Senator Cornyn has followed the lead of the religious right and misinterpreted scientific studies to suit his own agenda of intolerance. Mr. Cornyn asserted that the federal marriage amendment is necessary for the welfare of our nations’ children. Mr. Cornyn went on to assert that scientific studies show that children fare better when they are raised by a mother and a father and, therefore, children raised in households headed by same-sex couples most unduly suffer a long list of societal ills. 
Mr. Cornyn’s statements are inaccurate and an irresponsible manipulation of what science has shown us in regards to children raised in same-sex households. Studies have shown that children do best when they are raised by loving caring parents and that two parents are in a better position in terms of available resources, to raise a child than a single parent household. However, there are no credible studies that show children raised by same-sex parents experience any negative outcomes because of their parent’s sexual orientation.
Furthermore, Mr. Cornyn irresponsibly omitted what credible research has shown in regards to children raised in same-sex households: The sexual orientation of parents does not harm the overall psychological well-being of their children.
Brewaeys, A. Ponjaert, I, Van Hall, E.V. & Golombok, S. (1997) Donor Insemination: Child Development and Family Functioning in Lesbian Mother Families. Human Reproduction, Vol. 12, No. 6, 1349-1359.
The sexual orientation of parents does not harm the self-esteem of their children.
Hugins, S.L. (1989) A Comparative Study of Self-Esteem of Adolescent Children of Divorced Lesbian Mothers and Divorced Heterosexual Mothers. Homosexuality and the Family.
The sexual orientation of parents does not harm their children’s ability to form healthy relationships. 
Chan, R.W. (1998) Division of Labor Among Lesbian and Heterosexual Parents: Associations with Children’s Adjustment, Journal of Family Psychology, Vol.12 No. 3 (402-419) 
The parenting skills of lesbian and gay parents are found to be the same as those of heterosexual parents. 
Bigner, J.,Jacobsen, R.B., Miller, J.A. (1981) Journal of Homosexuality, Vol7 No. 1 49- 56.
Gay and Lesbian Parents in the United States are a reality. Because they can not assume the responsibilities and rights associated with marriage, Gay and Lesbian families are in turn left in a legal limbo. Family members in same-sex households are often viewed as legal strangers in the eyes of the law. This fact is precisely why today’s debate on same-sex marriage is completely misguided and irresponsible. Our nation must address and should focus its energies on how we extend rights and protections to same-sex households instead of how we should further discriminate against this segment of the American population. 
It is obvious that there in not enough support in the United States Senate to advance the “federal marriage amendment,” yet today the Senate has taken this issue up for debate. We are saddened that the leaders of the United States Senate have decided to use Gay and Lesbian Americans as political pawns in the President’s reelection campaign. 

Randall Ellis
Austin, Texas 

Things You Will Never See On Fox

Tuesday evening CNN reported that the richest 1% of our country increased their income by a whopping 184% while the poorest only managed a 6% increase in income. It was an eye-opener, but you don't need CNN to know this. If you are making less than 60,000 dollars a year it comes as no surprise, you live it every day. 
During the last four years you've had to change employment due to outsourcing or downsizing; you've seen your retirement evaporate; you lost your health insurance when you lost your job, or it's too expensive to afford on your own; and you are skimping to save something to help your kids pay for college. 
John Edwards hit it right on the nose when he spoke of two Americas, one that has everything they need, and the other struggling to get by. The Kerry/Edwards ticket promises to raise the minimum wage so that every American can afford to make ends meet, not just the richest 1%.
I support Kerry and Edwards in their effort to give working Americans a fair wage they can actually live on. I just have one question, "Are you really better off now than you were 4 years ago?"
If the answer is "NO" I invite you to join me to help elect a President that will work for working class men and women throughout America, John Kerry. To get involved visit www.JohnKerry.com or cut and past the link below into your browser
http://volunteer.johnkerry.com/mysite/?view=guest&ref=808173  

Jonathan Van Voorhees
Richardson, TX 

Your Warped Mind

I am sure in your warped mind that it IS like the Warren Report, but it isn't I hope that it is a great push for President Bush as we surely do not need your ultra-liberal Kerry in the white house. 

B.T. Dunken, 
Montgomery, Texas

You Liberals

Give me a break. You liberals, and I am just guessing the person writing this article is a liberal democrat, you are the cause of our decaying value system in the United States. Your support of abortion and same sex marriage just to name two of the many issues that lend nothing but havoc to our value system. As wrong as Dick Cheney might of been, how dare you use Dick Cheney's profanity as a stepping stone to imply that conservative republicans are the ones decaying our value system. You are a perfect example of how liberals twist and use untruths for your liberal agenda.

Online Reader

Cheney's Profanity

Your article is a crock of "f-bomb"ing "s-bomb."

Online Reader

If

If one of the main reasons given for the decay of our society is same sex marriages and the proliferation of homosexual activity, would a liberal be more to blame for our rapid decay, or an ultra-conservative who raised a lesbian? Or would you say that our society is not in decay?
Send your comments to editor@thebulletin.com  
We print both sides of the issues.

Editor
The Bulletin

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