Letters to the Editor Nov. 14, 2009

U.S. is spending trillions for nothing in Afghanistan

Sometimes I listen to the Afghan radio station when it broadcasts in Spanish, and they have said that a few Al-Qaida and Taliban in their nation are protecting the people from foreign invaders because we might kill close to a million as we did in Iraq.

It seems like we had 9/11 because of excessive forces in the Mideast. If we have only bases at home, no one would disturb us for the fear of over-sophisticated weapons.

I consider 9/11 an inside job since those bad guys were learning to fly in our schools.

Many troops believe they are fighting for our country, but I believe they fight for big corporations and others like Donald Rumsfeld and John McCain, etc., who became rich by killing strangers.

Interestingly, some Taliban with primitive weapons are winning against the most powerful nations. Shame on us; we are spending trillions for nothing.

    Samuel Rosa

Crescent City

County claims it can’t pay road workers a fair wage

On Tuesday the Del Norte County Board of Supervisors approved a plan to add a new deputy director for community development. This will cost the county more than $100,000, at a time when the county’s workers have been living under the shadow of layoffs, and even potential shutdown of entire departments, for lack of funding.

County services are hurting. Our road department workers are paid less for their work — outdoors in the weather, than any other county in California. The typical starting road worker's paycheck is only $574, which is not enough to pay rent and utilities and buy groceries and gas.

It is amazing that the county can find money to pay for extra layers of management, but can’t seem to pay its workers enough to keep a roof over their heads, all the while threatening to furlough or lay them off because “we have no money.”

That $100,000 would be enough to make sure every road worker in the county got a 20 percent raise and still have money left.

It’s amazing. And it stinks. It’s time to take care of the people who take care of our roads.

Lathe Gill

Worksite organizer

Local 1021, Service Employees International Union

Crescent City

Photos, design of Mari Tardiff series deserve recognition

I have been reading the comments about the three-part series about Mari Tardiff in the letters to the editor with interest.

I am in complete agreement with them, but there is something missing in the appreciation. Maybe I missed it, but no one has mentioned the work of the photographer, who helped us see in pictures, as much as in the written words, what the struggle has been like for Mari and her response to dealing with the unthinkable.

Wednesday’s article on the new gallery again showed this ability to grab the attention of the readers and make them pause.

I would also not want to miss noticing the work of the person responsible for the layout of the Tardiff series, because I noticed the articles were set up in the paper in such a way that it was all on a single sheet that I could take to show my children away at school.  I want to say thanks for all of this, so that they stay in this town and keep making this paper better, because they know that they are also appreciated.

Helen DuVernay

Crescent City

We should remember and thank our veterans every day

We are truly the land of the free, because of the brave.

It all started with those brave men who told King George to keep his tea and taxes, that we would pursue life, liberty, happiness and freedom from tyranny.

Our brave men and women have been defending those freedoms ever since.

On Veterans Day, I had planned to attend the parade, to honor my dad, a WWII glider pilot, and his peers. Instead, I sat here with a bum knee, writing and remembering not just my dad but the sacrifices of veterans serving since that long-ago revolution through today.

That sacrifice is not to be taken lightly. They left friends and family, the warmth of a loved one’s arms, to suffer untold hardships.

We should remember our vets every day. Thank those we see on the street, in the airport, and raising the flag at the VFW and American Legion. We should send notes and tokens of our appreciation, phone cards, socks, etc. to the veterans hospitals, and those serving overseas, thanking them because they truly are the brave, defending not only our freedom, but the freedom of people around the world.

Virginia Walworth

Crescent City

Jetty access: Why should we suffer for stupidity of a few?

In regards to Calie Martin’s letter (“Something needs to be done to keep people off the jetty,” Nov. 11), I’m sorry you had to see someone that was stupid get hurt on the jetty.

I have lived here my entire life and have walked on and fished off of the jetty hundreds of times since I was probably 12 years old (41 years ago) and have never been washed off!

The secret, which my dad taught me as a kid: Don’t go on the jetty when waves are breaking onto it! Ever! And to be extra cautious, never go out there on any rough day if you see lots of standing water on the jetty. (Standing water means something came over the top to get it wet recently!)

Now isn’t that easier than making me and others who love the beauty and peace that one can experience on our jetty never get a chance to go out there again because of the stupid few? It’s called common sense. My parents taught it to me when  I was old enough to listen!

I guess today’s parents are more into teaching their kids that they are perfect and no one has any right to tell them anything, but everyone else has to suffer for their stupidity. These are the same people that make us all wear seat belts, motorcycle helmets, and bicycle and skate board helmets for the kids, and heaven forbid we ride in the back of a pickup truck, all for our own good. (Heck, even your dog has to be tied in!)

None of these laws were in effect when I was a kid. How did I ever make it this far in life?

Thank you very much for caring so much for my safety, but you know what? I’m old enough to take care of myself and trust my own judgment. If they do close the jetty to everyone, and if the time came that it was a beautiful, calm, sunny day, well, I would never dream of going out there! My being a law-abiding citizen and all.

                     Mike Cuthbertson

Gasquet

Let’s follow examples of successful tourist towns

In regards to his Nov. 11 letter, yes, Bob Stephens, the scales have been tipping away from the people! Let’s thank Aaron Funk for his opinion piece (“City’s poor tourism investment hurts us all,” Nov. 5).

I visited my old hometown of Santa Barbara last August, which thrives off tourism dollars. The city merchants pull together to attract and accommodate tourists in every way. They offer free entertainment, music, beautiful architecture and all building facades are well maintained and enhanced.

Our community needs to let people know where they just arrived and what this town has to offer. Stop and see the natural beauty of our redwoods, our coastline, our picturesque harbor, Battery Point Lighthouse, Point St. George Lighthouse, all the things that attract tourists. Enhancing these things will draw tourism dollars, which will put us all to work! And just maybe our kids would stay.

Let’s invest in our great community and follow the examples of successful tourist towns.

Build it; they will come!

                                      Bill Cozzi

Crescent City

Devastated and heartbroken over Donald Nuss conviction

On Oct. 31, The Daily Triplicate printed “Local man sentenced for illegal gun sales.” I could not believe what I was reading and by the time I was finished with the article, I was devastated as well as heartbroken for Don. So I can’t imagine how he and his wife must feel.

I’ve known Mr. Nuss for well over 20 years and he is one of — no, is — the most intelligent, well-respected man I’ve ever met. There is no task or job that he can’t do and conquer. He has worked hard all his life. He has done this community nothing but good things. It literally brings tears to my eyes that he may now have to sell Redwood Welding because they are going to send this good man to prison for something that wasn’t hurting or taking away from anyone. He wasn’t doing what he was accused of doing to gain profit or cause harm to anyone. It was just to accomplish something that few men could ever accomplish and that was simply him just using his many capabilities.

If you happen to read this, Grandpa, please know that my heart goes out to you, and to this day, you are one of the best people I know. If I could do this time for you to make it all go away, I would not hesitate.

                                 Josh Bolen

Folsom State Prison