The Durango Herald

A random selection of letters to the editor are available online daily. To read more letters, log on to the E-Herald or pick up a copy of our print edition.

Letters to the Editor

• Cartoon was anti-Israeli, anti-Semitic

The only thing missing from the Stephen Breen cartoon (Herald, Feb. 9) was that the Israeli pilot should have been wearing a yarmulka and had a beaked nose. That would have made the image and the implication even more precise.

• Dog bite on river trail was poorly handled

To the lady with the big yellow dog who was on the Animas River Trail by Serious Texas Bar-B-Q recently: I am saddened that her aggressive dog bit my father while he was walking alone on the trail. My family is further saddened that the woman scurried away with her dog instead of staying to help my dad and didn’t even offer her name.

• Bag-it campaign an effort at government control

We are being played like puppets on a string by a very small group of un-elected elites who are bent on imposing total government control in our daily lives.
Once it was “half-flush” toilets, then “twisty” light bulbs, now they want to make us quit using plastic grocery bags or face “re-education!”

• Army, Muslim group tell general to not speak

On Feb. 6, General Jerry Boykin declined an invitation to address West Point cadets. In an interview on television, he stated that he did not wish to cause the U.S. Army stressful moments.

• Writing, freshman math programs boost students

In a Feb. 9 article, the Herald stated: “Although Fort Lewis College’s graduation rate lags the state average, the college does a better-than-average job of keeping its remedial students enrolled ... 35 percent of students in remedial courses had earned a college degree within six years. The state average was less than 30 percent.”

• Get legislative lowdown with Roberts, Brown

From 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, the League of Women Voters of La Plata County will hold its annual “Legislative Lowdown” at the Durango Public Library, 1900 East Second Ave.

• Writer has historical facts wrong

Over the years, I’ve elected to ignore the many errors Norris Rose makes in his various letters to the Herald; however, his Feb. 2 letter has so many errors, I have decided to point to one that is egregious by any standard. He begins by writing:

• Commissioners should apologize for wasting money

The county plan has been abandoned, costing $700,000 and a lot of volunteer hours. With 50,000 people in the county, that adds up to about $14 each. As I understand it, this happened because our county commissioners appointed residents to the La Plata County Planning Commission whose planning expertise was based on ideology. When Art Charette,...

• Tipton didn’t forget his constituents

As many people are today, we are discouraged by the politicians who represent us. They seem long on talk and short on action. Oftentimes, once they get to Washington, D.C., they forget the people who sent them there. There is an exception, and that’s Rep. Scott Tipton. We tried unsuccessfully to obtain licensing to start a new business, and after...

• Ban plastic bags to protect qualities that make Durango special

As our planet’s population surpasses 7 billion people, it’s ever more important to review and revise our daily habits to protect our finite and dwindling natural resources. That’s why I heartily support the local efforts to ban plastic shopping bags in the city of Durango.

• GOP is right: None is qualified for office

I’d just like to go on the record saying that I fully agree with the Republican candidates for president of the United States of America – all of ’em, including the ones that have dropped out of the race.
Each one says that none of his opponents is qualified for the office.
Davitt M. Armstrong
Durango

• Chaplain is one of life’s gifted individuals

Chaplain Earl Caudill is one of life’s truly gifted individuals; like a horse whisperer (Herald, Jan. 30). Perhaps he is a people whisperer!
He came out at 2 a.m. to provide comfort to my family when my beloved mother died.
Happy fishing, Earl!
Susan Beck-Brown
Durango

• Focus on more important issues than plastic bags

We regularly clean the state highway near our home. We rarely find plastic bags, and if we do, they disintegrate in our hands. What we do find every time that has not degraded a bit are beer bottles and beer cans. Why aren’t people demanding that we ban bottles and cans? Do bottles and cans magically degrade in landfills, but thin, barely-there...

• Bringing Walmart to Pagosa Springs conflicts with community values

Pagosa Springs’ Town Council has foolishly invited a mega-corporate monster to come to our community. Developing a Walmart here would destroy our local character, extract our wealth, homogenize us into a mass consumer culture and distinguish us as another Anytown, USA.

• Heart Safe La Plata provides equipment, training to schools

Since 2003, Heart Safe La Plata has been making La Plata and San Juan counties safer places to live, work and play. Our nonprofit organization has placed more than 250 Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) throughout both counties and trained hundreds of citizen responders. We are particularly proud of our success with the schools. Every school...