Published: September 02, 2007 05:11 pm            

9/2/2007 Letters to the Editor

My bark has been penetrated

Dear Editor:



I feel like these trees in Johnson County suffering from the stress of variable environmental conditions. My bark has been penetrated by the knowledge of our government’s inability to knuckle down and get the right things done. My skin had been thick and resistant to news of political and governmental agency failures, but maturing and paying attention has thinned my skin, allowing for absorption of more and more depressing facts about what is allowed to transpire in the U.S.

Everyone should, if not in a drone state, be aware that our Congress has pulled away from consistently doing what is right for this country and the majority of its citizens. Instead, lobbyists for domestic and foreign special interest groups have both ears of our elected comrades it seems.

Lobbying was originated as a way for the everyday citizen to communicate with his representatives in government but over the years has become much too powerful in its representation of special interest groups for big money. Every so often we hear about the push for lobby reform to correct and redirect lobbyist influence and power but very little changes in what to me should be outlawed in its present form.

Even in Texas during the onset of the TXU sale debate, TXU had 73 lobbyists roaming the capitol halls with salaries for their work ranging from $25,000 to $200,000. Do you think this is true democracy in action? Think about how many are roaming the halls of D.C., sweet talking or twisting arms as the situation requires. I want to have confidence in our representatives’ ability to use their own investigators for issues and resist the biased information of the lobbying groups.

Regarding another type of influence dissemination, I am really alarmed by the strength and momentum that the orthodox Muslims are gaining in some areas of this country. CAIR, an insidious Islamic organization supposedly formed for the betterment of Christian and Islamic relations, seems to actually be committed to pushing Islam into the face of all Americans. It is becoming adept at working the American government system for money grants and religious and cultural allowances in Islamic private schools and for Muslims in public schools and universities.

Their ability to put Muslims into civic and social positions is frightening, considering the longterm goal behind its philosophy. This is occurring in several areas of the U.S. where the Muslim communities have grown over the last 10 or more years.

Many foreign immigrants are not assimilating into the American population but are enclaving and building political clout in certain areas and are being controlled by their own strongmen such as those they thought they had left behind. Many do not speak or understand English, our national language, and have to rely on bilinguists, hopefully of good character.

Would I be wrong to ask, “Who decides who comes and stays in this country, who decides who receives money and goods without labor or cheap government loans, why is not the moral character and true desire to love America an immigration necessity when asylum is granted, and if it is our will that they be made into Americans, why are they not protected from the bad elements teaching them to hate America?”

Since we are intent on letting every Ahbdul, Juan and Patel through the gates who claims mistreatment, shouldn’t we give them an American indoctrination to better enable them to become respectful inhabitants with good work habits, love, forgiveness and without malice. If not for their sake, for our own protection. Hope is not only entry but then assimilation with eager acceptance of new ways! Educate yourself to what is happening to Spain, France, Germany, The Netherlands and England by the Islamic invasion.



Monte Swatzell

Cleburne



Cheney and Bush should be impeached

Dear Editor:



I totally support the movement to impeach Dick Cheney and George W. Bush. There is a laundry list of impeachable offenses, chief among them is the deception to lead us into war in Iraq and then the commission of innumerable war crimes including torture and the death of untold numbers of civilians. Dennis Kucinich is the only presidential candidate who had the integrity and vision to vote against the war and all funding for it from the beginning. Strength through peace!



Mary Bock

Cleburne

        

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