Letters to the Editor

on June 07, 2009 at 7:00 AM, updated June 07, 2009 at 7:14 AM

Flags honoring nation should be in good shape

I happened to drive by Veteran's Park on the east side of downtown Kalamazoo recently. I was quite upset about the condition of the flags there. They are all worn, faded and torn. It's just disgraceful.

Here we are with Flag Day coming up and Kalamazoo is flying flags that are a disgrace to every patriotic citizen. The men and women of our armed forces have fought and died for the freedoms we enjoy -- surely the very least all levels of government can do is make sure the flags are in pristine condition.

Barbara J. Mitchell

Balance is lacking in auto industry compensation

If automakers can't afford to pay skilled laborers a decent wage to build cars, as noted by Lee Iacocca, then how can they afford to pay executives thousands of dollars an hour to run a company into the ground?

There always seems to be plenty of money to compensate the millionaires, but never enough for the people actually doing the work.

Stan Page

Band finds creative ways to promote bluegrass

I am writing in response to the May 5 letter on bluegrass music.

I love bluegrass, country and many other genres of music. I have been to several of Schlitz Creek's shows. All of the members of Schlitz Creek are wonderful musicians.

As far as the 14-year-old band member, his father was with him the whole time. They are encouraging young people to enjoy this music by having a 14-year-old in the band. I would be very proud if he were my son and played the way the 14-year-old does. That is better than being out on the streets causing trouble.

I do not consider the fact they have a "chick magnet bus," give discounts to women or drink beer as "dumbing down" bluegrass music. I do not find it insulting. They are creatively promoting their music. If it gets more people to like and listen to bluegrass, I think it is a great thing.

I believe if you ever see them play, you will realize they do take pride in what they do. They are a great asset to bluegrass music.

Lisa Ballett

STAR award winners are wonderful people

I would just like to say what wonderful people 2009 STAR award winners Dick and Betty VanderMolen are. Being one of the "kids" they loved and mentored, I feel extremely blessed to know and love these two people.

I grew up in Kalamazoo's Vine neighborhood, and met Dick and Betty when I attended First Reformed Church when I was 11 years old. I believe God wanted me to find them.

Throughout my years at First Reformed, I spent a great deal of time with Dick and Betty, and they became my adopted grandparents. I also attended Kids Klub for many years with them. Dick would pick me up for church, so that I was always able to attend.

Through Dick and Betty, I learned how to be a responsible, caring adult, wife and mother. They were at my high school graduation, wedding and baby shower. I feel so blessed to know them, because with them and some of their wonderful friends from First Reformed, I was able to overcome my circumstances and create my own path in life, under God's love and guidance.

In 2007, my husband and I decided to move to Alaska to achieve our dreams. Dick and Betty attended our going away party and I was able to say see you later to some of my dearest friends. Without Dick and Betty, I would never have had the courage to live my dreams, and move across the country to start a new life. They taught me so much growing up, I can't even begin to explain all that they did for me.

They still remember my birthday and my children's birthdays every year, and we still exchange Christmas cards and letters. I have known them for 17 wonderful years, and have been wonderfully blessed. They are both incredible, giving people.

They deserve this award for all they have done and given to the Vine neighborhood. I love them both. Congratulations, Dick and Betty.

Rose Wolfe
Fairbanks, Alaska

It is important to buy goods made in America

America, wake up, it finally happened. At one time in our prosperous, industrial, capitalist country, no one could even imagine a company like General Motors filing for bankruptcy.

The company and its executives are partly at fault, the union is partly at fault, but the biggest fault lies with the American consumer who for some unexplained reason insist on buying automobiles made by foreign-owned companies who send the profits back to their respective homelands.

Imagine the condition this country and its workers would be in if we as a nation would make every effort to buy products made in America by American workers who just happen to be your friends and neighbors.

Today more and more Americans have either lost their job or are not sure how much longer they will be employed. How can Americans in this situation live a healthy and prosperous life, send their kids to college or to a trade school, replace their old car or take their family on any kind of vacation?

Over the years we established a standard of living second to none. We were the envy of the world but not any more. We cannot compete with countries and governments that pay their workers a fraction of what we have paid our workers over the years.

In the past, the word protectionism was something we as a capitalist country did not want to hear. Maybe it is now something we should think about. Let's put America back to work. All government agencies -- local, state and national -- as well as individuals must make a concerted effort to buy American-made goods and services.

Ken Kelly
South Haven

No one stopped to help after dogs were hit

I am writing this letter to let everyone know how very cruel and uncaring people can be.

On May 12, our two family pets, Emmet and Piper, were both killed on Gull Road when they got away from my granddaughter. Both dogs hit a car and were killed but this is not why I'm writing.

No one stopped to help my granddaughter. She was sitting in the middle of the road at 10 at night with her beloved Emmet dying in her lap. She cried for help but counted at least 20 cars that just swerved around her and went on their way.

I could not believe even one wouldn't stop. If I saw a young girl sitting in the middle of the road I would stop out of curiosity if nothing else to find out why she was sitting there.

Finally a neighbor and his wife came out and helped get the dogs out of the street and into my daughter's car. It was too late for Emmet and Piper died within four blocks of the veterinarian's office.

It is hard to even think of all those cars just going around Chelsea and not trying to help her.

We do not fault the car who killed the dogs as they ran into the car. We do fault the driver for not stopping. I know the driver had to know something hit their car as Emmet weighed 100 pounds and Piper weighted 45 pounds. That is a lot of weight to hit a car and the driver not be aware of the impact.

We pray God will have mercy on the consciences of these people and may they never have to go through what we went through. Both Emmet and Piper were dearly loved by all of us.

Lolamay Martin, Janet McCormach and Chelsea Cofey

Frito-Lay's support is not as deep as portrayed

The Kalamazoo Gazette's article on Frito-Lay supporting local farmers gave me quite a chuckle. As a former potato grower and seller to Frito-Lay, I have to disagree.

In 1990, there were more than 50 contract growers for Frito-Lay here in Michigan, six in Allegan County alone. Today there are three (none in Allegan County.) There was a price dispute in 1990 and the head buyer from Frito-Lay promised that heads would roll.

Over the next 10 years Frito-Lay began cutting ties with different family farms for different reasons. Fast forward to today. If three farms produce 472 million pounds of potatoes for Frito-Lay, you can imagine the size of these operations.

Don't get me wrong, I am happy for the Walthers and what they have accomplished. I have met a number of their family members and they are hard working people striving to succeed.

But the benevolent, feel-good impression Frito-Lay is trying to create here is, without a doubt, misleading and, in my opinion, couldn't be further from the truth.

Kevin Denniston

Flowers in remembrance of son gratefully accepted

Last Memorial Day, flowers were stolen from the grave marker for my son Patrick at Mt. Everest in Kalamazoo. I was heartbroken and wrote a letter to the Gazette. It was printed and told people about Patrick and what an awesome little boy he IS.

A woman who read the letter from last year remembered Patrick and left beautiful purple pansies in a sandbucket for a planter. Thank you so much.

She really touched my heart and the fact she remembered us from last year reminds me that even in a world where all you read about is bad news.

I want to say how happy this thoughtfulness made me and how proud I am not only to be Patrick's mom but to have this individual as his "new grandma." Her kindness will be paid forward.

Karin Schichtel

Irony found in headline about Bush's visit

Thanks for the wonderfully ironic headline on the Kalamazoo Gazette's story about George W. Bush's visit to Benton Harbor in late May, "Presidential principles."

In Bush's case, however, it is also pathetic on both counts.

Larry Mahannah