Letters to the Editor

Adrian Johnson | Kalamazoo Gazette By Adrian Johnson | Kalamazoo Gazette
on January 21, 2009 at 8:00 AM, updated January 21, 2009 at 8:15 AM

Best wishes to Obama who has a big job ahead of him

We can all sing, "Thank God and Greyhound he's gone."

My sympathy goes out to President Barack Obama. Can you imagine, cleaning up after an eight-year elephant circus. I don't envy him the job.

Good luck.

Jerry Chartrand

Grateful for signers of petition to stop ordinance

On behalf of the dozens of local volunteers who circulated petitions over two weeks in December, we would like to thank the citizens of Kalamazoo for speaking up with a resounding voice about the recent superfluous amendment to the already-existing anti-discrimination ordinance.

The overwhelming response during the very busy Christmas season underlined the broad support for the petition. We would like to thank the dozens of local volunteers who talked with friends and neighbors about this discriminatory amendment.

There was a groundswell of outrage from so many different groups of city residents, confirming that citizens of all stripes reject this unnecessary amendment. Cross-dressing and bedroom behavior do not belong in the public eye. All "citizens" are already protected in the state of Michigan and, consequently, in the city of Kalamazoo, from undue discrimination.

It was understandable that so many were floored that 'their' commissioners would support such an amendment, and we appreciate those who were able to help us get far more than the minimum number of signatures, in such an incredibly short period of time, during the holidays. Thanks to the combined efforts of a diverse and informed group of many volunteers, we were able to let the city of Kalamazoo hear that the citizens of Kalamazoo demand to be heard and to have their voices count on such an incredibly important issue.

Phil Naumann
Kim Winblad

How can police be trusted to police themselves?

On Dec. 11, I read about a sheriff's deputy, who while transporting inmates, unknowingly hitting a stranded traveler. The deputy continued on without incident. The traveler was hospitalized. No one was arrested.

I continue to read about the "prostitution" sting. No one was arrested. How is any of this possible? Any "regular" citizen would be in jail, for sure.

My son and his friends were stopped, ticketed and searched without probable cause. They had not been drinking or doing drugs of any kind. Their offense? Going through a gas station to avoid a red light.

I guess they should have hit a stranded traveler or hired a prostitute, to avoid penalty. Yes, that's a crazy thought. Completely unthinkable but, here we are.

Kalamazoo Assistant City Manager Fay Peek has resigned. Why? Is his work done? Or, did he leave because his work is not done? The police in Kalamazoo appear tainted.

How can the police be trusted to police themselves? For the citizens of Kalamazoo to continue putting up with this behavior is awful.

Who are our leaders? Why is this continuing? To add the race card to this issue, I am white. I can't begin to know what goes on in the black community. We need some answers. This is a disgrace.

Sheree Schussman

Vote to rescind ordinance was un-American

Kalamazoo City Commissioners have brought nothing but shame and disgrace upon their own city. Unanimously? Not one of them had the decency to do the right thing and stand in support of equality and non-discrimination.

Americans believe in equality. Americans do not condone, support or practice discrimination in any way shape or form. America is a country of inclusion. America is a land of freedom. To deny the rights of any American to live his or her life as he or she sees fit, as long as they do not bring harm to another person or another's property, is as un-American as it gets.

You don't owe gay people your approval, but you do owe them your indifference. So the issue isn't homosexuality, the issue is discrimination, and the City Commission unanimously voted, not to keep it, but to bring it back! Did they miss it?

Does Mayor Bobby Hopewell yearn for the good ol' days of segregation? Seriously, how stupid is he? He says he's hoping for a compromise and looking to find some middle ground. Where's the middle ground of discrimination? You either discriminate or you don't. You can't do it on just Monday, Wednesday and Saturday and call it a compromise. There's no such thing as part-time bigotry. Hopewell should know that.

He and the rest of the commissioners can only redeem themselves by putting the ordinance back in place, and apologize to America for being un-American.

Also apologize to the citizens of Kalamazoo for making us look bad because they caved in to a bunch of Bible-thumping idiots who need to find something better to do with their time. And apologize to Jon Stryker for embarrassing him in front of his friends. That's right, one of the richest men in town is gay!
You might want to chew on that before you go around trying to exclude gay people from enjoying the same rights as other Americans.

Rob Taylor