Published: July 15, 2008 06:09 pm            

Readers' Forum: July 16, 2008

The smart vote goes to Obama

Many people don’t like Barack Obama because they think he is a Muslim. One can cite his middle name, Hussein, as proof of this allegation, as if he chose it for himself. One can say that he is less patriotic than John McCain because he was not a POW for five years, a fact that Mr. McCain feels is his sole qualification for the presidency.

I don’t believe that Mr. Obama is less patriotic because he forgot or chose not to wear a flag pin during one of his speeches. The fact is, it doesn’t matter, because we need the smartest candidate in the White House, not the nicest guy that makes us feel great about being Americans. We made that mistake in the last two elections.

Mr. Obama has been associated with Minister Farrakhan and other black leaders that are angry with our government. But black people along with everyone else have a right to be angry with our government, believe it or not. But what about President Bush and the Republican Party’s long-standing ties with the leadership of Saudi Arabia, a Muslim nation which was the origin of most of the terrorists on 9/11. Republicans don’t seem to mind the we are paying for this war with money borrowed from China.

Mr. Obama is clearly the more intelligent and capable leader among the candidates. John McCain is a war hero and is clearly patriotic. But his positions on most issues are completely different that they were five years ago, which should raise suspicion among us all. Barack Obama has been much more consistent and more informed about the problems we all face.

Like most of the other people in other places that got their homes flooded last month, we are not worried about gay marriage, flag lapels or religious differences. We are worried about the economy, gas prices, and getting our homes back and how to pay for it. Mr. McCain has plainly stated that he is not worried about the economy or fixing the damage that Mr. Bush and his Congress has done to the nation’s financial situation.

We need the smartest person we can get to be our president that cares about the things we care about. You may look at Barack Obama and think he has nothing in common with the values and ideas we have in the Midwest. However, you will realize if you do some light research that Mr. Obama has spent most of his life in the Midwest, and has much more humble origins than Mr. McCain, that are more in common with the people of Indiana.

Barack Obama came to Terre Haute to get our votes while John McCain was at home even on the week of the Indiana primary. Let’s just vote for the smart guy this time.

— Shaun Dumaine

West Terre Haute

Indiana State University

Jackson incident reeks of hypocrisy

Recently Jesse Jackson made various pejorative remarks against Sen. Barack Obama.

Much of the media, however, refuses to report exactly what Jackson said.

Had this been Don Imus making such statements, the media would have been all over this story, reporting and dissecting every word which Imus would have said. Al Sharpton would have been in his usual up-in-arms posture over such statements.

In fact, Jackson himself would have chimed in with his usual diatribe. But since Jackson said these things about Obama, the gutless media is afraid to talk about what his comments actually were. I say to you in the media: report and print every word which Jackson said about Obama so that we, the American people, can see just how hollow all this nonsense is.

From what I can deduce, Jackson’s comments were about Obama’s allegedly talking down to black people. Yes, Obama recently said that black men should stand up and be men, be responsible heads-of-households and raise their children in a correct way. This is exactly what Minister Louis Farrakan espoused in Washington, D.C., during the 1995 Million Man March on the Mall in front of Congress. Obama said to this constituency that they must take responsibility for themselves and their children.

This is not talking down to anyone; this is common-sense thinking on the part of a responsible leader.

Jackson is now all remorseful and apologetic for this comments. But the only reason why he is sorry is the fact that his remarks made the media. In essence, he got caught in his nonsensical hypocrisy. Oh, by the way media, how is it that you spell … H-Y-P-O-C-R-I-T-E ?

— Earl Beal

Terre Haute

Acid to clean cars should be stopped

As a concerned citizen I watched with interest the WTHR Channel 13 in Indianapolis report (www.wthr.com, 13 investigates) titled “The cost of clean”. The segment was related to hydrofluoric acid being used in car washes in Indiana.

The segment stated that one of our largest car wash chains in the state of Indiana was using it at all of their locations. The management denied using it, however, five managers admitted that it was being used in wheel bright and presoak solutions.

After listening to the president of the International Car Wash Association, Mark Thorsby, there are other solutions that can be used that are totally harmless and less expensive. Why then would any car wash continue using this harmful acid?

I think that any car wash using these harmful acids should stop using them immediately. It makes no sense at all to endanger employees, customers, or to ruin an automobile.

— Craig Francis

Terre Haute

Don’t lose sight of little problems

I know the city is trying to fix all the sidewalks, but really, some attention should be paid to the chuck hole in the vicinity of Seventh and Hulman streets.

Unsuspectingly, I drove my bicycle over it the other day, and blew out both tires. Why has no one reported that hole? The city’s so busy working on the big stuff, it’s neglecting the small items. I can’t afford to keep replacing my tires.

And while I’m writing, that railroad track mess down on 19th and Margaret has gotten out of control. I almost lost my car in it the other day. Granted, the railroad’s responsible for it, but those idiots ignore everything. Can’t the city put a little pressure on them?

Driving around this town has become a hazardous journey. Come on, Mr. Mayor! You want to prove yourself an asset to the city. Then get us that overpass down on that intersection. Wasn’t that what was promised to us?

— Jamie Johns

Terre Haute

        

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