Published: October 10, 2008 07:52 pm            

Reader's Forum: Oct. 12, 2008

TERRE HAUTE — Without Burke,

things are dull

Kevin Burke, I miss you.

I miss having to drive at least three blocks out of my way because streets and sewers were being repaired in an attempt to fix this old city. I miss the quiet, deserted and peaceful area in downtown where the old Terre Haute House used to stand. Who can live with all this hustle and bustle! I miss the smell of the old water treatment plant on the west side of town. Shame on you for climbing that fence and polluting that place!

Our youth didn’t really need a skate park … good thing that was stopped, and the pretty little landscaped turn-rounds that were planned for the extended Brown Street. We don’t need anything “pretty” here … just wasting our good tax money.

I miss the heated letters that made the Tribune-Star fun to read. People either passionately loved or passionately hated you … a sure sign that you were doing something big. Now the letters are reduced to thank-you notes and birthday greetings. Interesting that no one seems to either love or hate Mayor Duke Bennett.

Please don’t stray too far. Some day this city just might decide that it wants to be a level above again. It was fun while it lasted. Now aren’t you all glad to be hearing from me again … a person who still remembers and appreciates what Kevin tried to do! Maybe I can stir up some old debates. How about those blue trash cans?

— Patricia Goddard

Terre Haute

Victory Days an

enjoyable event

We attended the Victory Days at the Terre Haute airport last Friday. It was wonderful. I was overcome with emotion when I saw the airplanes up close and thought of the brave men who flew them. Also the people on the home front who did everything they could to support them and our country.

I remember it. It was a nostalgia trip for me. We met several nice people but there was one man who went out of his way to help us with a problem. We didn’t get his name.

We appreciated the handicapped parking and the port-a-lets and the provisions for hand-washing. It was a most enjoyable day.

— Marilyn Payton

Rosedale

Chance to confront your prejudices

As a lifelong Terre Haute resident, I am disturbed but not necessarily surprised to find out about the swastika vandalism that has been going on for the past few months. I know there is much work to be done in educating members of our community about the dangers of prejudice and hatred.

Therefore I would like everyone to know that CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center exists in Terre Haute to combat these very issues. We are open Tuesday through Saturday from 1-4 p.m. and by appointment for groups. We have wonderful tour guides who pour their hearts out in telling their life stories that relate to the Holocaust, all for the benefit of our community. This is a rare and unique opportunity that exists right here in Terre Haute. I urge you to take advantage of it.

Many of you know about CANDLES, but I have talked to many people in Terre Haute who did not know we have a Holocaust museum or had never been here before. At the museum, we talk to young people (and anyone else who stops by) about the Holocaust, and we use the lessons of the Holocaust to show how dangerous our everyday attitudes of prejudice can be. These little incidents, like spraypainting swastikas and throwing rocks through the door glass at our museum, can be cleaned up or replaced with time and money. But the roots of this prejudice and hatred living inside of people must be dealt with sooner rather than later. As we saw during the Holocaust, tough economic times can make people turn their silly little prejudices into monstrous acts of evil.

I personally challenge the person or persons who have been spraypainting these swastikas and vandalizing our museum to confront their prejudices and visit CANDLES. If you are angry about your life, you must realize that there is always a hopeful future, and you will never reach that future by blaming and oppressing others. And to the victims of the spraypainting: We sympathize with you and stand united with you against this act of hatred. We also invite you to visit the museum. You will learn about Eva Kor’s decision to forgive the Nazis for what they did to her.

Being angry about this victimization is understandable, but ultimately it will consume you and perpetuate the cycle of hatred. Forgiveness is the seed for peace.

We look forward to seeing you all.

— Kiel Majewski

Museum coordinator

CANDLES Holocaust

Museum and Education Center

Outsourcing Vigo teacher subs

not working

The privatization of substitute teachers in Vigo County is a failed experiment.

I am a parent with two children in the Vigo County school system. My older child had the pleasant experience of forming a relationship with the dedicated substitutes at his school. My daughter, a kindergartner at Dixie Bee, is having a different experience. During recent testing, her class had a different substitute every day. This is not the way to welcome nervous kindergartners into the school experience.

We had a great network of substitutes under the old system. We took good care of these nurturing, caring individuals and they, in turn, took good care of our children. Now, an outside “temp” agency is sending anyone and everyone to babysit our children.

The School Board tried this new system in an attempt to save taxpayers money. I applaud the initiative, but this was a mistake. Please return to the old substitute teacher arrangement.

— Deb Herndon

Terre Haute

Board meets basic facility need at West Vigo

As a member of West Vigo High School’s first four-year graduating class back in 1964, I would like to applaud the efforts of Mr. Dan Tanoos and members of the Vigo County School Board of Trustees for providing parity in the playing fields of all three high schools in our corporation. While I understand the disappointment of those desiring upgraded surfacing to the football fields at the three Vigo County schools, I hope that they will understand the basic need for a practice field that West Vigo has had for over 44 years.

The addition of a practice field at West Vigo does more than just add to the school’s facilities; it adds to the pride of the students of West Vigo and their families, who will have a constant reminder that the corporation cared enough to provide for them the same way it provides for North and South Vigo.

Since becoming our superintendent, Dan Tanoos has proven over and over again that he is a champion for ALL the students in Vigo County schools, regardless of which school they attend. Working with the members of the board, he has illustrated this once more with the addition of the football practice field at West Vigo High School. I am sure that West Vigo’s principal, Mr. Balitewicz, A.D. Mr. Mike Miller, the coaches and the football players I saw at homecoming recently are especially pleased with this addition.

Thank you, Mr. Tanoos, board members and others instrumental in this effort to bring West Vigo High School’s football facilities up to par with North and South.

— Frank Hill

Terre Haute

Passing down

economic pain

I’m seeing in the media every day how different groups are being able to cushion the effects of our economy’s current down trend on their daily lives. We’re possibly going to bail out the mega-rich financial institutions for the bad decisions they have made. The city police are paying more for gas so we may be adding an extra fee onto traffic tickets to offset that. The buses are more expensive to operate so we’re raising the rates.

Is it just me, or does it seem just about everything gets passed down to the everyday working man? Wouldn’t it be nice if someone would come up with a plan whereby we all could just pass all our increased costs along to someone else instead of always having to cut back and tighten our belts?

I’d like to see us change our national anthem to the old Travis Tritt song, “Lord have mercy on the working man” because it’s a pretty safe bet that no one else is going to.

— Steven O. Caldwell

Terre Haute

Union provided

excellent care

The family of Sylvia Vanatti would like to thank all the people at Union Hospital who worked with her during her five weeks in surgical ICU. It was a long, painful ordeal made much easier by everyone we came into contact with from the ladies who cleaned her room, to the doctors, nurses and therapists.

They treated her with care and dignity and helped us greatly during her final hours. They were very patient with all our questions and concerns and always made time when we thought she needed something. We greatly appreciate all they did for her, and us, they are a great group of people and very good at their jobs.

— Carol Vanatti

Terre Haute

        

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