RSSEmail letters, May 2, 2012
Why can’t political ads offer anything positive?
I am so discouraged watching the anti-president ads on TV, to know our country has come to this sort of ugly dialogue. Above all, people placing these ads should be honest in their messages. Can’t they offer anything positive? If so, let’s hear about it.
JUDITH O. HUGHES
Grand Junction
Our society doesn’t need mind-muddling pot to be legalized
Years ago, native Americans followed a time honored tradition called “counting coup.” It involved acts of “daring do,” often riding at break-neck speeds, risking personal injury or death, simply to impress one’s peers, show bravery and ensure acceptance as a warrior. Needless to say, it appealed most to youngsters. I believe it was the 19th century version of distracted driving, reckless bravado, only simpler and with fewer distractions.
I never thought much about the pressures they say teens face today, thinking they were just part of growing up. Then,distracted driving came along. As if driving isn’t dangerous enough, now add the need to impress friends, ear deafening music, ringing cell phones and texting and you have the makings of a serious accident.
Imagine a young Indian on horseback, thundering across the plains towards God knows what, risking life and limb to win a feather on a stick. Now, fast forward and imagine another youngster thundering down I-70 high on something legal, a car load of friends, music blaring, phones ringing, text machine beeping, driving 80 mph towards another car load of kids doing the same. All those technological wonders have unintended consequences which lurk nearby and can be a recipe for disaster.
How can any clear thinking society condone legalizing yet another mind-muddling substance like pot?
AL CARLEY
Grand Junction
State Park status won’t help Monument
I have lived on Glade Park for about 37 years and have seen many changes, not all good. I can remember bringing sheep and cattle off Pinion Mesa in the fall and not a fence one.
Glade Park is a special rural, ranching community and to make the Monument into a State Park would cause a lot more community problems.
Also, why did they not put John Otto’s statue — being as he was the founder of the National Monument — at the bottom of the Monument instead of in town at the end of Main Street?
This is my opinion like many others: Making the Monument a State State would not benefit anyone, but would bring more traffic and bike riders in the area, which we certainly do not need.
SHIRLEY KELLY
Glade Park
COMMENTS
Commenting is not available in this channel entry.Al, it must be time to outlaw phones, texts messages, friends in the car, blaring music, and well, basically why not outlaw the cars too? With all of that going on what difference does it make if drugs are involved, or booze for that matter. Maybe parents should do a better job of raising their children and teaching them right from wrong.Setting a good example for them would be helpful too.
I’ll bet all those indian boys out trying to count coup were really high on peyote or some other drug too. Why else would they do something so dangerous? People have always done dangerous things with or without drugs and alcohol and laws have not stopped them in the past. Did prohibition solve the problems then? Didn’t think so, that’s what is going on now with the drugs.
Read the answer to Diane Cox’s letter by John Wilkenson on Wed. May2. He says it much better than I can.
Shirley Kelly is very mistaken. There is no movement to change the Colorado National Monument into Colorado State Park. National Park yes. State Park no.