Readers' views
Yard sale crisis
Anyone attending a yard sale on Stafford Lane the weekend of June 14/15 - that yard sale was held without my knowledge or permission using my belongings. While I realize no one reading this is at fault, and it's "too little, too late," some of those items held great personal value to me. If anyone is interested in returning any of their purchases, I can be reached at unicorntalesandsongs@hotmail.com. Thank you.
SHANDRA BELL
Bowie
Cranky recycler
John Rouse's columns are neither entertaining nor enlightening.
This cranky misanthrope has finally decided to start recycling and use a little less air-conditioning and heating. Bravo.
Two-hundred-billion calories a day divided by 300 million Americans equals 667 calories per American. That's a concentration camp ration. In the "what's sad" category, let's put his math skills.
I and many others (including some filthy, big-nosed, money-grubbing, Christ-killing "Bush neoconservatives") believe manmade global climate change is a fraudulent pretext by which enviro-Marxists are attempting to seize power over docile, well-meaning, but scientifically illiterate Americans.
ROBERT BROWN
Bowie
Great kids
I know that many letters have come sharing thoughts on not having a permit to "play" for fun on Bowie fields. I have to side with the kind, responsible group of young adults who I have seen on many occasions at Buckingham Park. My kids and I have seen these wonderful kids when we have gone to Buckingham to play (without a permit) on the fields, playgrounds and the great walking path there. Each time we saw them I thought to myself "what a nice group of kids." Each time they said hello with a smile and eye contact and had left the field clean and in good shape. Playing Frisbee with friends is a great positive outlet for any one, especially teens in this day and age. I realize that rules must be established for protection of the local fields, but they should not get in the way of good spontaneous fun. Thank you kids for being so great.
SAM FATZINGER
Bowie
Where's funding?
To their great credit, the Bowie City Council recently hosted a televised public meeting with county and state elected officials to examine the loss of funding for construction of a second high school in Bowie. The meeting was a serious disappointment, because little was said that would improve the current no-build situation. This is a real shame because $83 million had been identified and approved for construction of a second high school in Bowie.
As a historical note, when Douglas Peters, who is now our state senator, was a member of the Prince George's County Council, everything seemed in motion for construction of another high school to relieve the serious overcrowding of Bowie High School. This was great, because Doug Peters had already engineered the funding and construction of the new Northview Elementary School and the rehabilitation and reopening of Whitehall Elementary School.
A second Bowie high school was fully funded in 2006. In 2007 it was bumped a year for Fairmont Heights. But now in 2008 county funding was zeroed. This is compounded by a county decision not to locally forward fund construction. This is how Northview was constructed. Yes, the Maryland Interagency Committee has its own criteria. But when the county shows no interest in funding, all bets are off.
Where did the $83 million go? Why did construction of a second Bowie high school go from the top of the so-called A list to the "forget about it" C list? This means that in all probability, another generation of high school students will be jammed into the bursting-at-the-seams Bowie High School. It really is a shame.
I can understand that there might be more serious needs for school rehabilitation or reconstruction elsewhere in our county, but Bowie should have been repositioned on the A list rather than moved to a dead-end C position. I suppose the 60,000 people in Bowie no longer matter.
RICHARD PADGETT
Bowie
Thiel thanks
The family of Eric J. Thiel wishes to thank Eric's friends for their generous support and kindnesses since his death June 10.
HOLLY, MADELINE,
JONATHAN, AMBER, RUTH & FLOYD THIEL
New Deal?
I welcomed, with a sigh, the letters from Wayne Hembree and Norman Hendrickson last month in the Blade-News, which were highly critical of my positive comments on Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal program, designed to lift America from the Great Depression in the 1930s. On the whole, though, the gulf that separates us stems from their viewing of FDR's policies through the lens of ideology. I am certain that Roosevelt, in launching the New Deal, did not consider it liberal or conservative. Some 20 million Americans were out of work and the future was uncertain. In the recesses of my memory, I recall hearing the president's voice, via the newsreel, that "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself."
I was utterly amazed, therefore, on reading Hembree's comment that FDR accomplished "a lot that was of negative value and little of real value." Likewise, Hendrickson's assessment that "the Great Depression was actually deepened and lengthened by the meddling of FDR."
Please, let us not rewrite history. The past is still alive and kicking. The New Deal initiated the Social Security System, guaranteed labor the right to collective bargaining, provided for a minimum wage, and regulated the market for securities and the country's money supply.
I agree with Hembree and Hendrickson that the coming of the Second World War marked a turn-around for America's economy, as America became an arsenal, with its factories running at full capacity to provide weapons and other war material for the conflict. Both gentlemen come up short, however, when they fail to acknowledge FDR's pro-business policies that enabled the full flowering of productive capacity.
Factory owners were free to negotiate contracts with the federal government, they were exempted from anti-trust laws and could write off the full cost of investments and, more importantly, they were guaranteed a profit. These pro-management policies did not prejudice American labor, as the workingman obtained new fringe benefits, increased wages and union support.
Hembree suggests that perhaps there needs to be more "reality checks" on FDR's record. The facts show dynamic leadership coming from a man who, during his presidency, moved about in a wheelchair when out of public view, having been stricken with polio decades earlier.
PASTOR B. SISON
Bowie
Tree story
I would like to thank the Blade-News for last week's front page story on the BGE tree cutting program. Your readership now has a true picture of what is going on in their community. I would also like to commend the City Council for seeking answers to the following: "if BGE is being too aggressive ... whether the plan should continue as is, be modified, or be suspended." The council has asked the city staff to prepare the report that will address these questions. The problem is that at least one member of the city staff has gone on record as being pro-tree cutting. He asked BGE to remove 41 additional trees above what BGE wanted to cut at Buckingham Park. Another question the council wants to address is whether the tree cutting to date is successful in reducing power outages. There simply is not sufficient data, storm events, to draw any reliable conclusions on this matter.
With regard to my own situation, I met with a representative from BGE this week. He examined all 16 trees on my small property and informed me that 13 would have to be removed or severely trimmed. Severely trimmed is code for they will die eventually after we get done with them. There was not one ounce of compromise expressed by the BGE representative. His final words were, "I will turn your case over to our legal department." And this is BGE 2008 version of customer service.
The citizens of Bowie and the council need to act soon to get this program under control. If not and BGE has its way, Bowie will be known as the City of Tree Stumps. Oh, by the way, when they cut down a tree on your property, they leave about a 2- to 3-foot stump. It's up to the homeowner to finish the job.
TOM SEXTON
Bowie
Moving article
The article regarding Ms. Pollack was very moving. I also am an animal lover. I enjoy the trees also. But alas, I believe that incarcerating animals in filth and decay is inhumane and a harsher punishment not befitting the crime. Think for a moment the pet gets loose into the outside world. Scared, lonely, hungry and thirsty. Then bam, the defenseless animal is trapped/netted and hauled away to Forestville (maybe a 20- to 30-minute).
Adding a shelter in the city is really not the solution.
I believe the better approach should be aimed at reforming, bettering, getting more volunteers to better the present facility, which our taxes pay for, down in Forestville. Getting a shelter in Bowie would take hundreds or more hours lobbying the council, then they would take time to find a suitable location (you know, a lot of residents do not want the stench and filth near their homes), then hire a consulting firm to figure out all the ins and outs. Funding in the budget, well, I reckon not a whole lot of citizens are interested in a shelter when say, a hospital is more important. Another thought, the Forestville shelter is for the county of Prince George's (a lot of strays) and the next thing you know they want to house overloads of strays here in a shelter - temporarily.
So, I think the only reasonable way to satisfy the matter would be to March on the county. Demand to know why the animals are treated the way Pollock and others say. Encourage friends and neighbors to volunteer hours to clean up the shelter. Regarding my sentiment about enjoying the trees, in order to build a shelter you must destroy habitat for worms all the way up to birds. I for one would and do enjoy sitting watching the birds in my yard, along the wooded areas in Bowie.
MIKE ROGERS
Bowie
Timely story
Jane McHugh's article on Rhoda Pollack's endeavors to have an animal shelter opened in Bowie was timely and necessary. Rhoda has been my pet nanny since 1992 and I know firsthand about her passion for saving animals. This woman has spent time and her own money rescuing these poor, helpless creatures for many years.
A city as large as Bowie would do well to have its own animal shelter, especially in the event of any natural disaster (which is a distinct possibility in light of recent climate change).
I'm not surprised that there was no response from the county animal management office. That seems to be the general policy with Prince George's County government. I can cite my own experience with the Prince George's County Police Department when my house was broken into and robbed two years ago.
I truly hope that other citizens will urge our City Council to consider Ms. Pollack's proposal. I also recommend that other cat owners consider building a cat run where their pets can go outside safely and still be contained. My three cats enjoy the outdoors with the safety of such a cat run and don't go roaming the streets.
CHLOE GIAMPAOLO
Bowie
