Read the Bill
Arizona’s SB1070 mirrors federal immigration law but strictly prohibits racial profiling, whereas federal law does not! Sixty-five percent of American people and 70 percent of Arizonans support SB1070. State and national sovereignty are at stake because of federal non-enforcement of immigration laws.
Immigrants who come here legally do it for good reason – this is the greatest nation on earth! The first truly free nation. These immigrants share a goal of individual liberty: Liberty from oppressive governments, liberty to pursue happiness, and the chance to give their families a good life. The liberty many have sought did not come cheaply. The signers of our Declaration of Independence pledged to give their lives, fortunes and sacred honor to secure our independence. Nine of them died during the war, two were wounded, five were prisoners of war, 17 lost their estates or fortunes, five ended in crushing debt from financing the war, 14 lost their families or were separated from them, two lost children and three became widowers. John Adams said “Posterity! You will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom! I hope you will make a good use of it! If you do not, I shall repent it in Heaven that I ever took half the pains to preserve it!”
The United States owes no apologies. We have always stood as a shining example to the rest of the world. The United States was founded on principles of integrity, patriotism and duty. Those founding principles led us to rebuild Germany, Japan, etc. I’m tired of hearing our own president apologize to the world for our so-called transgressions. I’d really like to see more patriotism from him and many in Congress. Children were once taught about our Constitution and the true history of our nation and then came the 1920s when text books began to contain misinformation impugning our founders and ignoring the facts behind our founding.
It’s all so sad. Uninformed/ misinformed people shouting and pointing fingers at one state trying to legally keep its borders secure and its citizens safe because the federal government won’t do its job.
—Patty Hahn
Montevideo
Reporting abuse, not an easy task
Why didn’t she/he tell someone? This question is repeated over and over, usually laced with frustration when we find out someone, especially a child, has been sexually assaulted or abused.
Think about your last sexual experience, good or bad. Details please — don’t leave anything out, even the parts that might make you look bad, or the parts that are embarrassing. Now, go tell your mom about it. No? That would be weird? Not something you would do? Embarrassing?
This is what we tell child sexual assault victims to do. The rules haven’t changed. It is essential that victims speak out if they are to heal from their trauma. They need to speak out in hopes the perpetrator will be brought to justice.
Reporting a sex crime is not an easy task for victims of any age. Once a crime is reported, adults tend to overlook, minimize, explain away or disbelieve allegations of abuse.
This is especially true when the assailant is a family member or someone known to the child (which is the true in over 90 percent of child sexual assaults).
Statistics vary, however, false reporting of childhood sexual abuse is minimal — as low as 1 to 2 percent. Children tend to minimize abuse, not exaggerate it. The absence of force or coercion does not diminish the abusive nature of the conduct. It may even make the child feel responsible for what has occurred.
Sixty percent of sexual assaults are never reported. Of the 40 percent of assaults that are reported, arrests are made in only about half of those cases — which boils down to this: 15 out of 16 predators will walk away.
Sexual predators seldom commit their crimes in the presence of witnesses and they depend on the victim’s desire for privacy and society’s tendency to blame the victim to keep them from accountability. And it works!
This does not mean we are fighting a losing battle. There are many resources available to victims of sexual assault. The most important thing we can do for victims is to believe them.
If you or someone you know is a victim of sexual assault, you can contact RAINN (Rape Abuse and Incest National Network) at 800-656-HOPE, or locally contact Pathways of West Central MN at 888-564-4894.
—Londa Burns,
—Gloria Shebala,
—Melissa Hoffman Bodin
Pathways/Okiciyapi of West Central Minnesota
Quietly listen
In last week’s edition, Cody Maynus showed us the greatness of this nation by exercising his freedom of speech. I sincerely applaud him for that, but being able to use that freedom doesn’t make someone right and using it to trash this country is truly blind and arrogant.
Mr. Maynus didn’t say it outright, but it is obvious he does not think America is the best country on this planet. He provided several reasons why he believes these things: “sinful” wars, “racist” immigration laws, rejection of “gay marriage,” the lack of socialized medicine, and other nebulous “sins.”
Apparently, Mr. Maynus thinks that because of these few things there is absolutely nothing else in our 234-year history to celebrate and be proud of on the Fourth of July.
In my opinion, Mr. Maynus’ view of America is extremely narrow and skewed. There are many things that make this country the best on the planet and they are too numerous to list. America plays a leading role in the world when it comes to things like the economy, business, charity, education, technology, medicine and a host of other things. If America isn’t the best country on the planet, why do so many of the other countries try to emulate us? Why do so many want to come to this country, even illegally? Above all, what makes this the best country is our freedom. No other country has the level of freedom we do. We are a country “of the people, by the people, for the people,” not of, by and for the aristocracy or dictator. It is this very freedom that allows Mr. Maynus to openly redress his grievances without fear of retribution from or censorship by the government or anyone else.
Mr. Maynus would do well to carefully consider the founders of this country believed without equivocation or guilt that God did indeed bless this country above others He would also do well to go back even further in history by picking up his Bible and reading about God’s chosen nation of Israel, which he blessed above all others. Perhaps instead of trying to speak for God, Mr. Maynus should quietly listen to God.
—Jason Hubred
Montevideo
A sad day
It is a sad day and a sign of the times when a young man writes a letter to the editor about his disillusion of America. What world view would bring a person to that level?
We became a great country because the founding fathers were based in Godly principles! What about God’s “nationalism” of his country Israel and “in blessing them we are blessed”?
As you read in the Bible, God’s people failed many times. It is the same in America. Many have failed. Because God is not allowed in our government, education or public arena, he is removing his hand from this country. There is nothing “blind” about true American Patriotism!
—Robert Lanz
Montevideo
Love it or leave it
I am celebrating my freedom of speech and replying to Cody Maynus’ letter last week regarding ungodly nationalism. I realize he is still young and doesn’t have the experience that some of us have, however, a few years in the military sometimes makes us have a different perspective on life in general.
I do believe he leans toward being somewhat socialistic and yes, I am a “blind, arrogant patriot,” as he puts it. I love God, guns, hunting, NASCAR, medium-rare steaks on the grill and country music. I hate abortion.
We celebrate Independence Day along with Memorial Day, Flag Day, Veterans Day and Pearl Harbor as “patriots” to honor those who fought and died for this country that God has blessed. Does he think that what we have in America comes without a price? Honoring those who fought to make this country free does not make us “ungodly” as he puts it. It is called “respect” for the sacrifices they made so that we may live freely to write letters to the editor and worship at the church of our choice. He refers to the state of Arizona as encouraging racial profiling. What part of pulling someone over for a traffic violation and checking their immigration status is racial profiling? I think every state should follow the lead of Arizona, especially Minnesota, the welfare state. My hopes are that soon a bill will be passed so that anyone wanting welfare in Minnesota must first pass a drug test. Don’t pass, no welfare check. Also, they must be a U.S. citizen and reside in this state at least six months before they are eligible for welfare. This country is a financial disaster. When President Obama took office, we were around 10.3 trillion dollars in debt. We are now $13 trillion in debt and rising, part of which we have borrowed from China — around $900 billion. Unemployment is at an all time high. Bank bailouts, giveaways, welfare, loans, you name it. No matter what you call it, someone has to pay for it. Guess who. Us. The working taxpayers of America. Paying for all the freeloaders, illegals and those who want everything handed to them by the government. Call it what you want. I call it socialism. We cannot keep giving and giving. I still love this country. I’m sticking it out and saluting our flag. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. For those who don’t like my patriotic panderings, there’s an old country song by Merle Haggard about patriotism and America, called “The fightin’ side of me,” part of which says, “If you don’t love it, leave it.”
—Jerry Ryer
Montevideo
