The food stamp program recently changed its name to SNAP, which is an acronym for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, however nothing else was changed but the name and a rise in benefits for its recipients. Why sneak the word “nutrition” in there if there’s nothing nutritious about it?
The supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children, or WIC, doesn’t seem to have a hard time regulating its program. The reason people aren’t accusing WIC of “forcing a diet” is because WIC started off well-regulated. On the other hand, creating a poorly regulated food stamps program was like buying a kid a lollipop and then getting nervous about taking it away, not wanting the kid or the lollipop manufacturer to cry about it.
Contrary to popular belief, there always has been a running list of what people aren’t allowed to buy with food stamps, but the list has never been long enough. Soda should be on that list along with many other things that aren’t nutritious. It’s not a right, it’s a privilege and as long as they’re using someone else’s money, they should take what they’re given and be grateful for it.
I know better than most what it’s like to be truly poor. In my childhood, I ate hard macaroni out of the box or a bowl of peanut butter and corn syrup because it was the only thing we had in the house. My brothers and I even lived off raw cranberries and sardines for a couple of months. We would have been grateful to get a plate of cooked spaghetti or a gallon of milk. For these people to complain about not being able to get junk with their food stamps after what I’ve been through makes me livid.
Jo-Ellen Jamieson
Kenduskeag
• • •
Train teachers as police
The BDN’s “Safe at School” editorial on Nov. 13 expounds upon relevant points and inspires the onus to be placed upon all public schools in Maine for the implementation of protective measures to guard against any scenarios with deadly consequences as a possible result.
While recognizing that various protocols (i.e. cameras, posted staff, etc.) may improve reactions to emergencies, the greater solution lies with the expansive protective umbrella available to all schools willing to participate in its implementation.
I have consistently proposed that every school select one or two educators to be enrolled in the 100-hour police reserve training course and become trained as a reserve police officer. The resulting certifications would enable these individuals to carry concealed firearms with them and have instantly verifiable identification to dis-play (i.e. neck pendants) in the event of police entering the building while answering a crisis call.
Only the school principal, superintendent, and the head of the school board would know the identification of these individuals.
Training costs would be borne by individual school districts, with the anticipation of at least a five-year service by the individuals involved. Failure to complete a five-year service would obligate reimbursement by those leaving prematurely.
Implementing this program would provide a “built-in,” immediately accessible, professionally trained, and student-geared cadre, which would be available to address critical situations while additional support units are being summoned.
While no series of vulnerabilities or horrors can be guarded against in an absolute manner, this proposal would offer schools a viable option to prepare for situations in the most unthinkable of scenarios.
Ken Fogelman
Franklin
• • •
Liberals’ opinions
Did all of the conservatives out there get the message?
Don’t be like Sarah Smiley and give an opinion, or you will be criticized. Apparently only the liberals are allowed opinions.
Nancy Oakman
Eddington
• • •
Try trickle-up economy
Trickledown economics, where Congress simply pays the corporations to stay in business has bankrupted the world’s economy.
Trickle up economics, where Congress stimulates the consumer and the consumer bails out the corporations with their buying power, will always improve and increase the world’s economy.
Give the corporations a bail-out, you feed them for a day. Give the corporations consumers with disposable income, you feed them for a lifetime. Indus-tries do not create consumers; consumers create industries.
Leonard S. Diecidue
Bangor
• • •
Gifts from the heart
I read in the Bangor Daily News about the man who was killed by the people that were so anxious to get bargains for Christmas. What has happened to the people of the USA?
Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Christ. The trouble with America today is that we have come away from worship-ping Christ and worship mate-rial things instead.
I have made all of my presents for my children, grand-children and great-grandchildren. I will give them with love.
Even if you work all the time you can always give your love to your family.
Alberta Nutting
Dover-Foxcroft
• • •
Freedom of faith
The Bangor Daily recently published an article about a local religious group that supports the responsible religious use of marijuana, “Group uses marijuana as sacrament” (BDN, Nov. 29). I was surprised by how much the article focused on the negative and controversial connotations associated with the stereotypical use of marijuana use rather than the church’s varying facets of belief. Unfortunately, this is the first attention given by the general public, which will, inadvertently, cast a negative outlook on this truly caring organization. Equally unfortunate is the fact that this group does not in any way support the general legalization of marijuana is a mere footnote.
A much more adequate explanation of this organization’s true beliefs is provided biweekly at an open floor discussion. Most people who read and judge this organization solely on Judy Harrison’s article will, unfortunately, never attend this discussion and pose their concerns to the source, face to face.
When I heard of the group, I attended the discussion to be truly informed, and attended defensively. Immediately, I realized that this group required no personal defense mechanisms or protections of any kind. They do not preach hate, anarchy, or antiestablishment. Quite the opposite, they speak of tolerance, and only tolerance, of all creeds, races, sexualities, etc. This is no different from what the Bible teaches, literally or through inference.
Intolerance spawned of rash thought and ignorance has become a spear to prod those different from ourselves. Religious freedom is upheld by our Constitution, and should not be ignored by a public who is afraid of diversity in opinion or creed. Even if we don’t believe in this church’s practices or don’t choose to practice as they do, we should let these followers practice their faith with the same understanding we are allowed to practice our own.
On 12/4/08 at 7:49 AM,
Bangorian wrote:
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Mr. Fogelman - your proposal to arm teachers is about the most far-fetched, fear-based, absurd idea I have ever heard. The last thing we need is teachers carrying concealed weapons.
On 12/4/08 at 7:53 AM,
anne_of_mdi wrote:
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Bangoria, Mr. Fogelman's proposal reminded me of the old saying, "Two people can keep a secret is if one of them is dead."
On 12/4/08 at 8:41 AM,
safedman wrote:
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Bangorian
The world has changed and not for the better. Have you ever had expierence with a firearm? Only asking due to your immediate..are you crazy response.
The idea is Not Rediculas, nor is if far off from being needed. The only way to handle evil is with direct and egual evil. You will never talk the knife or gun from an individual bent on taking your life. You either raise your throat for him or you respond with egual force. Personally I want to go home at night and am very familiar with the handling of firearms. I am not law enforcement by any means, but grew up in a home that tought hunting from a young age, have family in law enforcement and a member of a respectable gun club. Arming teachers in some cases would be warrented. Giving firearms to any teacher without training is a case for disaster. But if you truely look at the facts, one well armed teacher or student would have ended the slaughter at the schools quiclky. FACT
On 12/4/08 at 9:25 AM,
Bangorean wrote:
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School is for education. Might as well put brown shirts on all the kids and make the goose-step through the halls. "Handle evil??" Exactly how often, on a per capita basis, is such crap needed in schools? How about comparing it to past decades? Circumstances happen, but very, very infrequently, and this is a pure, unadulterated, "nanny society" reaction. First, I consider myself a Libertarian, Constitutional Liberal. Leave me alone, follow the law, help those that can't help themselves. 12 years ago one of my sons could still take my pickup truck to school after deer hunting in the early AM and make it to class by 8:15 with a .30-.30 under the seat. Now he'd be tackled, beat up, the firearm confiscated and he'd be charged with an adult felony. I started making him swing back by the house and leave the gun at home before he graduated. Be appalled, but it was O.K. years ago. I had gun racks in my truck when I attended Bangor High. Now your paranoia has caused changes in America that are simply unsettling. Have times changed that much? No, not really, but paranoia has certainly affected the populus. I'd guess the writer doesn't have kids in school. How far does it go?
On 12/4/08 at 9:55 AM,
WRofGlenburn wrote:
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Re: Freedom of Faith
I would guess that it's very easy to be non-judgmental when you're stoned. Maybe they should try substituting broccoli for marijuana just to test the strength of their faith. In the meanwhile, please be very judgmental before getting on the road and driving back to Augusta and other distant points.
On 12/4/08 at 10:35 AM,
PabMainer wrote:
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I would agree with the comment that "school is for education" but that does not limit the educating to just subjects of math, spelling, science, etc. School is also a place to learn social skills, sharing skills, compromising skills, acceptance skills, life skills and on and on. If you want to be left alone then stay at home and keep your kids at home and teach them yourself. Public schools are a haven for disobedient and out of control behaviors and the school officials have every right to put procedures and operations in place to keep themselves and their students and staff safe. Most of the idiotic behavios seen in schools today are a result of direct learning from parents and associates around the home so if mom and dad don't have the balls to correct misbehaviors then the schools must step up and be more controlling.....the old saying "the apple doesn't fall to far from the tree" is alive and well in our schools today!
On 12/4/08 at 11:58 AM,
billmoores wrote:
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Leonard S. Diecidue : I support the "Tickle Me Up & Down" theory. That's where the government tries to fix the economy and it's one BIG Joke!
On 12/4/08 at 12:34 PM,
wolfie wrote:
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I feel I have to comment on the food stamp issue. I don't get food stamps but my disabled daughter does. A whopping $14. a month. We were having a discussion on the issue of buying soda and junk food with food stamps. She doesn't buy soda, tries to purchase nutritional food, but one comment she made stuck in my head. Aside from the fact that $14. won't even buy 4 gallons of milk. $14. worth of Ramen will fill her stomach a lot longer than the same cost of fresh vegies and fruit.
On 12/4/08 at 3:01 PM,
duckwa wrote:
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wolfie, I can't speak for him, but I don't think the letter writer is speaking about your daughters ramen noodles. If shee has a disability then she should maybe have more stamps. And they can be taken from the many in the program that can work but don't and then waste the stamps. I worked in a store before the debit cards came out. Back then it was common for people to come in every hour and buy a 25 cent little debbie brownie and get 75 cents back as change. After 3 or 4 hours they would have enough change to buy a pack of smokes, and for us to complain about it could of had our store kicked out of the program.
On 12/4/08 at 9:04 PM,
TempleGreen wrote:
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In response to: " I would guess that it's very easy to be non-judgmental when you're stoned. Maybe they should try substituting broccoli for marijuana just to test the strength of their faith. In the meanwhile, please be very judgmental before getting on the road and driving back to Augusta and other distant points. " (FREEDOM OF FAITH)
1) Erin is not a Temple Member. She doesn't use cannabis. She has come to several meetings and is a vocal supporter of freedom of religion, freedom of press, freedom of peacable assembly and the pursuit of happiness.
2) If you think it's a fact that being "stoned" makes people less judgemental, wouldn't that be a good thing?
3) RESPONSIBLE spiritual use denotes safe use, like not driving around or going to work under the influence. Maybe you should take a minute and read the actual website and get some facts.
4) Becuase of the reporting of the Bangor Daily, rumors have surfaced that drug dealers are scared that we will take away revenue. Jail time and fines haven't deterred drug dealers in 35 years. Now they are shaking in their little space boots becuase we could possibly take the money out of their pockets. Less Dealers on our streets is a measurable success in the War on Drug Abuse. Those who won't quit will be forced to sell harder drugs and face even stiffer punishments. Not to mention the increased visibility the dealers will have to contend with marketing to drug abusers who are way easier to spot than the more subdued cannabis dealers.
5) Medicinal and Spiritual Healing is a powerful tool. This State has an excellent opportunity to create the most responsible way of distributing medicinal cannabis to those in need under Maine law. Volunteers, many of whom are also ill, working together to create and distribute medicines, and while also providing HOSPICE style home care, free of charge to qualified patients in Maine. Actual compassionate caregiving, not just doling out cannabis and calling it caregiving. Not all medicinal cannabis is smoked, it can be made into tea, tinctures, oils, capsules and more.
On 12/5/08 at 6:25 AM,
safedman wrote:
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How did this go from a letter about training teachers to bump for weed??? !!!!
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