No friend of military
Being the grandson of a calvary sergeant, the son of a WWII Navy Seabee veteran and the father of an Iraq war soldier (combat medic), I feel I am one of the military families that BDN columnist Sarah Smiley speaks for (“Election distressing to military families,” Nov. 10). Unlike McCain and Bush, none of us was born rich. Unlike Bush and Cheney, none of us used deferments to avoid going to war. So consider how we felt for the past eight years. McCain voted against the last GI bill. Bush lined his family’s pockets with big oil, Cheney with Halliburton.
Next, Ms. Smiley writes about McCain’s military service. I think surrendering is not something to brag about. Bush’s record of missing a drug test then not showing up is unthinkable. Let’s not even mention Deferment Dick. But to state that John Kerry’s military service is in question just shows ignorance.
For the past seven years my family, which is a military family, has been in shock. Sen. McCain has no idea what we want and what we need, and thank God he was not given that chance.
Vic Kraft
Bangor
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Beyond the Vote
OK, now that the counting is done, isn’t it gratifying that we common folks can once again tread softly on the hallowed byway of Howard Street?
Seems the majority of voters didn’t support a gated community in their backyard. Oh well, at least the city public works department rewarded the residents of that compound with a new paving job. Say, how about repaving the basketball court as well? After all, the city paid for the original.
As for the City Council, boy, some things never change. Almost like a revolving door with few exceptions. Along those lines, a heads up to David Nealley. One afternoon years ago at Geaghan’s restaurant, the late Bill Nealley was asked why he never ran for a second term. He simply replied, “Ya can’t beat ’em.” Good gosh, Kemosabe, wonder what he meant by that?
James Clark
Bangor
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Enlisted man responds
I read with great interest that Sarah Smiley and all military families were “distressed” that a military person was not elected president.
Having served for 26 years and now retired from the Army as a sergeant first class I feel qualified to state the following:
Sarah Smiley’s husband is a naval aviator and part of the officer corps of the Navy. They are in charge and for the most part are career soldiers. They also only account for about 7 percent of the total Navy with the other 93 percent being made up of enlisted soldiers who I will guarantee do not share the views of naval officers and their wives.
How about equal time for an enlisted rebuttal to Sarah’s column? I am more than up to the task.
Frederick Trimm
Fort Fairfield
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Liberal clergy wrong
In reference to the Nov. 14 Bangor Daily News story about same-sex marriage, it is unfortunate but predictable that a group of liberal leaning clergy in Maine would use the statement “God loves everyone” as justification to promote their own agenda. Maine law defines marriage as a union of a man and a woman. The Bible de-scribes marriage as a union of a man and a woman.
I believe most would agree God is against sin. The Bible clearly describes homosexuality as a sin to be repented of, not affirmed. Please don’t be taken in by a group of misguided clergy backing homosexual marriage.
Mike Marshall
Princeton
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False arrest
During the September moose hunt, my son was falsely arrested for being a felon with a firearm which would have also resulted in my arrest since the gun was mine.
I’m a 75-year-old with heart and other related problems. This false arrest bothered me so much I had to give up two days of moose hunting, which was embarrassing and very costly to me, a person on a fixed income.
The profile of a person by name only is wrong and should be corrected and that is the main reason for this letter.
Someone in Augusta should come up with a better system and a much quicker way of identification; it just took too long.
It would be nice and appreciated if IF&W would give me two days of moose hunting in 2009 and apologize for this blunder.
Joseph King, Jr.
Veazie
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Wood story balanced, thorough
When I began reading my Nov. 15-16 BDN and saw the story about the Karen Wood incident, my first reaction was, “Why are they dredging up this tragedy after 20 years? And putting it on page 1 above the fold? What’s the point?” But I read it. It was well done, I thought.
Fair, balanced and thorough, with thoughtful, insightful interviews with Wood and Rogerson, John Holyoke’s story was substantive enough to justify the retelling of an old local tragedy. With another Maine deer season upon us, the timeliness of it probably makes it even worthy of the front page.
As a seasoned hunter, outdoor writer and former newspaperman who was closely involved in the coverage of this story the day it happened, Holyoke’s story left me with a couple of thoughts. What a remarkable contribution the simple wearing of hunter orange has made to hunting safety. If only we had been wearing it before 1973!
The story gets beyond the hunting safety issue and delves into the more personal: How resilient are we all in dealing with the worst trials of life; and the passing of time does help us to find a more dispassionate perspective.
Over the years, no “hunting accident story” in my memory ever has gotten the ink and air time of the Karen Wood story. Too much of the reportage was inaccurate, sensational, biased and in some cases, blatantly anti-hunting. Holyoke’s story is redemptive, and so much better than so many others before his. I tip my hunter-orange hat to him and the BDN for a job well done.
V. Paul Reynolds, Editor
Northwoods Sporting Journal
Hampden
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Apple juice made in China
Are you aware that the apple juice we are feeding our families has concentrates from China? Does anyone find this just a little alarming? After all that we know about the lead in the toys from China and the cat and dog food recalls, why would anyone feel safe drinking a juice that has been concentrated in China and imported to the U.S. to be reconstituted for us to drink?
When I went grocery shopping I checked all the bottles of juice to see where the concentrates came from, I found brand name juices also had concentrates from China. How long has this been going on? Who is making sure that we aren’t getting more than apple juice? Why does the U.S. have to import concentrates?
I will be reading my labels very carefully from now on, and if it does not say where it comes from then don’t buy it, that is my motto.
Cheryl Allen
Orrington