Give them an earful
Outdoor recreation is synonymous with Maine. Maine’s beauty is known worldwide. The natural endowments of this state deserve to be cherished and well cared for. But, at the same time, it must be remembered that our country was founded with the principle of private property ownership central to our freedoms and central to our ability to carve out livelihoods for ourselves and our families.
At what point do we ignore the individual’s rights to favor the rights of the collective? At what point do we not trust the integrity of our neighbors to be good stewards of their land? At what point has our government, public-private partnerships and select environmental groups acquired, controlled or regulated enough land?
The issues of conservation, recreation, zoning and private property rights are once again on the national agenda. On Thursday, Sept. 2, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Bangor Civic Center, the Department of the Interior is hosting a “listening session” for the president’s “America’s Great Outdoors Initiative.” They want to hear your ideas.
But, as is currently the case in the western part of the U.S., they also want more land — more of Maine’s land, more of your land. How will you answer them?
Marcia Jacobs
Calais
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Consider phrases closely
Kent Ward’s columns are my favorite feature in the BDN. I especially enjoy the deft way he manipulates linguistic needles to burst the balloons of the overinflated, regardless of political stripe. I hope he keeps up the good work.
But I feel compelled to point out his use of the phrase “off the reservation” in his Aug. 28-29 column. To be fair, I also saw it used this past June by a left-wing blogger, Robert Borosage. That phrase evokes the period in our history when American Indians were literally confined to reservations, on pain of death if they became “renegades.” It was not until 1924 that all tribal members were lawfully recognized as U.S. citizens with the same federal constitutional rights as other Americans.
I recognize that Kent Ward had no intention whatsoever to offend Indians. Likewise for Borosage. Some might even ask why I would bring it up, considering that neither article had anything to do with Native Americans, but that underscores my point. Like offensive American Indian nicknames and ludicrous mascots, these demeaning phrases and terms are embedded in our dominant culture. I believe that we should, at least, try to be aware of their origins and relegate them to history rather than perpetuating them in our daily speech.
Paul Thibeault
East Machias
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Sex offender policies
The Bangor Daily News has grossly misrepresented my position in its Aug. 28-29 front page article on sex offender residency requirements.
I absolutely do not support sex offenders nor am I willing to be their voice. I am equally adamant that we must have evidence-based laws that address the roots of the problem and will not make it worse.
I am in favor of information, data, thoughtful dialogue and time to create appropriate solutions. We need laws, public policies, social services and education that will protect our children. We must provide counseling for young people with risk factors or tendencies for sexual violence, identify first-time offenders through community- and school-based educational programs, concentrate police resources on high-risk offenders and model our laws on the ones in place in other states, like Minnesota, that have a long-term, thoughtful and outcomes-based perspective.
The BDN has a responsibility to provide the community with accurate information about important issues. This is not the time nor place for sensationalism and distortion.
Geoff Gratwick
Bangor city councilor
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Offensive photos
I would like to know what is considered obscene. The abortion protesters on Mount Hope Avenue in Bangor have every right to say they are against abortion, but do they have the right to expose me to the disgusting photos on their signs every Wednesday? Should I have to explain to my grandchildren who these people are and what they are doing?
I am all for freedom of expression, but I find these photos obscene.
There is no warning that you are about to witness something you may not want to see.
I have called the police and they say nothing can be done. I have called the doctors’ offices to which the signs refer and they say nothing can be done about it. What if someone was so disturbed by what they are seeing that they go off the road and hit one of the individuals holding the signs? Who would be at fault?
You cannot post naked pictures of children online or view such pictures — what about aborted babies? I have lived here for four years and am still appalled every time I forget they are there while driving down Mount Hope Avenue. I know others must feel the same way.
I do not object to them holding signs against abortion, but the photos are uncalled for. Don’t we have the right on a public street to not be exposed to the sight of aborted babies?
Valerie Cartonio
Veazie
Work for solution
I have rarely seen a letter to the editor from Professor Richard Hill that speaks positively about any alternate source of energy. In fact, it seems that he often ridicules many of the ideas.
Most of these sources are in their infancy and need further development, like any new product or service. Instead of belittling the idea, he should use his vast knowledge to help the developers perfect their products.
It would seem to me we could do a lot more with solar and vacuum tubes for hot water instead of using oil-fired furnaces or electric. I’d change to solar right now, but it’s too expensive. If solar were mass-produced maybe we could get the price down to a competitive level.
I do realize a lot of work needs to be done on the infrastructure of our electric grid, but it will never get any cheaper. Because we import so much of our fuel, we are very vulnerable to world events. So please stop being so negative and instead help develop these products and services.
Paul R. Hansen
Bucksport
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Mixed blessings
What a dichotomy on a recent BDN front page: The best news in the world is the success of the underwater turbine. Fabulous! Then the horrid truth about the coal rush and old-style plants.
A town in Pennsylvania has been abandoned for more than 30 years due to an underground coal fire that can’t seem to be stopped. I lived nearby and was involved in the construction of Three Mile Island, so I know about nuclear plants.
Then to the BDN’s editorial page and wind energy. Recently, the CBC devoted one hour to the wind energy problem in Nova Scotia and what is going on there.
Eight years ago I took my late husband home to Iowa for his last visit.
We had very close young friends who are farmers. I asked about a nearby wind farm, and my young friend said, “It’s noisy and I think it is disturbing my cattle and my pigs. I can’t prove it, but things have not been the same since it was built.”
Why do we always think we must reinvent the wheel? Many other countries have already developed what we think we are on the cutting edge of developing! This is where NAFTA could be a solution and not a problem!
Nancy-Linn Nellis
Stockton Springs