King wrong on torture
I just read Sen. Angus King’s outrageous comment in the Bangor Daily News where he compared the CIA “torture” methods to those used by the Japanese in World War II. If he is saying the Japanese used waterboarding, then he should have said so. But, if he is making a general statement saying the U.S. was as brutal as the Japanese, then he is way off base and doesn’t know his history. I would suggest he read about the Bataan Death March, and the way Allied soldiers(men and women) were tortured and brutalized.
What the the CIA did after 9/11 in no way compares to what the Japanese did. Not even close. What King and his Democratic colleagues, President Barack Obama, Sen. Diane Feinstein, and others, have done in releasing this CIA report is put all Americans at risk. Instead of lashing out at the CIA for political gains, they should be putting medals on the brave men and women of
our intelligence services. These people risk their lives every day to protect us. It is shameful that this is not recognized by the majority party in the Senate.
Thank God the CIA and President George W. Bush had the intestinal fortitude to do what had to be done after the slaughter of thousands of innocent Americans on 9/11. That is saying a hell of a lot more than I can say for King and the liberal Democrats that are presently castrating the CIA. Maine and our country deserves better.
Gary Osgood
Carroll Plt.
Advocacy in uniform
A short time after the Civil War, Congress created the first Civil Rights Act. Today, it is referred to as The Color of Law. It meant that any government agent, both in civilian dress and in uniform, must respect the civil rights of all Americans. Today, this federal law often comes into play when a local police agency is accused of brutality.
Most states have laws regarding the public statements its agents may make. For instance, uniformed officers may not publically speak in support of a candidate for office or on a referendum issue.
One example is the voting situation Miami-Dade faced a few years ago. It became nationwide news when a mayor was recalled because he, before he became mayor, was the director of the county police. Imagine a local Spanish majority voting freely without intimidation by the police.
Maine is living in the past when it permits uniformed officers to support a referendum issue on TV. Civil rights violation?
Hey, all you activists who believe in wholesale hunting, come to South Florida. There are so many alligators in the Everglades that one can hardly hike out there without stepping on a sun-basking alligator. Not only that, but we have pythons, 8- to 16-feet long, that are eating up our deer population. Sportsmen, vacation to Florida and help rid us of unwelcomed backyard visitors. You can collect a bounty on certain dates.
Robert Fournier
Bangor
DEP and phthalates
As a teacher, I believe strongly that we owe it to our children to keep them safe from harm, and that includes protecting them from toxic chemicals that can cause serious health threats. I recently learned about phthalates (pronounced thal-eights), a group of harmful hormone-disrupting chemicals that are linked to learning and behavioral problems, asthma, and reproductive issues. Phthalates are everywhere – for example, in our shampoos, our shower curtains, our children’s shoes, our beach balls, and in our flooring. This potential exposure from multiple sources is a big problem.
The problem is that, right now, manufacturers don’t disclose which products contain phthalates. So we’re all left in a toxic guessing game, unable to use our purchasing power in the healthiest way possible. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection can remedy this: They are currently considering a proposal by a group of Maine citizens that would require big companies to disclose their use of phthalates to the state of Maine. Isn’t it about time that we equip ourselves with the knowledge we need to avoid these toxic chemicals?
Moms, teachers, doctors, toxicologists and Maine businesses have all stated their support regarding our right to know about phthalates. The Maine DEP has until Jan. 27 to decide whether to act or to do nothing; I believe it is the duty of the DEP to take this important step to help Maine families reduce their exposure to these harmful chemicals.
Joelle Bouchard
Bucksport