Police officer compassion
Recently, I saw a Bangor police officer go beyond the call of duty. While working what was clearly a sensitive domestic call, I witnessed the officer laughing and playing catch with the children of the home. He was turning an otherwise scary and sad time into something better.
At a time when so much of what police officers do is under such scrutiny and a distrust of officers is so high, I felt that this act of compassion and kindness must be noted. I do not know the officer’s name, but I thought it should be noted.
Paul Denty
Bangor
Campaign finance fix
The Sept. 3 BDN article “Maine Public Campaign Financing Push Bucks National Tide” explains the upcoming referendum very well. Maine led the nation in 1996 by putting Clean Election laws on our books, and we will once again have the opportunity to set the standard by putting some teeth into those laws with a resounding “yes” vote on Question 1 in this fall’s election.
With this additional force, big money’s heavy hand can be limited and good candidates who could not otherwise afford to compete will be able to become our leaders.
If you would like to learn more about this issue with Democrat and Republican state legislators, a forum will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13, at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 120 Park St., Bangor. The forum will be followed with a light dinner and an opportunity to learn about phone banking and to help turn the tide.
Nancy Jacobson
Bangor
Upside-down world
We are a nation of laws. We hear this constantly. Yet, a Kentucky county clerk was jailed for not following the newly created law about marriage.
Were the activist judges who created that law jailed? Or was the president jailed for his many abuses and unlawful actions? No impeachments, no jail time in these cases.
But the ordinary citizen must follow the law. It’s all upside down.
Natalie Kavin
Presque Isle
Men’s liberation movement
We have had a female liberation movement, now is the time for a male liberation movement. Males have gotten by through the eons with physical strength, thereby maintaining dominance. All that is slowly and painfully ending.
Males are hampered by the baggage that they are supposed to be dominant, supported by ancient cultural and religious norms. Nowadays, facing fierce international competition, we in the U.S. have the flexibility to modify some of this cultural baggage to see that males and females can play interchangeable roles, depending on skills, talent, education, thereby dropping all reference to sexual dominance.
It is the males that need to change, and that change will be the greatest thing that males can do to strengthen our own country in many ways. Most other countries would be way behind us in that respect. Our strength is in diversity. I believe the vast majority of males would breathe a sigh of relief to be liberated.
Philip C. Groce
Union