Letters to the Editor
Presidential raceMcCain抯 top priority should trail bigger issuesAs the presidential primary races heat up in both dominant parties, I have not yet formed a solid opinion of who I believe is the best candidate in either party. However, a recent comment by Sen. McCain on the McNeil News Hour makes me question his understanding of the world today. He stated that the 搕ranscendent challenge of the 21st century is the struggle against radical Islamic extremism.?If he truly believes this, then I sense that he will not help our nation invest our attention and resources wisely.What qualifies as 搕he transcendent challenge of the 21st century?has to be something with deeper roots, something that is truly standing in the way of progress in the world. Something which, when overcome, will open up unlimited potential for human development (and global sustainability). Only a few things qualify as the transcendent challenge. It might be the gap between rich and poor; it might be the ongoing struggle of our education systems to transform themselves; it might be the unwillingness of individual citizens and consumers to make major shifts in lifestyles to help the environment. In any case, Sen. McCain is missing the mark with his important but secondary priority.Matthew Shapiro, BoiseRush LimbaughSenators should be too busy to complain about radioThe Oct. 20 N.Y. Times article refers to a letter sent to Rush Limbaugh from the U.S. Senate. The letter was in fact sent to Mark Mays, the CEO of Clear Channel, requesting that he take some action. You can check it out online. Apparently the N.Y. Times did not. I do not think that the senators should be going directly to broadcasters with complaints of program content since they are in the business of regulating broadcast licensees through the FCC. It could seem like the senators are trying to dictate content to the licensee, and that is not their function. I don抰 recall a Senate letter going out to CBS during the Imus controversy.With all of the problems like immigration, health care, and the budget waiting for solutions, it seems strange
that 41 U.S. senators have time to write letters and make speeches complaining about a radio program.Jim Goeppner, NampaNuclear PowerIdaho should build, rely on a nuclear power plantIn response to 搉uclear energy?by Larry Munden on Sept. 18.The United States generates power basically seven ways: hydro, coal, gas, oil, wind turbines, solar and nuclear power.Hydro-electric is the least damaging for greenhouse gases. Coal, gas and oil are the most damaging. Solar and wind are dependent on weather and need large amounts of land. Nuclear power releases no greenhouse gases, needs no oil or gas wells, no trees are destroyed, no large purchase of land is required, and it is not dependent on the weather. Spent fuel is a problem, but if we would recycle our spent fuel like other countries do, that problem would be greatly reduced.The worst accident this nation ever had with a nuclear power plant hurt no one, and did nothing but make us fearful of nuclear power.This state was the first to generate electricity by nuclear power, and we have a large engineering group devoted to making nuclear power safe and affordable. We should be proud of that fact, and proud someone wants to build a nuclear power plant here. It would create good-paying jobs and ensure the people of Idaho have enough power to meet our growing demands well into the future, without increasing greenhouse gasses.Larry E. Young, MeridianEducationSupport author抯 efforts to better educate childrenWe were glad to see 揘o Child Left Untested: As federal school reform law comes up for review, some Idahoans want changes?featured on the front page of the Sunday, Oct. 21, edition. Thank you for covering such an important issue. Many Idahoans do indeed want changes. Those changes are well-articulated by Jonathan Kozol, author of 揇eath at an Early Age,?揟he Shame of the Nation,?and 揝avage Inequalities?to name a few. You can find Jonathan and the members of the Education Action! Team抯 10 proposals for change to No Child Left Behind on Ed Action抯 Web site at: www.ed
action.com/content/NCLBPoints.pdf.Mr. Kozol has been on a partial fast since July 4 to protest the damage being done by NCLB.
He will continue to fast until members of the U.S. Senate Health, Education Labor %26 Pensions (HELP) Committee consider these proposals. Please contact Sen. Kennedy抯 education office, (202) 224-9214, to have your objections to NCLB heard. Join us in our 揷ollective fast,?as we each fast a different day of the week, to support Mr. Kozol in his admirable efforts. Visit Ed Action. Let Mr. Kozol know he is not alone in his concern for children.Mike Carnell, Jazmin Daley, Barbara Greenwood, Annette Hanson, Jerry Hendershot, Karen Moss and Veronica Daley Zaleha, BoiseSensible changes needed for Idaho抯 testing regimeBravo to the parents and teachers at Boise抯 Whitney Elementary who are seeking sensible changes in Idaho抯 testing regime.Like the insightful Whitney parents, the general public is coming to understand the ugly nature of deformed education that testing is imposing on our youth. The wrong-headed federal No Child Left Behind law is a prime example.In a global competitive environment where critical thinking and analytical skills are keys to our future, what do politicians and policymakers demand? Tests that narrow curriculum away from writing, science and history; tests that discourage the reading of books; and tests that cripple higher-order thinking skills.Educator Jonathan Kozol states that NCLB抯 poisonous essence lies in the mania of obsessive testing and the 搈iserable drill-and-kill curriculum of robotic 憈eaching to the test?it has imposed on teachers.?p/>What抯 Kozol doing about this? As of this writing, he is continuing to fast, an action he started this summer, as he fights for the soul of public education.What can you do? Speak up!1. Contact the State Board of Education at board@osbe.idaho.gov or call (208) 334-2270.2. Submit an electronic message to the president and Idaho抯 congressional delegation.
(See www3.capwiz.com/nea/issues/alert/?alertid=9728111%26type=ml)Terry Gilbert, BoiseOnline commentsStatesman should edit callous remarks on deathI was deeply saddened when I read about the death of Sarah Howard recently, after she was struck by an SUV while riding her bike. Sarah was a great person and a friend to many. However, what shocked me even more were the ridiculous and often callous remarks left online by your readers. Why the Statesman would choose to elicit comments on such a tragedy is beyond reason. Please show some class and some sensitivity, and to the gawkers who insist on their First Amendment right, 揇o not speak unless you can improve the silence??Proverbs.Kerri Dunn, EagleHalloweenSex offenders should turn on blue porch lightThe Lights Off policy for sex offenders during Halloween is severely flawed. There may be people who are out of town who leave their lights off, or people like myself who for personal reasons do not celebrate Halloween and have no desire to support it in any way. So we either have to risk being viewed by our neighbors as possible sex offenders, or turn kids away at our door.Perhaps a better solution is to require sex offenders to turn on a blue porch light year-round ?that would greatly increase the neighborhood awareness of sex offenders residing within their neighborhoods year-round and not just during Halloween. This may provide greater year-round protection for our children and not place undue suspicion on innocent neighbors who don抰 happen to have their porch lights on for whatever reason.Michael Kelley, Nampa
