Letters to the Editor Policy

Seems Like Water And Community Don't Mix

I was reading the letters to the editor in the October 27 edition of the Transcript. Many were about or related to the Cabot Oil vs. Commonwealth of PA DEP regarding safe, drinkable water in Dimock. Many writers demand “this” or demand “that,” but the real story isn't about the water or the gas. It's about who has and who has not.

First - kudos to the DEP for finally standing up to “corporate America” in the shape of Cabot Oil. If you were to speak with our state representative and ask her about how Cabot treated the situation in Dimock, she would tell you that it was not done well. I would know, because I went to her earlier this year to speak to her about it, and in our hour long conversation she convinced me, for the hour, that everything would be ok. She said our land will be better than it was before the gas companies came.

In response to Gretchen Backer, the resident of Dimock who said that “Cabot is doing a great job” and they are “drilling a half mile from our property line,” I ask, are they drilling on your property? Did you, who boasts that you own a hotel, restaurant and bar in Montrose, lease your land to a gas company? You never come out and say that you have, so I suspect that you have not. The reason you have not is because you probably don't need the money. Most people who have leases with the gas companies thought they came upon gold, but something tells me you had your lawyers look over the proposal and you said no thanks. The gas companies were notorious to prey on poor landowners, many of which were farmers, to sign cheap leases. Nice try Gretchen. Sarah Palin wants her “big government” kit back.

In response to Cynthia Allen and her squeals about water pressure. Ms. Allen, there are apartments and homes from here to Alaska that have water pressure problems. Get a high efficiency shower head and move on.

To Phyllis and Bob Myers, I'm sorry to hear about your coffee tasting awful as you dine out on a regular basis. Most people on a limited income eat at home. Children have complained about bubbler or fountain water for at least 30 years. Students can want bottled water - that doesn't mean they get it. Bottled water is expensive. If they want it, bring it from home. Have mom and dad pick up a 30 pack at Wal-Mart and have the kid bring it to school. Public schools provide drinking water from the fountains. You want more, go to a vending machine. By the way, the price per bottle of water at a typical vending machine is $1.25 for 20 ounces.

All being said, water is the key ingredient to all natural life. I suppose if any of us had a gas company drilling in our backyard and our personal water supply was poisoned, we would be entitled to an opinion. But what I read in this edition of letters to the editor, is that no one cares about the fact that someone took away clean water from a group of people in our community. All anyone cares about is “how will this affect me?” It should affect you that a group of people in your community are suffering. What ever happened to giving half your sandwich to the person next to you that had nothing to eat? Now we frown at people with no clean water supply and say, but what about my water pressure? What about my unfiltered coffee I can afford to buy while dining out? What about poor little, rich, me, who can't express an opinion in an editorial without advertising her wealth and her business? It's shameful that all of you have an opinion on a matter and the only opinion that shows is all you care about is yourself.

And in case you were wondering, you can still have half of my sandwich and a bottle of water from my lunch bag - because I still care about you.

Sincerely,

Jeff Dahlander

Clifford, PA

Hey, Republicans...

Did you have a nice tantrum? You rewarded the party that created our current economic mess by restoring them to power. Brilliant. Well, not exactly the same people. The GOP's new roster included a lot of truly nutty people. These people do not have the answers, so voting for them is nothing but a giant middle finger to Government, something you really don't want to do without, despite your penchant for pseudo-libertarian blather that borders on anarchism. And when the new Republicans inevitably fail to solve our problems, and the process gets even uglier thanks to the newcomers, what will you do then? Have another electoral tantrum and put the Democrats back? You wouldn't do that even if the Democrats could usher in Utopia itself. Fact is, you don't really mind bad government, as the recent election proves. You just have a sick need to hate Democrats, as the disastrous Impeachment Crusade against Clinton proved. Well, the rest of us are sick of indulging you.

Sincerely,

Stephen Van Eck

Rushville, PA 18828

Bi-Partisanship

In the first 18 months of his presidency, Barak Obama had neither one conversation with nor one invitation to the leaders of the Republican Party. He advertised how he viewed himself with statements like “I won” (1/29/09) when responding to Republican objections to parts of the stimulus. More recently, he advised Republicans to “sit in the back” (10/25/10). As of Tuesday, after having his head handed to him by the electorate, he is now championing bi-partisanship. Before you relax and feel reassured, consider my “self paid” letter published on October 27 regarding Fabian Socialism. This president of ours is not in any way changing his opinion that us dumb slobs are incapable of making the “right” choices. He allows that he got his butt kicked because he was inarticulate and was rushed to take the “right” legislative actions. He thinks the same, he believes the same, he isn’t about to change his spots but, he will don the sheepskin mantle of the Fabian Socialist. Beware! Keep a jaundiced eye on Washington.

The voters of PA10 deserve congratulations for turning out the Progressives at all levels - Congress, Senate and Governor. You must realize that the work has only just begun. You have stopped the headlong rush to Socialism but Constitutional Conservatives are not in a position to reverse the leftward movements which have taken place in the last two years. There is the overreaching effect of Obamacare, there is the crushing national debt, there are regulations being written daily which will drag our economy down even further. We must pay attention now that we are awake and not allow ourselves to be lulled into a false sense of security by Republicans or Democrats. The price of freedom is eternal vigilance. If we had not voted as we did on the 2nd, after two more years you would not have recognized the United States. Debt and jobs are our most critical problems. You all must know that the Federal Reserve is embarking on the printing of six hundred billion dollars in unbacked paper. Jefferson (our gift from God) said “Paper is poverty, … it is only the ghost of money, and not money itself.” (2/7/1788). Our new House of Representatives will have a hand full in attempting to create a predictable business climate - the foundation of job creation. Don’t be fooled by the administrations rhetoric, keep informed and monitor your representatives at every level and let them know that you are watching. There is another election in 2012.

Sincerely,

Joe McCann

Elk Lake, PA

Who Are The Outcasts

It was the shock heard 'round the world; multiculturalism has “utterly failed,” said Germany's chancellor, Angela Merkel.

“For a while we kidded ourselves.” She continued, “we said, 'they won't stay. But that is not the reality. We'll just live next to and detached from each other and declare how happy we are with each other.' This approach has failed, utterly failed.”

The “they” that Merkel referred to are Turkish Muslims.

Germany's problem started some 50 years ago. They encouraged guest workers from all over Europe. The Fatherland called, the guest workers answered - by the millions. As the economic conditions in their own nations improved, the Italians, Spanish, and Portuguese immigrants returned to their homeland, but the Turkish Muslims stayed. And that was a problem.

The issue is not so much the Turkish immigrants per se as it is with their religion, Islam. Today, there are more than three million Muslims residing in Germany; it is a nation within a nation. They do not assimilate.

What is not generally understood about Islam is that it is more than a religion. It is a way of life that encompasses everything in a believer's daily activities and separates him from western society.

Muslims have their own legal system, the Sharia, a collection of beliefs, attitudes, and practices that govern every aspect of a devotee’s life. They have their own schools, the Madrasah. The curriculum consists of the Koran, Sharia, and Muslim history.

Politically, democracy and Islam are polar opposites. While the power of democratic governments is vested in the people, in Islam it is rooted in their holy book, the Koran, as interrupted by the Imam, who is also their political leader. Invariable, governments in Muslim nations are autocratic and dictatorial.

In a sense, they are even alienated geographically, The heart of Islam is a city in Saudi Arabia, Mecca, where their prophet Muhammad proclaimed Islam. And socially they stand apart because Islam forbids friendship with infidels, that is, non-believers.

The Muslim population in the U.S. is estimated to be between three million to ten million. Their birthrate is an astonishing six times the national average. In 1934, there was one mosque in the U.S. Today there are more than 1200. Their influence grows steadily.

However, wherever multiculturalism has been put to the test, it has sown discord.

In Canada, the French speaking and English speaking factions bicker unintelligibly with each other. Toward the south, the Mexicans and Indians have shootouts, The Indonesians butcher the East Timorese, and the Hutus chop away at the Tutsis in Rwanda.

The Malays can't stand the Chinese, the Protestants and Catholics fight religious wars in Ireland, the Japanese despise the Koreans, and there's no love lost between the Arabs and the Jews.

Maybe we should all hold hands around the campfire and just get along. But we don't. It's an uncomfortable fact; humans are ornery creatures. Things haven't changed much since Cain killed Abel, his own brother.

It took Germany 50 years to learn that diversity leads only to a diversity of problems. The Germans don't like the Muslims living in their nation and the Muslims barely tolerate the Germans.

For the present, it is the Muslims who are the outsiders in Germany. But the Muslim birthrate is three times that of Europeans. At this rate one day in the near future it may be the Germans, themselves, who are on the outside looking in, outcasts in their own land.

In the U.S., multiculturalism is in full swing. The tide of immigrants from South America continues with the government's de facto approval. More than 2,300 illegals a day pour over the southern border. Add to that an annual 100,000 Muslims who become U.S. citizens. And Obama issued an executive order increasing the number of immigrants by 80,000 a year.

The long-term effect of cultural diversity on the U.S. is unknown, but judging by other nations with sizable minorities it will not be good.

Recently the president proudly appointed Arif Alikhan, a devout Muslim, as Assistant Secretary for Policy Development. Janet Napolitano, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, followed suit and swore in Kareem Shora, also a practicing Muslim, to the Homeland Security Advisory Council.

We haven't yet discovered that Germany is our future.

Sincerely,

Bob Scroggins

New Milford, PA

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY
Letters To The Editor MUST BE SIGNED. They MUST INCLUDE a phone number for "daytime" contact. Letters MUST BE CONFIRMED VERBALLY with the author, before printing. Letters should be as concise as possible, to keep both Readers' and Editors' interest alike. Your opinions are important to us, but you must follow these guidelines to help assure their publishing.

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