LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Let Iowa children be children
Though not a parent, I have been a child. That qualifies me to speak on this.
A March 17 story reported that the Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll had found majority support for student access to sexually graphic books.
Throughout the piece, the writers freely used the sensational phrase "book ban," despite its not being applicable in this case. The books in question can be written, published, marketed, and stocked in public libraries.
The writers did note that. But they sat on the inconvenient truth until their story's penultimate paragraph, and only portrayed the reality as merely childprotection advocates' partisan contention.
A question unaddressed in the story is this: Given that school computers are (presumably) set to prevent student access to XXX pornography, why should children have access to such imagery in school library books?
Will those who today push for school libraries to stock graphically salacious books soon challenge school internet prohibitions of sexual depictions, as well?
The “progressive” ambition of establishing youngsters as autonomous agents free from parental regulation and subject to state manipulation is apparent in disdain of parents' proper roles as education arbiters. (The identical desire to wrest control of minors from parents animates school personnel “transitioning” children in secret.)
I take a backseat to no man in opposing censorship of materials available to adults like myself, whether it be books, records, movies, online sites, or some communication vehicle not yet invented.
As a Marshalltown resident in the 1980s, I publicly opposed a pro-censorship pressure group there that called for the shuttering of an adults-only bookstore. My activism included an essay in the local newspaper.
But minors are another matter. The concept of "age appropriateness" is a legitimate one that should guide this discussion.
Among adult responsibilities is the safeguarding of children. Those who would throw wide the inappropriatematerial door for youths (who are definitionally underdeveloped in mind and temperament) are failing that moral obligation. DC Larson, Waterloo
Protecting religious freedom, or inflicting religion?
A bare majority of Iowans approve of allowing health care workers to opt out of providing services based on religious grounds. Clearly, under the same religious protection argument, health care facilities will not be allowed to fire or refuse to hire persons who refuse to work with services regarding abortion, IVF, contraception, blood transfusions, vaccinations, and more. This is pushed to “protect” religious freedom, but it actually forces religious practices onto Iowans and may harm or even kill them. When you enter a hospital, you should be able to trust that the hospital has staff that will provide the services you may need. Charles Strutt, Grimes
Mike Simonson got significant financial support for campaign
Two pieces of information in Virginia Barreda's March 20 story “Mike Simonson wins the at-large city council seat” stuck out to me.
First, Barreda wrote: “Simonson raised big money to fund his campaign for the special election, amassing $282,113 from more than 260 cash and in-kind contributions within three months.” Simonson raised almost as much money as mayoral candidate Josh Mandelbaum did last year, but he did it in three months instead of 10. That's fast.
Barreda also wrote: “Much of Simonson's financial support came from area developers and real estate investors who collectively contributed thousands of dollars to his campaign.” Will these folks be expecting a return on their investment? Time will tell.
And here's a little-known fact: Simonson failed to respond to Iowa CCI Action's candidate survey, which we sent him several times. One of our questions asked what he would do to reduce the influence of big-money contributions on local elections.
Simonson's fundraising prowess makes me wonder about the “service above self ” message he used extensively in his campaign literature. Speaking of that, I received seven mass mailings from Simonson in less than five weeks. Takes a lot of money — and help — to do that.
He bears watching. Hugh Espey, senior adviser, Iowa CCI Action Fund, Des Moines
Iowa Democrats reject Iowa values
For years now I've been scratching my head at how those on the far left (who now control the Democratic Party) can see the same thing the opposite way Republicans do.
Republicans see an open border that is harming America, and Democrats embrace all those who arrive illegally as a gift. Republicans see the killing of a child in the womb as the death of a child, and Democrats as improving the health of a woman. Republicans see a 20% increase in inflationary costs over the past three years as an economic disaster for families, while Democrats see it as inflation is improving because costs are now rising more slowly. Republicans see the world in turmoil under Joe Biden, while Democrats believe throwing more money at the problem will solve it, learning nothing from Afghanistan. Republicans see our president as old and mentally unfit to lead our country, while Democrats see him as vibrant and a vigorous defender of democracy.
Iowa has become one of the reddest states in the country, with almost every important elected position having been won by a Republican. One thing I'm not sure of is when the Democratic Party in Iowa will realize letting the far-left control their party is a losing strategy, and that the key to start winning elections is moving more toward the middle, which represents most Iowans' values. Patrick Ropella, Mason City
Keep schools out of personal matters
I am a Republican voter, though I tend to lean more Libertarian.
I realize many of the latest spate of laws and changes are a response to the overreach of the left in both education and life in general. I find it difficult to believe we should be as involved as we are in people's personal lives. An abortion should be a person's own choice as long as they deal with it and the consequences themselves. A student's gender confusion is something that is between them and their family and is private to them alone.
The notion that schools should be involved is overreach. School should get back to teaching those subjects that will help a student write a sentence or figure out the budget or understand our US and world history.
We might even start to raise test scores again if schools become schools again instead of psychology offices. Beryl Richards, Nashua
Why don’t Republicans provide the money needed to raise a child?
The Republicans would have us believe that their flood of abortion bans and restrictions are all about morality. They demand total abortion bans, or bans before women know they are pregnant, no abortion pills, no contraception, no IVF, claims of personhood for embryos in order to obtain a federal ban, in spite of the fact that they know many women will die. No matter how deeply they genuflect to their religious extremist allies, it raises suspicions that there are less than moral ulterior motives.
The moral thing for the Republicans to do would be to compensate women by giving them the $330,000 the USDA estimates it will cost to raise a child to age 18, instead of that windfall going directly to business. Add in the cost of pregnancy test kits every month, child care, health care, insurance, and four years of a college of our choice for each child. Also add compensation for the women who die in those forced pregnancies. Call it a test. I'm betting their "morality" will vaporize as if it were never there. Kay A. Meyer, Ames
Video of Biden stumbling proves nothing
Are we not finding petty politics increasingly annoying where there was once decorum and dignity?
A photo of 81-year-old President Joe Biden who briefly lost stairwell footing on one of his frequent airplane trips has been aired to a nauseating degree on media nationwide.
Iowa's Chuck Grassley is 90. Imagine following him around 24/7 with a highpowered lens and then posting doctored photos on cable and social media with degrading commentary.
Pope Francis, 87 has been seen in unbecoming poses. Would media moguls lie in wait for awkward moment "paparazzi-style" film clips of the pope as they do Biden? Would the public stand for it?
Who among us could not be made to look very stupid with an ever-present camera intent on slander and damage to our reputation?
This tactic is not journalism. It is propaganda.
In a different time, the press reported to the public the policy positions of our leaders and their words, not the inevitable events that come with disability, age and the rigor of daily activity.
President Franklin Roosevelt led our nation through the Great Depression and World War II. Roosevelt also suffered from poliomyelitis, used a wheelchair and wore heavy steel leg braces. There were no hateful press tactics. The president was known to the public for his character, words and actions, and there was respect for the presidency.
Americans are being played for stupid by these tactics. Some fall for the nastiness. Most don't. Roosevelt and Biden fought hard to overcome disabilities so that they can serve our country. That's how wise people see it. David Helman, Salem
Our problems run much deeper than one nitrogen spill
Thanks to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources for investigating the nitrogen spill in the Nishnabotna River.
The good news, if there is any, is that this kind of chemical damage can be prevented by one person doing his or her job properly or by a business taking precautions like checking valves twice.
Iowa's nitrogen, phosphorus and chemical problems are not so easily fixed. Our industrial farmers are now dependent on applications of nutrients, glyphosate, neoniconoids, fungicides, etc. They are dependent on the federal ethanol mandates, massive subsidies and tax breaks. However, margins are minimal at times, and the pork producers are expected lose $18 per pig this year.
It seems that our food system is broken. Why? Consolidation! No, resilience. Just 50 years ago most farmers raised small numbers of pigs. Cows dotted the landscape. And, we did not have to bury millions of chickens at taxpayer expense every time the bird flu passed through. Since the very rich are now allowed to buy our politicians, we are in trouble. Waste, waste, waste, subsidy, subsidy, subsidy. And some blame the $30 trillion federal debt on minority mothers. So sad. Mike Delaney, Windsor Heights