my Veterans Day LTTE..comment and rate,please

[w8liftinglady]

http://www.thedailylight.com/articles/2008/11/10/opinion/doc4918b00b2cd16899735788.txt
To the Editor,

Recently, The Military Times ran an article on the Burn pit at Balad Air Base in Balad, Iraq. Tens of thousands of troops, contractors and Iraqis have been exposed to the toxic fumes emitted by the daily burning of 147 tons of styrofoam, unexploded ordnance, petroleum products, plastics, rubber, dining facility trash, paint and solvents and medical waste, including amputated limbs. This has exposed these individuals to known carcinogens,such as arsenic, dioxin, and benzene. Numerous reports of new-onset asthma and other respiratory diseases are being reported by those who have worked in this area. Troops who tend to the burn pit wear simple dust masks, which are ineffective at filtering any of these harmful chemicals. Air Force officials deny any long-term effects from this long-term 24/7 exposure. The military operates several burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan, with relatively little oversight or protocol.

In honor of veterans present and future, I chose to write about these pits because they are yet another example of the disregard the Pentagon has for the soldier (or airman, in this case). Adhere to the doctrine of plausible deniability, and hope the symptoms present themselves after discharge, when the VA has to absorb these troops as they sicken. This is reminiscent of Agent Orange, depleted uranium, and the anthrax vaccine ... all of which sickened and killed our troops, and all of which the government denied any correlation.

In order to support our troops, we must insist on a true investigation of the toxic exposure our troops face, as well as the effect on the environment. Contact Congressman Barton and Senators Cornyn and Hutchison and demand an investigation into this blatant disregard for our troops’ welfare.

[w8liftinglady]

1. for contrast...the other letter on the same page...see the hate..?

http://www.thedailylight.com/articles/2008/11/10/opinion/doc4918b026a7bd7023862902.txt

To the Editor,

We have just witnessed an historic election. America elected the first black president in her history. The enormity of this event cannot be overestimated. The majority of Americans looked beyond race to elect Barack Obama. They also looked beyond the content of his character and his left-wing agenda, because they were fed up with the current leadership and preferred change over substance.

Prior to the 1980 election, the late Dr. Jerry Falwell said, “The people haven’t gone bad. Leadership has. The people are still good. The leadership must change. Conservatives have not governed well and have forsaken conservative values. Pastors have not communicated well. While their ancestors provided the fuel for the American Revolution, they have developed laryngitis. Conservative ideas resonate with most Americans. It is time for our leaders and pastors to speak clearly.”

While the people passed marriage amendments in Arizona, California and Florida, two of those states voted for Barack Obama. When asked to vote on values, they chose traditional marriage. In California, the people overturned an activist state supreme court. However, a large number of people who voted for Obama voted for these marriage amendments, which Obama opposed.

Obama is left of left. He supports the Freedom of Choice Act, which would overturn almost every abortion restriction in the nation. He opposes the Born Alive Infant Protection Act, which was passed by Congress. He opposes a law banning partial-birth abortion, which was upheld by the Supreme Court. He promised to repeal the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which was passed overwhelmingly by Congress and signed by President Bill Clinton. The majority of Americans do not support Obama’s left wing radical agenda, but they wanted change for the sake of change.

The people voted to make history and voted against corrupt and impotent leadership. The majority of the American people share conservative values and are center or right of center. Conservative leaders have failed to remain true to these core values, and the people punished them. Today, we begin to rebuild the base. Old leadership must be replaced by new leadership. The values remain the same. The leadership must change.

Over the next four years the people will work to hold back Obama’s liberal social and economic agenda from advancing too far. In the end, he will find his liberal agenda to be a lonely island. In the end, President Obama will have to represent the values of the American people.

[anigbrowl]

2. I think you should send letters to a paper with a bigger circulation

How many people read the Waxahachie Daily Light, or care about the letters page? I had to use Google to find Waxahachie was even in Texas*. If you want attention at least write to the Houston Chronicle or some paper that will allow you to reach an audience.

Nice courthouse you have though; a fine example of civic architecture. Shame about the SSC.

[w8liftinglady]

3. The Daily Light has printed 166 of my letters

the dallas Morning News-3
Ft Worth Star-Telegram-1
Houson Chronicle-1
The Daily Light is delivered to Congressman Joe Barton's office daily.
I think he gets the message.

[anigbrowl]

5. well, maybe time to compete in the bigger league

Try pitching op-eds to the state papers or so. Most of your letters read like op-eds anyway, if you write that many you might as well try for a column or a bigger (in terms of article length) platform than a LTTE.

[ColbertWatcher]

4. I bet DU reaches a good number of people! n/t