IndyStar.com: Letters to the editor
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Why accept gifts if there's no effect?
Legislators always say that the gifts they receive from those lobbying the Statehouse have no effect on their votes. If that is so, why do they take the gifts? (“Access to Power,” Nov. 15). Pascal de Caprariis Martinsville
Let's be like the Irish, ban indoor smoking
It is disheartening that the leaders of Indianapolis are hesitating to pass the smoking ban in public establishments. Medical evidence has shown that exposure to smoke is dangerous and even lethal. We make it illegal to drive without a seat belt and...
Not putting our money where our water problems are
An article in The Star on Indiana’s water quality problem with blue-green algae quotes the Indiana Department of Environmental Management as saying, "an algae monitoring system would cost millions of dollars to operate.’’ On...
It's great to be a Bayh: good health care, nice income
Don Young (Letters, Nov. 8) rightly calls attention to the largesse bestowed upon Evan and Susan Bayh by the insurance and pharmaceutical industries and calls into question the senator’s ability to serve the people who voted for him. It is not...
Pool makes big splash as property tax exemption
I recently visited the Washington Township Assessor’s Office to file an appeal on my property taxes. While there, I made the discovery that while there is indeed a 1.5 percent cap on the property tax, a little-known provision of the law exempts...
Jobless wait, as Dems pursue lower-priority health reform
With the unemployment rate topping 10 percent, you would think the Democratic-controlled legislative and executive branches might be focused like a laser on job creation. But the U.S. House and President Barack Obama are more concerned with...
IPS drops the ball with plan to end football programs
I am disappointed that the IPS Board of School Commissioners is considering no football for Washington Community School. Basic sports programs are essential to providing a well-balanced education for our youth. The football program provides...
Back in my grandma's old barn
My Grandma Cauble’s old white barn still has the Frankfort Milk Market’s Grade “A” Milk Permit tacked to the milk room door. The barn, standing between Kempton and Ekin in Tipton County, is typical of Indiana — a gambrel...
It's not the guns: People are root cause of violence
In response to Dr. Stephen Dunlop’s Nov. 11 letter about re-examining the Second Amendment, the purpose of the amendment was to protect us from our own government as much as from any outside forces. That would be hard to do if all we had were...
Historic IPS school restored with eye to past and future
Indianapolis Public Schools deserves special mention for its beautiful renovation of School 57 in Irvington. I attended the recent open house, and the district has done an excellent job of preserving a nationally recognized historic landmark while at...
Bayh worried about debt? What about war and health?
About Sen. Evan Bayh’s call to focus on the national debt: Perhaps Bayh should have focused on that before he stood in the trumpet section of Congress’ press conference approving an unprovoked war on Iraq that is streaming toward a $2...
Airport enjoys big year as its journey continues
The past two years have been among the most pivotal in the Indianapolis Airport Authority’s 47-year history. In 2007, the city’s 10-year public-private partnership with BAA Indianapolis LLC ended and the authority once again took the...
Public-to-private switch: Save money, graduate more kids
I like an idea recently presented to the Economic Club of Indiana: Improve Indiana K-12 education while reducing state and local government expenditures by offering a $6,000 scholarship to any child who transfers from government schools to private...
We have freedom to choose to smoke or to stay away
It was ironic that The Star’s Nov. 11 editorial in favor of banning smoking at private businesses appeared directly below a quote from the Bill of Rights, where the protections against an overzealous government are spelled out in eloquent...
Mayor takes stand for Lilly but not for smoking ban
We all understand the importance of Eli Lilly to the Indianapolis economy. Mayor Greg Ballard in his Nov. 9 My View argued that companies such as Lilly should be given greater market power so they can make a profit on developing drugs to treat...
Tax cuts increase with unemployment rate
President Barack Obama promised that 95 percent of working people will get a tax cut. With each increase in the unemployment rate, that promise becomes more realistic. Larry Clark Indianapolis
Onus on Islam to rid religion of violence
Islam, the Muslim world and generally the world’s media, including this newspaper, are in a state of denial. With what was obviously a radical Islamist terrorist attack by Maj. Nidal Hasan on his nation’s military there is denial, denial,...
Time to re-examine rights of Second Amendment
Dunlop, how did you get to become an M.D being...
My View: Creativity arises in oddest places
The terrible secret of my writing is that I don’t have a great imagination. I have to go to a place, soak in its atmosphere, its nuance, and let it speak to me. I’m sitting in a rear corner booth in a bar/caf in Downtown Indianapolis, a...
Get out now; don't saddle our grandkids with this war
It is time for the U.S. military to leave Afghanistan. The cost in American (and British and other NATO) lives is tragic. The general (Stanley McChrystal) in charge wants more troops. President Barack Obama is confronted with a dilemma akin to what...
Rescued from child abuse, now saving others
I would like to thank The Star for highlighting James Payne’s My View on Nov. 5 ("Reach out today and prevent child abuse’’). Eighteen years ago, I met Judge Payne in his chambers as a juvenile ward of the state. As the direct...
Let's protect kids, but don't forget families
James Payne, director of the Indiana Department of Child Services, makes some valid points regarding protecting our children from neglect and abuse (My View, Nov. 5). I applaud his effort in bringing this message forward and support it...
No homage paid to Reagan for his major role
In the Associated Press article commemorating the 20th anniversary of the opening of the wall dividing Berlin, various people are praised for their role in those events. Our president deigned to comment on “sacrifices that made it (the fall)...
Good early education vital to success
The Star’s ongoing coverage of important education issues is extremely valuable to our community. High school graduation rates, youth violence, ISTEP scores and fluctuating attendance are all important concerns for the conscience of this city....
It's not about people; it's about power
The health-care bill passed the House, and I suddenly feel quite ill. I shouldn’t be surprised that Congress is nearing its goal to take over nearly 18 percent of the U.S. economy. This was never about caring for the people; it was always about...
Left-wing slant assigned to Fort Hood shooter's motives
It has already been discovered the shooter in the mass murder at Fort Hood was a terrorist sympathizer. He had been written up for making pro-terrorist statements and even though be was born in America, he claimed Palestine as his home country....
My View: Shine up historic gem, put it to good use
One of my favorite holiday traditions as a kid was watching Santa Claus arrive at the Indiana State Museum via helicopter. It was exciting, of course, to see the big guy in the red suit climb from the chopper and take his place inside this grand,...
Condemn violence done in name of their religion
Once again we hear that Muslims in general should not be condemned for the atrocities committed by a radical American Muslim bent on inflicting violence in the name of Allah against U.S. citizens. I surely agree on that point with those Muslims...
We too easily send them off to face invisible enemy
As with millions of Americans I have followed the tragic shootings at Fort Hood, Texas. The shooter was an Army psychiatrist. Several theories for the shooting appear to be quite plausible. From 1968 to 1970, during the Vietnam War, I served as a...
Young readers learn to love print edition
As a lover of the print media, I have long wanted to instill that love in my children. This year as we home school our children, we have used The Star as incentive. As soon as all of their schoolwork is complete, they are allowed to go out to the...
