Washington Evening Journal
111 North Marion Avenue
Washington, IA 52353
319-653-2191
Union Letters to the Editor
Sep. 21, 2021 12:40 pm
Support Marsy’s Law on victims’ rights
As a retired member of the Mount Pleasant Police Department, I recall that the people we most often interact with are victims of crime. Day in and day out, I saw how those who become victims are treated by the criminal justice system and I did whatever I could to help protect them and assist them.
Through my work, I know that as a state we can do better for victims of crime – victims deserve Marsy’s Law for Iowa. Marsy’s Law would give victims specific outlined rights in our state constitution. Victims would be made aware of these rights immediately and would have recourse as they navigate the criminal justice system, should their rights be violated. This does not always happen but with the addition of Marsy’s Law it will.
Best of all, these rights are common sense – the right to be present at a hearing, the right to reasonable protection from the accused, the right to participate in the process, among others.
I know the legislature passed new laws over the last session that will certainly have a positive impact on the lives of crime victims and Rep. Joe Mitchell should be commended for his work on these issues. I want to encourage him to continue these efforts and pass Marsy’s Law for Iowa.
Bob Griffith
Mt. Pleasant
Texas doesn’t care about children
The Texas Governor and Legislature doesn’t give a darn about pro-life issues. They, like many other pro lifers, are obsessed only with controlling females. Making an anti-abortion law that commissions vigilantes and bounty hunters to spy on and hunt down pregnant females is horrendous.
If they catch any female trying to get an abortion, they can go to court and collect a bounty. This could be a moneymaker for rapists. Girls as young as 11 have become pregnant from rape. So, by all means, let’s force girls in middle school to bear children for these attackers.
The Texas Governor has said they are going to arrest rapists. Haven’t they been doing this already? And so what— a person can only be arrested after he has raped, the dastardly deed has already been done. Texas has a higher number of reported rapes than any other state. Imagine how high the number would be if the number of unreported rapes were known.
Texas is ranked 46 out of 50 states for overall child wellbeing. Statistics have tracked the realities of children who already live in the state - those in poverty, those suffering from food insecurity, those with no access to early childhood education and those without health insurance. Texas doesn’t give a darn about children.
Norma Lindeen
Swedesburg
Questions on role of Sustainability Coordinator
I wrote a letter wondering about the position of Sustainability Coordinator in Fairfield. I received a reply from a Margret Dwyer. She very thoroughly explained what the position was and that in fact, all compliance with this individual was strictly voluntary.
Ms. Dwyer went on to tout the wondrous things that the last person who held this position had accomplished. These items, the Community Orchard and the increase in recycling especially, are what I am going to focus on in this letter.
I walk the trail that goes by the Community Orchard in Fairfield’s Chautauqua Park often enough to be somewhat familiar with the status of the place. I know that due to the sewer work that has been done, a majority of the mulberry and walnut trees planted in the orchard were removed.
I also know that almost all the peach trees have died, the pears have not produced much if any fruit, and that the chestnuts, now that they are fully protected from the deer, are producing enough nuts to keep a few squirrels fed. This leaves the apple trees and they are so wormy that the fruit is basically inedible.
So really, what is the benefit of this orchard? It rarely gets mowed, it is hard for people to get to as there is no vehicle access, and the trees are not maintained so that there is a usable crop. Oh, the apples could be used for pig feed, but how do you get to them with no vehicles allowed on the trail?
Next I want to talk about the increase in recycling that Ms. Dwyer talked about. With the advent of Single Stream Recycling, more people have begun recycling, just as Ms. Dwyer stated. But more people recycling does not equate to more items being recycled. Traditional items such as paper and cardboard, which always had a market, are becoming contaminated with glass, deeply devaluing their worth.
There is also the issue with No. 2 recyclable products that are fused together, making neither recyclable because no one at the sorting facilities is paid to tear this stuff apart. Or the glass and plastic that is put in recycling bins that are a dirty, smell, mess. What happens to all these unsuitable items? Why, they go into the landfill! But you see, since they were not picked up in waste cans, they are not counted as waste by eco-groups.
Perhaps this group should sustain the projects it already has instead of looking to take on new ones. As I have already stated, the Community Orchard is hard to access. Maybe they could look into making it more accessible to those with mobility issues. And explore methods of producing organic fruit that is edible.
There are a number of organic sprays that can be used, pheromone controls, sticky traps and removal of dropped fruit to break the life cycle of the Apple Maggot.
But if they really want to tackle a new project, just what is going to happen to the methane produced at the sewer treatment site? Isn’t methane one of the “bad” gases? Isn’t it supposedly contributing to climate change? Since methane burns just like propane does, wouldn’t that apply to their goal of “green energy?” It will be interesting.
Dianne Brandt
Fairfield
Vaccinated shouldn’t fear unvaccinated
The democrats like the phrase “My body, my choice” when they demand public funding for abortion. The same phrase could be used for those that don’t want the COVID jab.
If the vaccine really works, the vaccinated shouldn’t be threatened by those that don’t want the jab.
Leland Graber
Wayland
Opinion content represents the viewpoint of the author or The Gazette editorial board. You can join the conversation by submitting a letter to the editor or guest column or by suggesting a topic for an editorial to editorial@thegazette.com