| Show I lbe Salt I4kel ribune OPINION AA2 Sunday February 1 2001 MM - f ' IT - ---' ! 1' i r k 0 if ti: f- ? -f - 1 7- ' Yr)) 17 AP e '! ''4- 41ti 'KY ) A410016 it) OPCA 14Pr truc:44tors V119'11 Wit TA 4: lk:t I f '" k CDtrJ4 eKr I ! '14: b r i wi u' Iti ' I ca f-'- ' 4 11' I o o t I- ' 4 l'i it il s'' r !j 4 7 l' i! J-A- P a 4j '' cif t ''I CI 1 qr1'ft't el: ' ' r4 14 -- 7 0 11 - 4!) I ' j '1 l' I ' 1 b1 — 1 c H t 441:tit 1 i e (tf t ' 1 iwel i: t 4 : Lilik'( f a t e I 1 IIE Mgr if only to help fricus FRANS KOHISCHEiN Sumhi Shorten session Who said ve should insert an extra '(Pk in the middle of the Utah legislative session to give those "hard working" legislators time to recharge their batteries? I logwash! During the first week of the current session 00 percent of the time has been spent on political grandstanding and further attempts to codify legislators' religious beliefs We have a a bill to require teachers to teach "Utah Values": a bill to lower the legal blood alcohol level for drivers to 02 (drinking is immoral) two abortion bills both of which are redundant and unconstitutional and will result in more legal fees for the state: a k S N M ' 11 ' ir'‘ As rfitk400diPletettkit'AtiftsiVior l) 11' Itihlic Forum The Salt Lake Tribune l'0 Letter Guidelines: The Tribune welcomes lettes of up to 250 words on topics of general nterest Ietters must include full name home address and (lay and evening phone numbers Only the name and city of residence atv published Iptters may be edited for length grammar and accuracy Itue to volume not all submissions are published I Take responsibility response to Robert English (Forum Jan 24) yes sun spots do have an effect on changing temperature in the environment but this does not excuse us from our part in directly affecting the environment around us A good example would be looking at the average temperature for urban rural and wilderness areas as I have done There Is a significant change in temperature between these three areas This is not due to sun spots but to what are called "heat islands" We are solely responsible for this And just because humans and their vehicles do not directly affect global warming does not mean that they do not have a negative effect on the environment My major question is this: Do you want to grow old and be restricted to being indoors all the time because we (humans) have made the air unbreathIn able? I (lora And for his last paragraph he conIWCAS the Kyoto Protocols with destroying the economy I would take a close look at the economy now It looks to be in fairly had shape without the protocols They don't seem to have harmed anyone else who has signed on to them bill 1vhich is also am glad that the Utah House of Representatives voted to take away the choice of the firing squad as an execution method for condemned prisoners I lowever the conversation in the Utah I Legislature misses the important question altogether: Should we as a society be killing people in order to make the point that killing is wrong? The United States is today an anomaly among Western democracies in using the death penalty at all More than half of the nations of the world have abolished the death penalty in either law or practice including all of Western Europe Canada Mexico Russia and South Africa In the 2Ist century capital punishment is an anachronism that should be done away with entirely Within the penalty movement in the United States are Roman Catholic Jewish and Protestant reitgious groups The death penalty clearly has !wen shown to be unfairly implemented Minorities and the poor are more likely to be executed It is wrong in principle and unjust in application As a nation we must move altogether beyond the use of the death penalty as a means to deal with crime JAMS GILBERT Soh Citt tar Enough stonewidling hope others are wondering why it is taking so long for President Bush's administration to tunt over one of their own and undoubtedly colleagues to the US attorney general for revealing the identity of the female CIA agent Also why can't Sen hatch make public what member on his stair was illegally carrying on clandestine actions against Democrats Their stone walling dots not add to the public's confldence in our national leaders I anti-deat- high-rankin- J BETIT Com mtssios KYLE STAN JACOBSON PLACE AND it CAI ISOM NICUSP op SNIT 'ALP CITY Opieri t A $' t r Y Nint - LETTER OF THE WEEK mayor-ocrac- Vote the complaint y lion when they are all added up Who was the brainiac who decided that we should change Salt Lake County govAdd to ernment to a "mayor-ocracy"- ? salaries paid to nine of the $100000-p1uMayor Nancy Workman's staff the cost of benefits and the sum is staggering especially in the face of the current reductions in services An annual $900000 could fund nine more sheriff's officers and put them in patrol cars or buy a fire truck and outfit It with firefighters I applaud Mayor Workman for streamlining various aspects of Salt Lake County's government but who is ultimately benefiting? It appears that at least nine close friends of the mayor are receiving an inordinate amount of the savings I suspect the rest of the savings went toward the production and installation of the stickers adorning every county-ownedoorway proclaiming Mayor Workman to be the new sheriff in town (No offense Mr Kennard) What will it cost to remove those stickers when Mayor Workman Is voted out of office? Quite a legacy you're leaving us Madam Mayor CINDY SPENCE Salt Lake City d MARK OSMUNDSON Draper Lack of faith I think that Mark Long got it a little mixed up in his letter concerning the LDS Church taking a stand against guns In church (Forum Jan 29) To begin with he says that "it clearly shows they " have no faith in their membership Aren't they instead exhibiting faith that guns are not needed in church? And aren't those members who would choose to carry concealed weapons to meetings as precautionary measures as he states the ones who are demonstrating a lack of faith? RICK that matters It seems that every time I open the Public Forum I read letters from people who are dissatisfied about the Legislature the governor the City Council and every other public official The thing that always amazes me is that when it comes time to vote for the individuals who will represent the citizens of Utah less than 20 percent of the population sees fit to show up at the polls The reason that I vote is so that I have a say in who will be representing me on every issue The choices sometimes leave me wanting but I have always maintained that I vote so I can complain even if I end up voting for the best of the worst It may not be pretty but at least I can say that I am part of the process I have heard some of my friends say that they don't vote because they know that the end result will be the same Wow what a concept I think that we should all resolve to save up our complaints for election time go to the polls and blast our candidates with a message that we are all out here listening and watching Between elections we should all call write and e mail our elected officials directly $1 mil- Wu ITSON Park City Firearms are good Eliminate death penalty it oroothootosonl SCOTT CARDON Stinsd redundant and unconstitutional and of course many parents' rights bills We still have five weeks to talk about the budget and how we will educate the children in school now and the massive increase In students over the coming years It is certain those issues will be papered over and saved for future sessions Let's start by cutting two weeks from session and cut two the current or three (lays off future sessions until legislators take their mission seriously r 'I' ' s Box (07 Salt Lake City Utah 81110 - S & 0' poomo Probably more like letters'a sltribcom 7G N : Ilkillg—' Worlunan's (Please send text only attachments will not be opened) VA Tel Todo t1 4 GUN 4114 Deg A t - 801257-852- MAWR I 01 Phone Number: Mail: 4 9 o cl How to reach us Tribune Fax: yr i - Megt THE PUBLIC FORUM people's at tent ion On the dealings of this administration and George W !lush " il : io 1' tWo — recent letter blamed The Tribune for condoning what the writer claimed was "Ilush bashing" In his It Michael I Iambi in (Forum Jan 25) professes to have counted 17 anliliush opinion pieces against just four pro or neutral pieces Well dull! It stands to reason that if George W in the American citizens' opinion did a good job then he would not have so many critics The Tribune should he applauthql Ibr providing space to people with all kinds of opinions and it is up to the readers to write in and voice theirs either pro or con about the current president and his admit) istrat ion Ile thankful that there are people in the United States who are interested enough to write about NIn Bush's lying to us about lAteapons of mass destruction In Iraq about spending billions Of dolnot to molt itm the American lars lives lost - to oust Saddam I lussein for being a direct threat to Americans about America being safer now about our lives being better now etc Bush's faults are going to haunt us for a long time in the future So Tribune Forum keep giving your readers a soapbox and writers keep up the 14 I 014t6 1' 't ION tAoST 714 PreC4CX TAT t ' ow 1 e MY t4$4 IVo5tAKASekA- - 0 741: '--' I tr ' 0 ': t't $ 1' ' 41 A I's I s -- 0 "‘ 1 ‘ 1k 1004 Bashing Bush V' i I 41 fi f t' 1 st it tAlc F41:641 40 I sok rit5 ilk i v 4L -- - 7 M( 01W' Ito i I ' ' so 0 WartIRS COUCI ON o olig""7V16 s ' m Q i ‘ I - i'''' 'o definition-olmarriag- V ‘ l' It 414—ctaloN Bush-bashin- 1 if' (4314 18 147 14kw ow ig I -- - -- liRoott‘ 1111 ‘‘ I 4 e ZS P i ‘ — R ootAl 110 I I I tlemenomoom C41 t 11 ' QUARTERED - - Ph'SPTrI Co: NrWN A AND ‘141 Tkc GUY 7A7 's144 i) it i1 t - -— - wxt i ll I - ArIP ''''7: -- ' I 'etai) A9401Ivt i ' 1 ) ) 1q--- DRAWN --- I 11 - ' 1 I : - "----' 77 i 1 ' 1f 'ik VT:tS) ftst7 I JuT1 Du A r ":631 k Pc410eleoY Y '77--":--- x --:- 1t ' - 0 : ''''' f '01014 US tirIT 0 h isfrriC-1- iol ' radl""1"iiii' 'I' Kweax sysTsji 95(fir? 1 ' -- In your editorial of Jan 27 you complain that current Utah concealed carry law "now reads as though it gives a person with a permit freedom to take a loaded gun almost anywhere" Please allow me to point out that this is exactly as it should be Criminals do not confine their depredations to certain restricted areas or times Criminals are by definition breakers of laws If this were not so we could simply post a sign saying "No violent attacks on citizens of Utah allowed" and reassign all of our police to other civic duties lithe citizens of Utah are to be allowed to exercise their inalienable right to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness they must have the means to defend themselves and their families Responsible and widespread carrying of firearms is a good thing that has reduced violent crime in the 36 states that have enacted liberal concealed carry laws It works and it Increases the public's safety I hope that The Tribune's bias against firearm ownership does not blind you to this fact By the way I choose to not carry my gun in my church I enjoy the liberty involved in having that choice available under law CHARLES D SUNDERLIN Arts coverage lacking Clear your sidewalks Utah has always had a commendable tradition of supporting the arts It is a given that incorporating the arts in one's life enriches that life and also enhances development of other aspects of that person Through the years The Tribune has become less and less interested in promoting aspects of the arts in Utah and that makes me very sad since the schools' tight budgets are tending to eliminate studies of visual arts music literature dance etc People need a source for that kind of enrichment in their lives You should help fill that gap Instead I understand you are eliminating the Poetry Corner and have already downsized your coverage of visual arts You cover the symphony pretty well but never can get the time to file a review after a Friday performance to encourage patrons to come on Saturday You were going to eliminate the daily bridge column but it looks like you settled for a cheaper version in deference to objections — not near so interesting as the earlier column People who read The New York Times have always disparaged The Tribune but I have enjoyed your coverage and generally spend time reading it I would like you to reach higher to stimulate minds rather than pander to the status quo Salt Lake City is not a city of dummies With the big snowfall we had after Christmas and the snow and colder temperatures we've been experiencing many of us who are on foot elderly or disabled have had quite a tough time getting around this winter I kindly ask all of the private residences schools and businesses who don't keep their sidewalks cleared off to consider us and keep them shoveled the width of the pavement so people in wheelchairs can go through I have seen some who have had to endanger themselves by going down the street against traffic because the sidewalks were not open to them You have a moral obligation and there are ordinances about keeping areas of your property cleared We'd rather have your cooperation and avoid any legal fights Thank you MARIAN DUNN Salt Lake City Won't fly Frontier I hope the girl is OK wasn't there I have no knowledge other than that which media coverage has provided as to what actually transpired on the Frontier flight that ultimately led to the expulsion of 21 Bikers Against Child Abuse members and two "guilty by association" individuals who happened to be wearing Harley Davidson But face it if the passengers on the plane had been wearing business suits and a couple of them intervened I believe not only would they have been permitted to stay on board 1 know others who happened to be wearing suits that day—guilty by association — would have been as well lithe comment made by the Frontier Airlines attendant "Bikers shouldn't be allowed on the plane" is representative of Frontier's views this biker won't be flying Frontier! I applaud BACA for caring enough to step up! Lou V SINs beat empty buses The recent inversion has prompted public health organizations and others to request that we avoid unnecessary driving This should apply to government vehicles as well especially underutilized buses The following analysis is based upon the amount of fuel consumed by different vehicles Even at 12 mpg an SUV with a solo driver uses less fuel and produces less carbon-dioxid- e than a 3 mpg bus that goes to Hyrum empty and comes back to Logan with six or seven passengers A bus has to average four passengers just to break even with the SUV If Mom is taking just one child shopping the bus has to average eight passengers Even when I drive alone a bus has to average 11 passengers to equal my 33 mpg car for per gallon Because I car pool my child to school any bus that averages fewer than 19 'passengers uses more fuel and produces more carbon-dioxidthan per seat-milmy private car In fact because the EPA standards allow buses to emit 10 to 100 times more carbon monoxide nitrous oxides hydrocarbons and particulates per mile than cars to begin with the pollution from buses is even worse than I have described Car pooling is far more than most buses and produces less pollution than any bus Even SUVs are better than nearly-emptbuses seat-mile- s e e y DUANE MILES Mendon Stintly 0 I ANNE STEVENSON Sall Lake City NANCY PEREIRA Ritrrlan I ! ii 11 |
