Our readers' views Nov. 19

I was watching a football game on television and General Motors was a sponsor. Its advertisement was asking viewers to buy one of its cars and take advantage of a sale price, plus the purchaser would be able to buy it on time, using its finance program.

Currently, automakers are also asking the federal government to loan them some money (about $25 billion, I believe).

Now, I’m not too sure of the logic on this, but it goes something like this:

GM needs to borrow from the feds who get their money from us so that GM can stay in business so they can make cars that we can buy from them on credit because we don’t have enough to buy a car outright, partly because the government is taking our money to keep the automakers afloat.

I am confused about how these things work. Could someone in the Senate or House explain?

Dick Gehrke

Vancouver

The Nov. 18 story, “Visitor center to vanish,” regarding the demolition of the visitors center at Mount Rainier National Park, is a prime example of the government’s waste of our tax dollars. It mentioned that the structure being torn down was so well built that the wrecking ball was twice knocked free from its connections. It stated that the new visitors center is just under 18,000 square feet compared to 60,000 for the old one (approximately one-fourth the size).

According to the story, as the new center is much smaller, it will save almost $145,000 in energy costs annually. Now, here’s the kicker. The old, much larger, well-built center cost $1.6 million to build originally while the new center cost $22 million. Simple math tells me that a savings of $145,000 in energy costs per year would take approximately 140 years to recoup the building costs of the new, smaller center. Where is the logic in a loss of more than $20 million?

Carole Dickson

Vancouver

Although I am not a fan of actress Lindsay Lohan, I just can’t understand why the biased news media makes such a large issue of the statement she made pertaining to Barrack Obama being the first colored person to be elected president of the United States.

It appears to me that the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has been using the word “colored” for many, many years without a problem from the media or “Mr. PC” himself, Bill Clinton, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and the list goes on.

If the word “colored” is so offensive then I suggest that the NAACP change its own name to reflect the proper verbiage they so desire.

Could this be another try to take away one of our rights to freedom of speech?

Mel “Skip” Pearson

La Center

In this time of financial uncertainty it is irresponsible for the city of Vancouver to continue pushing its expensive waterfront development plan. It’s also irresponsible to consider building a new City Hall. Our city must postpone development and building plans in order to continue funding a critical city service: the fire and police departments.

I was surprised to find that as recently as 2005 there were 39 firefighters-fire medics for 92 square miles of service area. Vancouver has a low ratio of firefighters per capita compared to other cities in Washington state. With staffing below what is decidedly a bare minimum, I can only assume that it will soon be impossible for the fire department to arrive on a scene within minutes, especially in the more rural parts of the city.

Must we experience a catastrophe before the city realizes it must re-evaluate its priorities and adequately staff the fire department?

David Reed

Vancouver

The events of the last few weeks have greatly troubled me. I used to think that the champions of tolerance were sincere in their pursuit. But it has become clear to me that those who wanted same-sex marriage legalized in California under the guise of tolerance and equal rights actually just hate. They have no respect for the democratic process and do not have the maturity to discuss the issues civilly.

Keep in mind the “rights” that gay couples already enjoy in California, and tell the story for what it is. The word “marriage” has incited people to violence and vandalism against specific churches.

If they were black churches this would be a hate crime.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been persecuted before.

This will only fortify them in their belief that people are just as bigoted as they were during the Mormon Wars of the 1800s.

Jonah Barnes

Vancouver

These are sad days for newspapers and democracy. Why? Well, for starters, there’s product diminishment. That is certainly the response I had to Jeffrey Mize’s Nov. 14 story, “Obama victory triggers worries of increased firearms regulations.” Is this the “news” worthy of front-page positioning?

Then there’s the problem of promoting militarism. What, exactly, is the point of the sentence, “Buyers seem to be particularly fearful that military-style weapons will no longer be available?” Has The Columbian no sense of civic responsibility?

What I suspect is really going on here is yet another stealth attempt to resurrect across-the-board deregulation at a time when we should be burying for good, literally, the practice that has made government the wet nurse of the private sector, both establishment parties being implicated.

Eschatologically speaking, editors might want to try imagining that their coverage choices might one day press in on them with a frightful disconcertingness.

Edie Cotton

Vancouver

World AIDS Day is Dec. 1. Under President George W. Bush we greatly increased our medical support to Africa, but there remains much to do here and throughout the world, particularly in prevention. I want to see the new administration begin to fulfill our moral obligation to act and speak truthfully about HIV/AIDS.

Our leaders must openly acknowledge and address the diverse needs of populations which are bearing a disproportionate risk of HIV/AIDS, for example, women, young people and people of color.

Effective political and religious leadership must provide evidence-based and medically accurate health information, as well as provide a full range of preventative and contraceptive measures.

This disease has affected too many lives already.

Betty J. Montgomery

Vancouver