Blow your vuvuzelas for youth soccer
Not too long ago, the prospect of the United States holding England to a draw in soccer’s World Cup seemed as probable as a Little League team beating the New York Yankees. But it happened last week.
Unlike the fluke 1-0 win by the USA over my home country in the 1950 competition, this 1-1 draw was earned by an American team that showed patience and persistence in a sport that a few decades ago was called “Commie ball” on U.S. playgrounds.
The success of the U.S. team mirrors that of Clark County’s youth soccer programs. For years, we’ve languished in the shadows of Puget Sound clubs. But the local teams highlighted in the June 15 Columbian story, “Columbia Timbers teams off to regionals,” are just the latest example of our area’s ascension up the regional soccer ladder.
As a VUSA Timbers board chairman, I’d like to thank the players, parents and coaches who have worked so hard to put Clark County on the soccer map. Our local clubs are building on this success. Don’t be surprised to see a familiar face on the U.S. team that eventually wins the men’s World Cup or once again raises the women’s trophy.
David Hughes
Vancouver
How hard could forecasting be?
I realize our weather pattern this year is not typical, but why, with all of their modern technology, can’t a professional weatherman report an accurate forecast just one day in advance? With visitors from other areas, we’ve chosen wrong days to sightsee because of wrong forecasting just one day ahead.
Janet Peters
Vancouver
Prepare for barrage
Hey all, get ready for endless days of kabooming celebration. July 4th is just around the corner and Vancouver magically transformations into a Third World city. The Simple Seven (Vancouver City Council) seriously support celebrating our great country’s independence by chumming our streets with unsightly tents (that leave town with your money) to support a weeklong feeding frenzy of air and noise pollution.
July 4th is awesome; July 4th is significant and should be celebrated; July 4th Fort Vancouver fireworks are fantastic; July 4th is only one day, 24 hours.
Jim Armstrong
Vancouver
Evaluate government services
I was struck by the juxtaposition of outlooks on The Columbian’s June 17 Opinion page.
In the editorial “Crucial questions,” a point of view is fostered for the need to take a fresh look at the potential for government reform. It supports the state budget development process. State agencies are being asked to evaluate “existing state services, alternative forms of service delivery or financial support.”
Then in the first letter to the editor by Doug Ballou, there’s an appeal to “Renew funding for Fire District 6” to support rapid emergency response by qualified emergency responders. I believe that the current system should be objectively compared to alternative methods of delivering this vital service. I question the present policy of two emergency vehicles sent to most calls: one a huge firetruck and the other an ambulance. In other communities and states, I was accustomed to one vehicle, an ambulance, staffed with the appropriately qualified individuals and provided with all the necessary equipment, arriving for non-fire-related calls. In fact, this vehicle is not always a government-owned and staffed service but was, in some communities, provided by a company with a contract to provide this service.
I agree that it is time to stop and evaluate.
Prebble La Dage
Vancouver
Tea Party is not ‘anti-government’
John Laird’s June 13 opinion column, “Awaiting the anti-incumbent tsunami,” implied, as do most editorialists and reporters, that Tea Party activists are anti-government. This is not true. Like the Founding Fathers, Tea Party activists know that government is necessary.
The Founding Fathers determined that governments historically varied from tyrannies (no individual rights) to anarchism (no government). They had just fought a successful war against tyranny using the Articles of Confederation as their authority. They discovered that the Articles were slanted toward anarchy and hadn’t given them the power to collect taxes to fight the war. Thus, the Founders wrote a Constitution that would create a government that was in the middle between tyranny and anarchy.
Their goal was to ensure individual liberty and to define a limited list of powers for the federal government. All other powers were assigned to the states, or to the people.
The Founders also knew that governments, if left unconstrained, historically became more powerful (tyrannical) through time. How right they were.
The latest moves toward tyranny (Obamacare, the bailout of failed businesses, the stimulus fiasco, etc.), all done with borrowed money, has prompted Tea Party activists and others to protest against tyranny, not protest against a constitutionally limited government “conceived in liberty.”
Don Rits
Vancouver
Extract abusers from Western nations
Israeli leaders claim that Iran is like Nazi Germany, but they are completely turning the truth around. Iran was the victim of an absolute criminal invasion, Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi invasion, which caused the death of over a million innocent people. The invasion was similar in principle to the type launched by Axis nations during World War II, which were also absolutely criminal. That means the invasions were pure aggression, with no valid reason to launch them. Western nations supported the Iraqi invasion of Iran, with France being the main supporter.
Israeli leaders also complain that Iran has threatened to wipe Israel off the map. However, those threats were made after Israel invaded Lebanon and Gaza, which killed thousands of innocent people. Israel is the victim of terrorism and was justified to some degree in launching the invasions. But it went way overboard with the killing and its actions were criminal, though not absolutely criminal. Western nations supported Israel’s crimes, with the U.S. being the main supporter.
In addition to taking a stand against terrorism, Western nations need to prosecute their own crooks. Not only would this be more ethical, but would also help remove the underlying cause of terrorism.
Stephen Franklin White
Vancouver
Clueless speeches tell it all
A clueless British CEO and a clueless dais of gas-bag congressmen and women makes for telling television.
It tells me that we are in a world of trouble.
Philip L. Johnson
Battle Ground
