How dare you question the war?
I have recently returned from Iraq, where it was my honor and privilege to fight for America and protect our freedom to say and write whatever we please, with caveats of responsible behavior and appropriate venue. However, I cannot allow your malicious, venomous and inaccurate editorial of April 9 go unchallenged (“Dam dangerous,” The Landmark View).
Your editorial on the accidental drowning at the dam included the comments “perhaps the federal government can take a puny nibble out of funds for running its utterly incompetent action in Iraq and steer it toward something that might actually save a life.”
You took the tragic death of a young man to backdoor in your own completely unrelated anti-war opinion and spit in the faces of our troops. If you want to write an anti-war op-ed, please have the courage to do so under the proper banner and label it as such; rather than hide behind a sophomoric attempt to link a tragedy to your political agenda.
Those of us fighting the war have quite the opposite opinion regarding our “utterly incompetent efforts.” Perhaps you would consider it “competent” if we were to carpet bomb all of Iraq, indiscriminately kill civilians as well as the terrorists, and then leave the country in ruins for Al Qaeda, Iran and Syria to come in and establish the Islamo-Nazi base they want.
No, our “utter incompetence” includes compassion, respect for civilian lives and combat actions that minimize risk to innocents on a scale never before attempted in war. Perhaps that is part of the reason we are still winning.
I am witness to the facts, the metrics, the success of the surge, the Great Awakening, the Great Reconciliation and the recent history that all point to our continued success and eventual victory in Iraq. The success stories are there if you would engage in professional journalism. You have no stomach for the long war, but thank God that our armed forces do.
And before you go demanding that an incompetent federal government fund your dam project, why don’t you go direct your vile attacks at the most corrupt, criminal and “utterly incompetent” Democratic state and county government in recent history?
Together, Democrats Blagojevich and Stroger have wasted millions in funds that could have easily paid for several dam removals and “saved lives.”
God bless President Bush, our troops and our mission in Iraq. I am so proud of my country, my fellow soldiers and our conduct of the war.
Greg Saganich
Riverside
Greg Saganich is a staff sergeant in the Illinois Air National Guard who was stationed at Camp Anaconda in Balad, Iraq.
Removing sign will increase safety
It is ironic, indeed, that red light cameras will be coming to the intersection of First Avenue and Cermak Road under the glare of a behemoth sign emitting uninterrupted visual flatulence.
If the powers that be in North Riverside were really serious about reducing traffic violations and accidents in that intersection, they would start by eliminating that obtrusive distraction that takes drivers’ eyes off of the road.
The powers that be in North Riverside allowed that sign to be put up to generate new revenue. Following that, they reduced frequency of garbage pick-up and initiated mandatory and costly vehicle stickers for all of the cars registered in the village. Again, these changes were initiated to either reduce costs and/or boost revenues.
In my opinion, the only reason or the most important reason that cameras are being placed at that intersection is to generate revenue for the village, not safety reasons, as the chief of police would attempt to lead us to believe.
The contradiction between placing cameras in an intersection for ostensible safety reasons in which a huge visual distraction is allowed to exist is as glaring as that distraction itself.
Steven Spiro
North Riverside
Look to master plan when making road fixes
The recent announcement of major road construction on Grand Boulevard (“Brookfield plans Grand Blvd. street work in 2009,” News, April 9) has made me wonder what has ever happened to the Brookfield 2020 Master Plan.
It seems that with every public works program that Brookfield has embarked on over the past several years, they forget how to incorporate it into the 2020 Master Plan. Wouldn’t it be easy to look at the plan and take at least some of the ideas set forth while the street is dug up and needs to be put back together?
If Brookfield was serious about the master plan, every project would be done with an eye toward the future. Sure, it may cost a little bit more now, but imagine all the additional costs to redo these areas in the future if the whole plan is to be implemented.
An example is that while Prairie Ave was being rebuilt, bike lanes could have been incorporated as a major route to get to the zoo, the train and the downtown district.
Another example is when Maple was rebuilt. Why not make the pedestrian crossings at Eight Corners align with the plan (raised crossings and bulb-outs).
Even if the master plan on the whole is discarded, the individual ideas and recommendations stand up on their own, which can only help the residents, shop owners and visitors to have a better appreciation for the village.
If Brookfield wants to move into the future and compete with its neighbors for new businesses and residents to increase the tax base and, in turn, improve the schools and infrastructure, the master plan is a great way to get there.
But if the current leaders believe that it can be put off to the future, they are mistaken. A switch cannot just be flipped on Dec. 31, 2019 to have the plan become reality.
I would recommend every resident of Brookfield to review this plan and see what Brookfield can become and ask the village leaders why they are not working hard to make it happen.
Art Plonka
Brookfield