My Opinion

I continue to believe that our government leaders are making the wrong decisions. I could go back decades but will limit this to the last two, Bush and Obama. Bush After 9/11 he could have bombed the training camps and follow up as others were created. Instead he led us into a 12 year debacle costing a Trillion dollars and from which there appears to be no end. At least in Vietnam we withdrew and ended the commitment. Then he invaded Iraq over false pretenses costing other Billions. In both cases many American lives were lost as well as innocent Iraqis and Afghan civilians numbering in the hundred thousand. Obama He did everything he could to keep American troops in Iraq. He was forced to remove them when the Iraqi government would not grant protection from their court system. Guess what, he didn’t bring them home. For the most part they were relocated to Kuwait. He increased the troop level in Afghanistan. Now as his commitment to leave by the end of 2014, he is doing everything to keep 10,000 troops there forever it would appear. Americans are tired of these continuing farces but regardless the occupation of this country continues unabated. Not only that but he has agreed to provide $4 billion in support for ten years after 2014. We have been spared bombing Syria only by the intervention of Russia. How humiliating that is. I am sure, if he can find an excuse, he will follow through on his crossing the red line pledge of August 2012. I continue to believe that under his “leadership” every step we take leads to more chaos in this region. Khadafy kept the brotherhood under control. We removed him for humanitarian purposes. What a sick joke. Now the armed militias are creating havoc the government has not been able to control. Mubarak also kept them in check. The brotherhood gained control with our blessing. We continued to provide billions in weaponry. When Morsi turned to strict Sharia law the people rebelled. The military agreed and removed him from power. Obama objected and has now cut back on military support. They are now reaching out to Russia. What a negative turn around that is. Our relationship with Israel is at an all-time low. They are left to fend for themselves. How tragic to abandon them now in these critical times when even just yesterday Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stated that Israel was “the rabid dog of the region”. Since taking office Obama has treated Netanyahu with disdain. He told a deliberate lie about Benghazi being a spontaneous event instead of the terrorist event, which all in power recognized. I believe he left them to fend for themselves when a rescue mission could at least have been attempted. The major news media for the most part continue to provide cover confusing Americans. With his continuing stranglehold on the military and homeland security he does not allow any mention of Muslim terrorists. To deny that there is a worldwide mission to convert all to Islam is to deny reality. I have even read that American Mosques are not to be placed under surveillance as all the rest of us are through intelligence gathering activities. You cannot convince me that he has not done all in his power to advance the goal of Islamists. Whether he is a Muslim or Christian is not the question. Explain the mystery of the recent firing of nine high ranking Generals? What does that mean? Is there a litmus test they must agree to, to continue in service? He clearly showed his admiration for Islam in his February 2009 Cairo speech where he lauded Islam as a great religion. Under his leadership, with the continuing compliance of the press, we will continue to stumble around without a common objective other than to advance his goals which I can assure you, are not mine. Do your own research if you believe my assessment is flawed. Jack B. Walters November 21, 2013

One If by Land by William R. Daniel

(What every American needs to know about our border) This book was recommended to me by a good friend who is a Mexican American and a true patriot of our country. It is well written, easy to understand, well researched and documented. As a 20 year resident of Southern Arizona and an avid hiker I have hiked in all of the locations mentioned. When I started the trails and mountains were pristine. As time went on we saw more and more devastation with trash thrown everywhere. As the author points out in recent year’s signs have been posted warning us of the danger of hiking these areas. That has made me angry, warning me as a citizen to stay out of these beautiful places, in effect ceding to illegal immigrants and drug smugglers. How shameful that our government has not done their job of stopping these activities. It is clearly shown that since the nineties whether under Republican or Democrat Administrations, the process has been politicized to the point that the government only pretends to control. There are many clear cut examples of pretending to enforce our laws but merely wasting resources. With great fanfare National Guard troops were brought to the area but not allowed to serve as soldiers, only observers and paper pushers. The ranchers reported constant activity across their lands with what appears to them to be lukewarm responses. Ranchers who detain illegals have been brought to Court for threatening illegals due to the fact that they were armed. I can remember reading some years ago when after a trial the Judge took the ranch and gave it to an illegal whose “rights” had been violated. From my perspective I believe they have acted with considerable restraint having to live with the constant threat and damage to their property without compensation. The gun running projects were done during Bush and Obama’s administrations. It all began in 2004 with a program called “Gunrunner” under the ATF. This had the blessing of Governor Napolitano of Arizona and Bill Richardson of Mexico. The purpose was to locate straw purchasers. This evolved into “Operation Wide Receiver” which operated between 2006 and 2007. Altogether over 300 guns were allowed to be purchased from licensed gun dealers. This time the object was to trace the guns to leaders of Mexican drug cartels. Fast and Furious was the next program. It operated from 2009 to 2011. In this one over 2,000 semi-automatic rifles were sold to straw buyers. One of these was found at the site where Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was killed. This created the outrage that Congress found Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt for not sharing records; President Obama supported him by claiming executive privilege. It was later confirmed that 150 Mexicans were also killed by weapons found to have been purchased under this program. Supposedly these programs no longer exist but personally I don’t trust the Federal Government on this and many other issues. I want to add the story about the murder of rancher Rob Krentz by a smuggler who fled to the border and has not been identified as of the publication of the book. It is alleged that this incident was the impetus for the Arizona legislation called SB 1070. We are all aware of being called racists for supporting. I believe I can assure you that Arizonans as a majority still approve and would vote again for similar types of legislation if given the opportunity. If you are interested in learning the facts of the border issues read these accounts from many ranchers who live South of Tucson and still strive to live normal lives with the continuing invasion of illegal immigrants and drug runners, whose activity continues unabated and will continue if we double the agents and pour $40 billion as the U.S. Senate bill would do should the House agree. An excellent, easy to read and absorb book you should read. Jack B. Walters November 7, 2013

The Arab Mind by Ralphael Patai

I sent a copy of my latest book to Jennifer Schneider. She responded by telling me of a book her father had written entitled “The Arab Mind”. I immediately ordered a copy and just now after three weeks of tortuous reading I have finally finished reading. I say that, not to disparage her father but due to the overriding conclusion of how antiquated and stuck in time these people continue to be. This book was originally printed in 1973. This newest edition was updated in 1983. Mr. Patai was an accomplished author with over 30 books written. He lived in Palestine for 15 years as a youth before immigrating to America. He died in 1996. Chapters are devoted to every aspect of Arab life including music, arts, Arabic language and Bedouin values which were transformed by Islam. Conflict, it appears, is a necessary ingredient for Arabs, whether tribal, countries or religions. The formation of the State of Israel in 1948 has become the unifying goal of all to erase this stain on what they consider to be their holy ground. Whatever their shortcomings are, Israel is blamed. Only destruction of the Jewish people will free them and allow them to succeed. They do acknowledge that Israel has been the winner of the three wars with Arab nations because of their intellectual prowess in all things of a science nature. Wouldn’t you think they could be intelligent enough to understand and emulate their success themselves and thereby raise their standard of living comparable to Israel? Destroying Israel will only plunge the entire Middle East into a downward spiral even more than today (my comment). The ages old tradition of demeaning women is thoroughly documented from the practice of cutting them as young girls to decrease their pleasure of sex acts, to rejoicing over a male birth and irritation over a female, to the preferential rearing of males and ignoring the needs of girls, to deny women and girls the right to education, to forcing them to cover themselves with burkas, to keep them in the home unless accompanied by a male relative, to divorcing by just saying “I divorce you”. Until they finally realize what a precious source of wisdom and input women can make they will forever be a lost culture. It can’t be ignorance as the West has clearly shown how productive women can be. I don’t even accept that Islam is the cause. It is not religion; it is that the men are not willing to share their power equally, what a tragedy that today in the 21st Century barbaric behavior continues, and in effect making slaves of females. After the Yon Kipper war in 1973 the Arab world declared victory. They had been thoroughly beaten by Israel but would not admit it. The hostilities were ended by both sides accepting the United Nations edict. Israel gave back the Sinai and bits and pieces of the Golan Heights. The Arab victory came afterward with the oil embargo on Western nations and then the huge increase in the cost of OPEC oil. All of this caused havoc for the West. It took a long time to recover. In the decades to follow the tremendous influx of wealth changed the Arab world dramatically. In some countries great structures were built, health and education became free for the citizens. Others used their wealth to promote terrorist groups. (I particularly single out Saudi Arabia as the most dangerous). Our government continues to assert our friendship in spite of the fact that 16 of the 9/11 terrorists were Saudis. An interesting male Arab attribute is the aversion to getting their hands dirty. They have no problem with women working. With the new wealth they could hire all types of foreign men to operate their oil processes, build their skyscrapers and do all sort of menial work while they drink their coffee. Nothing in this book changed my negative thinking in regard to Arabs and Islam. They will continue their destructive ways until such time as they are confronted and re-educated. I will conclude this with the author’s final paragraph. “At the same time Arab nationalism became tainted by a strong anti-Western streak. While it had to be recognized that the West was the prime mover in bringing about the Arab awakening, in introducing sanitation, general education and other mass benefits into the Arab world, the West assumed for the Arab mind the character of a sinister jinni, a hateful enemy and a convenient whipping boy who could be blamed for all the problems that beset the Arabs. The encounter with the West produced a disturbing inferiority complex in the Arab mind which in itself made it more difficult to shake off the shackles of stagnation. The next challenge the Arab mind must meet is to cease measuring Arab achievements with Western yardsticks and to work for a regeneration of the Arab world by building on its own, by no means negligible, capabilities”. Jack B. Walters October 26, 2013

Honor Flight Program

I have written to you before about the Honor Flight Program. I am writing this time asking for donations. I can do so as I have just mailed a check to the Southern Arizona Region for $1,000. I share this not to brag or bring attention to myself but to let you know how important I believe this program to be. During the government shutdown fiasco, the thing that disturbed me most was seeing these veterans blocked out of visiting the memorials they had been brought to see. Some members of Congress interceded at the WWII memorial but others were kept locked such as the Vietnam memorial. By the way this program now includes veterans from Korea and Vietnam. A few years ago I read that the WWII vets were dying at the rate of 1,500 per day. It is down now to 600/day. In just a few more years they will all be gone. They were and are still the greatest generation in our history. It would be inconceivable to imagine the patriotism they had repeated today. Can you envision storming beachheads and leaving thousands of your friends and comrades lying dead on the sand? It will never be repeated. Today we are happy to send "volunteers” to do our fighting while President Bush and now Obama tell us to go shopping. It makes me sick when I recall those statements. Our country is fading fast as the source of good in this world. Soon we will be left with nothing but a huge debt to pay. When that happens we will be irrelevant to all other nations. Sorry for the last paragraph but that is how I feel today. At any rate should you feel any loyalty or respect for these brave men and women I ask for your support? Any amount I am sure will be appreciated and put to good use. Just check the web. I am sure you will find a group of volunteers for your area. Jack Walters October 23, 2013

Letter to the editor

The Star Glorifies Law Breakers These criminals are rewarded for breaking laws by providing them with front page headlines with pictures and commentary. These people have graduated from providing drinking water to creating havoc by deliberately planning and orchestrating acts to prevent law enforcement from carrying out their responsibilities. You are not alone, the TV networks and talk radio also consider these acts worthy of providing free publicity. They surrounded local law enforcement and Border Patrol agents as they were apprehending obviously illegal immigrants and then three days later chained themselves to buses transporting illegals to the Court House. What you are doing is encouraging them. You do so as you have shown over the years that you support citizenship for those who are here illegally The right thing to do is deny recognition similar to the agreement decades ago about not identifying streakers at football games. Without coverage they might also lose interest. Jack B. Walters October 13, 2013

Letter to the editor

Government out of control I can hold back no longer. All members of the House voted to pay the 800,000 “non-essential” employees their full salary after they return from their “vacation”. The Senate will agree and Obama will sign. It will be business as usual with all in government taken care of. They care not about the rest of us, just plain citizens. Veterans visiting Washington on Honor Flights are denied the full benefit of their three day visit. Some are veterans from the Vietnam War, were they allowed to visit their memorial? Lincoln is covered up so he can’t be seen even from the street. I blame Obama for this insult and I also accuse him of penalizing the people of Arizona by closing the Grand Canyon to an estimated 18,000 daily visitors. He has great hatred for us all since we will not accede to his demands. Jack B. Walters October 6, 2013

American Betrayal by Diana West

The Secret assault on our Nation’s Character I recently purchased this book from Amazon. I had heard about it and since I have written several articles on what I assumed would be the same subject I wanted to check it out to see if my concerns were addressed. As I started reading the first chapter my pen was busy page after page underlining statements concerning our current elected leader’s inability to accept the curse of Islam as it spreads its poison everywhere. Then she changes course and for the next ten chapters she recounts problems beginning in the years after WWI, concentrating most of her bile on the Roosevelt Administration and in particular Harry Hopkins, Roosevelt’s most trusted advisor. She does her best to paint Hopkins as a communist doing all he can to aid Russia not for the obvious need to keep Russia in the war against Germany until our forces could be built up in sufficient quantity to make an impact on the war against Hitler but rather as supporting communism itself. I will not attempt to refute her admonition that communist sympathizers were imbedded in all areas of our government and they had an impact on the conduct of the war effort. She does elaborate on the attempts by a number of people to expose the threat to no avail. I lived through the war years and have read many books about it in my lifetime as well as watching documentaries, etc. She does correctly point out that FDR was convinced of his ability to charm Stalin and get him to mellow. In this he was completely wrong. By ignoring Stalin’s history of killing over 20 million of his own people, he through the mistakes made during the conferences created the ability of Stalin to subvert the freedom of all people behind the iron curtain for over 50 years. This was totally wrong. Neither Truman nor any other President until Reagan did anything of substance to free these nations. Finally Reagan referred to the USSR as the “Evil Empire”. Many world leaders and the press were shocked. She is convinced the Second Front in attacking France was wrong and that we could have ended the war sooner by massively pushing our way up the length of Italy. She is wrong. The mountainous terrain kept us from using our armor effectively. Not only that but we needed a huge base to assemble our forces. England was that base. N. Africa, Sicily or Italy could not have provided that need. In her final chapter she returns to exposing Islam as the threat of today. She says ‘Islam is the Communism of today. But, because of our failure to come clean with Communism, we are unable to deal with it, trapped as we are in the old Communist habit of deceit and double-speak that used to haunt the countries in the East and that now haunts all of us”. In this I am totally in agreement. My condemnation is not only President Obama but also 90% of Republicans in leadership positions. Not one presidential candidate spoke to the issue. I cannot give this book high marks as I found it depressing to read her disparage General Marshall, Eisenhower and others, men who were of sterling character in my opinion. I was alive during the war, she wasn’t. Jack B. Walters October 1, 2013

Another Example of the Inability of Congress to Function

In 1956 when Eisenhower was President the Highway Revenue Act was approved to pay for the Interstate Highway System. The Federal Tax rate was set at 3 cents. In the 50’s it was raised to 4 cents. In 1982 under Reagan it was increased to 9 cents, then under G.H.W. Bush it increased to 14 cents, of which 2.5 cents were designated for deficit reduction and lastly it was increased to 18.5 cents under Clinton in 1993. All of the increase designated for deficit reduction. There it has remained to this day. The fund continued to drop to where Congress authorized a transfer of $35 Billion from the General Fund to shore it up between 2008 and 2010. Senator John McCain and Hillary Clinton during their campaign to become President proposed a gas tax holiday. Hillary suggested making up the shortfall with a windfall tax on the oil industry. Since 2000 there have been half a dozen attempts by members of Congress to suspend the gas tax entirely. THE FUND IS PROJECTED TO BECOME INSOLVENT THIS YEAR. Believe it or not the U.S. Chamber of Commerce actually supported raising the gas tax this year. All of the above data I gleaned from Wikipedia. Why take the time to write about it now. My reason is that in this week’s newspapers were two articles which caught my attention. The first had to do with increasing sales of large SUV’s and pickup trucks, the second was a proposal to generate funds for highway and bridge repairs by installing toll booths as the only viable way to raise funds for road repair. Just think of the added cost of installing and manning booths and the travel delays that would be a result.. So here you have it, the fund will go broke yet this year but no one in Congress or the President has the intestinal fortitude to state the obvious that the tax must be increased with all funds for construction and maintenance. Had they just had the wisdom in 1956 to tie the tax to inflation it might have grown sufficient to cover the needs. They didn’t and no Congress since then has seriously given this need the proper attention. It is like everything else including Social Security and Medicare. They keep pushing off into the future instead of preparing seriously to assure funds are available when needed. It is so ridiculous that there are Arizona legislators who are complaining that electric and hybrid vehicles are not paying gas tax and that something must be done about it. Never mind that the responsible people who purchase these vehicles pay a high price to purchase. Friends of mine who have them do it as their contribution to lower pollution and out of concern for the rise in temperature in the world. They should be applauded not penalized with a special purchase tax or however they deem it prudent to extract funds. Even if they did I can assure you the funds accumulated would not go for road maintenance. They would find some other purpose or no purpose at all just add to the State general fund Once Americans understood that the cost of gasoline would be increasing year by year they would make their purchases accordingly. Merely mandating CAFÉ increases will be ineffective as there will always be exceptions carved out as they have done repeatedly over the decades. It has been so long since we had leaders we respected that I accept that no politician will ever propose an increase in the gas tax either on the National or State level. Should we have leaders we felt we could trust then I believe the old fashioned American can do spirit could be rekindled. Without it our roads and everything else will continue to deteriorate until we are just the shell of a once great nation. Jack B. Walters September 15, 2013

Letter to the editor

Senator John McCain’s response to the Syria question He said yesterday, “We have to make it clear that a vote against this would be catastrophic in its consequences”. What he means is that if we don’t strike Syria militarily, that the world would no longer respect nor fear America’s military might. Wouldn’t it be nice if the world respected us because of our values and efforts to promote democracy, freedom and improved living standards around the globe instead of living in fear of being attacked by us? Ever since Bush’s attack on Iraq we have been losing respect everywhere. Obama has not reduced our belligerent agenda. He has expanded it in Afghanistan and Libya. One last thought, should he attack Syria I believe he should be ordered to return the Nobel Peace prize. It was given to him in the hope that he was a man of peace. It didn’t work. Jack B. Walters September 3, 2013

Letter to the editor

President Obama’s Syria Decision I have never underestimated his intellect. Yesterday he showed how politically savvy he can be. His decision to throw the ball back to Congress was brilliant. For weeks now Republican leaders have been pressing him to attack Syria. The thought of a mere demonstration would not have appeased them. They want full out war and to depose Assad as we did Khadafy in Libya. No matter what course Obama might have taken would not have satisfied them. They will vote in unison in favor of attacking with the full power of our military. Only the dove portion of Democrats in the House and Senate might be able to override their zeal. We will be committing national suicide if we take sides in a civil war that is of no national concern to America. No use writing McCain and Flake. Contact Ron Barber he might listen. Jack B. Walters September 1, 2013

Letter to the editor

Syria is potentially our next victim I am going to pose a question. We have been fighting against Al-Qaeda for over a decade in Iraq and Afghanistan. They are a major factor in the rebel opposition to Assad. I equate this group the same as “The Brotherhood”. Their goal is the same, the installation of Sharia law over every nation. As far as I am concerned under Obama we have been on the wrong side. Khadafy of Libya kept them under control. We aided them in murdering him. Mubarak of Egypt also kept them under control. We threw him under the bus as the old expression goes and now Assad. Won’t it be great when the Brotherhood gets their hands on those stockpiles of chemical weapons? It won’t be so great for Israel. They will be the first victim followed by America. Our John McCain is pushing Obama. Please tell him to stop. Jack B. Walters August 30, 2013

Roosevelt's Centurians by Joseph E. Persico

FDR and the Commanders he led to Victory in World War II I have read so many books about WWII; I have memorized the persons involved and the events. It is always a pleasure for me to re-live those perilous times that I was fortunate enough to live through, old enough to understand but too young to participate. I found this book at a local book store and purchased it. The principle military leaders were Marshall, Eisenhower, MacArthur, King, Halsey, Nimitz, Patton, Bradley, Stilwell and Arnold. FDR had a direct influence on selecting and working with these fine Americans. Together the war was ended with us the victor. In this short review I don’t intend to re-live the war but rather would like to present the author’s summation of how FDR achieved the objectives of selecting military leaders, deciding how and where the war should be fought and his performance as cheer leader in chief. FDR receives top scores on his selection of military chieftains capable of winning the war. They were stable and reliable staying in their positions untill the end. As a strategist the results are mixed. His decision to concentrate on Germany was correct. That was a far greater threat than Japan. Going into North Africa, Sicily and Italy the author feels was a mistake and may have prolonged the war. FDR reasoned that our Army had to engage the Nazis somewhere in 1942. Churchill was adamant that a frontal attack across the channel could have disastrous results. Based on the initial blooding of our troops I believe his decision was correct. We were able to keep German troops occupied giving some relief to Russia. FDR was criticized for his declaration of unconditional surrender. Some felt this stiffened German resistance. No doubt this did occur. The decision to split the Pacific into two zones was correct. McArthur did retake the Philippines and rescue thousands of prisoners while Nimitz drove North taking islands ever closer to Japan. The decision early on to spend billions developing the atomic bomb was a definite yes. Without it the war would have dragged on, perhaps for years with unimaginable casualties. I personally give FDR the highest rating as a home front leader. He exuded confidence. The timbre of his voice, firm yet fatherly, the fireside chats, the dazzling smile, the upturned hat, the jaunty angled cigarette, the quips and banter with the press told us that if our President could be so upbeat then how dark could the outcome be. He created the women’s Army Corps. He gingerly integrated the services. He visited war plants and stimulated bond drives by having films made to inspire workers and soldiers alike. Lastly his greatest long lasting achievement was establishing the G.I. Bill of Rights, one of the most transformative social experiments in the nation’s history. Over 10 million veterans participated including yours truly. I never would have left my home town had I not had the opportunity to receive a college education. Most of the comments in these last paragraphs are the author’s words, not mine. It is a well-researched book worthy of being read. Jack B. Walters August 15, 2013

Grant's Final Victory by Charles Bracelen Flood

Ulysses S. Grant’s Heroic Last Year After completing his eight years as President, General Grant placed his assets in a jointly managed investment company. Two of the associates stole funds which when discovered wiped out the funds Grant needed to support his wife, children and grandchildren. Friends came to help by providing loans. He had been solicited to write his memoirs about his war time experiences in the Civil War. This presented the best solution towards earning enough funds to pay off his debts and provide for his family. As he started the project he suffered severe throat pains. A cancer was discovered at the base of his tongue. It was painful to swallow liquids or eat. Nonetheless he continued on day by day the arduous task of putting his thoughts to paper. Along the way Mark Twain entered the picture and convinced Grant to let Twain’s Company to publish. Twain provided valuable assistance to aid Grant. The story describes his year long struggle to accomplish the goal despite the continuing deterioration of his body. A growth grew on the left side of his neck to huge dimensions. He communicated by whispering and writing notes. It was completed three days before he succumbed to death. The result was a two volume book entitled “Personal Memoirs” which contained 1,215 pages of text and 291,000 words. He died at 8:08 A.M. July 13, 1885. His son Colonel Frederick Grant walked over to the clock and stopped the clock. It remains that way to this day. His wife Julia lived an additional 17 years, a widow who had become wealthy from the sales of her husband’s book. She would lie beside him in the massive tomb the next generation would know. The place selected was a temporary tomb on the cliffs above the Hudson River in N.Y. City. It was the largest parade in the history of America. It was estimated at one and one half million people along the parade route. It was led by General Hancock. Everyone wore black. The buildings had black streamers hanging down. The hearse was drawn by twenty four black horses. There were twenty generals, some former Rebel Generals. Julia insisted that several of them should be allowed to be pallbearers. President Grover Cleveland and former Presidents Rutherford Hays and Chester Arthur followed in their carriages. There were many bands and thousands of soldiers including rebel soldiers paying tribute. I must now order books to learn why he was so beloved. Jack B. Walters August 15, 2013

Big Horn Sheep re-introduction to the Catalina Range

In an article in today’s Arizona Daily Star Columnist Tim Steller exposes what may be the ulterior motive for placing a herd of Bighorns in the Catalina’s. That motive is hunting. This program will cost hundreds of thousands. We have read about how they plan to protect the sheep by having them wear collars and thereby find one who has died. Should the perpetrator be a mountain lion then a team will be dispatched to slay the offender. However providing hunting permits for humans to take their trophies they believe to be a great achievement. How nice for the hunters. Just think of it, no more long drives. Just kiss the wife and tell her you plan to return for lunch. My main objection to this is that the Catalina’s are surrounded by a million people. Thousands hike the myriad of great trails daily. These trails go to all areas including Pusch Ridge. Do they plan to deny access during hunting season as they have for decades lambing season? Remember they admitted banning hiking when they knew sheep were non-existent. Leave the sheep where they are now and appear to be thriving. Use the money for some other useful purpose. Jack B. Walters July 7, 2013 Letter to the editor Columnist Tim Steller exposes what may be the ulterior motive for placing a herd of Bighorns in the Catalina’s. That motive is hunting. This program will cost hundreds of thousands. They plan to protect the sheep. Should the perpetrator be a mountain lion then a team will be dispatched to slay the offender. However providing hunting permits for humans to take their trophies they believe to be a great achievement. My main objection to this is that the Catalina’s are surrounded by a million people. Thousands hike the myriad of great trails daily. These trails go to all areas including Pusch Ridge. Do they plan to deny access during hunting season as they have for decades lambing season? Remember they admitted banning hiking when they knew sheep were non-existent. Leave the sheep where they are now and appear to be thriving. Use the money for some other useful purpose. Jack B. Walters July 7, 2013

The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris

This is a very well researched written account of Theodore Roosevelt’s life from inception to becoming President after the assassination of President McKinley. Mr. Morris also wrote Theodore Rex which covers his years as President and Colonel Roosevelt which covers the years after. I have read Colonel and look forward to Rex. His father was a respected and successful businessman and politician. He did pay to be relieved of becoming a soldier in the Civil War out of concern for his family. He did push for enactment of a bill for the appointment of unpaid Allotment Commissioners, who would visit all military camps to persuade soldiers to set aside pay deductions for family support. He was appointed by President Lincoln to carry out this job. He spent many days in the field and was successful. As a young boy our Theodore was sickly to the point of concern whether he might die. This continued into his teen years. His wealthy father was able to take him and the family several times to visit Europe to learn and recuperate. Teddy was a good reader and student. He did all he could to increase his physical abilities. As he grew older the change was dramatic. I can’t begin to provide an interesting summary of his life other than to say he was honest, conscientious and fearless. He never backed down regardless of risk whether facing a charging grizzly bear or himself charging up San Juan Hill leading his rough riders to victory over the Spaniards in Cuba. As the Police Commissioner of New York City he brought order to the group and eliminated corruption. Earlier as a freshman N.Y. State legislature he was able to enact reform type bills. He discovered the Black Hills of N. Dakota and became a rancher. There are numerous episodes of him pursuing outlaws or fighting gun men as well as surviving intense heat and cold. This is an 800 page biography worthy of reading. I found it at the Wilmot Public Library. I encourage you to read about one of our greatest Presidents. Jack B. Walters July 2, 2013

Documentary Film

Dirty Wars by Investigative reporter Jeremy Scahill I went to see this new film at the Loft Theatre last night. Mr. Scahill explores how our government has grown increasingly dependent on secret fighting. He traces the rise of the Joint Special Operations Command. These people are invisible operating under the direction of the White House. They, together with the ever expanding use of drones have drastically changed the rules of engagement. It would appear that no matter how many enemies are killed, more rise up to take their place, clearly a scenario without a resolution. In my opinion the only reasonable course for us to take is an orderly removal of our military from the entire Middle East. Nothing we have done nor could we do, can have any long lasting positive results. We are dealing with a culture that espouses violence as the way to resolve disagreements in their religious beliefs. Do I think we will change course, of course not. Other than myself there were two other couples in the theatre. That tells me the lack of concern of the general public. Jack B. Walters July 2, 2013

Letter to the editor

Thanks to the leadership of the gang of eight John McCain and Jeff Flake we will have 40,000 border patrol agents, miles of fencing and drones. That should be enough to protect us from the Mexican people coming across. We only have 37,000 troops in S. Korea. They have done a wonderful job keeping out the million or more N. Korean troops from entering S. Korea. It appears to me that Mexicans are more feared than N. Koreans. The only difference is once they enter our country then they will be granted citizenship. I don’t believe that option is available in Korea. A thousand page bill costing $40 Billion. Kind of makes you proud that these great Arizona men have found a solution, doesn’t it? Now if only the House Republicans join in, victory is at hand. (In case you don’t understand this is meant as sarcasm.)

The Chicken Trail by Kathleen Schwartzman

Following Workers, Migrants and Corporations across the Americas I offer my complements for an outstanding overview of these most complex issues. She did a great deal of research, included many sources and made personal trips to processing plants in the USA as well as Mexico. She talked with Mexican farmers, illegal immigrants and union organizers. She chose the radical changes in production of Chicken as a perfect example of the effect it had on labor in this country and loss of the family farm in Mexico which led inexorably in the increase of illegal immigrants to America. She is very careful in not wanting her book to become political. She tries to state the facts and let them speak for themselves. I, on the other hand enjoy jumping in and calling a spade a spade so I am going to write this review from what I gleaned after reading. Chicken processing advanced rapidly in the 90’s impelled by innovation and technology. The largest plants are located in N.C., Alabama, Georgia, Arkansas and Mississippi. The workers were black for the most part. Chicken processing as well as manufacturing in general made great strides in the South due to the anti-union sentiment. The States were all right to work States. As the processes sped up there were increased injuries and fatigue resulting in the attempt to establish unions. The companies exhibited ingenuity in finding ways to avoid including going bankrupt and re-opening with a new name and firing all employees. The Company officers decided to replace with immigrants from Mexico and other countries. They advertised, paid bonuses, provided false papers, etc. No executive was ever found guilty of these most obvious offenses. In the meantime the black unemployment rate doubled. The new undocumented employees didn’t complain about wages, working conditions, nor did they report injuries, all out of fear of being deported. I refer to this as the South discovering a new group of people to exploit as they did with the blacks as slaves many years ago. While this was going on NAFTA made its mark in Mexico. By 2008 all tariffs were removed. Millions of farm families, who had subsisted, albeit poorly, were no longer able to support themselves. Not only Chicken but corn and grains in general. The highly subsidized agriculture in America was too great for them to compete and so the great migration sped up in the 90’s continuing today. Many would have stayed in their own country if they could have. We must add that the Mexican government leaders allowed this to happen impoverishing the countryside without concern. They should be held to account for allowing this to happen. Exporting young men relieved the need to provide employment, with the added benefit of Billions returned each year in support of families left behind. I know that other nations have protected their farmers such as Europe and Japan. I would also like to add my own comments about how American subsidies to agriculture benefited the largest farms effectively driving off the family farmer. I saw this in person the 23 years I lived in Iowa. As far as I can see the new discussion in Congress about changing immigration laws will not address any of these issues. The Corporate Giants including Monsanto will still dictate policy and the little people; Americans and Mexicans alike will be used to their benefit. Just look at the recent farm bill. The farm bill should be used to encourage family farms not mega farms owned by the rich but worked by those who once had owned farms themselves. Jack B. Walters June 13, 2013

The Forgotten Conservative-a book report

Rediscovering Grover Cleveland By John M. Pafford I have been on a personal voyage of filling in the lapses in my memory of the decades before and after the Civil War. I found this book at Barnes and Nobel while visiting family in Anchorage. It was interesting to learn that he was a Democrat who believed the government should not interfere with the private sector. He defended the Constitutional limits of federal power with resolve. He vetoed more bills than all the previous predecessors combined usually on the grounds that Congress had acted without a clear warrant in the Constitution. He was the only President to serve two non-consecutive terms. He was a man of high integrity. This trait was why the voters respected him. All through his life that was his mantra. His rise to the Presidency was extremely quick, just three years after being elected Mayor of Buffalo, N.Y. There were no wars or crises to make him famous; he just did the job with prudence and skill. The biggest concern in those years was whether to base our currency on the gold or silver standard. Not a very interesting topic to read about. He was a devout Christian and believed that divine law was the foundation of human law. The following is a quote describing his view. “It is right that every man should enjoy the result of his labor to the fullest extent consistent with his membership in civilized community. It is right that our government should but be the instrument of the people’s will, and that its cost should be limited within the lines of strict economy. It is right that the influence of the government should be known in every humble home as the guardian of frugal comfort and content, and a defense against unjust exactions, and the unearned tribute persistently covered by the selfish and designing. It is right that efficiency and honesty in public service should not be sacrificed to partisan greed; and it is right that the suffrage of our people should be pure and free”. . Compare his philosophy to our current leaders. I rest my case. This not an exciting book but pertinent in comparison to where we are today. Jack B. Walters June 7, 2013

Destiny of the Republic- a book review

A tale of madness, medicine and the murder of a President By Candice Millard I had the highest respect for Mrs. Millard after reading “The River of Doubt, so I looked forward eagerly to reading this book. I was not disappointed. The research that it must take to collect the information must be a massive undertaking. She is obviously very qualified in doing so. I, like most other Americans had little knowledge of President Garfield. His tenure as President was limited. He was shot after three months on the job, just getting his policies in order when it happened. He did linger on for a number of months but was incapacitated as to performing his duties. The author weaves in Alexander Graham Bell and the invention of the telephone and his attempt to invent a device to locate the bullet in Garfield’s chest. She also gives us the history of the assassin Charles Guiteau and the American medical community who did not believe there were germs. The premise is that had they done so Garfield would have recovered on his own, as he was a fit person, quite strong. All of the above were intertwined gradually ending with the shooting and then his painful death. Garfield was born in a very small log cabin, the last President to start this way. His father died while he was just a boy. His mother did everything she could to see that he became educated and could improve himself. This part of the book is fascinating. I proves the old adage that you can become what you want to be if you put forth the effort. From her account of his writings and life it assures me that he could have been a great President. In his inaugural address he spoke with passion about the legacy of the Civil War. He said, “The elevation of the negro race from slavery to the full rights of citizenship is the most important political change we have known since the adoption of the Constitution. It has liberated the master as well as the slave from a relation which wronged and enfeebled both”. How much might he have been able to accomplish had that madman not decided to make himself famous by murdering this wonderful man. We will never know, but what we do know is that the black race suffered for many years trying for equality in the face of bigotry, that I might add continues today. I highly recommend reading this outstanding book. Jack B. Walters June 6, 2013

Cynthia- This one is for you.

First, I want you to know you brightened my day at Oregano’s today. Your smile and cheerful demeanor made it a special occasion. You were able to take the time to share thoughts with me and you promised to check out my web site. If you do, this is the first thing you will see. You are not just drifting through life. You have a plan and are willing to do what is required to accomplish. Your boyfriend enjoys world traveling. When he did it while in the Navy, there was a specific purpose to accomplish. I don’t mean to say that travel is not a reasonable thing to do. There is nothing wrong with learning about other places and cultures. What I meant to say is that each of us has the opportunity to make the world a better place because we were born. Along the way we work, raise a family; support our community, church and family and try to make a difference. Money is not the prime objective. You will need enough to carry out your responsibilities. Giving of your time and talents is also very important. Along the way, enjoy life’s many pleasures. Your new, old, friend, Jack B. Walters May 16, 2013

Obama lashes out over Benghazi "sideshow"

This was the headline for an article in the 5/14/2013 edition of the Arizona Daily Star. There is truth in it; The Republican Party advocates will take every advantage to score political points. They have many opportunities today with the IRS being discovered giving special reviews of applications for tax free status of any group supporting the tea party. Also for two months in 2012 the government taped phone calls of Associated Press reporters ostensibly to find White House leaks of terrorist information. Referring to my main concern Benghazi, I have been watching news broadcasts on different channels and to date I have been disappointed with the questions asked. They approach. They skirt around it. They imply but don’t have the intestinal fortitude to come right out and state the truth. The Republican Congress is clawing their way up step by step looking for scapegoats. The process will continue unabated day after day, week after week, month after month; filling the news channels with content while leaving us waiting for the truth. The truth, in my opinion, is that Obama was willing to sacrifice the Americans in the Embassy and then deliberately cover it up with the blatant lie that the attack was the result of the video, when clearly the intelligence community knew and reported that an Islamic group was attacking the Embassy. Hillary was told at 2:00 A.M. by Hicks. The next day she flatly stated it was a disgusting video which the American government had nothing to do with. She apologized all over the place instead of condemning the Islamic terrorists. I was revolted then and my revulsion continues unabated. Am I the only one to recognize that Obama has and will continue to deny that Islam has anything to do with attacks on Americans or blame Islam for the many atrocities occurring on a daily basis everywhere in the world today. All the aircraft carriers in the world will be useless if we don’t have the resolve to fight back when required. With Obama at the helm we are defenseless. Jack B. Walters May 14, 2013

What I believe about Islam

Muslims who live by the tenets of their faith believe they are superior to all other people who are not believers of Islam. Wherever they are in the majority they exert their power over all others. People who are Christians or Jews have been forced to leave until there are very few remaining in places like Iran, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Egypt and Turkey. For the most part those of the Jewish faith have fled to Israel. How convenient to have them so concentrated that at the right moment they can be annihilated which has been the goal since this religion was created 1,300 years ago. Just this morning in the Star was an article about students turning in their teacher for supposedly anti-Muslim statements. She was arrested and will stand trial for blaspheme. There is no freedom of speech when Islam rules. I don’t consider Islam to be a religion. It is a cult, an ism as in Nazism or Communism. There I’ve said it. Jack B. Walters May 11, 2013

Another Women's Issue

I find it tragic that the news media and all Americans can be so appalled at the imprisonment of those three unfortunate young girls in Cleveland but don’t care a whit about the many millions of women and girls who are living as virtual slaves on a daily basis all over the world because they are living under the Muslim culture. Where Islam is dominant, they are forced to wear burkas and must obey their male relatives on penalty of beatings or death. There is no recourse for them by the legal systems. When will, particularly the women of America, decide that this is of sufficient importance to take on as an issue, the same way they have been fighting for women’s rights for a century in America? They cannot afford to wait for the men to take issue except for a few like me. Jack B. Walters May 11, 2013

Benghazi Hearing-May 8, 2013

I learned about the hearing in which three high ranking officials were to testify about the attack on our Embassy. I checked C-Span and the other news channels. Only Fox considered it important. I caught it just as it began. I was complimentary that they would not interrupt the testimony until, lo and behold they did. The commentator even apologized stating they had to pay their bills. I then went to my computer where I found it being broadcast by Public Television and watched uninterrupted until it ended. I spent at least six hours of my day. Of the people I will be sending this to, I would be willing to bet that none of them did as I did. My long standing opinion on the subject did not change. What it did was confirm for me the outrageous conduct of the Obama government to not react in a prompt fashion to mobilize forces to come to the defense of our people and then when it was over to falsely claim that it wasn’t an attack by Islamists but only Muslims congregating to protest a video, implying that it was really our fault. Obama, Clinton, Rice and Petraeus apologized over and over including Obama’s speech to the United Nations a week later. These three (whistle blowers) were appalled and spoke out, effectively ending their careers. Eric Nordstrom had been the Regional Security Officer posted to Libya after the war. His testimony related to his repeated attempts to beef up security. As it turned out security forces were dramatically reduced instead. Gregory Hicks, the Deputy Chief-Tripoli was in Tripoli. He attempted to get reinforcements to Benghazi. The Colonel in charge received a “stand down” order. No knowledge of the name of the person who gave that order, or more importantly the person in the Pentagon or State Dept. The committee chair Representative Darrell Issa has pledged to continue searching for the truth. We can only hope he does. This outrage cannot be allowed to stand. Mr. Hicks clearly confirmed it was a terrorist attack by a group called Ansar el-Sharia. The Libyan President also confirmed who the attackers were. He was contradicted by Susan Rice’s appearance on five Sunday news programs when she stated that the attack was brought on by a mob angry at the video. Mark Thompson was the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary in the State Department with responsibility for anti-terrorism teams called FEST (foreign emergency support teams). He tried many times to receive approval to deploy a team. He was denied. Statements were made that it was too dangerous or they couldn’t get there in time. How outrageous is that? What is the use of training military personnel to intercede when needed? They could have been called back at any time once sent. The fighting in Benghazi lasted over six hours. They might have arrived in time to save lives or at the very least exert deadly force against the perpetrators. It has been proven that the assessment of the intelligence memo was re-written to exclude all comments relating to terrorists, at the direction of the State Department, which to me means Hillary Clinton. She and the rest continued to blame the attack on the video. As an aside I doubt if any of you have ever seen it, I did. It was available as a trailer of a movie. There is no movie that anyone has ever been able to find. It is 14 minutes long and the dumbest thing I’ve ever watched. Comical, not something that should generate hatred just disgust. On the positive side, watching and listening to these three dedicated public servants was heartwarming to me. It rekindled my faith that there are great Americans working on our behalf all thru the government. They were very emotional as they recalled the events and at times showed anger at not being allowed to do their jobs as they were trained to do. I can only hope you are as interested as I am in finally learning the facts of who made those fateful decisions that night and who decided to keep the truth from the American people. I will continue to follow this process to the end. Jack B. Walters May 9, 2013

Islam

Once again I feel compelled to share my thoughts about Islam and the danger adherents to the faith present to the world community. I understand there are over 1.4 billion Muslims today. I recently sent out comments about the religion made by Winston Churchill 100 years ago. His analysis was right on, in my opinion. His main point being that strict adherence meant continuing slavery for women and girls. I have read many books on this subject which have convinced me of the evil this “religion” continues to do on a daily basis. There is a difference today from years past. This was pointed out to me in reading “The Looming Tower” by Lawrence Wright. He details the beginning of Al-Qaeda in 1947 by an Egyptian and how it really took hold with Osama bin Laden while in Afghanistan which led directly to the 9/11 event we are all so familiar about. People like me are labeled as Islamaphobic. We supposedly see a radical Muslim hiding behind every tree waiting to pounce. I have read that 10% of Muslims could be regarded as radical. Radical meaning they are ready and willing to commit havoc with non-believers wherever found. The math is simple, it means 140,000,000. It seems to me that this could be considered serious, but, of course, what do I know? My continuing frustration is with our government and the news media, neither of which will come right out and state that a problem exists with Islam. I include George Bush in my condemnation. After 9/11 he proclaimed that Islam was a peaceful religion. He, his father and the whole Bush clan have been in bed with the Saudi Arabia princes for decades. Do any of you remember how Bush allowed the many members of the bin Laden family to be flown out of the country all the while the airlines were shut down for the rest of us. As an aside, I always find it amusing that these privileged Muslims enjoy living in our decadent country. As to our current president, he has extolled the greatness of Islam starting with his Cairo Speech shortly after becoming president. It is my firm belief that he has required our intelligence agencies and the armed forces to not even mention that an incident was committed by a Muslim. The Fort Hood massacre was labeled a work place dispute. How outrageous is this? While killing the soldiers he shouted “Allah Akbar”. It has been three years and the Major has not been tried as yet while receiving first rate medical treatment and still earning his salary. This should have been handled with dispatch but that is not how our government works today. It is impossible to read a newspaper and not read of some atrocity committed in the name of Mohammed somewhere in the world. Adherents are on an accelerated campaign to convert the whole world to their belief system. All the while Obama tries to cover it up. He blamed the Benghazi episode on a video, when it was clearly an organized assault, not a spontaneous event. After all this time including Senate hearings and news media discussion the truth has not come out. The latest is the terrible bombing in Boston by two Muslim young men. The elder spent six months in Southern Russia where the Chechnya Muslims live. As I understand it he was admitted to our country as an immigrant, given welfare and other aid. I wonder how much it would cost to travel to Russia and stay for that length of time. He was driving a Mercedes. Something doesn’t make sense. Our security was warned by Russia that he was a radical Muslim. I believe for political correctness that warning was ignored. Another point worth mentioning is the tremendous cost. I cannot even contemplate the loss as a result of shutting down the entire city for a day. These two Muslim fanatics have shown how devastating an action like they took can be to America. I have no doubt others will follow in their footsteps. Not to disparage our security forces, who put their lives on the line for us, but what I saw was overwhelming forces committed particularly when it was known he was in the boat. There were hundreds of police officers at the scene. Like the Fort Hood incident this young man will be in custody for years while the investigation goes on trying to prove him guilty at a cost of millions. He will be referred to as alleged bomber. Would sure be wrong to convict him without a trial, wouldn’t it? My main purpose in putting these words to paper is to alert you to the threat to America by Muslim terrorists who will continue to punish America for our presence in Muslim countries. The odd thing is my agreement with them about this issue. Bush’s wars which are now Obamas were and still are the wrong wars for us to fight. For a fraction of the cost we could be energy independent. No one can ever convince me that those wars were not started by our addiction to the oil in the Middle East. Our travail is just beginning. Jack B. Walters April 30, 2013

A Country of Vast Designs by Robert W. Merry

(James K. Polk, the Mexican War and the Conquest of the American Continent) A short while ago I read a biography of Andrew Jackson. I became intrigued by the events that occurred during these years. In particular the additional territory added to the Union. While still a General during the presidency of James Monroe he conquered Florida whereby Spain ceded it to America and also added tens of millions of acres to the Union from Indian tribes in the South and West. James Polk was supported by Jackson with advice and consul until his death. Polk became President by default. At the time he was running for Vice President. The delegates at the Democratic Convention were deadlocked. He was stunned to learn of his nomination. Once he became President he resolved to accomplish his most important goals during one four year term and he did. The most important, in my opinion, was acquiring all remaining lands in the West including the Texas, New Mexico and Oregon territories. He added over five hundred thousand square miles and gave the United States free access to the Pacific. The total amount far exceeds the Louisiana Purchase. It encompassed all lands between America at that time and the Pacific Coast, except for a small area of 30,000 square miles in Southern Arizona and New Mexico, referred to as the Gadsden Purchase which was acquired in 1854. This goal was popular with the people who foresaw increased opportunity as lands became available, but the job was not easy. In the Northwest England claimed ownership. There was a possibility of war between the two countries. When we relented on ceding the lower half of Prince Edward Island to Canada which gave them free access to the port at Vancouver agreement was reached. While this was going on, Polk aggressively prodded Mexico by moving troops to the Rio Grande River. Mexico responded by attacking and killing a number of soldiers. Military actions were forthcoming in Texas, New Mexico and California. Mexican ports were blockaded and Mexico City was occupied. Finally a treaty was signed ceding these lands to America. During all this time Polk was berated for the Mexican War by politicians of the Whig Party including Daniel Webster and even a freshman Congressman named Abraham Lincoln. Most of the problems in ending the war with Mexico had nothing to do with that country. It was the issue of slavery in the new territories. It became inescapable in August 1846. Polk was asking the Congress for $2 million to offer to Mexico, an amount he had good reason to believe would accomplish that objective. Unexpectedly a relative unknown Congressman, David Wilmot offered an amendment forever known as “The Wilmot Resolution”. It provided; “That, as an express and fundamental condition to the acquisition of any territory from the Republic of Mexico by the United States, by virtue of any treaty which may be negotiated between them, and to the use by the Executive of the moneys herein appropriated, neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist in any part of said territory, except for crime, wherein the party shall first be duly convicted.” This, in effect was challenging the slave states to give up on their bringing slaves to these new lands. Once again, as it was in Jackson’s term the specter of cessation was breathed new life. Not only did Polk not get the money requested but the war became secondary to the issue of slavery. You can only imagine the pressure this would add during wartime. He was under great strain during the rest of his term. While he did accomplish his goal, it drastically affected his health. After his term ended he only lived four extra months dying at the age of fifty three. I am willing to grant that he was a patriot who gave his life for his country. That is the same status I give to FDR. The strain of office also took his life. I see that as the same as dying on the field of battle. Historians in 1962 rated Polk as being in the top eight presidents at that time. After reading this biography I must concur. The greatest of leaders throughout history were the ones who pursued their objectives through thick and thin without regard to their own well-being. He was certainly one of those. This is a well-researched and written book worthy of reading. It is 500 pages with a great deal of information which I have not included in this short report. Jack B. Walters April 23, 2013

Another Con Job

In 1986, when Reagan was president, legislation was passed granting citizenship to three million illegal immigrants. We were assured that sufficient controls were being put in place to keep this from repeating, including workplace controls called E-verify. Now over twelve million will be granted citizenship and E-verify will be phased in over five years. Give me a break. Can they really believe that five years must pass before enacting controls sufficient to convince employers to not hire persons here illegally? Billions to be spent on border security. What a joke. There is not now nor has there ever been a serious commitment to secure the border. This is just to placate citizens into believing that all will be well. We fell for it then and most will again now. Anyone against this bill is labeled racist. How sad that most are cowed into silence because of this accusation. Jack B. Walters April 21, 2013

Not Good Enough and One Down, One to Go

Greg Byrne April 3, 2013 U of Arizona Athletic Director Dear Sir, NOT GOOD ENOUGH The controversy over the “jest” by referee director Ed Rush will not go away. The integrity of the entire sports program is under suspicion and will be until Mr. Rush is removed from his current position of authority. As I have read, on two occasions he admonished the referees to go after the coaches and the second time with specific reference to our coach Sean Miller, a man Arizona fans hold in the highest regard. Over the years I have witnessed reprehensible conduct from coaches but not Mr. Miller. He is a complete gentleman, working in a volatile environment. To emphasize the seriousness of Mr. Rush’s admonition he jokingly asked if he had to give a bonus for them to do their jobs. No one should suggest that it was a serious proposal. The point I want to make from my own work experience as a factory manager is that a person in authority speaking to his subordinates, whether joking or serious, gets his point across of what he wants to be done. The subordinates then are duty bound to carry out his request. That’s it, pure and simple. The call made on Miller was a direct result of this edict, not in a regular season game, but in a championship game with all that entails. You need to understand that U of A fans take their sports seriously. We want to win or lose based on the skill of the players and coaches not on an arbitrary edict from on high. If you and the other Directors don’t demand the removal of Mr. Rush then you are all abdicating your collective responsibilities. Yours truly, Jack B. Walters One Down, One to go Ed Rush is gone, next to go should be Larry Scott the conference director for his comment that what Rush said was not a fire-able offense. He can no longer keep the confidence of the athletic directors, coaches and players if he truly cannot grasp the seriousness of the comments made by Mr. Rush to his officials. Sports fans everywhere want integrity. They want the game to be decided by the players and coaches not an arbitrary edict from on high directed at the officials to go head hunting. I read that the other Pac-12 directors had not commented. If that is correct, then shame on them too, as this incident wasn’t just an Arizona concern but a concern for all the universities. Jack B. Walters March 5, 2013

Gay marriage controversy and same gender unions

The Supreme Court is considering whether it is discrimination against homosexuals by denying them the right of marriage. The suit was brought after the Federal Court in California over ruled the will of the people who had voted against it. As I have read, blacks were overwhelmingly opposed. Personally I can accept civil union but am opposed to marriage. With civil union, a couple, whether straight or gay can live together. I can even accept a Justice of the Peace or a ship’s Captain. Marriage is a step too far. I have discussed this with two pastors. One said he favored marriage, the other said he would never participate in a gay wedding ceremony. My question to you and anyone else who reads this article, is what happens to the minister who refuses to perform the ceremony? Can he or she be sued? Can the church to which he or she is the Pastor be found responsible and fined for inaction? This is a far more important issue than the Catholic Church’s objection to providing birth control to employees. Marriage is the most sacred of all rites. In my opinion it was created for a man and a woman to join together and bring forth children in a loving union and thereby maintain the population. Before you hit me with the response that gay couples are raising children, I have not stated that they cannot adopt. So that is my simple short effort to state my opinion for whatever it might be worth. Jack B. Walters March 30,2013 After sending the above, I received a response fro a minister friend who shared a booklet he had written pulling out references to same sex relationships. The following was my response. Same gender unions Dear Ron, April 6, 2013 I appreciated receiving your little booklet about same gender unions. You saved me the trouble of searching through the Bible to find references about the subject. Actually I wouldn’t have taken the time. I am satisfied with where I am on the subject and don’t need to find a particular passage to help me decide. I come down on the side where I don’t hate gay people but at the same time have become increasingly annoyed with the constant bombardment espousing the life style as if it were the normal thing and not the minority. We hear it daily in the news media, in plays, movies, TV shows and in the schools. I just wish they would live their lives quietly and leave me alone. One of the men I most admired in this world turned out to be gay. He was a member of my church with a wife and two daughters. Out of the blue one day he announced that he was gay and had aids which shortly thereafter took his life. At the funeral his lover sat next to his wife and daughters. The church was packed as he was liked and admired by many. My church at the time was Plymouth Congregational in Des Moines, Iowa. We became known as an accepting church. I remember one Sunday as a Deacon during the service we were picketed by evangelicals from another church. I went outside with another Deacon to ask them to leave us alone. In actual fact I was so angry I let the other Deacon do the talking as I was afraid of what I might say. I only know that had they tried to enter the church I would have done my utmost to prevent it. They did depart. Getting back to your book, at this point of my life I don’t need to check the Bible to see if my thinking is correct. As you point out there are any number of places, particularly in the Old Testament where women are told to stay in their place, slaves are told to obey their masters and fathers are told to kill their sons if they disobey. I have never agreed with any of that. In my readings I have looked for what would help me to give direction on how to live a good life. As I said in my article “We are all God’s Children”, I don’t try to state that I have lead a perfect life but that I have tried. There is no doubt in my mind that they will prevail in attaining the right of marriage but not in a church I am attending as I will leave before that happens. I am sending your book to a young minister like yourself who I admire greatly and who is struggling with this issue as you have done. Sincerely yours, Jack B. Walters

Gay Marriage Controversy

The Supreme Court is considering whether it is discrimination against homosexuals by denying them the right of marriage. The suit was brought after the Federal Court in California over ruled the will of the people who had voted against it. As I have read, blacks were overwhelmingly opposed. Personally I can accept civil union but am opposed to marriage. With civil union, a couple, whether straight or gay can live together. I can even accept a Justice of the Peace or a ship’s Captain. Marriage is a step too far. I have discussed this with two pastors. One said he favored marriage, the other said he would never participate in a gay wedding ceremony. My question to you and anyone else who reads this article, is what happens to the minister who refuses to perform the ceremony? Can he or she be sued? Can the church to which he or she is the Pastor be found responsible and fined for inaction? This is a far more important issue than the Catholic Church’s objection to providing birth control to employees. Marriage is the most sacred of all rites. In my opinion it was created for a man and a woman to join together and bring forth children in a loving union and thereby maintain the population. Before you hit me with the response that gay couples are raising children, I have not stated that they cannot adopt. So that is my simple short effort to state my opinion for whatever it might be worth. Jack B. Walters March 30,2013

Abel Emerging by Ron Rude-a reconsideration of the Christian story for a sustainable world

Ron is leading an OLLI Course on Presidents and doing a fine job. He shared information on two books he has written. This book report is about his first book. He is a Lutheran Pastor and therefore a believer in God, Jesus Christ and all that entails, but he is far different from the norm in that he also accepts that the Universe has evolved over eons of time and that modern Homo sapiens emerged about 70,000 years ago. This is a bold refutation of the standard beliefs of most who profess a belief in Christianity, those who proclaim without reservation that every word written in the Bible is irrefutable and true. This author proclaims the story of Adam and Eve is not an actual event but rather a way of expressing the unfolding of mankind. The title of the book relates to Abel as representing those humans who are givers, ready and willing to live frugally with respect for all living creatures, while Cain represents the takers, those who grab all they can for themselves without regard to the destruction of nature around them. He further states that the Cain’s represent the majority of humans in positions of power including Christians. In his introduction he proclaims that the Christian story needs to be re-considered. He bases this on the fact that the story is merely about Homo sapiens. He believes, as I do, that it needs to also include the wider community of life, from vegetation and animals to reptiles and bacteria, from landscapes and oceans to rivers and air. He believes, as I do, that Planet Earth is listing toward calamity and that humans are responsible. One comment he makes that I particularly agreed with was “Earth is humanities home (not a disposable way station on the road to an afterlife or heaven). He concludes this section by stating there is hope (but not in the short term). He states that humans lived in harmony until about 6,000 to 10,000 years ago and that the relationship changed from living in harmony to one in which humans were regarded as special and that the rest of nature was here to be used and abused if necessary to serve their needs. He states that the Cain era started about 8,000 years ago. Here is where I want to intercede with my own thoughts. I believe the change occurred when formal religion took hold such as written in the Bible and the Koran. In the Bible it is clearly stated that man had dominion over all creatures on Earth. Further it promotes the afterlife as the goal, implying that life on Earth was only a passing step on the way to eternal life. It also refers to the end of the world as we know it and therefore it promotes the idea that the Earth will be destroyed anyway so use it to our hearts content as it doesn’t matter. At the present time it is estimated that over 30,000 species are being wiped out on an annual basis. Cain’s culture has gained the upper hand. Entire peoples have been decimated, whole cultures laid waste. Traditions lost, family systems broken up and ecologies endangered to the brink of ruin. Like a cancer, Cain knows no boundaries and harbors no shame. Cain’s focus is on self, on immediate opportunities for exploitation, and an insatiable quest for more and more. Abel has regard for the water, soil and air, as well as respect for God, the whole community of life. In Chapter 5 the author does refer to the Cain philosophy that the world will be destroyed anyway giving humans license to do as they will without regard to the effect on nature. Chapter 10, he addresses the subject of afterlife. He states he believes in heaven, but only after we have lived a life that blesses life here. He states “If I can’t be faithful with God’s community of life on Earth, how will I be faithful with God’s community of life in heaven”? He suggests that Cain’s goal is to rule heaven also. Chapter 11, Is there hope? In March 2008 the Southern Baptist Church declared that they had been too timid in the care of God’s creation. He finishes the book with hope that we will wake up in time to learn to live with nature as a partner rather than to be used. There are efforts well known of groups dedicated to this cause. We need to support them and hope for the best. That is the least we can do. Jack B. Walters March 2, 2013

Second add on to the Jackson book report

Excerpts from President Jackson’s Second Inaugural Address …. Without Union our independence and liberty would never have been achieved; without Union they can never be maintained, Divided into twenty-four or even a smaller number, of separate communities, we shall see our internal trade burdened with numerous restraints and exactions; communication between distant points and sections obstructed or cut off; our sons made soldiers to deluge with blood the fields they now till in peace; the mass of our people borne down and impoverished by taxes to support armies and navies, and military leaders at the head of their victorious legions becoming our lawgivers and judges. The loss of liberty, of all good government, of peace, plenty, and happiness, must inevitably follow a dissolution of the Union. In supporting it, therefore, we support all that is dear to the freeman and the philanthropist. The time at which I stand before you is full of interest. The eyes of all nations are fixed on our Republic. The event of the existing crisis will be decisive in the opinion of mankind of the practicability of our federal form of government. Great is the stake placed in our hands. Great is the responsibility which must rest upon the people of the United States. Let us realize the importance of the attitude in which we stand before the world. Let us exercise forbearance and firmness. Let us extricate our country from the dangers which surround it and learn wisdom from the lessons they inculcate. ….foster with our brethren in all parts of the country a spirit of liberal concession and compromise, and, by reconciling our fellow citizens to those partial sacrifices which they must unavoidably make for the preservation of a greater good, to recommend our invaluable government and Union to the confidence and affections of the American people.

This is an add on to the Andrew Jackson book report

Daniel Webster’s speech in defense of preserving the Union January 27, 1830. I have not allowed myself, sir, to look beyond the Union, to see what might lie hidden in the dark recess behind. I have not coolly weighed the chances of preserving liberty, when the bonds that unite us together shall be broken asunder. I have not accustomed myself to hang over the precipice of disunion, to see whether, with my short sight, I can fathom the depth of the abyss below; nor could I regard him as a safe councilor in the affairs of his Government, whose thoughts should be mainly bent on considering, not how the Union should be best preserved, but how tolerable might be the condition of the People when it shall be broken up and destroyed. While the Union lasts, we have high, exciting prospects spread out before us and our children. Beyond that I seek not to penetrate the veil. God grant that in my day, at least, that curtain may not rise. God grant that on my vision never may be opened what lies behind. When my eyes shall be turned to behold, for the last time, the sun in Heaven, may I not see him shining on the broken and dishonored fragments of a once glorious Union; on States dissevered, discordant, belligerent; on a land rent with civil feuds, or drenched, it may be, in fraternal blood! Let their last feeble and lingering glance, rather behold the glorious Ensign of the Republic, now known and honored throughout the earth, still full high advanced, its arms and trophies streaming in their original luster, not a stripe erased or polluted, not a single star obscured-bearing for its motto, no such miserable interrogatory as, What is all this worth? Nor those other words of delusion and folly, Liberty first, and Union afterwards- but everywhere, spread all over in characters of living light, blazing on all its ample folds, as they float over the sea and over the land, and in every wind under the whole Heavens, that other sentiment, dear to every true American heart- Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable!

American Lion by Jon Meacham-A book report

Andrew Jackson in the White House A friend loaned me this book while I was attending Ron Rude’s class on Presidential Endings. He is allowing me to make a short presentation on 2/28, 2013 to the class. This book is very well written. It is a New York Times Best Seller published in 2009. I judge the veracity also by the number of pages of reference. This book has 100 pages. Andrew Jackson He was the first President from a State not one of the original 13 colonies. He was considered a man of the people not the establishment or elite class. He was born in March 1767 and was eight when Congress declared independence. In 1779 his older brother died while fighting the British in the Carolina’s. He was living in Waxhaw, a village near Charleston which was attacked brutally by the British in April, 1781. Hundreds were killed. He was 14 when captured. An officer told him to polish his boots. He refused and was struck on his upraised hand and forehead by a sword. He carried those scars for life. It was said that he was strengthened by the blows, for he would spend the rest of his life standing up to enemies, enduring pain and holding fast until, after much trial, victory came. His mother was a strong independent woman who cared for her two sons after the death of his father. It is said that it was from her that he obtained the fortitude which enabled him to triumph with so much success over the obstacles which have diversified his life. She was deeply religious and hoped that Andrew would become a minister. He attended Presbyterian Church services his first 14 years. Throughout life he would quote bible verses. He was most inspired by the struggle David had against Goliath and being a ruler who rose from obscurity to secure his nation and protect his people. He felt this was his destiny as well. He read the Bible daily. In the end Jackson chose to serve God and country not in a church but on battlefields and at the highest levels. He had little formal education but was a well-read person. He did study in Salisbury N. Carolina and received his license to practice law. He worked hard and played hard. A contemporary said “He was the most roaring, rollicking, game-cocking, card-playing, mischievous fellow who ever lived in Salisbury”. I added this in the interest of showing he was not a saint but had human failings as we all do. When he was 21 he moved to Nashville, Tennessee. It was not yet a State. He took up residence at Colonel Donelson’s home who had a daughter named Rachel. She is described as a beautiful young woman with a strong sense of fun. She was married. The marriage was not a happy one. She was living in Kentucky with her husband. He was abusive so her brothers went there to bring her home. That is when she met Jackson. In the winter of 1790-91 Jackson learned that her husband had obtained a divorce. He promptly married her. It was two years later that he found out that the husband had only filed for divorce. It was granted in 1793. They became legally married a few months later. They formed a strong bond, each giving to the other the support needed. This became a bitter subject 30 years later when running for the Presidency. There are many pages describing the close relationship they had and how much she meant to him. In 1803 in Knoxville she was insulted by Governor Sevier. Shots were exchanged between the two men. No one was hit but in 1806 another slur by Charles Dickinson led to a duel. Jackson let him shoot first. He was hit in the chest, and then he fired and killed Dickinson. He carried the bullet in his body his whole life. As an Indian fighter it was written “Jackson’s gallantry and enterprise were always conspicuous, attracted the confidence of the whites and inspired honor and respect among the savages”. By projecting personal strength, Jackson created an aura of power, and it was this aura, perhaps more than any particular gift of insight, judgment, or rhetoric, that propelled him throughout his life. Once as a Judge he confronted an armed man Russell Bean. The Sheriff was afraid to bring him in but he surrendered to Jackson. He became Attorney General of Tennessee, was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, then the U.S. Senate, a Judge and in 1802 became a Major General of the State militia. He was 45 when the War of 1812 started. He deeply cared about the soldiers under his command and felt of them as family. There was a situation just before the war commenced while leading his troops towards New Orleans he was ordered to return. 150 were sick. He refused to leave them behind, ordering all able bodied men including him and officers to give up their places in the wagons or on horseback to the sick. It was at this time the phrase “Old Hickory” was coined. On September 4, 1813 he confronted a man he had a disagreement with. His name was Jesse Benton. He pointed his gun but Benton shot first and hit Jackson in the upper arm. The doctor wanted to amputate but Jackson said no. A month later the Creek Indians massacred settlers in Fort Mims forty miles North of Mobile. 250 whites were killed. Even though still recovering from his wound he led forces and won a bloody victory at Tallushatchee, a Creek village. A small Indian boy was found after the battle. He adopted the boy and sent him to Hermitage to live with his family and be a playmate for his other adopted son Andrew Jackson Jr. The Donelson family became part of the household of Jackson. When he was elected as President they lived with him at the White House. He enjoyed family and children. He followed the Indians to Spanish Florida to drive them out of the country. Then he turned his attention to New Orleans. Dec, 16, 1814 he imposed martial law on the city, defying a writ of habeas corpus and jailing the Federal judge who issued it. He engaged the British on January 8, 1815 winning a great victory. The British lost 300 dead, 1,200 wounded and hundreds more taken prisoner. Only 13 Americans died with 39 suffering wounds. This victory elevated him to national status. Between 1816 and 1820 he continued his battles with the Indians in the South and West, signing treaties that added tens of millions of acres to the United States. President Monroe authorized Jackson to quell the Seminole threat emanating from Spanish Florida. With that authority he did move against the Seminoles and Spanish and conquered Florida. In 1824 he ran for President. In a four man race he garnered the most votes but not enough. The House of Representatives chose John Quincy Adams mainly due to Henry Clay who felt Jackson was not qualified to serve. Jackson was quite bitter and felt the establishment was stacked against him. Clay became Secretary of State under Adams. His dear wife Rachel died before he was elected President in 1828. He blamed her death of the accusations of adultery from their non-marriage years ago. He won handily winning 56% of the popular vote and the Electoral College by a margin of 178 to 83. This time it was Adams who was bitter. He left Washington without attending the inauguration. John C. Calhoun was his Vice President. He gave nothing but trouble. He was from S. Carolina and was in favor of nullification. Their main complaint was the tariff which they believed favored the Northern States. The issue of secession would continue throughout both of Jackson’s terms. He fought against it. He believed strongly that the Union must be preserved. The Donelson family moved in. Niece Emily became the hostess and did well. The family was of great benefit to Jackson as a counter to the duties of being President. There are many pages devoted to them. Due to the disapproval of Emily and others to the wife of his Secretary of War John Henry Eaton, disharmony was the result. Her name was Margaret. They felt that she was not acceptable. There were unproven rumors of sexual exploits. This became intolerable to Jackson and the wives and children were returned to Nashville. This created a hardship for Jackson. An interesting but little known piece of Legislation was proposed on December 29, 1829 by Connecticut Senator Samuel Foot. It would limit the sale of public lands in the Western part of the country, thus checking expansion and settlement. The impetus was to retain cheap labor for the manufacturers in New England. The debate continued until May 21, 1830. 65 Senators spoke. It brought forth passions on all sides including slavery and threatened to break the Union apart. Daniel Webster delivered an address that became one of the noblest passages in American canon. He strove to assure the continuation of the Union. I have handouts of this speech to share. Jackson was greatly relieved. Jackson was the first to rely on the veto to control the Congress. The first six presidents vetoed a total of nine bills. Jackson vetoed a dozen. He believed that America East of the Mississippi belonged to people of the white race and was determined to remove Indians from the South. The legislation was entitled “The Bill for an Exchange of Lands with the Indians Residing in Any of the States or Territories, and for Their Removal West of the Mississippi”. After impassioned debate it was approved. Jackson considered himself to be a father to the Indians and was doing the right thing. He met with the Chiefs personally. He said “Friends and Brothers; You have long dwelt on the soil you occupy, and in early times before the white man kindled his fires too near to yours…. You were a happy people, “, Now your white brothers are around you….Your great father….asks if you are prepared and ready to submit to the laws of Mississippi, and make a surrender of your ancient laws….you must submit-there is no alternative…. Old men! Lead your children to a land of promise and of peace before the Great Spirit shall call you to die. Young Chiefs! Preserve your people and nation.” And so the process referred to later as the Trail of Tears began. He was totally opposed to the Bank. Mr. Biddle, the head of the Bank encouraged Congress to extend the Charter before the election in November 1832. It did pass. In July Jackson vetoed it. The veto stood. He was vehement that the Bank was being used to influence Congress with loans and was being used as an instrument to maintain the status of the elite in the country rather than the people. Biddle’s strategy backfired as the people strongly supported their president. Another accomplishment was obtaining moderate tariff reform. He hoped it would be sufficient to curtail S. Carolina’s nullification efforts. In this he failed. Jackson won re-election overwhelmingly. He carried the Electoral College by 219-49 and the popular vote with 55%. It would have been greater but a new party entered the race called Anti-Mason which believed the Mason’s represented a conspiracy. (That remains to present day). Seven days later in Columbia, the South Carolina convention nullified the Tariff of 1832. What this meant was they were defying the authority of the Federal Government. Jackson took the first step to remove officers and men from Federal Forts there and replace with those who would defend the Union. There was a confrontation which could have started a conflict. I never realized that secession was so possible 30 years earlier than the Civil War. Some feared he would take action. He was determined to only strike back if attacked. In S. Carolina militias were formed, armed and trained. He gave impassioned speeches in defense of the Union and tried to lower tension by proposing legislation to incrementally lower the tariff over a ten year period but at the same time ask Congress for authority to put down rebellion with force. He got approval for both. The other Southern States decided not to support S. Carolina and in March 1833 South Carolina rescinded their previous edict and the crisis was over. However Jackson and others understood peace was only temporary and that the slave issue was still simmering and could explode at any time. Jackson’s Second Inaugural address was stated to be one of the great passages of oratory of his long public life. I have a handout of the most important parts of that speech for you. On a steamboat trip May 8, 1833 a disturbed naval officer leaped at the president as if to assault him. Jackson was injured but the assailant was subdued. Just after this episode the president named a postmaster from New Salem, Illinois, a twenty-four year old lawyer who had lost a race for the state legislature. His name was Abraham Lincoln. With this crisis over he concentrated on eliminating the Federal Bank. He was nearly alone. Most of his Cabinet and Congress disagreed. He took the direct approach of ordering the Secretary of the Treasury to transfer funds to state banks. He refused. Jackson fired him. The funds were transferred. The next part was confusing to me. The President of the Bank Biddle stopped lending funds to business and industry causing havoc. If the funds were no longer there how could he do that? Perhaps one of you knows. At any rate petitioners called on the President. He referred them back to Biddle. In the end Jackson won. On April 4, 1834 the House voted to not re-charter the bank. The House was elected by the people, the Senate by State legislators. In retaliation the Senate on a 26 to 20 vote censored Jackson. It stated “Resolved, That the President, in the late Executive proceedings in relation to the public revenue, has assumed upon himself authority and power not conferred by the Constitution and Laws, but in degradation of both.” This was a severe blow followed shortly thereafter by the French government voting to not repay funds owed for damage to American ships during the Napoleonic wars violating the signed treaty. The action of France triggered tensions between the countries. Legislation was passed increasing the naval fleet and fortifying the coastal cities. France readied their frigates to attack American ships. England acting as intermediary was able to achieve a compromise. France agreed to pay the debt. January 8, 1835 it was announced that the National Debt had been eliminated. This had been Jackson’s goal from the beginning. Keeping the tariffs high had been necessary to accomplish. Twenty two days later while walking out of the House chamber an unemployed house painter within ten feet of Jackson aimed a pistol at him. He fired. The cap exploded but it misfired. Jackson charged him with his cane. A second pistol was fired with the same result. Jackson pursued him until satisfied he was controlled. The Seminoles refused to leave Florida. The Seminole War lasted for seven years. Americans had been settling in Mexico’s Texas for some time and wanted independence from Mexico. On March 6, 1836 Santa Anna attacked and killed all the defenders of the Alamo. A month later under General Sam Huston the Mexican army was defeated. Santa Anna was taken prisoner. Jackson while happy with the outcome did not interfere as we had a treaty with Mexico. He supported Van Buren for president through supporters. It was unseemly in those days for a president to actively engage in politics. Van Buren was elected. Jackson’s last request of the Senate was to expunge the Censor against him. After lengthy debate it was granted. With that he retired to Tennessee. He communicated with officials with his thoughts until his death. He died peacefully surrounded by family June 8, 1845. He had lived 78 years which was remarkable in those days. On January 8, 1853 thousands gathered for the commemoration of a statue of Jackson. Senator Stephen Douglas was the keynote speaker. He pointed out that Jackson had lost his mother, father and two brothers and that orphaned he found his family in his country. Many presidents have given praise to him. Lincoln read his Proclamation to the people of S. Carolina as he was drafting his own inaugural address. He looked to Jackson to arm himself against disunion and despair. Theodore Roosevelt said “Jackson had many faults, but he was devoted to the Union, and he had no thought of fear when it came to defending his country.” FDR on a visit to the Hermitage insisted on walking with his heavy braces in respect for Jackson. In 1941 he said” Responsibility wore heavy on the shoulders of Andrew Jackson. In his day the threat was from within…Ours comes from a great part of the world that surrounds us…”.Harry Truman, while a judge in Kansas, commissioned a statue of Old Hickory to sit outside the court house in Kansas City. President Truman said “He wanted sincerely to look after the little fellow who had no pull and that’s what a president is supposed to do”. Jack B. Walters February, 24, 2013

Luke's Popular Air Show Canceled-Letter to the Editor

The above was a front page article in The Arizona Republic 2/16.2013. The essence was that due to impending military budget cuts next month the show was cancelled. This is the traditional response to budget cuts whether in the military or transportation or anything else. Do something that directly impacts the public. Not fixing potholes is the response those of us living in Tucson well understand. An air show has a number of good things attributed to it; entertaining citizens, in particular children, showcasing the latest equipment, meeting military personnel and creating a positive relationship between citizens and the Air Force. By cancelling, the hope undoubtedly, will be a groundswell of public support to not cut funding. It, no doubt, will be successful. It always is. There are any number of cuts that could be made without decreasing military preparedness, known to many. Shame on Brig. Gen. Rothstein and his superiors in Washington. Jack B. Walters February 18,2013

Letter to Senator's McCain and Flake

HR325 Amendment You owe it to the citizens of Arizona and all the rest of the States to explain why you voted yes to kill the amendment that would have stopped giving F-16 fighter jets and Abrams tanks to Egypt. Ever since the US sponsored overthrow of President Mubarak the Muslim Brotherhood has created havoc in this country. President Morsi has compared Jews with apes and pigs. Those who rebelled initially for freedom have been denied, chaos is the current situation. The only country that these advanced weapons will be used against is Israel. The Republican Party is supposed to support Israel. The only reason to proceed with this give away is to promote jobs in the Defense Industry. If that is your reason why not give to anyone, how about Iran or N. Korea. I’m sure they could put these weapons to good use. We, as a nation, are drowning in debt. You and others continue to talk about domestic programs such as Social Security and Medicare, all the while continuing to give billions to countries that basically dislike us intently. Just look at their voting records in the United Nations. They oppose us the majority of times. You are concerned about upending relations. Let me state for the record, ever since President Carter got Begin and Sadat to shake hands it has cost America billions in aid to both countries, a great way for him to receive a Nobel Peace prize. I am a stanch supporter of Israel. They are surrounded by those of the Muslim faith who hate them and will not stop until that country is destroyed. When that occurs, the rest of civilization will die along with them. President Obama lauds Islam continually. It had been my hope you would recognize the situation and do whatever you could to support Israel. You cannot begin to understand my disappointment with your latest vote. Jack B. Walters February3, 2013