Letters to the Editor 09-24-2001
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- Red Light Running - Screening Arabs - Expensive 'Vacations' - View From Germany - Gas Sellers Treated Unfairly
Red Light Running
Editor, Times-Union:In an effort to reduce incidents of red-light running, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration and the American Trauma Society sponsored "National Stop on Red Week" Sept. 1 through 7. The theme this year was "Consider the Cost," encouraging legislators, law enforcement agencies and Hoosier citizens to examine the devastating economic and public safety consequences of red-light running.
Although not as widely recognized as other dangerous driving behavior, such as drunk driving or cell-phone use while operating a motor vehicle, red-light running continues to plague our roads and intersections. Each year, more than 1.8 million intersection crashes occur. In 1999, 92,000 crashes and 950 deaths were attributed to red-light running.
Last session, I proposed legislation which would have allowed cities, towns and counties to adopt ordinances allowing the placement of special sensory cameras at dangerous intersections. When a driver commits a violation, the automated traffic law enforcement system camera would produce a recorded still image of the motor vehicle proceeding through the red light. After passing the Senate, the legislation failed to receive a hearing in the House. I plan to introduce this legislation again in the upcoming session to allow local communities to decide for themselves if the use of red-light camera technology would benefit and be in the community's best interest.
For too long, our country has viewed red-light running as permissible breaking of the law. We must work together to change this learned behavior and to make others aware of the dangers of red-light running. I ask each and every Hoosier today to examine their own driving behavior and to change their driving demeanor if necessary.
Waiting an extra minute at a stop light may be the difference between life and death. Hoosier lives hang in the balance. Together, we can make the roads a safer place.
State Senator Kent Adams
District 9
Screening Arabs
Editor, Times-Union:Recently, people of Arab (and Islamic and Indian?) descent have evidenced their concern about anti-Arab behavior in both letters to the editor and in interviews to news media.
I propose a positive and drastic solution to help allay the fears of both those of foreign descent who are legitimately in this country and also the fears of non-Arab citizens of the USA.
I suggest a national screening of all person of Arab (I will leave it to the experts to define "Arab descent") descent, including those born here, who reside in the USA. This screening would include finger printing, DNA sampling and a full description including scars, tattoos and anything else which would help to positively and readily identify each person along with name, country of ancestry and religion, weight, height and color of hair and eyes, etc. This screening would be carried out on a county by county basis. The screening would be monitored by the FBI and the FBI would be 100 percent responsible for completeness and accuracy of the screening.
For all of those screened who are legitimately in this country, a national registration card would be issued and it would be required to be carried at all times, by law, with severe penalties for noncompliance. This national registration card would include among other identification, a current photo covering an entire side of the card (to be updated each five years) and fingerprints. If technically feasible, the card might contain the carrier's imbedded DNA.
For immediate recognition of those legitimately in this country, some national Arab organization, such as the Arab-American Institute which represents Arab-American interests, could be invited to, and they might like to, design a small but readily observable, lightweight identity pin which would be furnished to those persons (at their expense) who have a national registration card. It would be optional for these people to wear such a pin, but most perhaps would wear it proudly. Most might find wearing the pin solves some problems. Designers might consider incorporating the American flag.
I recognize that there would be many problems in carrying out such a national screening program and it would be expensive. However, I am confident that we have the ability to solve these problems. And the expense pales when compared to lives already lost and the potential loss of a few million more lives if the water supply is poisoned in a few major cities or one or more of our nuclear generating plants are blown up. It requires six months to a year to replace electric generating capacity and I don't know how long it takes to clear the environmental problems of blown-up reactors.
If you think this proposal is "intrusive" or too expensive, the only effective alternative is a national rounding-up of all those of Arab descent for internment in "camps" such as took place with the Japanese in this country in that other national emergency, WWII. I am reminded that the Attorney General of the United States believes (as I do) that the "hijacker's associates may still be in this country."
I believe that in a national screening program such as I have described above, we would possibly find large numbers of people of Arab descent who do not belong in this country, who are up to no good here and who will attempt to flee the country once they understand the extent and depth of our examination. We, of course, need to immediately step up our efforts to make a much closer look at those people who wish to leave (and enter) our country.
God bless America.
George W. Deeter
Warsaw
Expensive 'Vacations'
Editor, Times-Union:What's wrong with this picture? Almost one-quarter of our elected legislators are planning a "vacation" at OUR expense!
A trip to Alaska to attend the Council of State Governments. The minimum cost to taxpayers is $60,000 plus airfare. For what? To "bring back a few good ideas," according to Rep. Jeff Espich, R-Uniondale.
I note Rep. David Wolkins, R-Winona Lake, plans to attend.
To top off this travesty, these same lawmaker vacationers are also planning to raise property taxes on individual homeowners by as much as 26 percent while lowering taxes on utilities and businesses.
To any state legislator who happens to read this - Democrat, Republican or Independent - learn how to spell R-E-S-U-M-E, because your days as our representatives are numbered.
We are not stupid. We can, and do, follow your votes in the House and Senate.
We are fed up and disgusted with your arrogance and overall attitude. You think we don't matter? Think again.
You need to know about Alaska? 1) It's larger than Texas; 2) It's mostly cold; 3) It has approximately one-tenth the population of Indiana; and 4) It has no major industry except oil.
There. Now you know. Stay home and do the job we elected you to do, i.e., cut taxes and cut spending on pork. Listen to us, not "special interests."
We put you in office, you'd better believe we can take you out!
Don Guard
Leesburg
View From Germany
Editor, Times-Union:This letter, written to Warsaw residents Joy and Talitha Fair, was received from Augsburg, Germany, from Dieter Heinzel, the father of Anja Heinzel, who was an exchange student in Warsaw in 1987-88.
"Dear Joy, dear Talitha,
"11.Sept.2001, the day we will never ever forget!
"What we saw live on TV 'CNN' was unrealistic, unbelievable ...
"Innocent men and women, doing their daily work in the WTC in New York became victims of the most brutal terrorist attack of all times.
"May we express our deepest sympathy to all the members of the families which lost their father, mother, child, friends and to the fire brigades and policemen - we call them heroes - who died during the rescue operations.
"The whole Germany is standing behind America, as you may notice from TV.
"We all hope President Bush and his ministries are acting now prudently, but with power to destroy such terrorists, wherever they are harboured.
"May God bless you and America, and we all hope that, for the future, peace will be the only winner in this terrible situation.
"Dieter Heinzel"
Selah Center
Warsaw
Gas Sellers Treated Unfairly
Editor, Times-Union:Once again Indiana's gasoline retailers have been unfairly subjected to charges of "price gouging" in the hours and days which followed the horrible events of Tuesday morning, Sept. 11. Our organization does not condone and will not defend those few retailers who saw fit to charge as much as $3 to $5 per gallon. Several of these have admitted their mistake and are taking steps to rectify things with their customers.
At the same time we want the public to understand that retailers who may have raised their prices as much as 30-40 cents had justifiable reasons for doing so. Bear in mind that petroleum supplies already were thinner than normal here in the Midwest due to a major refinery fire. Contrary to what you may have read or heard, some major oil suppliers did raise their wholesale price Tuesday afternoon. Others were allocating (rationing) fuel to their retailers. Several of the petroleum supply terminals closed Tuesday while those that remained open had restricted access and long lines of tanker trucks waiting to be filled. For all these reasons and more, gasoline retailers had just cause to expect significantly increased costs to replace the fuel in their tanks, and delays in receiving their next load of fuel were likely. Retailers who raised their prices a modest amount were doing what they normally do for the usual reasons. They were not price gouging.
If fingers are to be pointed, the general public and the news media should take a good look at themselves. Consumers listened to unsubstantiated rumors, fed by inaccurate or incomplete media reports, and engaged in a panic buying spree which severely taxed the fuel distribution system. Many retailers had to bring in additional employees to handle the increased business, control the traffic and, in some cases, break up customers' fist fights. This panic buying helped drive up business costs and in many cases caused the retailers to run out of fuel. Motorists buying gasoline in droves when they don't really need it simply creates an artificial demand. Unexpected demand puts upward pressure on prices.
The long-term consequences of the terrorist attack on fuel prices are unknown at this time. As the next few weeks and months unfold, there may be other fuel "scares." Our best advice is don't listen to rumors, stay calm and continue your normal fuel buying behavior. If you encounter a rogue retailer who is truly price gouging, the best thing to do is keep driving and you'll find another retailer who is selling fuel at a fair price. I am proud to say that the vast majority of Indiana's retail gasoline marketers responded to Tuesday's panic buying with price moderations.
Mike Pitts
Executive Director
Indiana Petroleum Marketers &
Convenience Store Association
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- Red Light Running - Screening Arabs - Expensive 'Vacations' - View From Germany - Gas Sellers Treated Unfairly
Red Light Running
Editor, Times-Union:In an effort to reduce incidents of red-light running, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration and the American Trauma Society sponsored "National Stop on Red Week" Sept. 1 through 7. The theme this year was "Consider the Cost," encouraging legislators, law enforcement agencies and Hoosier citizens to examine the devastating economic and public safety consequences of red-light running.
Although not as widely recognized as other dangerous driving behavior, such as drunk driving or cell-phone use while operating a motor vehicle, red-light running continues to plague our roads and intersections. Each year, more than 1.8 million intersection crashes occur. In 1999, 92,000 crashes and 950 deaths were attributed to red-light running.
Last session, I proposed legislation which would have allowed cities, towns and counties to adopt ordinances allowing the placement of special sensory cameras at dangerous intersections. When a driver commits a violation, the automated traffic law enforcement system camera would produce a recorded still image of the motor vehicle proceeding through the red light. After passing the Senate, the legislation failed to receive a hearing in the House. I plan to introduce this legislation again in the upcoming session to allow local communities to decide for themselves if the use of red-light camera technology would benefit and be in the community's best interest.
For too long, our country has viewed red-light running as permissible breaking of the law. We must work together to change this learned behavior and to make others aware of the dangers of red-light running. I ask each and every Hoosier today to examine their own driving behavior and to change their driving demeanor if necessary.
Waiting an extra minute at a stop light may be the difference between life and death. Hoosier lives hang in the balance. Together, we can make the roads a safer place.
State Senator Kent Adams
District 9
Screening Arabs
Editor, Times-Union:Recently, people of Arab (and Islamic and Indian?) descent have evidenced their concern about anti-Arab behavior in both letters to the editor and in interviews to news media.
I propose a positive and drastic solution to help allay the fears of both those of foreign descent who are legitimately in this country and also the fears of non-Arab citizens of the USA.
I suggest a national screening of all person of Arab (I will leave it to the experts to define "Arab descent") descent, including those born here, who reside in the USA. This screening would include finger printing, DNA sampling and a full description including scars, tattoos and anything else which would help to positively and readily identify each person along with name, country of ancestry and religion, weight, height and color of hair and eyes, etc. This screening would be carried out on a county by county basis. The screening would be monitored by the FBI and the FBI would be 100 percent responsible for completeness and accuracy of the screening.
For all of those screened who are legitimately in this country, a national registration card would be issued and it would be required to be carried at all times, by law, with severe penalties for noncompliance. This national registration card would include among other identification, a current photo covering an entire side of the card (to be updated each five years) and fingerprints. If technically feasible, the card might contain the carrier's imbedded DNA.
For immediate recognition of those legitimately in this country, some national Arab organization, such as the Arab-American Institute which represents Arab-American interests, could be invited to, and they might like to, design a small but readily observable, lightweight identity pin which would be furnished to those persons (at their expense) who have a national registration card. It would be optional for these people to wear such a pin, but most perhaps would wear it proudly. Most might find wearing the pin solves some problems. Designers might consider incorporating the American flag.
I recognize that there would be many problems in carrying out such a national screening program and it would be expensive. However, I am confident that we have the ability to solve these problems. And the expense pales when compared to lives already lost and the potential loss of a few million more lives if the water supply is poisoned in a few major cities or one or more of our nuclear generating plants are blown up. It requires six months to a year to replace electric generating capacity and I don't know how long it takes to clear the environmental problems of blown-up reactors.
If you think this proposal is "intrusive" or too expensive, the only effective alternative is a national rounding-up of all those of Arab descent for internment in "camps" such as took place with the Japanese in this country in that other national emergency, WWII. I am reminded that the Attorney General of the United States believes (as I do) that the "hijacker's associates may still be in this country."
I believe that in a national screening program such as I have described above, we would possibly find large numbers of people of Arab descent who do not belong in this country, who are up to no good here and who will attempt to flee the country once they understand the extent and depth of our examination. We, of course, need to immediately step up our efforts to make a much closer look at those people who wish to leave (and enter) our country.
God bless America.
George W. Deeter
Warsaw
Expensive 'Vacations'
Editor, Times-Union:What's wrong with this picture? Almost one-quarter of our elected legislators are planning a "vacation" at OUR expense!
A trip to Alaska to attend the Council of State Governments. The minimum cost to taxpayers is $60,000 plus airfare. For what? To "bring back a few good ideas," according to Rep. Jeff Espich, R-Uniondale.
I note Rep. David Wolkins, R-Winona Lake, plans to attend.
To top off this travesty, these same lawmaker vacationers are also planning to raise property taxes on individual homeowners by as much as 26 percent while lowering taxes on utilities and businesses.
To any state legislator who happens to read this - Democrat, Republican or Independent - learn how to spell R-E-S-U-M-E, because your days as our representatives are numbered.
We are not stupid. We can, and do, follow your votes in the House and Senate.
We are fed up and disgusted with your arrogance and overall attitude. You think we don't matter? Think again.
You need to know about Alaska? 1) It's larger than Texas; 2) It's mostly cold; 3) It has approximately one-tenth the population of Indiana; and 4) It has no major industry except oil.
There. Now you know. Stay home and do the job we elected you to do, i.e., cut taxes and cut spending on pork. Listen to us, not "special interests."
We put you in office, you'd better believe we can take you out!
Don Guard
Leesburg
View From Germany
Editor, Times-Union:This letter, written to Warsaw residents Joy and Talitha Fair, was received from Augsburg, Germany, from Dieter Heinzel, the father of Anja Heinzel, who was an exchange student in Warsaw in 1987-88.
"Dear Joy, dear Talitha,
"11.Sept.2001, the day we will never ever forget!
"What we saw live on TV 'CNN' was unrealistic, unbelievable ...
"Innocent men and women, doing their daily work in the WTC in New York became victims of the most brutal terrorist attack of all times.
"May we express our deepest sympathy to all the members of the families which lost their father, mother, child, friends and to the fire brigades and policemen - we call them heroes - who died during the rescue operations.
"The whole Germany is standing behind America, as you may notice from TV.
"We all hope President Bush and his ministries are acting now prudently, but with power to destroy such terrorists, wherever they are harboured.
"May God bless you and America, and we all hope that, for the future, peace will be the only winner in this terrible situation.
"Dieter Heinzel"
Selah Center
Warsaw
Gas Sellers Treated Unfairly
Editor, Times-Union:Once again Indiana's gasoline retailers have been unfairly subjected to charges of "price gouging" in the hours and days which followed the horrible events of Tuesday morning, Sept. 11. Our organization does not condone and will not defend those few retailers who saw fit to charge as much as $3 to $5 per gallon. Several of these have admitted their mistake and are taking steps to rectify things with their customers.
At the same time we want the public to understand that retailers who may have raised their prices as much as 30-40 cents had justifiable reasons for doing so. Bear in mind that petroleum supplies already were thinner than normal here in the Midwest due to a major refinery fire. Contrary to what you may have read or heard, some major oil suppliers did raise their wholesale price Tuesday afternoon. Others were allocating (rationing) fuel to their retailers. Several of the petroleum supply terminals closed Tuesday while those that remained open had restricted access and long lines of tanker trucks waiting to be filled. For all these reasons and more, gasoline retailers had just cause to expect significantly increased costs to replace the fuel in their tanks, and delays in receiving their next load of fuel were likely. Retailers who raised their prices a modest amount were doing what they normally do for the usual reasons. They were not price gouging.
If fingers are to be pointed, the general public and the news media should take a good look at themselves. Consumers listened to unsubstantiated rumors, fed by inaccurate or incomplete media reports, and engaged in a panic buying spree which severely taxed the fuel distribution system. Many retailers had to bring in additional employees to handle the increased business, control the traffic and, in some cases, break up customers' fist fights. This panic buying helped drive up business costs and in many cases caused the retailers to run out of fuel. Motorists buying gasoline in droves when they don't really need it simply creates an artificial demand. Unexpected demand puts upward pressure on prices.
The long-term consequences of the terrorist attack on fuel prices are unknown at this time. As the next few weeks and months unfold, there may be other fuel "scares." Our best advice is don't listen to rumors, stay calm and continue your normal fuel buying behavior. If you encounter a rogue retailer who is truly price gouging, the best thing to do is keep driving and you'll find another retailer who is selling fuel at a fair price. I am proud to say that the vast majority of Indiana's retail gasoline marketers responded to Tuesday's panic buying with price moderations.
Mike Pitts
Executive Director
Indiana Petroleum Marketers &
Convenience Store Association
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