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Jim Crow, Circus Animals, Whatever

Thank you for your article, "We Could Each Be Dr. King." Yes, we all should take a look at how we treated black people in our country's history. Of course it is easy to see our ancestors' mistakes. We must open our eyes to those we are mistreating today. Our society conducts senseless experiments on animals. It takes exotic animals such as elephants and tigers out of nature to perform "tricks" for us in circuses. We should all be as courageous as Martin Luther King and speak out against injustices that are presently happening in society.

Sincerely,

--William McMullin, Mount Morris MI

How Mainstream Media Covers Up Chlorine/Dioxin Crimes

"Agent Orange makers told to pay $62 million" (1-27-06), was about the harms caused by Dow and Monsanto herbicides to thousands of Korean (in this case) Vietnam veterans and their families.

Over a week earlier, "Smoking affects babies hands, feet" (1-16-06) reviewed a study by two Univ. of Pennsylvania doctors that indicated that mothers who smoke may be responsible for their deformed babies. Reuters etc. had the story as well.

Unfortunately, though the news did mention Dow and Monsanto as manufacturers of Agent Orange, nothing was said about dioxin being a byproduct of chlorine, now still in use globally for many purposes.

Unfortunately also, the "smoking" report failed to mention that the chemicals that have caused many deformed babies in Vietnam and surrounding countries because of Agent Orange are also found in abundance in typical cigarettes. They are in most (not all) cigarettes from the chlorine tobacco pesticide residues and the chlorine-bleached paper.

Despite the notoriety of Agent Orange and dioxin, despite the USA having designated dioxin a Known Human Carcinogen, despite the USA having signed a global treaty to phase out dioxin and 11 other worst industrial pollutants, and despite the US General Accounting office condemnation of "lax government oversight" of tobacco pesticide residues, the chlorine remains legal in cigarettes, the dioxin remains legal in the smoke, and not a word of specific warning is required or provided to consumers...not even to especially vulnerable pregnant mothers. Warnings to "just quit" are, of course, grossly inadequate.

Officials, even, troublingly, those in medical agencies, apparently hoping to protect cigarette manufacturers and chlorine industries, prefer to blame the inevitable deadly effects of chlorine and dioxin on the tobacco plant, and on the victimized mothers and others who are deceived into believing that they are just using "tobacco products."

Typical products are delivery devices of one of the most harmful industrial elements on earth. For the sake of justice, proper compensation to victims, and for eliminating such chemicals from our vital environment, these industrial non-tobacco parts of cigarettes must be properly addressed, and prohibited for all uses, especially cigarettes, as soon as possible.

Our mainstream media, linked in so many ways to parts of the chlorine and cigarette industries (and all their investors, insurers, and advertisers), will continue to help those industries evade "smoking"-related disclosures, liabilities and realties by perpetrating the "concerned" war on "smoking," a word used to focus blame on the victims.

No such crusade is likely against intentional, knowing, and homicidal product adulteration.

--John Jonik, Philadelphia

Gingrich the Problem Solver!

On the way to work recently, I was listening to a speech by Newt Gingrich on the spate of corruption we are experiencing in our federal government. Mr. Gingrich, speaking eloquently, outlined both the cause and the solution to this problem in such a way that its source and resolution would have been obvious to the most simple-minded citizen.

The source of the corruption problem, he said, is the oft-touted villain, big government. Having identified the source, the solution, he advised, was straightforward. Simply reduce the size of federal government.

Either Mr. Gingrich was pressed for time and could not elaborate on the details of how reducing the size of government would minimize corruption, or the broadcasting radio station choose not to air that most central part of Mr. Gingrich's plan. But after giving this some thought, Mr. Gingrich's intent in this area became obvious, as well. I deduced from his insight the following. Say we were to scrap positions for 50 senators and 127 representatives of the House. Why that small reduction in the size of the federal government, by itself, would cut corruption in the legislative branch by nearly one half. My hat is off to you, Mr. Gingrich. We are all witness to what is obviously a brilliant stroke by a brilliant statesman.

--Richard G. O'Dea, Moorpark CA

G.P. comments: I gather Mr. Gingrich said nothing about how own long history of corruption and ethical lapses...