Letters to the Editor, Nov. 24
Love neighbor/love yourself
There can be no love without self-love. There can no compassion with compassion for ones self. We cannot live a glorious future or a magnificent present if we are in bondage to the past.
In this season of giving, gratitude, love and peace, may we all open our hearts and learn to love ourselves first. Then watch the ripples of love begin to spread. We can make a difference. We can change the world one person at a time. Wishing you peace.
Nancy Graev, Marco Island
Recruiting policy not making U.S. safer
USA Today reported that the Army is lifting a ban on recruits with a history of some mental health issues. These issues include a history of self-mutilation, bipolar disorder, depression and drug and alcohol abuse.
Recruits can seek waivers to join the Army under an unannounced policy enacted in August.
The Army has a goal of 80,000 new soldiers by 2018. In order to get this number, they accept recruits who fare poorly on aptitude tests, increased number of waivers for marijuana use while offering hundreds of millions in signup bonus money.
Now let us remember we have a growing national debt and already spend more than the next nine countries total spent in defense. Again, more than the next nine countries total. Can anyone tell me why we need 50,000 soldiers in Germany and Japan?
We have already seen several instances such as the Texas church, where ex-military personnel learn assault rifle training and are discharged due to mental health. Now do we want to greatly increase the number of people with issues with assault rifle training? Is this making America safer? Make any sense?
Glenn Mueller, Naples
No human rights speeches during trip
So at the end of President Donald Trump’s much touted Asia tour, what do we have?
Excuses for the Russian president who is laughing at us as we speak.
Much pomp and posturing in China, but no press conference because the Chinese didn’t want one.
Playing golf in Vietnam while dissidents languish in jail.
Smiling, shaking hands with President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines, a despot and bully.
Not one speech about human rights in any of these countries. Not one call for better working conditions and freedom of speech.
But to spite former President Barack Obama, Trump put new travel restrictions on Cuba, citing their human rights stance.
What a hypocrite.
Frank Fraser, Naples
Judge Moore and more
Politically, whether Judge Roy Moore is innocent or guilty, he is finished. Moore has been a public figure for 40 years, recently in a very contested primary. How were these accusers located? Did they voluntarily come forward? When was the revelation made? Was the reporting delayed to make it more politically effective? The timing begs an answer.
However, other public figures have done worse. Around the same time that the Moore affair is claimed to have occurred, a famous movie personality, Roman Polanski, was convicted of drugging and raping a 13-year-old child. He managed to flee to Europe and there is still an arrest warrant issued for him. Ten additional women have since come forward claiming they were raped by him, one when she was 29 and another five between the ages of 9 and 15.
During the intervening years he has won at least 25 top movie awards in the states and Europe. In 2009, more than 100 people in the film industry, including Woody Allen, Martin Scorsese, Darren Aronofsky and David Lynch signed a petition calling for Polanski's release. Movie producer Harvey Weinstein also defended Polanski.
However, elected officials should be held to a higher standard. Former President Bill Clinton may not be a pedophile, but could be considered a lecher. He was 49 when Monica Lewinsky, a White House intern, was only 22. He had alleged affairs with female staff during many previous offices he held. He was impeached, but all 45 Democratic senators voted not guilty including the two female senators from California, Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer. The two Republican female senators from Maine, Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, also joined them.
Ted Raia, Naples