Letters to the Editor

Each month of the year is dedicated to a wide variety of causes: some familiar and some not. October is no exception. The range goes from Pastor Appreciation to National Pork Month. We also seek to Stop Bullying, Prevent Domestic Violence and Promote Cyber Security. We even dedicate the month to eating things such as cookies and ice cream. All well and good, but did you know that Mental Health Awareness Week was observed a few days ago?...

We have just witnessed the most foul, vile attack in our nations history by 10 desperate Democrats on the senate judiciary committee to destroy a decent human being, Brett Kavanaugh! Why? The most basic tenet of the Democrat platform is abortion on demand and the appointment of a fifth conservative on SCOTUS means the possibility Roe v. Wade gets overturned...

A letter signed by over 1,000 law professors from elite colleges and universities around the country sent to the U.S. Senate urged them to reject Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court. They cited that his lack of judicial temperament disqualified him for any court. ...

In Meredith Willson’s classic, “The Music Man,” our state is touted as having a “chip on the shoulder attitude we’ve never been without that we recall.” In about a month, my fellow Iowans will have the right to go to the ballot box and exercise their right to vote. I would hope that the “Iowa way” means we all take our right to vote seriously and elect those who will lead and guide our state...

What should a sexual assault victim expect if she accuses the person who assaults her? She will be shamed, blamed, threatened, called to be lying or mixed up. Much courage is necessary and sometimes the courage doesn’t come right away. Dr. Christine Blasey Ford had a decision to make. Should she remain silent and avoid the hurtful notoriety or does America need to know about the actions and character of a nominee to the Supreme Court of the United States for a life time term?...

The gyrations conducted by the Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee during the recent hearings on Brett Kavanaugh have been burlesque. And now the normally staid Senator Feinstein has released a document that tarnishes Kavanaugh's reputation and puts into jeopardy his nomination. The accusation will be difficult to refute as he is being declared guilty by social media and the Socialist side of the Democrat party...

This is in response to Mary Marske's letter “Shame on you Jerry Crew" that appeared in the Sept. 17 issue of SDR. Shame on you Mary Marske for making the murder of Molly Tibbets by an illegal immigrant a racial issue with the statement "Would Molly Tibbets be any less dead if she had been killed by a white, Anglo Saxon male?"...

Do you have loved ones in Northlawn Cemetery? Are your markers clearly visible? Well, listen up! Unless the city kills the Creeping Charlie, your markers will be gradually taken over by the Creeping Charlie like my loved ones are. Creeping Charlie is a very difficult weed to get rid of, however, it can be done with perseverance. ...

President Theodore Roosevelt, in a speech on May 6, 1903, stood on the edge of the Grand Canyon and said “Leave it as it is. You cannot improve on it. The ages have been at work on it, and man can only mar it”. On June 8, 1906, U.S. representative from Iowa, John F. ...

As this is written, the 2018 edition of the Clay County Fair heads into its final two days. We've enjoyed good fair weather, and I hope huge crowds. I originally didn't like the idea of no longer disclosing the daily number of fair admissions. Now, however, I can see how it adds to the suspense, and is worth doing. ...

There is a reason why developing the most innovative energy policy in the country is one of Governor Reynold’s top priorities. Not only does a focus on access to affordable, reliable, clean energy reduce carbon pollution, but it has also proven to ensure we have a thriving economy. As state and industry leaders work to maximize our energy opportunities, wind power has emerged as Iowa’s top source of renewable energy, to which O’Brien County is playing a major role...

An open letter to every person in Spencer, Iowa. Today is Sept. 10, 2018. I’ve decided on my day off work to attend Veterans Day at the Clay County Fair. I’ve never seen the parade, nor have I heard any of the speeches. But my main goal for this is to give a firm handshake to every veteran who has served in combat. I can’t even fathom what these soldiers go thru during a war. The horror of this, what they see, what situation they’re under ... well, is mind-bending to me...

Jerry Crew, shame on you for using a family’s tragedy to spout your anti-immigrant phobia! Would Mollie Tibbets be any less dead if she had been killed by a white, Anglo-Saxon male? If her father can forgive her murderer, who are you to defame his Christian forgiveness? While you call others to task for breaking the law, you admit that if your daughter were murdered you would kill “him with your bare hands!”...

A couple of weeks ago the SDR carried a couple of stories from other publications without attribution. Since they did not appear in the opinion section and since the SDR considers itself a NEWSpaper, the assumption it is not biased, but one article quoted extensively David Johnson (Yes, THAT one) who argued Iowa NEEDS the illegal immigrants in livestock confinements because Iowans won't do the work. ...

I listened and watched the ethanol plant rep demonstrate how cleanly alcohol burns. Our conversation shifted to swapping shared memories of farm chores, and concluded that our respective career paths were definitely influenced by our childhood experiences on our parents’ farms...

Parents, when your children go to the store with their grandparents, please remind them not to OK the sale of a young adult video game to their grandchildren. I constantly warn the grandparents that this is a very violent game and they still let their 10- and 12-year-old grandkids buy theses games meant for 17-year-olds. ...

A recent opinion piece in the Spencer Daily Reporter caught my attention, and evoked a few conflicting emotions. Daily Reporter staff writer Joseph Hopper was dealing with the Aug. 10 "baggage handler suddenly a pilot" story in his piece titled "Adieu, Sky King.” The more the story unfolded in real time, the more emotions surfaced: wonderment, fear, curiosity, panic, empathy and sadness. ...

Not surprisingly, Senator Charles Grassley was awarded the "U.S. Wind Champion Award." He, single-handedly, is responsible for ALL wind subsidies since 2015. He got an extension through 2020 by adding it to the Omnibus Spending Bill which is rammed through legislation because congress CAN'T or WON'T pass a budget. ...

The plaque on the Stature of Liberty reads: Give me your tired, your poor Your huddled masses, yearning to be free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore, Send these, the homeless, tempest tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door. The statue was officially dedicated in 1889 by president Grover Cleveland with the words of Emma Lazarus inscribed at its base. ...

It grieves me to know that you may be one of the nearly 400 Iowans who take their life each year. Your pain, disappointment and hopelessness is a tragedy that needs to be addressed. No doubt you've tried to make sense of what is going on in your life. Do you always feel sad, depressed, lonely? Do you believe the world would be better off without you in it? No job, no friends, no future? Let's talk, can we?...

Before the election, Donald Trump touted that if he were elected, he would win so often that we would get tired of winning. He would become something big for our country. A look at his performance since the election has shown anything but his being a big winner. ...

Two candidates are running to represent Iowa House District 2. Only the incumbent gets space on your opinion page. Today's (Monday's) offering from the incumbent serves one purpose: keeping her name in the newspaper. Why not also offer equal space to the challenger?...

Shortly after dissing NATO, the U.K. prime minister, and the Canadian prime minister and days before his summit with Vladimir Putin, during an appearance on CBS “Face The Nation” President Trump was asked who he considered America’s biggest foe and competitor. ...

What a pathetic bit of journalism! Not worthy of the Reporter! If he indeed was seeking data on the DACA issue he should have read “Five Myths about DACA” by David Bier, an immigration policy analyst at the Cato Institute, in the “Washington Post.” How stupid does he think we are? To begin with, DACA recipients are those who were brought here as children BEFORE their 16th birthday, BEFORE June 15, 2007...

At least 93 percent of the time, my take on things is the polar opposite of that held by your sports editor, Nate Shaughnessy. You might say we are diametrically opposed when it comes to which American League baseball team is the best (he bleeds Red Sox red, while New York Yankee blood courses through my veins). He says "potato,” I say "tomato.” You get my drift...

I cringe every single time I read Colin Van Westen on the opinion page because I know every word comes from a "dyed in the wool" liberal with little regard for the truth and, even more importantly, zero knowledge of history! I have resisted responding in the past, but — in the immortal words of the news anchor in the movie “Network” — "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!"...

Will Congress allow it? After punishing tariffs hurting our European allies, disparaging remarks questioning our need for NATO and now casting aside the results of numerous U.S. Intelligence investigations and opinions about Russian medaling in our elections, President Trump says he believes President Putin when he says they didn’t do it. ...

Republican conservatism used to center on: Free trade, family values, fiscal conservatism, limited government and strong international leadership. These are admirable values that I totally agree with. It’s hard to see these values embraced by our Republican conservative administration today...