Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Letters to the editor

Be careful that history doesn't repeat itself

EDITOR,

History repeats itself. Therefore, this nation needs to have a rational discussion about how despotic dictators like Hitler (Fascism) take control in democracies; there are markers; there is a factual record. There have been many references to Nazis and Hitler in many arguments during the recent years and used as comparisons to current American political parties and ideologies. The markers are important because Hitler could have been stopped by the conservative and religious German political parties (many conservatives supported Hitler) in 1933. But, they failed to stop Hitler's rise to power. Only one party tried, the Social Democratic Party (party of labor).

After the Reichstag fire (parliament building) in February, 1933, the incident was promoted by Hitler and the Nazi Party as a terrorist act by the communists; the German legislature, under pressure by Hitler and the Nazi Party, voted the passage of the Enabling Act (Order by the President for the Protection of People and State). Here it is important to say that the Enabling Act shares many characteristics with our own Patriot Act. It is also necessary to say that the act virtually eliminated what we would call the Bill of Rights (individual rights and liberties). The Act ordered the following:

On the basis of Article 48 paragraph 2 of the Constitution of the German Reich, the following is ordered in defense against Communist state-endangering act of violence (terrorism).

Articles 114, 115, 117, 118, 123, 124 and 153 of the Constitution of the German Reich are suspended until further notice. It is therefore permissible to restrict the rights of personal freedom (habeas corpus), freedom of opinion, including the freedom of the press, the freedom to organize and assemble, the privacy of postal, telegraphic and telephonic communications, and warrants for house searches, orders for confiscations as well as restrictions on property, are also permissible beyond the legal limits otherwise prescribed.

After Hitler forced the act suspending all articles that guaranteed individual freedom and liberty, "his" police were allowed to seize property and arrest, jail, execute and/or hold people without trial or due process. Soon afterwards, the German people had only one political party, intended as a permanent single party, a one party dictatorship with Hitler at its head. As well, the Constitution and parliament were set aside, and in their place Hitler governed by "executive decree (order)" without any legislative or judicial oversight. Hitler finally had what he wanted, to be the absolute "decider" for the German people. It is important to note that Hitler demanded total power in order to protect the German people and State ("his" government) from propagandized Communist terrorism. ... The definition for citizenship in Germany was no longer set by constitutional law, but by Hitler's racist decrees.

It is important to note that Hitler's initial force, the "Brown Shirts," were made up of murderous racist hate groups and individuals, much like the KKK, neo-Nazis and certain religious groups found within the U.S., groups always hungry for legitimacy, authority and a uniform.

And, that one of Hitler's first acts as dictator was to outlaw atheism and the half-million member German Free Thinkers League.

And that Hitler claimed his own supernatural miracle (World War I) and of providential (God's) selection as Germany's leader; the claim was eagerly seconded by other Germans involved in Germany's own culture war, even to the title of being Germany's savior.

And, that the Nazi's "Final Solution for the Jewish Problem" was heavily based upon Martin Luther's (1543), 65,000 word attack treatise, "On Jews and Their Lies" and, on Luther's own lamentation about not having already experienced that same final solution. Luther also justified his position based upon a personal Ouija board (divination) understanding of the scriptures. The Nazis merely extended the final solution to cover a long list of judged deviants, the disabled and all "mud races (non-white)," liberals, Communists, some resisting religious groups and gypsies, etc.

I find it remarkable that on the day of this nation's birth and within Franklin's final speech before the Constitution's signing, Franklin included this warning about despotism: "Sir, I agree to this Constitution with all its faults, if they are such; because I think a general Government necessary for us, and there is no form of Government but what may be a blessing to the people if well administered, and believe farther that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in Despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic Government, being incapable of any other." Perhaps we should thank the German people for supplying the world with so many markers for surrendering liberty to Fascism and despotism. Because, Franklin was right, either we defend the Constitution and let the Constitution be the defender of Liberty (not any individuals or political party) or, we risk trading freedom for the hype of promised security/prosperity by despotism. According to the story of Franklin's leaving after the signing, he was asked by a woman, Mr. Franklin, what kind of government do we have? Reportedly, Franklin answered, Madam, you have a Republic, if you can keep it. Of course, Franklin was referring to the Constitution - if we can keep it.

Terry Mehaffey

Los Lunas

Oversight of fiscal health is important

EDITOR:

Regarding your note following a letter from Rita Padilla-Gutierrez in the July 14 edition of the News-Bulletin, I would like to know if you have verified independently that Lynette Pinkston has paid back all but $705 on the $4,179.25 settlement of the Girl Scouts Chaparral Council lawsuit. Your note cites Pinkston herself as the source of this information. I would expect the News-Bulletin to report objectively on such an issue.

Your note further quotes Pinkston as admitting that she is "a very bad bookkeeper" and "it is regretful that I didn't keep better records. But I think I did more than most people would have."

An assertion that bad bookkeeping is more than we can expect from most people, let alone a county commissioner who has a role in overseeing the fiscal health of the county, is a matter of concern, especially at a time when the county is trying to finance a hospital.

Geri Rhodes

Tomé

(Editor's note: A Girl Scouts spokesperson confirmed that indeed Ms. Pinkston has been paying as agreed to by the settlement document.)

What if other side had given out flyers?

EDITOR:

The self-righteous "pro-life" contingent of Valencia County proudly pat themselves on the back for their one-sided contamination of the Fourth of July parade.

Imagine the uproar and the language in Letters if the pro-choice, side — say, Planned Parenthood — had distributed flyers to the crowd at the same parade.The "pro-life" (contingent) ... of Valencia County would have been in the streets with pitchforks and torches, no doubt.

G.E. Nordell

Belén

No pictures shown were offensive

EDITOR:

I have noticed several letters in regards to floats in the July 4 parade. I was on the one from Valencia Right to Life, and I really don't think we had any pictures that were offensive on our float. We had one and that was of an embryo, and that just shows what an unborn baby looks like.

The other floats/groups on pro-life were very nice, and I was glad to see that much participation. Three adults and six teens from our group were handing out flyers to adults and candy to children. The flyer wasn't offensive; the front side had a cute baby on it with the words: "Take my hand, not my life." On the back, it explained the development of a baby from conception on. (Example: A baby's heart starts beating at three weeks.) Some people refused the flyer and others rolled it up and threw it away, which is their right.

Our organization's goal is to educate by giving out information, and that is what we were trying to do. If anyone read the back of the flyer, they would see that an unborn baby starts developing at conception and is well developed after several months.

In my opinion, abortion takes an innocent life. Adoption is always another option. My husband was adopted at the age of three days. If his mother had decided on abortion, I wouldn't have him, my three children or seven grandchildren. These are my own personal views on this subject.

Sarah Cobb

Los Lunas

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