Letter to the Editor

As pointed out by Ms. Channon, the Department of Veterans Affairs is paying high level officials up to $16,000 to stay with the VA instead of going into the private sector. I heard on Fox News Channel that the bonuses were as high as $30,000. It makes no difference if it is 16 or 30 thousand dollars, the bonuses are repulsive. If a VA official or any other government official can make more money in the private sector, then they should do us all a favor and dont let the door hit them on the way out.

The veteran has trouble receiving compensation from the VA. Some claims go on for years. Many veterans die in the process. Veterans are the ones who fight the wars, not politicians. Members of Congress vote themselves raises but are reluctant to do the same for others.

The root of this whole problem is money and greed. All wars make money. Many people are making millions off the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. The ones doing the fighting are being left short-changed. Vietnam was a big moneymaker. In the current war, the president and Congress start a war and set up a ‘reap what you sow situation by buying stock in government contractors doing business in the war. The vice president and his former employer (Halliburton) have made out very well as a result of the war he pushed for by getting many no-bid contracts awarded to them. The Department of Justice will never bring charges against the vice president or members of Congress for starting a war and then making out like a bandit as a result. Yet the Department of Justice went full throttle against Martha Stewart.

U.S. government ‘pencil pushers use the logic that if a large amount of military personnel die in combat that the amount is offset by the good it does. Explanation: over 58,000 people died in Vietnam. This is over the combined population of Marshall and Paris, Texas. And close to the population of Texarkana. This amount would fill many major football and baseball stadiums. But all of this means nothing because millions of jobs were created in the defense industry and the economy prospered as a result. Jobs mean votes.

It is impossible to make an argument against the current war (in this part of the country) because most family incomes are derived from the Department of Defense.

The bottom line is that this country needs to do more for the veteran because he/she is the one who is being played in this whole situation. Fighting for democracy in Iraq is an excuse, money is the reason.

The bonuses that some of these VA officials are receiving are a lot more than what most veterans are receiving for their war disabilities. Only in America.

George Wisdom

New Boston, Texas

Orphanage in the news

TO THE EDITOR:

Texarkana Baptist Orphanage has recently been in the news and the whole story has not been told. Ive sponsored a child at the orphanage for six years and have witnessed what I consider child neglect and mismanagement by orphanage personnel. This organization has attempted but failed to protect and nurture children who have had the misfortune of being born to families who are either unable or unwilling to care for them.

Its my opinion that the orphanage has failed to seek help to overcome their failures and that their inadequacies have resulted in the sexual behavior that has made the news.

The child I sponsored was brought to this orphanage as an innocent 8-year-old, off the lap of his grandmother; his whole life will be negatively affected as a result of TBOs failures.

The orphanage trustees are taking no responsibility for what has happened to these children under their guardianship. In my opinion, they have failed to protect these children, who have no one to act on their behalf.

There is so much more that I can write from my own experience with this orphanage. There are several others who have had the same experiences and who feel as strongly as I. We will continue to pursue justice for these children and try to facilitate change for the benefit of children.

Rhonda Fleming

Hot Springs Village, Ark.

Honor thy parents

TO THE EDITOR:

Hitler envisioned a 1,000-year reign for the National Socialist party. However, it only lasted 12 years. We have survived more than 12 years but it is unrealistic to envision that we will exist a thousand years as a nation in its present form unless there are changes made. We are threatened by international terrorism from without and by problems from within of equal magnitude. The character of our politicians and many of our citizenry pose as much peril to our country as the terrorists. If our politicians and citizenry had been in World War II like they are today, we would be speaking German east of the Mississippi and Japanese west of the Mississippi.

There are people who want to have ROTC programs removed from schools and colleges. Some would even like to see the military abolished. This attitude highlights the right that they hold most dear: the right to act stupid. Well, maybe it isnt acting. It is stupid to do away with one of the greatest defenders of the right to get stupid. These anti-military people would never do anything to protect their country. They are parasites who take advantage of the sacrifices of other people. If the draft were reinstated, Mexico and Canada would have an illegal alien problem that would dwarf the one America has.

Political advantage has become more important than national defense. With scores of problems that they cant solve, the politicians waste their time on matters of strictly politics.

Joe R. Walker

Texarkana, Texas