Editor:
Are you aware that the Maryland General Assembly is currently in session? Included in this year’s crop of mandaters are Democrat Delegates Angel, Cullison and Pena-Melnyk who have introduced HB1178 “Requiring the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, in cooperation with the State Board of Education and the Statewide Advisory Commission on Immunizations, to adopt regulations requiring that before a child enters ninth grade, the child has received a specified number of doses of human papillomavirus vaccine.”
These Democrat delegates purport themselves to be champions of LGBT rights, social justice and Planned Parenthood’s slogan of “A woman’s right to choose,” not so much for a family’s right to choose. The proposed legislation is non-sexist and therefore requires all children to suffer an unknown number of doses of such a vaccine.
Do you have children, grandchildren, nieces and/or nephews? Are you aware that the American College of Pediatrics has published a report detailing its concerns with this vaccine? (http://www.acpeds.org/the-college-speaks/position-statements/health-issues/new-concerns-about-the-human-papillomavirus-vaccine)
I have requested my elected representatives to let me know what their positions are on this mandate, but have received no replies.
Does anyone besides me remember thalidomide?
Gwen L. Cordner
Ocean City
American Privilege
Editor:
To this old man, white privilege means that I had the privilege to have been born in the best society in the world. In our system, we get a great free education, irrespective of gender, ethnicity, religion or any myriad other classifications. We can worship any deity or none at all and not fear beheadings or imprisonment or other forms of harassment. We can enjoy music and sports and the beauty of form and shape and antiquity, without someone wanting to blow it up and destroy our history and culture.
Privilege is not white; it is the best part of being an American. Black, yellow, brown, red, anyone, if they apply themselves, live a moral and ethical and honest lifestyle can achieve the highest office, the best jobs and accrue the great wealth. Look at our current president, a mixed race man, educated in a foreign system for a time, went to college and has attained the highest office in government. This disproves all those who say that the system is rigged against nonwhites and is fixated on Caucasian people.
It is time to stop this divisive language and unite to defeat those who would kill us because they hate our way of life and want to rule the world with 12th century thinking. We are American — stand for what is right and true.
George Rosenstock
Berlin
Stop Spending Fed Money On Beach Replenishment
Editor:
(The following letter was sent to U.S. Senator Chris Coons of Delaware and approved for publication in this newspaper as well.)
Senator Coons, I just saw a WBOC news report on Bethany Beach. The Bethany Beach Mayor was asking for millions of federal tax dollars to pump sand back on the beach that has been washed out to sea, “again”. Enough is enough of wasting millions and millions of tax dollars on these sand replenishment projects that disappear with every major storm. Please consider the following choices when dealing with this problem.
- If these beach towns want to keep replenishing their beaches then let them pay for it, all of it. No federal tax dollars
- If these beach towns want ocean protection, then take the money used for beach replenishment and build seawalls out of concrete. Concrete will not wash away every time a major storm moves up the east coast.
- Stop all sand replenishment programs and let the ocean take the course it is going to take (selective retreat).
One hundred and fifty million dollars ($150,000,000) has been spent in Delaware to build man made dunes and beaches the last 10 years. If one more storm sweeps up the coast this winter or spring, all $150,000,000 of the replenished sand will be back in the ocean. Gone. It is time to rethink the man made beach and dune concept.
Jim McGrath
Bethany Beach
Daughter’s Memory Honored With Collection
Editor:
March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month. Colon Cancer is personal for Copy Central. Owners Linda and Michael Dearing lost their daughter Gina to colon cancer in 2014. Gina Barnes was just 37 years old when she was diagnosed with colon cancer. A wife and mother of three children she was too busy to make time for herself even when she noticed there was a problem.
There is the misconception that colon cancer is thought of as an older person’s disease. It can attack anyone under 50 years of age. Gina fought her battle with courage and poise while serving as a role model for others fighting their own battle. Gina’s Comfort Fund was created in her honor to provide comfort and resources to individuals fighting the battle. Every day individuals fight cancer. Many of whom have families, jobs and life responsibilities regardless of how the disease and treatments are making them feel physically and emotionally.
Copy Central is honoring Gina’s memory this month, raising awareness for colon cancer screenings, collecting change, selling bracelets and raising funds to donate to Gina’s Comfort Fund. The fund helps to alleviate some of the stress and financial barriers to those brave individuals battling colon cancer. Stop in to Copy Central on Cathell Road, Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. if you would like to contribute.
Linda Dearing
Berlin
Get Educated Before Voting
Editor:
Please vote! By all means, get out and vote in the primaries and the November election for the candidate(s) of your choice. But, please do not vote from your emotions. Do your research into the backgrounds of your preferred candidates and don’t rely solely on what you hear from the media or your friends. Think about whether the promises being made can realistically be accomplished.
Is part of your decision based on your belief that we need a president who “comes from the outside,” forgetting that America is not a monarchy. Doesn’t the obstructionist attitude of Congress in the last several years bear a great deal of responsibility for what some view as the Washington mess. I had the experience of practically growing up on Capitol Hill, first by going to work with my grandmother when she worked many years for various members of Congress, and later as a secretary in the Office of a Majority Leader/Speaker of the House. In looking back, I have never seen a Congress quite so dysfunctional. Remember that the president has only limited powers without Congress behind him or her. Do you really think Congress will respond to a “Dictator” even if from the same party?
Is the candidate you are thinking about supporting going to alienate our allies through bullying? Already some of our allies are alternating between having a good laugh at our expense and a sense of horror at the thought of having to deal with the possibility that the wrong person actually might be elected president.
My opinion is that what we really need is someone who understands how our government is supposed to work and knows how to forge a cooperative working relationship with Congress and our allies through diplomacy and sometimes compromise. In years past, we had a sense of give and take between Congress and the president even when from differing parties. I could be wrong, but it would seem that a political outsider might have a very difficult road to hoe without some realistic knowledge of how Washington should actually work.
In summary, before you vote, do your research and put a lot of thought into who can be an effective representative of all of us.
Carolyn Connelly
Berlin