Sartell Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com
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Our View
Care for veterans must match our rhetoric
It would be interesting to know how many speakers at Memorial Day ceremonies across this country mentioned the explosive news about how some veterans of our wars have died while waiting endlessly for treatments. That tragic, unforgivable fact was surely an elephant in the room at many of the ceremonies. The disgrace was only underlined by all the heartfelt tributes to veterans and how much they deserve our undying gratitude. The gratitude should include the very best possible post-service medical and psychological care. Otherwise, all of the tributes and thanks amount to nothing much more than lip service. The top management in the Phoenix, Ariz. Veterans Affairs Health Care system devised an elaborate scheme to hide the fact 1,400 to 1,600 sick veterans were forced to wait for months even to just consult with a doctor. At least 40 veterans died while patiently waiting for care. The jerks who ran that center had two lists: a fake waiting list designed to show watchdogs in Washington, D.C. that all was going just fine; and a real waiting list that shows waiting times can easily last more than a year. The Veterans Administration mandates patients must be seen in a timely manner, from 14 to 30 days. Obviously, some top officials, at least in Phoenix, not only scoffed at that mandate; they developed an elaborate system to sabotage it. Other stories about inexcusably long waits – and deaths – are surfacing from other areas of the country, and it’s the most disturbing news. Disturbing that these men and women, who sacrificed so much, are treated with such dismissive carelessness. There is absolutely no excuse for it. So far, here in Minnesota, our VA centers have received quite good marks. However, who is to say with certainty there are no schemes or “secret” waiting lists going on? We also know most veterans have had many good things to say about the treatment they’ve received at centers. However, even one incident of cruel waiting and/or death is one too many. We wonder about the high rate of suicides among veterans. How many of those might have been prevented with prompt professional attention rather than interminable waits? It’s with such patriotic hoopla we send men and women off to war, some of them wars that are unpopular and/or unwise. How easy it is to forget them when the hoopla dies down, when the sick and wounded return, many of them living in a bleak, lonely world of their own, often without jobs or any kind of trusting support system. It’s nothing less than a national disgrace. The president should appoint a commission and hold hearings that could root out every last vestige of this kind of cruel and rampant corruption. Those who indulge in it should be fired and even arrested and tried before a court of law. Such abuse is downright criminal.
Opinion Let’s heed Martinez’s angry questions We should all listen carefully to Richard Martinez, and we should keep listening with a resolute intention to help alleviate that man’s anguish and outrage. Martinez is the 61-year-old father of Chris Martinez, the 20-year-old college student who was murdered in cold blood while entering a convenience store last week during a madman’s killing spree in Santa Barbara. The berserk gunman killed seven people, including himself. He wounded 13 others. Clearly staggered by the death of his beloved son, Martinez struggled to regain control at a press conference. Saying his family is now “lost and broken” and his only son now dead, Martinez broke down, choking back tears, during a heartrending mixture of grief, anguish and rage. “Why did Chris die?” he asked. “Chris died because of craven, irresponsible politicians and the NRA (National Rifle Association). They talk about gun rights. What about Chris’s right to live? When will this insanity stop? When will enough people say, ‘Stop this madness, we don’t have to live like this? Too many have died. We should say to ourselves: Not one more. You don’t think it’ll happen to your child until it does.” Martinez’s anger and tears peak when he talks about that he had 20 good years with his son, unlike the parents of the little children slaughtered at Sandy Hook Elementary School, unimaginably horrible killings that Martinez thinks should have persuaded politicians to pass stricter gun laws. Martinez’s series of impassioned questions (“When will this insanity stop? When will enough people say, ‘Stop this madness; we don’t have to live like this?’”) are all too familiar questions. They were asked after Columbine; they were asked after Virginia Tech; they were asked after Aurora; they were asked after Sandy Hook. The answers,
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Dennis Dalman Editor of course, are never forthcoming. People, including craven, irresponsible politicians drift off whistling Dixie. NRA officials keep saying the same insultingly stupid things: More guns is the answer, more guns in the hands of good people is the only thing that will stop bad people from killing others. So says the ultimate parrot, Wayne LaPierre of the NRA. Martinez’s painful, anguished pressconference comments should be televised immediately after every self-serving bilge that comes out of the mouth of LaPierre, the darling of gun manufacturers. We can be sure LaPierre will, once again, claim it was severe mental illness – not guns – that pushed that deranged Santa Barbara gunman over the edge. And, of course, that’s true, partly. He did purchase the guns legally, and he was very adept at hiding his mental illness, not mentioning his treatments and medications he was supposed to be taking. And yet, still, Martinez’s cry of anger and anguish cannot be dismissed. His outrage goes right to the heart, to the gut. It’s the unbearable grief experienced by every parent who has lost a child to these gun-blazing fiends. Martinez vented the anger that all parents feel, and we should all listen to it and heed it. We’ll never stop all rampage killings, but the least the U.S. Congress can do is beef up the laws governing access to guns, insist on universal background checks, give more
funding to vital mental-health services and quit kowtowing to the NRA and its supposed defense of the Second Amendment when it is, in fact, gun manufacturers it seems most eager to serve and to protect. Beyond the issues of guns and mental illness, this country has got to get over its obsession with violence. One TV commentator, noting how the Santa Barbara killer had repeatedly watched violent video “games” said his own sons watch the same videos with no ill effects. That kind of blithe dismissal, an implicit condoning of violent videos, is despicable. And it’s not just violent videos that should turn our stomachs. A recent TV ad features men and women on a company “vacation,” playing a game of “Paintball” in the woods, with “bullets” banging into chests, fake blood splattering everywhere and shot-up victims jerking spasmodically in slow motion. That disgusting ad is “brought to us” by bookings.com. You see, after their sportive, gun-fun bloodbath, the “warriors” emerge from the woods, happy to see the swank hotel in the distance their company had booked for them. It’s interesting the killer’s father was the assistant director of the hit movie Hunger Games, yet another Hollywood saga of murder and mayhem. With that kind of vile crap saturating American culture, is it any wonder in this gun-crazed nation that kids – and adults – can go so wrong? And, by the way, what kind of “adult” would enjoy the vicarious slaughtering that occurs in these video “games.” Mr. Martinez, keep talking, keep expressing your anguish and outrage. Maybe, just maybe, some of those craven, irresponsible scoundrels (aka politicians) will start listening.
Letters to editor
Duathlon Committee extends thanks to those involved Adam Konczewski, Duathlon co-chair and Apple Duathlon Committee As committee members of the Sartell Apple Duathlon, we want to acknowledge those who helped make the longest multisport event in Minnesota a success in 2014. A special thanks to all the volunteers. As our oldest competitor, 90-year-old Bob Powers said, “You made me feel like a celebrity!”
Our number-one goal was to ensure the safety of our community and the athletes. The City of Sartell, Mayor Joe Perske, City Administrator/Finance Director Mary Degiovanni and the Sartell City Council, especially Council Member Amy Braig-Lindstrom, played an instrumental role by approving road closures. The Sartell Police Department, especially Sgt. Kelly Mader, and the Stearns County Sheriff Department
controlled traffic. Sartell Public Works Department, especially Brad Borders, donated equipment and cleaned roads. The Sartell Middle School, especially Custodian Mark Hedstrom, provided a wonderful venue. We truly thank the Sartell community for all you have done because the 32nd Sartell Apple Duathlon is only possible with the support of our generous sponsors and community.
Senior thanks high school, community for memories (I am a senior in Sartell High School. I came to Minnesota last year from Pakistan. I was an alien and an outsider. I am so grateful to this society and the people of this society. I prepared a speech for our graduation party, but was rejected to deliver a speech on graduation night. I am not satisfied with this. It was an opportunity for me to say thanks. I would like you to publish my speech in the Sartell Newsleader. It would be my last opportunity to pay tribute and say thanks for the great favors of this society to me as an outsider.)
Yasir Malik, a senior at Sartell High School
Fairness and ethics
Friday, May 30, 2014
It was a new world – all new world, people, language, society, way of living – everything. I had apprehension; I was preparing myself to adjust. But my teachers, counselors, you made Sartell High School my next home. Once a wise man Ali ibn abi talib said: “One who taught me even single word made me his slave.” I am greatly honored and proud to be a part of this prestigious institution. I came to Minnesota last year from Pakistan. Sartell High School was the first place where
I was introduced to the United States. I must say, I can’t forget the warm welcome I received by the guidance office at Sartell High School. I sent them an email when I was in Pakistan. When I entered into the guidance office for admission, they asked me about that email. I was so impressed by their love of their work. I visited the school with AJ Fleming. I asked AJ about homeroom. He told me, but due to the U.S. accent, I could not follow him. I went to guidance office for help about homeroom. I was so impressed the nice lady stood up from her seat and took me to my homeroom. She could have directed me or sent any student to help, but she escorted me to that room. That is a gesture I will never ever forget. Then later on my first day, I forgot where my fourth-block room was and the bell had rung so I approached a lady who was walking ahead of me and asked her for help and without any hesitation she turned back and took me downstairs and led me to the room. I was so surprised by her helping behavior. I was so amazed there is also a teacher for those whose first language is not English, which indeed was a great favor. Today, I feel really proud I got a chance
to meet some of the most amazing personalities here, the great mentors of this nation. I have many great memories in my mind, which due to the lack of space I am unable to mention/tell. I would be extremely unjust and biased if I would just mention one teacher. They are all not only great teachers but also very humble and soft-speaking human beings. They are extremely diligent, sincere, honest, benevolent, compassionate, gentle, caring, helping and always encouraging. English is my second language and I would specially like to say thank you so much from the bottom of my heart on the great favor of my teachers for me. Teaching is a great profession; the best people in the history of mankind chose this. It was the occupation of messengers of Almighty. I strongly and truly believe no one can pay back the great favors and services of a teacher. They are just always giving. My dear teachers you will be remembered. One day, I was thinking what makes Sartell a unique place to live in Minnesota; the simple answer is it’s Sartell High School. It’s not just the brick and mortar building of Sartell High School or it’s
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