COMMENT OF THE WEEK “What goes around comes around. Sounds like a story that was published two years ago. Mr. Mayor felt like Carlos was the man for the job when he let Maurer go, well what happened? I guess he wasn’t confident enough was he?” - “Not surprising” commenting on New Baltimore assistant red director and former Councilman Carlos Aprea being fired last week.
March 7, 2012
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The irony of hypocrisy is alive in Virginia
Matthew Fahr Columnist Two giant battles have converged on one state with an end goal that will end up in the Supreme Court very soon. The Virginia State Legislature passed a bill last month that at its heart is not uncommon among anti-abortion legislation passed in other states. But Virginia may have taken the most radical and invasive step yet in the abortion battle and, at the same time, put itself in an ironic position. As part of the bill, women who are seeking an abortion during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy will be required to have a transvaginal ultrasound performed by their physician. It has been described as everything from a “probe” to a “wand,” but it is a device of bodily intrusion that allows for no choice by the woman or the physician. To add to the already emotion-wrenching process of choosing an abortion, the physician will have to make a note in her medical record as to whether she did or did not “avail herself of the
Marijuana can be more harmful than some believe I am responding to Ms. Zabowski’s letter in the Feb. 8 edition (“News judgment is questioned”) of The Voice. She asked that your headlines in the police beat be chosen more carefully because the Jan. 25 police beat led with a man driving under the influence of marijuana. She said not to add fuel to the flames of fallacy that marijuana-smoking individuals pose the biggest threat to our society as two other traffic/warrant violations followed that, she evidently felt, were more extreme. I want to publicly thank the officer and police staff that made the traffic stop (further securing the safety of our area’s citizens) and The Voice staff for leading the police beat with it. Although Ms. Zabowski does not believe this was a big of a threat because the cause for the stop was not listed, it has been proven that the THC in marijuana affects coordination and makes driving skills unsafe, leading to auto accidents that
opportunity” to look at the ultrasound itself or listen to the heartbeat of the fetus inside of her. The procedure is seen as unnecessary by many, but the motive behind those who sponsored the bill in Virginia is that the woman will have “more information” on her situation via the procedure. That explanation is at best a smoke screen and at worst, another brick laid on the path to overturning Roe v. Wade. The crux of the argument should not be about the abortion itself, it should be about the government requiring someone to undergo a medical procedure (one that is invasive, no less) against their own will and even against the will of their physician. The bill comes from a state whose legislators were at the forefront of fighting the “Obama Care” bill signed into law in 2010. Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli signed the Virginia Healthcare Freedom Act into law on March 24, a day after “Obama Care” was signed. His claim, similar to those of other states that have jumped on the bandwagon, is that the Obama bill is unconstitutional, that forcing individuals to purchase health insurance is wrong. They should be allowed to make their own choice on their coverage without penalty. In his eagerness and ignorance to lead the
charge against the new government bill, Cuccinelli filed his lawsuit on behalf of the state of Virginia the same day that President Obama was signing the bill into law. In essence he filed a suit claiming the federal bill would violate a Virginia law that had not even been enacted yet. The motive of filing the lawsuit was to eventually have the case heard before the Supreme Court before the national health care bill goes into effect in 2014. So let me get this straight, Virginia’s attorney general is all for the rights of individuals to choose their own health care coverage, but women in the state who choose to have an abortion will be forced to go through an invasive, some would say humiliating, and unnecessary procedure at the behest of their government? Where is the logic in creating that dichotomy? In their zeal to both fight the federal government and make the process of getting an abortion even more “informational” for women, Virginia has now stepped on their own ideology. For now let’s overlook the other new tactic of “choice” that has become the rallying cry of the antiabortion movement “personhood” laws and legislation that would endorse that life begins at conception and any abor-
injure and kill. I’ve seen the evidence of marijuana use destroying ambition and finances, too often in families with small children suffering the consequences. Often the users further decline to even harder drugs. I’ve heard and seen the news reports of persons attacked or killed by drug dealers, and I am sickened by this. Our young people should not be misled by persons minimizing the very harmful effects of marijuana use.
our water is always safe and available. Now I read that Port Huron is opting out, as well as other communities. The four that worry me the most are right in a row: Detroit WW Park 2, SW Detroit, Grosse Pointe Farms and Algonac. If something happens, and the just mentioned four are opting out in a row, not to mention New Baltimore and East China and Port Huron are also opting out ... seriously ... the reaction time to save our drinking water is going to be seriously compromised. I see a sever threat. Nobody has the manpower, the employees or the money to monitor manually. What does this mean to the east side of the state? This could affect more than five counties. This could even affect the whole state. Monitoring manually, really? This scares me. Who is going to do the monitoring and when? How long is it going to take to notify the necessary communities? Wow! I cannot even begin to express how much this urges me in my entire being to speak up and say something. No, do not opt out! Please let us keep all 14 communities in place and operational. We need this monitoring system in place. Please, is there something we can do? This is way too important to just OPT out. I vote no opting out.
KAREN WATKINS Lenox Township
Reaction to saving our drinking water needs to be immediate I know it is necessary to make certain budget cuts and rethink budgets from time to time, but when I read the Sunday news and saw this article on front page news - I was very surprised. I thought we were all moving forward with the monitoring system since we received Federal funding not so long ago. I remember reading it in the Times Herald news, and I was so happy that we had this system in place. I felt secure that our drinking water was safe to drink, to cook with, shower and bathe with and clean with. All the many functions we do every day with water that we don’t even give a second thought; thinking
Memphis parents thank community for carnival success The Memphis Elementary Parents Club would like to thank the community for their support and the elementary school staff and all the
volunteers for their help. A special thanks to all of the area businesses for their generosity and donations: G&L Plumbing, SS Stripping, Wonderbread/Hostess, Memphis Little League, Pampered Chef, Blue Flame, Best Restorations, Kohler Propane South, T&L Trucking, Mary Kay, Hillsway Express Inc., All Needs, Creative
PUT IT IN WRITING The Voice welcomes letters to the editor. Letters to the editor may be sent by e-mail, fax or mail and MUST INCLUDE a name, home address and daytime phone number to allow us to verify the identity of the writer. We reserve the right to edit letters for space and clarity, especially those exceeding 300 words in length. Send letters to: The Voice Letters to the editor 51180 Bedford New Baltimore, MI 48047 editor@voicenews.com (e-mail) (586) 716-8918 (fax) tions at that point would become murder. Those battles will be decided by voters (like the ones in Mississippi who have already turned it down last year) and legislators (who have put forth “personhood” bills in several states). Let’s focus on the road that Virginia has begun to pave. Look at the precedent that Cuccinelli and 64 other lawmakers saw fit to trot out. When given the choice
to allow a patient to consent to the intrusive ultrasound or at least allow the physician to opt out of doing the procedure as part of the bill, the amendment failed by a 64-34 vote. Those 64 legislators saw fit to mandate a “forcible penetration” procedure for women in their state. Virginia will not be the last state to put themselves in the vise grip of suing to keep their right to allow people to choose
their own health care plan and at the same time throw up as many roadblocks and laws to eventually outlaw a woman’s right to choose what they do with their bodies. But they have surely opened the door to seeing the idiocy and irony of what they think they are doing in the name of saving lives.
Please consider what I am saying and help me save the communities river monitor systems to remain by opting in.
the convention center at the Thomas Edison Site. ■ At a cost of only $2 a year, which is $60 over 30 years, for each county citizen, the short fall would be covered if the convention center deficit reaches $300,000. ■ In 30 years the bond will be paid in full and the county would own the convention center at the most beautiful setting in the Blue Water area. ■ The bond investment would help secure the private investment of a culinary arts school and living quarters. This would create construction jobs as well as permanent employment with the school and dormitory. ■ The bond investment would guarantee the redevelopment of the Thomas Edison Inn and Restaurant with even more private dollars being invested and jobs created. ■ The additional employment wages would create future opportunities for the citizens to create jobs, business and housing. Are we willing to let this opportunity go or are we willing to take the challenge to create a positive business and community environment within the county? What is the alternative if we do nothing? ■ The Thomas Edison Inn and Restaurant will close, losing jobs and a tax base for the city and county. ■ The culinary arts
school and the dormitory would not be built, creating another loss to the city and county. ■ An increased burden would be put on the taxpayers by losing these projects. The cost of unemployment is high. Ask yourself, would you rather have more jobs or more unemployment? We have a choice; I support having an increase in jobs rather than having an increase in workers receiving unemployment or welfare. I believe it is a wise decision to use our tax dollars to provide job opportunities and to stimulate the economy for our citizens.
RENEE C DUSSEAU Port Huron
Suicide should not be trivialized I must tell you how offended I was at the Neseman comic on the editorial page of the Feb. 22, 2012, Voice. This comic trivializes suicide. I have personally been affected by the suicide of two persons in my life, and the hangings of two persons dear to me. As a society, we work to prevent suicide through the Yellow Ribbon program in our schools, the American Society for Suicide Prevention and other organizations that offer assistance to those people affected by suicide. I cannot understand how an editor would allow such a callous comic to appear in your publication. JANET L. BROWN Chesterfield
Convention center would help foster redevelopment As your county commissioner, I have always tried to make informed and proper decisions. I would like to share with you why it is important to move forward with
Memories, Jeff Kaiser, David and Rosie Piontkowski, Feed and Seed - Port Huron, Crimson and Clover, Pepsi, McDonald’s Richmond, and Carnival Bounce. We would also like to personally thank Frank Sherry for his great announcing skills throughout the night. Also, a big thank you to
Ronda Bradke for providing a wonderful food buffet to help feed us throughout the day. With everyone’s help, our eighth annual Winter Carnival was a huge success. CARM FALECKI, President Memphis Elementary Parents Club Carnival Committee
Contact Matthew Fahr at (586) 716-8100, ext. 300 or at matt.fahr@voicenews.com.
HOWARD HEIDEMANN District 3 County Commissioner
TM
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