4 I OPINION I
SEPTEMBER 18, 2013 WEST NEWSMAGAZINE
@WESTNEWSMAG NEWSMAGAZINENETWORK.COM
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Solutions for education To the Editor: I’d like to comment on an opinion submitted by Stephen Kushner, of Chesterfield (“No solution,” West Newsmagazine, Aug. 28). Mr. Kushner commented that the recent Thomas Sowell column on education was “typical Republican blather: long on criticism, short on solutions.” Can Kushner provide some examples of solutions proposed by Democrats? Because, as Sowell points out, spending ever-increasing amounts of money on education is clearly not producing acceptable results. The U.S. Constitution doesn’t provide the federal government with any authority over education. Yet, they do it anyway. Since its creation, that department has spent hundreds of billions on education, even though educational performance in this country has declined dramatically. One idea I have heard from Republicans, but which Democrats always reject, is the elimination of this unconstitutional department. Another idea that most Republicans support are school voucher programs. This would allow parents to send their kids to whichever school they wish. Parents who feel their local schools are failing to provide their kids with an effective education would have the freedom to send their kids elsewhere. Families would be able to direct their tax dollars to whichever schools they wished, instead of being required to send their children to schools based on location and regardless of results. Failing schools would actually fail, instead of getting ever-increasing amounts of tax support, and successful schools would see enrollment grow, along with tax revenue. These are ideas I have heard from Republicans. All I hear from Democrats is that we should pour more and more money into the current system, which is failing to provide our kids with an effective, worldclass education as they deserve. Jay Nanney Eureka
Speeding and safe streets To the Editor: As I read the Pierside Lane article (“Fines could double on Pierside Lane,” West Newsmagazine, Sept. 4), I could understand their frustration with speeding cars. I live on the south side of Keifer Creek on New Ballwin Road. There are only two speed limit signs. Going down toward Castlewood Park is a 30 mph sign and heading north is one that is 25 mph. What’s up with that? I would say 90 percent of people drive
40-50 mph all day long. Even the fire It struck me that public opinion on the our kids safely through these critical years department as they go back to their station health risks of tobacco has changed so dra- by setting and enforcing a no-use policy (not on call) drive way faster than 30 mph. matically over the past 40-plus years, but during adolescence. Twenty-one is not just The difference between New Ballwin our perception of similar health risks of a random number, but is in place to help Road and Pierside Lane is that Pierside has underage drinking and marijuana use lags our children grow up safe and healthy! sidewalks and a 25 mph limit both ways. seriously behind. It’s time for the public to Mary Corsair The kids in our part of town have no wake up, learn the facts, and change our Ballwin other place to get from one place to another attitudes regarding the serious health risks but on the street. Many are very young and that underage alcohol and marijuana use Crisis in Syria just dash right out of their driveways on have on our children and teens. their bikes aimlessly. Modern technology has made it possible to To the Editor: While I abhor the use of chemical weapEven up on Old Ballwin Road they have learn valuable information about how teena 25 mph limit with double fines and side- age brains develop and to study the impact of ons in Syria, this problem falls not just in walks to boot. Seems like we are just on drugs and alcohol on this development. Here the hands of America, but in the hands of the entire world. This is not an action “the other side of the tracks” with our older are a few important facts to know: homes and no one cares. • The areas of the brain involving judg- America should take on alone. If the United Stevie Ventura ment, planning and anticipating conse- Nations cannot address the problem, then St. Louis County quences, and impulse and emotional control let the world see which nations condone are all “under construction” between the the use of chemical weapons. Since the U.N. has not been up to the ages of 11-25. During this time the brain is Responding to ‘Gun wide open to experiences that involve all of challenge, why do we need them? They sense, part II’ these areas and the brain forms and shapes take up expensive real estate in New York To the Editor: itself around these experiences. Of course and cost America millions of dollars to It is obvious that Mike Alalof (“Gun sense, the goal for our children is that they come fund this institution. We could find a better part II,” West Newsmagazine, Sept. 4) is on through these years having developed good use for taxpayers’ dollars. the far left end of the political spectrum judgment, and healthy impulse and emoThe real reason behind America taking after his initial statement that the U.S. Con- tional control. Unfortunately, the impact of action is to fill the coffers of the industrial/ stitution is a “living” document. It appears alcohol and marijuana on their developing military consortium. War means more that it is a roadblock to his agenda, not a brains is powerful and can be permanent. defense contracts. guiding force. The Constitution is black and Dan Topik • We now know that adolescents who white, not subject to interpretation. Wildwood develop regular patterns of use during Alalof spews out a number of statements this time (daily or weekly) are four to six supposedly attributed to the NRA. Even times more likely to become addicted and if they were, what is the big deal? He the earlier the use begins, the higher the Bias in reporting believes there is something wrong with likelihood of addiction. New studies sug- To the Editor: believing differently than he does. I am always amused about your bias gest that marijuana use is connected to Also, if the government is (and it is) an increase in mental illness, particularly toward Obamacare also known as Affordbuying up all the ammunition it is not para- schizophrenia, although more research is able Care Act. I looked at the picture on noia. Without ammunition a gun is nothing needed to understand the connection. page 34 of the Sept. 4 issue of the tweeted more than an expensive club. • We know that addiction arrests emo- photo from Senate Minority Leader Mitch Lastly, I see that Alalof did his own inter- tional development, so that teens that McConnell (R-Ky). You stated that the pretation of the Constitution. Contrary to become dependent stop maturing at what- photo is of 828 pages of regulations related your beliefs you do not have a constitutional ever age their dependency started; their to the ACA. right to not get shot, Mr. Alalof. I would bodies continue to grow, but emotionally, You must not know how to count because dare say you are the one who is paranoid. the picture does not reflect that amount of they remain immature teens. Claude Kurtz Pair these facts with the knowledge that pages. The pages in the picture are at the Manchester teens don’t drink or smoke casually. Typi- least 30,000 pages and I hope that your cally they use to excess with the goal to get readers are able to see that the picture is [Editor’s note: West Newsmagazine received completely “wasted.” In addition, many to elicit another kind of response. So you multiple letters responding to “Gun sense, part of the drugs available today are purer and need to make a correction of this error. II.” Readers can find these letters online under more potent, alcohol is now flavored to Adedayio Sodipo “Opinions” at newsmagazinenetwork.com.] St. Louis County encourage greater consumption, and teens often combine substances to maximize [Editor’s note: Indeed, the photo above their “high.” Raising healthy teens Now consider the effect of these substances was poorly captioned. A better caption To the Editor: on the parts of the brain undergoing critical would have been: “Senate Minority Leader I read with interest a recent article in the development: judgment, impulse and emo- Mitch McConnell (R-Ky) tweeted this Health section of West Newsmagazine about tional control and anticipating consequences. photo of more than 20,000 pages of regulaa smoking survey. The article reported that The resulting combination can be highly dan- tions related to the ACA, including the 828 between 80-90 percent of adults surveyed gerous and, all too frequently, life-threatening. pages debated on March 11.” The full tweet support legislation to protect children from Research has now proven that teen referencing the 20,000 pages was included secondhand smoke in both public and pri- brains are not the same as adult brains, in the story. No bias was intended. West vate places, including cars and homes! and we need to do all we can to shepherd Newsmagazine regrets this oversight.]