Readers write: Letters to the editor, July 8, 2015

In reality, Confederate flag

is enemy aggressor's banner

The South should view its Confederate "heritage" the same way Germany views its Nazi "heritage."

Do surviving Auschwitz guards (if any) and their families publicly gather on holidays to commemorate their "service"? Do "Nazi heritage" enthusiasts hold parades, or reenact Buchenwald, Barbarossa or the Battle of the Bulge on the blitzkrieg's anniversary in Berlin public parks before crowds of admiring onlookers?

No. Public celebration of Nazi "heritage," including display of the swastika, is a crime in Germany — and it should be. Crimes against humanity deserve neither commemoration nor celebration — not in Germany, and not in South Carolina.

Remember all the "patriotic" outrage over a proposed "ground zero" mosque (which was neither a mosque nor at ground zero)? Where's the outrage at South Carolina's disloyal government flying an enemy aggressor's flag only an hour from Fort Sumter— "ground zero" for the U.S. Civil War in which 620,000 Union soldiers gave their lives?

Both the Confederate States of America and the Third Reich waged unprovoked war against the United States, and to display either flag as something "honorable" should be repugnant to all patriotic Americans.

On the day on which America celebrates its independence, this Navy veteran demands:

"Gov. Haley, tear down that flag!"

— Al-Hajj Frederick Minshall

Anchorage

Mount Marathon redux

In 1915 a couple of guys sat in a bar in downtown Seward and talked about racing up and down 3,022-foot Mount Marathon in less than 60 minutes. The challenge was on and history was made. One hundred years later two guys, one of them a Spaniard, communicated on Facebook about racing up and down Mount Marathon in less than 42 minutes. The challenge was on and history was made. 2015 will be long remembered as a major turning point in the race's history.

I feel fortunate to have witnessed this spectacular event since the early 1950s.

— Frank Baker

Eagle River

Tour map appreciated

Thank you for publishing a map of this year's Tour de France. It is much appreciated. Allez, le peloton!

— Ken Landfield

Homer

Stop the political rhetoric

I was surprised to see in a recent interview that Mayor Berkowitz has been calling me, and even more surprised to read I have not returned his calls. Public service is much more than attending meetings, and voting; it is about presenting factual information to the public and setting politics aside, rather than making spurious assertions, to serve our community.

Fact: After the election I left a message for the mayor-elect to congratulate him and express my desire to work collaboratively for the benefit of our city. Fact: He returned my message with a nice message of his own. That was the extent of it. Numerous calls were not made to me that were ignored.

The people of our community deserve politicians leaving politics behind once the campaigns are over and getting on with the people's business. That is exactly why I went right down to the mayor's office, made sure his secretary had my number, and had a very nice conversation with the new mayor, during which we both agreed to do just that: put politics aside and get to work.

I look forward to checking the political rhetoric at the door and getting on with the business of the city; we have big issues in front of us and we will only be able to successfully navigate these waters with a focus on the people's business.

— Amy Demboski

Assembly member representing

Chugiak, Eagle River, JBER and Turpin

Legislators talk the talk and then they spend

"That's all I can stands 'cause I can't stands no more," Popeye the Sailor might say after reading in the ADN that "Alaska's oil tax credits are threatening to overwhelm the state budget." I sense more Alaskans are feeling like Popeye as they come to realize that we, as a state, are almost broke and that our cash going out will exceed our cash coming in for the foreseeable future.

This state is now under the control of legislators who harbor little or no sense of stewardship of the people's money. Oh, they "talk the talk" with dire warnings, glossy presentations and wringing of their collective hands, yet when the decision point is reached — they spend. They must spend because, in no small part, the majority are bound to the unwritten "traditions" of a secretive caucus system where dissension is not tolerated and the operative mechanism is the quid pro quo of spending in exchange for obedience to the caucus leadership on budget and procedural votes. Also, they must spend to placate those who fund their respective political careers. These folks are paying for "effective government" within a narrow definition amicable to their ends.

Brute political force is routinely exercised by the caucus of the majority (currently with members from both political parties), who control the debate. A political vendetta trumps rational discussion at every juncture; therefore, denial of funding is used, not to conserve our dwindling cash reserves, but as a weapon against the political minority. Meanwhile, a serious discussion of increased revenue to the state or displacement of fiscal obligations to local governments is shunned by all of them.

Yes, Alaskans can now certainly empathize with Popeye the Sailor.

— Lynn Willis

Eagle River

You will pay for Medicaid

How can anyone say that Medicaid expansion is good for the economy? Do they not understand that nothing is free? Who do they think will pay for it, the federal government? Wake up, people, you are the federal government! You will be paying for it. You, the working class, not just the "rich." You, through more taxes.

It doesn't take an economist to see why Greece is bankrupt. They ran out of other people's money. How's that working out?

Instead of giving people everything "free," stripping them of their dignity in the process, why not just grow the economy with real jobs, real opportunity? Spending money (other people's money, my money, your money) like drunken sailors doesn't create jobs, it's just income redistribution. It's Greece.

We cannot afford this; we don't have any money!

— Reyne Brockman

Glennallen

Celebration thrills

This was the first time I cried at a July Fourth Celebration. They were tears of joy.

For those who did not attend the Anchorage July Fourth Celebration I wanted to invite you now for next year. The event is produced by Anchorage Fairs and Festivals and brings together the best of our community. This year the veterans and community parade was the best ever, with a large volunteer marching band, floats and 70 community groups and organizations. The Firefighters Combat Challenge, honoring 100 years of service by the Anchorage Fire Department, and most of all the free concert by the full Anchorage Symphony Orchestra made the day unique in our history and memorable to all who experienced it.

True community can be felt when thousands of people, young and old, every ethnicity, families and children all share a day of wonder and fun. Thanks to everyone who attended and thanks to everyone who makes this event possible. Anchorage Fairs and Festivals produces the July Fourth Celebration without any public money and encourages the public and business to get involved in this important day. They believe that you grow community through celebration. I for one always support them and look forward to next year. Here is hoping we can get the symphony to make July Fourth a regular part of their season. When I saw the thousand people, many who never go to a concert, enjoying great music played by serious musicians, well, it doesn't get any better than that.

— Darl Schaaff

Art Services North