Don’t compare Obama
to great presidents of past

I would like to respond to letter to the editor by Mr. Walt Zlotow of Glen Ellyn, “Obama following LBJ’s path,” published in the Wheaton Leader April 16, 2009. In your “58 years of following American politics …” have you ever been involved in politics or do you see only what you want?

I come from a long, long line of politicians as well as military. Here might be some facts that you’ve missed.

Eisenhower first got us involved in Vietnam in the 1950s by sending equipment such as tanks, trucks, ammunition to the French and he also sent “special advisers” to train the Vietnamese to fight the French. The Vietnamese that we trained were later known as the Viet Cong. When JFK became president, he sent the first troops.

When he was murdered, LBJ took over. He stated that America will win the war and he started the bombing of key strong points in North Vietnam. In fact, LBJ had the good ol’ Texan attitude of “Don’t mess with the USA.”

Then Congress decided that the enemy had rights; they could torture, rape and kill just because. … Americans could be tortured, killed, etc., but were not allowed to fight back. When our pathetic leaders in Washington told him that he was not allowed to win, he decided not to go for re-election.
But nowhere can you or anyone compare LBJ, Lincoln or FDR with Obama. LBJ stepped into a “$1 billion war” and wasn’t allowed to win. He didn’t tell our enemy that we’re “friends.” And he didn’t bankrupt the next three generations.

Lincoln had the war between the states. The Great Civil War. It was costing millions, but he decided that he was going to win the war. He told his generals to win, not sit on his (butt) and pretend he knew how to run a war and by being “friends” with the enemy, leak information to the press and bankrupt the next three generations.

FDR started programs to help with unemployment. He didn’t want to enter World War II, but when the USA was forced into it, he didn’t tell Japan and/or Germany that he U.S. was their buddy. He told his generals to win. And again he didn’t bankrupt the next three generations.

Obama in his first two months has spent more of our tax dollars than all the other presidents combined. He’s bailed out AIG three times and hasn’t done crap about it. He has opened up classified information to the public that in the long run will probably get more Americans killed. Which, I may remind you, is technically treason.

He believes that the individuals in or who have served in the military are political radicals and should be profiled. He wants to take individual constitutional rights away from you and me. His aides have stated that he (Obama) wants the military to swear their oath to the office of the president and not to the Constitution. He believes in murdering the unborn, no matter the reason. I could go on and on.

Sir, you have no right to compare him (Obama) with LBJ, Lincoln, FDR or any of the great presidents. I have a suggestion. Before you make this guy your hero, read the “Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire” and the history of Germany in the 1930s.

Jim Myrick, Wheaton

Right to protest should
be available to all sides

Rosemary Borzym castigates the Illinois Family Institute for encouraging its members to keep their children home from school on the Day of Silence.

In doing so, she reminds me of the joke about the person who proclaims: “I hate two kinds of people — those who are intolerant of others, and the Dutch.” The irony of course is that the person making the proclamation is actually intolerant.

Unfortunately, Rosemary Borzym is not joking. She not only blasts the position taken by the Illinois Family Institute, she proposes that the organization permanently keep its views to itself.

Apparently, she believes the right of protest is reserved for only one end of the political/cultural spectrum. Doesn’t seem very tolerant, does it?

Michael Claerhout, Glen Ellyn

Illinois Family Institute
should be more tolerant

I want to support the recent assessment in the Letters to the Editor section of your paper of the so-called Illinois Family Institute (“What about learning tolerance, how to coexist,” April 30). The Illinois Family Institute has been Glen Ellyn’s dirty little secret for sometime now.

Since moving to Glen Ellyn some years ago, we have been delighted at the open-mindedness, friendliness and good will we have seen characterize so much of what is best about Glen Ellyn. That such an intolerant group as the Illinios Family Institute makes its home here as well is truly unfortunate.

Such groups seem to harbor a sense of moral superiority and presumed infallibility in interpreting things biblical that gives them the impression they can solicit others and even the government on behalf of their bigotry. They are perfectly comfortable, indeed appear compelled, to tell people whom they can and can’t marry and when they should or should not bear children. This tendency in such groups has more in common with the Taliban’s theocratic insistence on forcing a particular interpretation of religious practice on others than with anything remotely related to the traditions put forth in our own Constitution.

There is much that is railed against in the Bible: murder, theft, adultery, lack of forgiveness, readiness to judge. There is also much advocated there: loving others as oneself, not judging others, compassion and forgiveness. That groups such as the Illinois Family Institute chose narrowly interpreted selections of the Bible in an effort to endorse their own bigotry is a direct offense to the admonition in the Bible to love one another and to “judge not that ye be not judged.”

Of course, I’m sure the folks at the Illinois Family Institute know what is best for just about everyone and that their agenda is for the good of those they wish to oppress. And I’m sure if they bother to read any history, they’ll know this is exactly the attitude of those so often in human history who have been willing to persecute others whom they feel need to be “saved.”

Tim Bateman, Glen Ellyn

Drastic measure needed for
those opposed to gay marriage

Maine Gov. John Baldacci signed a same-sex marriage bill last week, making Maine the fifth state to legalize gay marriage, following Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut and Iowa. New Hampshire, New York and New Jersey may soon follow, and the California Supreme Court may rule next month to overturn California’s Proposition 8 rescinding gay marriage, which was legal for a short time there before last November’s election.

Gee, these are tough times for homophobic folks who believe gay marriage is a threat to heterosexual marriage. Maybe America should set aside a large swathe of land in a desolate area of the west and form the 51st state of Homophobia. Homophobes could settle there assured that their 50 percent divorce rate will not escalate to 60 percent or 70 percent by virtue of having a bunch of gay marrieds living among them.

In the interest of fairness, the state of Homophobia would have two senators. But just to be safe, the Homophobia state constitution would require that these seats always be filled by one man and one woman.

You just never know. The two Homophobia senators getting together on state business may just happen to do what comes naturally and fall in love.

And if they be both men or both women? Well, let’s not even go there.

Walt Zlotow, Glen Ellyn

Day of Silence not right way
for students to express selves

I’m writing in response to Rosemary Bozym (April 30) who criticizes the llinois Family Institute for encouraging their members to keep their children home from school on the Day or Silence (organized by the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network). If pro-life students called for a day of silence to protest violence against the unborn, she would complain that is bringing politics into public schools. How is the Day of Silence any different?

Ms. Bozym says it’s unconstitutional for public schools to recognize any particular religion. I think she means they can’t promote religion.

In a multicultural society, schools have to recognize religious views. When Jewish students can’t take a test on the Sabbath, they are accommodated and allowed to take it a different day. If Muslim students want to take off a day from school to celebrate Eid, I assume they can. The Christian view that homosexuality is immoral should be respected as well.

Ms. Bozym asked where it is written in a religous text that homosexuality is immoral. In the Jewish Torah, it is in Genesis 19:5-8 and Leviticus 18:22. The Christian Bible includes those same references as well as Romans 1:26-27. The Muslim Qur’an also has several references.

She says it is refreshing to see young people politically interested. I agree, and I think there are many ways to include political dialogue where both sides can express their views: oral and written forums in political science, debate and journalism classes. The Day of Silence isn’t the appropriate way to do it.

Rose Hubbard, Glen Ellyn