SBT Voice of the People

[Happy Mom]

National workplace trends reflected here
VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

Common Council member Derek Dieter, D-1st, stated that he does not think many people in South Bend face job discrimination: “If that was happening, I would hear about it, from working the streets (as a police officer) for 35 years” (Tribune, June 15). Dieter’s purported impression doesn’t match reality.

In 2007, the Williams Institute at UCLA did a meta-analysis of national studies to gauge the level of workplace discrimination against gay, lesbian, biexual and transgender individuals. It found that since the mid-1990s, 15 percent to 43 percent of GLBT individuals reported experiencing employment discrimination.

More specifically, 8 percent to 17 percent were fired or denied employment, 10 percent to 28 percent were denied a promotion or given negative performance evaluations, 7 percent to 41 percent were verbally/physically abused or had their workplace vandalized, and 10 percent to 19 percent reported receiving unequal pay or benefits.
Is South Bend immune to this national problem? Hardly.

As a former employee of Lula’s Café, I know that Dieter was the responding officer when anti-gay vandalism took place at the cafe in 2007. Given this, I’m sure Dieter is aware of incidents of gay-bashing and harassment in South Bend.

Dieter should recognize that given the anti-gay environment exists in South Bend then the national trends in workplace discrimination are no doubt mirrored in the city.

Karl Hardy
Kingston, Ontario
The writer, a former South Bend resident, lived in Common Council member Derek Dieter’s district for five years.

http://www.southbendtribune.com/article ... 63/Opinion

[Happy Mom]

Founding Fathers declared they had God in mind
VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

How many Americans will give serious thought to what the Fourth of July and the Declaration of Independence are all about? If you really study this document, one cannot help but notice that there is a lot of talk about God in it.

He is named four times in the document. As a lawgiver, the author of “the laws of nature” and nature’s God. As a maker, the “Creator” who endowed us with our unalienable rights. As a judge, “the Supreme Judge of the world.” And as a protector, “Divine Providence” to whom we look for protection.

This document looks up at God and acknowledges his supremacy. The authors appeal to his authority for the basis of their actions. They seek his protection. They acknowledge that their rights are a gift from him.

In the Declaration, we accused King George of violating “the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God.” It meant King George was violating the will of God and the laws of the Bible that was our foundation.

The Founding Fathers’ actions hinged on the fact that law came from God, and not from man. It is upon this concept, a purely biblical one, that our government was founded.

Ken Blinco
Shipshewana


Treason

Another week, another “all expenses paid by taxpayers” gala at the White House. No belt tightening going on there.

And, to top off the week, our president was the gracious host to Gaza’s Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, promising to give his government $400 million of our taxpayer dollars, to use for building equipment for schools yeah right. In the past, they used building materials for bunkers from which to send bombs into Israel. So have they had a change of heart?

Our friend in the area, Israel, has put up a blockade of materials being sent into Gaza, to defend their own country from attack by Hamas.

How about honoring our friends worldwide, while we still have any left, who are not terrorist host countries? Where on Earth does President Obama think this money will come from? Why does Obama feel he can continue to spend incredible sums of money that are not his it is our money, we the taxpayers. How about maybe checking with us first, to see if we agree with supporting terrorists? Isn’t that treason after all?

Patricia Kelly
Dowagiac
http://www.southbendtribune.com/article ... 63/Opinion

[bob_rx2000]

National workplace trends reflected here
VOICE OF THE PEOPLE
(much clipped...)
Karl Hardy
Kingston, Ontario
The writer, a former South Bend resident, lived in Common Council member Derek Dieter’s district for five years.

http://www.southbendtribune.com/article ... 63/Opinion

Well, now we know what happened to CKJ. But I have to ask... Did he move to Canada because President Obama was elected, or because President Bush isn't around anymore for him to rant and rave against?

[Happy Mom]

Livid
I was livid when I saw in the paper about the remodeling at Coveleski Regional Stadium. Does the College Football Hall of Shame ring any bells?

So the city is going to use tax increment finance money. Last year South Bend Mayor Stephen Luecke rammed through a countywide taxation that the people of Mishawaka now have to pay even though our city did not support it in this economic climate.

My employer has not given us a raise since I started the job more than 1½ years ago; but I pay more taxes. At a time when the state doesn't have money for schools and the school board is laying off teachers, how can they think of putting money into something such as this? Oh yes, I know, “it comes from a different source.” I heard that line when I worked for a formerly local company, to explain how there was always money for construction but not for employee raises.

Any time the city or county wants more money they just invent a new tax. Stop threatening people with loss of police and firemen as a means to get these taxes passed and start to live within your means like we do in our families.

Let the people who use Coveleski pay for the remodeling, not tax money. Where is Jim Cierzniak when we need him?

Candy Jurgenson
Mishawaka

http://www.southbendtribune.com/article ... 63/Opinion

[Happy Mom]

Let's man the intersections when signals are out
VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

My wife and I are aware of the effects caused by the storm on June 18 and the difficult work it represents for the utility workers.

We're also aware of how unsafe busy intersections become when traffic lights don't function. Most people exercise caution in these situations. However, during busy morning and afternoon hours of a work day, accidents are highly probable.

We witnessed several near misses about 5 p.m. the following Monday at the intersection of Eddy Street and Jefferson Boulevard in South Bend. At 8:30 a.m., the same day, I saw this problem at the intersection of Indiana 23 and Edison Road.

I know funds are extremely tight now, but isn't it common sense to put someone responsible at these corners during high traffic periods to direct vehicles in a safe manner?

Shouldn't this type of safety be on the minds of the people in charge? I see people directing traffic at busy intersections on Notre Dame football weekends.

Maybe there have been people stationed at certain intersections in the days follow the storm that I didn't see. It just appears that not enough, if any, thought was given to the safety of these traffic areas.

Gary A. Murray
South Bend
http://www.southbendtribune.com/article ... 63/Opinion

[Happy Mom]

Presidential
In response to Kathleen A. Martin’s June 22 letter to the Voice of the People, I would like to offer these thoughts:

If Mitch Daniels were elected president, we would see a return of honesty, high morals and integrity to the White House.

We would also see a sense of fiscal responsibility along with a return of respect from foreign nations towards the U. S. I don’t think you’d see a president apologizing to the rest of the world every time someone is slightly offended with us.

Most of all, you’d see a president who respects the life of the unborn child and would fight to protect the sanctity of life from the moment of conception through a person’s natural death.

Perhaps Martin needs to be reminded that the Toll Road was not sold; it was leased. Indiana retains ownership of the road. That lease was probably one of the biggest financial boosts ever for our entire state. We must remember that northern Indiana is not an “island” as some people would like to think.

I do not agree with everything that Daniels would like to do. In particular I oppose consolidation of library districts. The Mishawaka-Penn-Harris Public Library has yet to reduce hours or talk about closing branches. It features sound fiscal management and library board leadership.

Joe DeKever
Mishawaka

http://www.southbendtribune.com/article ... 63/Opinion

[SouthBendInvestor]

South Bend leaders losing out on green energy jobs

SBT Voice of the People July 17th, 2010

As a business investor in South Bend, I believe in this city’s future, with the proper leadership. It has been noted that Indiana is leading the recovery in job growth. We have been hearing about job announcements in Elkhart pretty regularly. I have read many announcements about the creation of green energy jobs in products such as solar panels and wind turbines, and battery facilities all over the country, including Indiana. Announcements everywhere but in South Bend.

What is this city’s administration doing in order to facilitate growth of green jobs? We cannot just sit and wait and hope for Ignition Park to grow; we need to learn from the town’s history of relying on one company, such a Studebaker.

A diverse industrial base is the key. We need to have a proactive leadership that is not resting on the laurels of a yet to develop project such as Ignition Park. Where are the green jobs that should be going in there? Why is South Bend not attracting these projects? Are Mayor Stephen Luecke and Jeff Gibney, the city’s director of community and economic development, capable of bringing these jobs to town or do we need to bring in people with know-how?

The talk is nice, yet the job announcements continually happen elsewhere.

Steve D. Mihaljevic

Mag Mile Properties LLC

South Bend

[Happy Mom]

I'm glad you found it..

[Happy Mom]

U.S. should shoot for the moon
VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

Is there anything that can be done to rescue the United States space program?

In the last few weeks President Barack Obama has ordered NASA to gut several high-value space projects — including a return to the moon.

There is so much irony in the fact that we are on the verge of economic collapse, and yet the president is busy slashing budgets of the very agencies that supply our nation with high-value scientific jobs.

We must return to the moon! We have no choice in this matter. We can't just sit back and allow China, Russia and the European Union to get bases started and claim the most valued parts of the moon.

NASA knows that there are valuable resources on the moon, which can be used for things such as refined fuels for our space shuttle fleet.

Somehow we must return to the days when we had a space program of some value. Under President Ronald Reagan we proudly unveiled a space shuttle fleet. How sadly we have sunk. Our president not only has retired the last of the current space shuttles, there is no hope for NASA to get a new shuttle program off the ground in the near future.

Is there any way to protect NASA? It needs more funding, not less. Write your member of Congress or the president and tell them to leave the budget ax away from NASA expenditures.

Allen G. Viduka Jr.
Mishawaka
http://www.southbendtribune.com/article ... 63/Opinion

[Happy Mom]

Some advice

On July 29th at 5:45 p.m. I received a telephone call from a polite-sounding lady asking me to vote for U.S. Rep. Joe Donnelly, D-Granger, in November.

That said, I would like to offer some advice for Donnelly's handlers. First, calling me at supper time is not a good way to win my vote. Those who know me can testify that I take food very seriously.

Second, calling me in July to ask for my vote in November only demonstrates to me how pathetically desperate Donnelly is to keep his seat in Congress.

Please call back just before Halloween, then maybe I will take the campaign seriously.

Brad Green
Mishawaka


Study the facts

I read, with interest, the Viewpoints of John Phair (July 1) and the Coalition for Responsible Tax Abatement (July 18). I do not live in St. Joseph County and am not personally in favor of any tax abatements, but I would suggest that the South Bend Common Council and the city's mayor consider all the ramifications of proposed Bill 25-10.

Few would argue with the goals of the coalition. No matter how worthy these goals, in our American economy I feel economic development that provides good wages and benefits can only be achieved when business and social conditions exist that allow it to happen and not because legislation has been passed that wills it to be. All areas are clamoring for development and I fear that businesses would choose to locate where they do not feel hamstrung by conditions they might not be able to meet.

There is no quicker way to race to the bottom than to have no jobs and no tax-paying businesses to support public services. Until we can figure it out differently, the economy as we would like it and the economy as it exists may not always be the same.

Thomas Lilly
Elkhart
http://www.southbendtribune.com/article ... 63/Opinion