Who’s irresponsible?

Brock Ostrander [Letters, May 9] has a lot of gall implying that the Democrats are the reckless tax-and-spend party. Ronald Reagan and the two Bushes increased our taxes more than any other presidents in history, but they passed those increases on to our children and grandchildren because they were too devious and gutless to take responsibility for the debts they incurred.

I suspect the same would be true of John McCain. He has already flip-flopped on making the Bush tax cuts for millionaires permanent, and on several other issues that made him a maverick Republican in 2000. He is not the man he was back then because he has pandered to the Far Right, including several despicable TV preachers, in order to win the Republican nomination.

Even though he was a war hero, I doubt if he would have the political courage to do what’s necessary to turn this country around, such as making sure big business and the oil companies pay their fair share of taxes, cutting the pork out of the defense budget and making the regulatory agencies do their jobs instead of letting polluters off the hook and allowing the banks and loan companies to put us in economic peril.

Bill Clinton balanced the budget after 12 years of reckless Republican borrowing. It will take another Democrat to clean up the mess that the current Republican president has made.

Electing John McCain would be a disaster because he wants to carry on the Bush policies, including the war in Iraq.

Bob Chaney,

Denton

A chance for understanding

A few weeks ago, pastor Matthew Gaston of First United Methodist Church of Denton talked in his sermon about a letter written to the Lutheran World Federation by 38 of the world’s most influential Muslim leaders.

In it, they referred to the need for Christians and Muslims to honor their faiths’ two central commandments; to love God and to love one another. They further stated, “Without peace and justice between these two religious communities there can be no meaningful peace in the world — since jointly Islam and Chris­tianity make up more than half of the worlds population.”

 This is an important communication since it comes from a mainstream group representing Muslims worldwide, encouraging Christians and Muslims to meet, talk to each other and try to gain an understanding. 

Both religions are living with the scars left by the Christian crusades and colonialist occupations; by the expansions of Islam across Asia Minor and Eastern Europe and by the terrorist attacks around the world — Christian, Muslim and Jewish faiths all have much to answer for.

Yet, looking back doesn’t help. Holding onto the past does nothing for the cause of peace for future generations.  

 I’d like to encourage Denton’s Muslim, Christian and Jewish communities to reach out to each other; make the effort through their religious centers, business groups, clubs and social organizations to find ways to get to know each other better.

This must be done by people of good will, whether people of faith or not, to change the future.

Salaam, shalom, peace!

John Kokalis,

Denton

Support the police

More than likely this will be the writer’s last letter to the editor. As most of you know, the writer is a former police officer and worked for several years as a safety and juvenile officer under the outstanding leadership of Chief Wayne Autrey. We accomplished several things in safety and juvenile crime prevention; however, there are a lot more things that need to be done.

Remember, our fine young men and women in law enforcement are in harm’s way, working to protect and serve us, and need our help.

May God bless us all.

Tillman E. Uland,

Denton