Political phony

I was really amazed at the naivete of the Trib’s March 18 editorial praising U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco, for voting against the Obama health care bill. [“Credit is due.”]

Congressman Edwards, if you care to recall, was hoping to be selected as vice president under President Barack Obama. He noted how flattered he was and, upon not being selected, lamented that his name would be too easily confused with John Edwards, who had fallen into disfavor and therefore would hurt the Obama ticket.

Do you think for one second Edwards would oppose the health care plan if he had gotten his wish to be selected as the Obama running mate?

He is a political phony and you are enabling him.

William Rice

Clifton

Independent stand

Chet Edwards listened to us last year when we asked him to vote against the health care reform bill and he listened to us again. I’m glad that he didn’t fall to the political pressure in Washington. He took an independent stand on health care.

We elected Chet to represent us in Washington and that’s exactly what he did.

Jeremy Richards

Waco

Motorists slow down

A national memorial honoring the 1,336 motorists, pedestrians and construction workers who died in construction zone accidents, made a stop in Waco recently. The 20-foot wall included 293 names of those who died from Texas. In Waco, 13 people were killed in work zone accidents in 2008 alone.

As a local Allstate agent and member of the Waco community, this memorial is a sobering reminder of why it’s critical for motorists to slow down and be vigilant in construction zones.

A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study showed that reaching for any object while driving increased the risk of a crash or near-crash by nine times; looking at an external object by 3.7 times; reading by three times; applying makeup by three times; dialing a hand-held device, like a cell phone, by nearly three times; and talking or listening on a hand-held device by 1.3 times.

The message is clear: Focus on the road, motorists.

David Wilson

Waco

Gender differences

I am all for equal rights for women, but the argument that women should be allowed to register for the draft is ridiculous. When will people recognize that God made men and women uniquely for a purpose?

We are different. In general, men only process one line of thought at a time. Women can process multiple thoughts and emotions all the time. War is hard on a man, but when the battle comes, men can check their emotions at the door and do what needs to be done.

Women should be allowed to serve if they choose. But if the time comes that we need to reinstate the draft, I would not want half of our combat troops to be women.

It’s no accident that God made men and women different. Men need the insight and sensitivity of a woman, and women need the courage and strength of a man.

By the way, this is also why God says marriage should be between a man and a woman.

J.C. Crow

Robinson