Keep U.S. jobs in America

Can things get any more crazy? For years American jobs have been sent out of our country to other nations. Recently, while attempting to call my insurance provider, I was greeted with an obvious foreign accent. After inquiring, I was told he was in Manila, Philippines.

Great! We continue to provide foreign nations with all our personal and financial information including our Social Security numbers, while American workers are laid off.

I recently saw a report on ABC News that part of the stimulus money that we were told was to be used to create jobs in America is actually going to foreign countries. Nearly $2 billion in money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has been spent on wind power. But a study by the American University, cited in the report, found that nearly 80 percent of that money has gone to foreign manufacturers of wind turbines. This is an outrage. This practice should stop immediately.

I’m not sure where common sense went, but it isn’t to our U.S. corporations or in Washington. We could create many jobs if those shipped off to foreign countries were brought back to where they belong.

Darlene Lee

Whitney

Jesus’ teachings misrepresented

Periodically a letter shows up in the Trib that uses the teachings of Jesus to denounce American “military adventures overseas” as Roger Olson so described our country’s current war on terrorism in a Feb. 6 letter.

He and other writers totally misrepresent the teachings of Jesus when they take this tactic. And they should be called to task for this distortion.

When Jesus spoke of “loving your enemies” and said, “Do not resist an evil-doer,” he was addressing how an individual should respond to someone else and not the collective reaction of nations to an outside attack by another nation or a group of people. That’s a huge difference that should be vigorously pointed out.

An obvious example is World War II, when Hitler had a professed goal of total world-rule and the complete annihilation of certain religious and ethnic groups. If our country and its allies had not reacted to defeat this madman and his cohorts, we would all be speaking German and many more people would have been killed. 

Not unlike World War II, the war on terror that our U.S. troops are engaged in is not a “military adventure” but a matter of trying to defend out country from the stated goal of terrorists: the annihilation of the United States of America.

I believe Mr. Olson and these other letter-writers owe an apology to not only our gallant troops but to readers for trying to push their own personal agendas by distorting Jesus’ very words.

Margaret C. Smith

McGregor

That’s why they were so great

My father’s generation is said to be the greatest of American generations, and it’s easy to understand why. They saw the horrors of war and assumed the responsibility of fighting it. They were given the ultimate accountability to save the free world and the moral authority over life and death. They faced an enemy with and without uniforms that they could have just as easily killed. This was an ethical and moral choice versus one of convenience.

This choice seems to be lost on many of my own generation and those younger. As they’ve taken their place at the helm of industry, they too have been granted sweeping authority to guide business and our nation.

An example is our electrical service provider, who is granted the authority to assure the electrical needs of our future. They’ve chosen to increase the line capacity that runs through the pristine Texas Hill Country in Woodway.

Now while it is true that Oncor Electric was granted authority of an easement established a half-century ago when this was just native woodland, it’s also true this authority comes with ethical responsibility. Acting upon what’s economically equitable versus just removing what is absolutely necessary may be conveniently easy but it doesn’t make it ethically right.

As everyone can learn from a recent court hearing on the matter, it’s far better to spend the time, effort and money to do what’s ethically right versus doing what’s expedient, convenient and economically within one’s authority.

George C. Harvey

Woodway

Treat library books with respect

I read a lot of books from the Waco libraries and I’m appalled that other users think I’m interested in their comments written in the margins. I am not. If there’s a typographical error, I can see it for myself. It does not have to be underlined or circled. The books are for all of us to use and enjoy.

To those marking up the books: If you do not like what the author is saying, then write your own book.

Marie Frazier

Waco

A spectacular Super Bowl

I’ve watched all 44 Super Bowls through the years and I believe the Feb. 7 matchup between the Colts and the Saints was the second-best of them all. The best one was Super Bowl IV when Kansas City beat the Vikings. I’m a big Chiefs fan.

But of all the great plays and excitement in this year’s game, the one play that I’ll remember most is when the Colts’ field goal kicker missed a long try. As he was walking off the field, he pointed to the sky as if to give God the glory anyhow. He showed great faith in the midst of tremendous disappointment.

Bob Reineke

Waco