School board’s failing grade
Brian Duffy again demonstrated his true talent with his on-target cartoon of the Des Moines School Board (“Duffy’s View,” March 18). At the very time that childhood obesity has become an epidemic, the school board has cut the very programs that address this issue. The message being sent is one of apathy and is truly pathetic. Everyone knows the importance of physical activity and good health. At the time our kids are drowning in unhealthy habits, they decimate the physical education program. They have forgotten the need to educate the whole child. Education does not just take place in the classroom, and the lessons learned while engaged in physical activity are life lessons. Healthy adults begin as healthy children who are allowed to engage in play.
Deb McMahon
Des Moines
Quit blaming the schools
Brian Duffy (“Duffy’s View,” March 18) is blaming the Des Moines School Board for childhood obesity? What ever happened to parenting? Kids should be guided from home. Stop blaming the schools.
Grant Chapin
Sheldahl
Outlaw religion instead
Last week’s “Political Mercury” was another zinger (“Homosexuality more dangerous than smoking,” March 18). But, I have figured out something that is even more of a health threat than cigarettes. Various fundamentalist Christian and Moslem sects put enormous pressure upon their members to conform to their beliefs. For example, young women must wear full-length garb even in the heat of summer, some masked entirely. Any straying from strict moral codes results in beatings or “honor” killings. The atrocities perpetrated by various religions around the world are too numerous to count. No religion is innocent or immune from the bloody fanaticism that takes root at random, all over the world. Therefore, I can only conclude that religious fanatics — including Christian fanatics right here in Iowa — are a greater threat to average citizens than cigarettes or sexual orientations ever could be. Maybe we should outlaw religion?
Mike Wilson
Des Moines
What color is your corn?
Doug Burns’ interview with me (“Political Mercury,” March 11) was not about the gubernatorial race but his clear problems with me being Black. At one point, his constant focus on race became so over the top that he actually stopped and asked, “Do you think I’m a racist?”
When I brought up that I have a very aggressive rural resettlement strategy, he didn’t ask about it but instead said it sounded like I was Hitler or the Jews trying to resettle the West Bank. I am not naive enough to say race isn’t a concern in Iowa, but I know firsthand that when it comes to politics, Iowans judge candidates by character, issues, etc. — not color.
Doug’s hammer in his article was that I didn’t know the price of corn and beans that day and wouldn’t guess. The fact that these prices change daily was irrelevant to him.
What he didn’t mention in his article is my campaign has lots of agricultural experts on staff. For example, my driver is a retired agricultural engineer, lifelong farmer and one of the world’s top manure management experts. The other gentleman with me is a food expert. His family has used food to extend life expectancy. My statewide field organizer is an organic farmer, and my southeast Iowa coordinator is also a farmer. My campaign manager was born, raised and currently resides in a community with fewer than 2,500 residents.
None of this mattered to Doug Burns. I didn’t know the morning’s price of corn and beans, and I wasn’t going to guess. If I were running for Secretary of Agriculture — and we have one of those — I think that his question might have been relevant, but I am not. I am running for governor. I said I wouldn’t support a penny of state or federal money going to subsidize ethanol. I think that might have been important to report. I have a strategy to improve cell reception in rural Iowa and also to bring high-speed Internet access to every community in the state, especially rural Iowa.
Doug wanted to know if I’d met a person over the past several months where race mattered more than my ideas. Until I met him, the answer was no.
Jonathan Narcisse
Des Moines
Send your opinions to Cityview, 414 61st Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50312. Fax us at 953-1394, or e-mail us at letters@dmcityview.com. Please limit letters to 200 words or less. Cityview reserves the right to edit for length and clarity. The writer’s address and daytime phone number will not be printed, but must be given for verification.