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12/12/2012

 

To be a united nation, we must unite

The election is now past and in the aftermath, and half the nation is jubilant; the other half is shocked and angry. One thing is quite certain: We are NOT a united nation. Whether our particular candidate won or lost, there is something we should all be very concerned about: Are we becoming two nations rather than one? It has happened before, and we seem to be well on the path to another civil war — at least an ideological and demographic/economic one. We are a people of often vastly different and staunchly opposing values. Each side believes that it has the right values, and the other side is wrong.                

If we want to be one people, one nation — and that is a big IF — and if we want to be indivisible with liberty and justice for all, then we must adhere to values which not only support unity but require it and produce it, including: placing highest premium on the common good for all, not just for the self; recognizing the God-given dignity and worth of every human being; espouse diversity, variety and inclusiveness; enrich humanity rather than injure and demean; eschew greed and self-centeredness; allow for individual creativeness and inventiveness; give room for individual free spirits; delight in the interdependence and common bond of all people; and hold that this bond can exist and be preserved even when there are inevitable differences of opinion as long as those differences do not overrule the values just described.                

These values are requisite for being a united nation and, if held and practiced, will result in the uniting of a people. That is what Republicans, Democrats and independents must strive for if we are to heal our self-inflicted wounds and be grateful for one another in this otherwise great county.

CNA - Stop HIV Iowa
Rev. Vernon H. Naffier
–Ankeny

 

No limits

Former Algona, Iowa, boy here. I have moved to Mississippi and do like to keep up on what’s happening in Iowa and Des Moines. I must say, I read Cityview weekly and do so enjoy following what’s happening in the state through your paper, unlike the other option that puts out a daily and then only allows limited views of their website.

Kenyon Gabrielson
–Biloxi, Miss.

 

Keep ’em separated

I was reviewing the readers’ poll from 2012 (Best of Des Moines), and one thing caught my eye. Both body piercing and tattooing are in the same category. Although these industries are often lumped together, they are very separate businesses with two completely different skill sets. Not all tattoo studios offer body piercing, nor do all piercing studios offer tattoos. Furthermore Des Moines has a showcase of talent in both these categories, and they are not always located at the same place. I would like to see these as two separate categories in 2013.

Rob Hill
–Des Moines

Editor’s note: That’s a great idea, and we will implement it for the 2014 poll. Unfortunately, the Best of 2013 voting is already well under way.

 

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.

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