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Letters to the Editor
June 6, 2009
Smith Citations Wrong About Iraq War Facts
In his guest column “We must promise troops out to Iraqis” (The Daily News, May 23), David Smith attempted to rebut Iraqi war veteran and Bayou Vista resident Bill Hagee’s assertion (“We must keep promise to Iraqis,” The Daily News, May 5) that U.S. and allied forces “have made a great difference to the people of Iraq.”
Ultraliberal gadfly Smith has once again got his facts all wrong.
He quoted from British liberal journalist Seumas Milne that, as Milne puts it, “the Iraq war has been a monstrous crime.”
It was Milne who wrote in British newspaper The Guardian that “rape is not a story of male aggression but of ever tighter encirclement of men by a potentially hostile neofeminist movemeant.”
Smith cited a British research firm’s estimate of as many as 1 million Iraqi war deaths. But most established researchers in America place the civilian deaths near 100,000. Saddam Hussein’s “Chemical Ali” was put to death for killing 180,000 ethnic Kurds, among other crimes.
With more than 3 million civilian deaths in the Vietnam War, I am most confident our government will bring our troops home with the least possible loss of life.
Clarence Cope
Hitchcock
Isle Police So Right To Fight Lounge License
As well as a request for a renewal of its liquor license (“Police join fight against bar,” The Daily News, May 20), Galveston’s Alabama Lounge also was relocating from 17th Street and Avenue O to 23rd Street and Avenue P.
The residents and business owners in the surrounding area submitted protest letters to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission based on the history of the criminal activity taking place at the Alabama’s previous locations.
The basis of this protest is under Section 61.42(a) (3) of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code, which states that “refusal to approve an application for a license as a retailer if there are reasonable grounds to believe and it is found that the place or manner in which the applicant for a retail dealer’s license may conduct his business warrants a refusal of a license based on the general welfare, health, peace, morals safety and sense of decency of the people.”
We salute Galveston Police Chief Charles Wiley and Sgt. Gomez for coming to our rescue, and we will continue to support and assist them as they help us regain control of our neighborhoods. We invite the city council and city management to also become active participants in the crusade to help make Galveston shine again.
Jacquelyn Tarpy
Galveston
Wrong Way For Texas City To Save The Levee
The Texas City levee is naked from Dike Road to the pump station on both sides. All the trees are gone. The lagoon is almost pumped dry now. They sure are missing a good time to clean and deepen it for water storage when the winds and rains blow.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says trees and telephone poles have to go to keep the levee from washing away. If the telephone poles have to go, does that include barricades, benches, lighthouse, trash barrels no one uses and one-way signs that most can’t read or don’t care about?
The 20 mph speed limit signs mean nothing. Who is going to be the first walker hit? Where are the black-and-white patrol cars when they’re needed? Squatters’ rights and dumping trash on the levee seem the norm.
The levee road from Dike Road to the pump station is a one-way street. Cars are parked on both sides and, with some drivers going both ways trying to speed or pass, it is a very close call.
The road from the pump station to the floodgate was closed May 28. This strip is the new Galveston County Speedway. Truckloads of rock for needed repairs on the bay side are being dumped from where houses used to be to the floodgate. Please take care of our levee.
Dan Scott
Texas City
Danny Smith Was A Heavenly Entertainer
Danny Smith’s 68 years cannot be summarized into a single eulogy. Each who had the good fortune to have a personal encounter with him will recall in their own way that specific time, place and circumstance.
Danny was unique in that he was successful as husband, father, civic leader, entrepreneur and entertainer. Some knew him as a casual acquaintance, but those most fortunate knew him up close and personally as a lifelong friend.
Danny the Band Leader was unique in the fact he became a Galveston icon with a public presence. He loved being on the bandstand. He wasn’t on it for fame or fortune. He was there to give and take the pleasure that only occurs when people gather together to have a good time.
Danny was generous to a fault, spending his time and his fortune to produce a good time for his friends. His annual Smith/Byrd birthday parties are legendary. That event replaced, and in the opinion of many, equaled or was better than the traditional Splash Day of the past.
All of us, at some time in the Hut or the Silver Spot or the BonTon or the B-Day Party, danced to his “Mustang Sally” or “Cherry Pie.” We all owe a moment of silence and a prayer of gratitude to him for “The Good Time” he gave us.
Heaven is his new venue and, if it has a keyboard and microphone, he will play and sing, and the angels will dance.
David Hardee
Bayou Vista
La Marque Police Are Doing Such A Good Job
I have been a resident of La Marque for 55 years and would like to thank the La Marque Police Department.
It always seems to be short-handed, but its officers come through for the citizens of our small town.
I know a few of the officers and know they are professionals.
My message to the department is to encourage them to keep up the good work and know that most of the city’s residents are behind them, even if we do not say it all the time.
Elton Yancey
La Marque
Put Humans’ Shelter Before Animal Homes
I find the many complaints about the county’s animal shelter quite disconcerting.
We have more than 2,300 residents still without their homes, still living in substandard living conditions. However, the shelter is a priority for so many.
Since when did animals take priority over humans? I’m missing something.
Animal lovers will get their shelter and the animals will have the best living facility around.
Meanwhile, let’s not forget to make sure we have a pet evacuation plan in place for hurricane season.
Elizabeth Kinard
Galveston
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