Letters to the Editor for Aug. 19

Talk about it

Health care reform for mothers and newborns

There are so many arguments about health care reform that the opportunities are in danger of being lost.

But our country has a great opportunity to fix at least two serious problems.

First, we need to make sure that every woman can get maternity coverage. For example, if pregnancy is defined as pre-existing, then a woman might not be able to afford needed maternity care.

Second, we need to improve the current system to make sure that children who are born with a birth defect or serious condition, including disabilities caused by being born preterm, can get the quality, affordable and comprehensive medical care they need to survive and thrive.

This is not about special interests; it's about our families. As a March of Dimes volunteer, the health of women, newborns and children matters to me. I hope that our leaders in Washington remember this and don't lose sight of what this generation should be doing to ensure healthy future generations.

Cindy Evans

Cottage Grove

‘War on terror’ creates more terrorists

Somebody in the United States sits at a piece of high tech equipment and sees something going on in a small village in Pakistan and decides it’s terrorist activity. That person sends the info to someone else who flips a switch or presses a button to send one of our pilotless drones to that specific target. Both these persons then go home to families not unlike our own, living in a lovely suburb not unlike our Woodbury.

The bomb hits somebody’s home thousands of miles away right on target. This time, they weren’t terrorists — just civilians. Two are killed. One is badly injured but there is no doctor in this small town and two neighbors carry him to a road, hoping to get a ride. Mostly they are passed by, but finally get the ride they need to the town for medical help. Our government realizes we made a mistake and send a letter, “Sorry…”

We made people suddenly hate the U.S. who hadn’t felt that way before the strike. So, the way I figure, we managed to create some terrorists.

But recently, apparently, we killed a leader of the known terrorists. A leader feared by the Pakistan people as well as ourselves.

So I wonder if this one so called “victory” equals the innocent deaths (theirs and ours) as well as the new enemies we’ve created. But it’s past my ability to imagine our lovely second ring suburb being bombed or poisoned or attacked by hoards of rageful terrorists. I’ll just go exercise in one of our air conditioned health facilities and then I’ll pick up some fresh vegetables and fruit at one of our top shelf supermarkets, and this afternoon I’ll shop our wonderful stores for an up-to-the-minute fashion dress for the party Saturday night and later I’ll walk my proud, pedigreed, well fed and groomed pet.

I’ll leave all this war stuff to whoever is in charge right now. Just because I think sending those people in Pakistan food and clothing and information and technology about how to improve their lives instead of spending all that money on war doesn’t mean that’s the thing to do. Does it?

Joyce A. Rudnick

Woodbury

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