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‘Wheels of Justice’ rolls into high schools

Dear Editor,As a parent and a taxpayer, I share the concern of many that a group called “Wheels of Justice,” with a dual message of protesting the Iraqi War and advocating a Palestinian perspective, was recently given access to high schools in the Roaring Fork Valley. While students can benefit from being exposed to a variety of viewpoints, these are best presented in context, with more than one side represented. Schools should understand that young minds often confer legitimacy on any speaker or organization given access to the campus and/or classroom, so it behooves faculty and administration to know more about a group like Wheels of Justice than its self-description.Wheels of Justice, a bus tour which has traveled across the country with a mission to “educate North Americans on the occupation of Palestine and Iraq” since July 2003, has presented a biased, anti-Israel view of the Middle East during hundreds of visits to churches, high schools, libraries and college and university campuses, promoting its distinctly one-sided interpretation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While this group claims to embrace peace, it is also closely aligned with several organizations that justify terrorism, and is often represented by speakers who are committed to anything but peace and justice in the Middle East.Young people require guidance in developing the ability to distinguish between fact and opinion. Was such guidance provided before Wheels of Justice made its presentations in this area? What provisions were made for the presentation of an alternative perspective? Doug WeiserSnowmass

Dear Editor, President Bush is repeatedly being accused of lying about the existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. The information he received was the same that was supplied to congress and to Mr. Clinton during his presidency. It is interesting that only Mr. Bush is charged with lying, since the basis for such an accusation is the same. If information concerning WMDs was erroneous, culpability should rest with those who supplied such information, not those who received it.The following is only a partial list of the horrific weapons verified to have been recovered in Iraq to date.– 1.77 metric tons of enriched uranium– 1,500 gallons of chemical weapons agents– 17 chemical warheads containing cyclosarin ( a nerve agent five times more deadly than sarin gas)– More than 1,000 radioactive materials in powdered form meant for dispersal over populated areas.– Roadside bombs loaded with mustard and conventional sarin gas assembled in binary chemical projectiles for maximum potency.The media will not report such information because it is the main supporting claim of the anti-war liberals that “Bush lied about WMD in Iraq.” Without it, the movement collapses.The liberals use clever misdirection, false rumors, press manipulation and endless repetition of falsehoods, turning illusion into reality, working to mislead the public.In the recent terrorist attack in Jordan, the people directed their fury at those responsible, not the government. In this country, after 9/11, about 60 times more people were killed than in Jordan; our government is being vilified. The terrorists are emboldened and virtually appeased by the endless rhetoric about the Iraqi war being unjust, illegal, based on a lie, “bring the troops home”, etc. Moreover, how do these erratic conclusions affect the men and women fighting the war and their families?Dennis GerbazCarbondale

Dear Editor,A the recent public update of the Mountains to Mississippi relief project in Pearlington, I had a conversation with Pitkin County Commissioner Patti Kay-Clapper. She mentioned the letter in the paper regarding my workplace in Glenwood Springs holding a vote in which the large majority of our staff decided to scale back our Christmas party and give the savings to the Pearlington fund (we have 90 people). That letter apparently led to a similar vote by the Pitkin County staff and also resulted with a majority of their staff that voted to modify their Christmas party for the benefit of the Pearlington project.Funds are still needed for our valley’s efforts to continue in Pearlington. I urge the workers of this valley to help this idea catch on and fuel the firestorm of relief effort that is creating a legacy that makes us proud to be a part of the Roaring Fork Valley.Getting back to the update, Carbondale Fire Chief Ron Leach, credited with starting this relief effort, presented a slide show that was incredibly poignant. It showed what existence was like after Hurricane Katrina and what life is like now in Pearlington. Ron gave much credit to the Rotary, Aspen Valley and Valley View hospitals, local governments, teachers, students, many, many individuals. Ron actually mentioned Rotary several times.If your workplace is planning a Christmas party, large or small, it will have an extra warm feeling if you join in the Christmas Party for Pearlington effort.Gary PaxCarbondale


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