European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 7, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The stars and stripes Page 11 letters dear Ann Landers i am sick of Reading about children like Little Quintin Mckenzie who instead of being Al Lowed to stay with Foster car parents who love them Are forced to go Back to a natural Mother just because the Law favors blood relatives. Too often these children die atthe hands of a natural Parent. Why Don t the courts see this Little Quintin s history showed that he was hospitalized because of injuries inflicted at the hands of his Loving Mother yet they sent him Home to her again. He died soon after As a result of her beatings. Can it be that the real reason these children Are sent Home is because it s cheaper for the state than paying for Foster care also there is a lot less paper work. Fathering or giving birth to a child does not a Parent make. When is All this nonsense about blood being thicker than water going to Stop the answer of course is when someone who has influence is willing to go on record and speak out against the injustice of the system. I m not a prominent person and i have no records to quote but i la bet if someone compiled a record of the number of children who died from being abused by their own parents As compared with those who were killed by Foster parents it would make a big  you help Ann Whitestone  Whitestone you bet. Here s your letter. I Hope it will inspire some compassionate attorneys to compile the statistics you referred to. It would certainly help the cause of Foster parents and the children in their care. The Lisa Steinberg Case triggered a great Deal of anger and made us All realize that upper Middle class professional people can be hideous parents and tha neighbors should become involved when they hear a child screaming night after night. Thanks for another reminder. Dear Ajin Landers our son was divorced last year and immediately pole vaulted into another woman s bed. He had picked her up at a bar. She became pregnant so much for my son s judgment and is about to give birth. Jed had no children by his first wife. Now that heis about to become a father without Benefit of clergy he has become enthralled with the relationship but not so enthralled that he is considering marriage. The woman has let him know that she resents his closeness to his parents and in order to placate her he has Cut off All communication with us. On her birthday last month i sent a gift which she returned with a note thanks but no  my dilemma is this does the child they Are about Mohave come under the heading of grandchild Are we supposed to forget that we have a son and allow this woman to Cut us out of their lives we d like a response from an intelligent person with an objective View. Hurt in the Midwest dear Hurt Why Are you laying All the blame on the woman she could not have alienated your son without his Permis Sion. The about to be born child is your grandchild no matter what. Wait until after the birth. Perhaps parenthood will awaken in your son a sense of decency toward his parents. At least let s Hope so. Good Luck. Los Angeles times Syndicate columnist Landers welcomes your letters. You can write to her in care of the stars and stripes Apo 09211, . Forces writers dispute portrayal of Izmir teens Izmir Community appreciates very much Jane Howells Tierney s reasonably balanced coverage of Izmir 95" our efforts to provide a support base with facilities and services often taken for granted at other locations. But her coverage of our teens was far wide of the Mark and dismayed me a Large number of parents and Many of our teen agers. It s True alcohol Ismore accessible in Izmir than in most stateside and other european bases. However that Izmir has such alow incidence of teen drinking problems is testimony to their Good judgment. We re even More proud of our Zero drug problem. Izmir May not have a full up teen club at Leas until this fall when our Community Center is competed but the Aya has a diverse teen program and Speca hours for teens. The hardest thing to find in Izmir is a teen without atan. More than 100 kids Are involved in swim teams. The International Beach resort of Cosme is Only a $ 1bus ride away and mar provides sailing and wind surfing lessons. Kultur Park is across the Street fro the High school with a jogging track and amusement Park. Entry is 7 cents. Rad bad clothes can be Boughton a teen s allowance. My 13-year-old daughter is Safe on the streets a night and can take a cab across town for 50 cents. We provide bus service to our base recreation area Ever half hour. Our cafes won the Best Exchange in Europe award. It Sells $30,000 Worth of pizza a Mont hand $5,000 Worth of Baskin Robbins ice Cream a month mostly to teens. It s no wonder parents Are extending in record num Bers and re enlistment rates exceed Safe s and Usan s. Next time you Send a reporter to Izmir Tell him other to get the facts. Talk not Only to our Young people but also to those of us who Are directly responsible forthe Mission and for our numerous Quality of life  Grams. We Are accessible and we can add the balance every reporter should look for when pursuing a Story. Col. Doug Ferris commander Izmir Turkey i would like to respond to some of the comment that implied that a Lack of social outlets has forced Izmir s teens to turn to alcohol. Alcohol does not dominate the social life of Izmir teens As a headline Over this report stated. During the past two years there has been Only one Case of a teen Ager being treated for an alcohol related problem in our Community. It should be noted that Izmir unlike almost any other Community where american youth reside is virtually drug free. As principal of Izmir american schools i have no Thad to Deal with one Drunken student on the school site or anywhere else in Izmir for that matter. This Ismore than i can say about my previous experiences As an educator in California. Nowhere in the report did the journalist mention that our students have won several thousand dollars in scholarships this year captured the wrestling championship achieved Many honors at the Mediterranean Art festival including Best of show and with handwork on the part of our kids and dedicated teachers won the majority of the top honors at the Turkey wide drama festival. Also our students won this year s All Turkey brain  yes our kids attend school in a rather shabby for Mer tobacco warehouse. It should be better it will be better. Dodds and Safe Are working hard to gives the kind of building our Community deserves. In the meantime Pur teachers will continue to work toward excellence in education. Our support folks the base commander the re services personnel the base engineers it Al. Will always be Here helping to make Izmir one of the bes assignments in the world. The next time you have the Opportunity to Send reporter our Way Tell him or her to spend some time in our schools. Please Don t Overlook our award winning students their parents and the legion of volunteers and professionals who make this a great place to live handwork. Or. Harvey p. Getz Izmir Turkey As the Parent of a 16-year-old, and stationed i Izmir Turkey i was surprised to read in a recent Issue How disadvantaged my son is to live Here. He has Only had the Opportunity to earn is scuba License work in a summer hire program thai enabled him to buy stereo system better than mine join varsity Tennis wrestling and soccer teams As a freshman and soph Omore and travel with his International friends some times a chaperoned because of my Confidence in him and the safety of the environment the turks have Cre ated. The article on teens in Izmir Only tells a fraction of the True Story. You will find some teens experimenting with forbidden fruit anywhere in the world but in written is the fact that drugs Are almost unheard of and there Are far More positive aspects of life in Turkey. Alcohol was an attraction for kids trying to grow up when i was in High school and always will be. Focus ing on this subject when writing about our sons an daughters in Izmir is irresponsible reporting. It. Col. Peter j. Skells Izmir Turkey pen pals please put my name in your pen pal Section. Rena Abello san Isidro Mojon Baltayan Cebu Philippines please put my name in your pen pal Section. I am 11 and love to swim play the piano and play Basket Ball. My favorite color is purple. I love to read. Melissa k. Kuntz Hub 1/32 a Box 411 apon.y..09165 i would like to correspond with people All Over the world.  Capuyan Negros Occidental Philippines please list my name in your pen pal column. Irma a Udana Coloso St., Kaba Kalan Negros Occidental Philippines please add my name to your pen pal column. I am 37 years old. Pam Strickland . Box 15914 Durham . 27704 i would like to write to people in other coun tries. Marches Gatoc Zayco subdivision Kaba Kalan Negros Occidental Philippines please include me in your pen pal column. I m 26 years old. My hobbies include smoking Yelling at people out of moving vehicles Faith Healing and pointing out other people s faults. My favorite movies Are nine deaths of the ninja and surf nazis must  Sterling r. Smith 9th Ord co. Box 5506 Apo . . 09059 i would like to correspond with people All Over the world. I am 26 years old and a Catholic. I like playing chess Reading playing the guitar and collecting Stamps. Maria be e. Claro National Highway calatrava Negros Occidental Philippines 6002 please publish my name in your pen pal column. I am 22 years old. I like cooking going on picnics eating playing Lawn Tennis and watching videos. Josephine a. Teves Veres marketing . Box 091, Makar wharf general Santos City 9701, Philippines please publish my name in your pen pal column. I am 20 years old and my hobbies Are read ing dancing swimming and listening to music. Belinda for Oslo of Sib Ullan Negros Oriental Philippines 6517 please publish our names in your pen pal column. Lilia f. Ariosa Pearlie s. Ariosa 87 a-3 Lopez Jaena St. Cebu City Philippines i am 20 years old and interested in Rock music swimming and the Cinema. I attend Napier col lege in Edinburgh where i am doing a course in accounting. Pauleen young133craigie Way Ayr Scotland ka8 och United kingdom i would like to write to Christian military people or those who just miss Home. I would like to learn More about your lives. I am 31 years old Karen Stalmann . Box 149 Contr. Sta. 27 Lakewood Colo. 80215 european edition col Jeffrey m. Cook Usa commander editor in chief it col Suzanne l. Phillips u8af Deputy commander editor in chief Marie Kominicki Mert Proctor Deane b. Mcdermott production manager managing editor circulation manager this newspaper is an authorized unofficial publication for members of the military services overseas. Contents of the stars and stripes Are not necessarily the official views of or endorsed by the . Government the department of defense or the . European command. The appearance of advertising in this publication including inserts or supplements does not constitute endorsement by the department of de sense or the stars and stripes of the products or services advertised. 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