European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 9, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The stars and stripes Page 11 0 dear Ann Landers i saw this piece in the Mary faithful Magazine in Powers Lake . Author unknown. I Hope you think it s Good enough to print. Q Mvirginia i la dear  i sure do. Here it is How come when i was born i was Black. When i grew up i was Black. When i m sick i m Black. When i go out into the Sun i m Black. When i die til be Black. But you when you were born you were Pink. When you grow up you Are White. When you get sick you Are Green. When you go out in the Sun you Are red. When you go out in the cold you Are Blue. When you die you turn purple. And you Call me coloured dear readers the word coloured has been out of use for a Long time. It was replaced with  and now there is a Strong move to discard Black and use african Ameri  this seems appropriate to me because it gets away from color and designates origin instead. I Hope it catches on. Dear Ann Landers you printed a letter from a woman who wanted her 15-year-old cat put to sleep and buried with her when she died because the cat she said was afraid of Strang ers. You agreed with her saying the cat had lived a Long full  when my Mother died i stayed in her House for a few weeks to straighten out her affairs. Her 14-year-old cat hid in the bedroom occasionally peering out and mewing plaintively. I set food by the door and eventually he let me pet him when i brought food. Finally he decided i was of. I gave him to a Friend who already had half a dozen cats and he seemed to enjoy the company. That cat lived to be nearly 21 years old. The humans in my family generally make it to their 90s. When i get to be 70 or so i Hope nobody decides that i have lived a Long full life and puts me to sleep. How about you Ann Elmira . Dear Elmira my answer was not exactly the cat s meow. Will you Settle for a dozen swats with a 10-Pound bag of Kitty litter Here s my new answer cats should be permitted to live As Long As they enjoy Good health. Dear Ann Landers from time to time you have printed some outrageous things said by dolts who think they Are being helpful during a time of stress. Here s my Story the Day before i went into the Hospital for serious surgery a Friend called and said Don t pay your doctor Bills until you Are sure you re going to make it. If you die they can t  alive and Well in Vermont dear readers i d like to set the record straight regarding a recent column in which i recommended Over eaters Anonymous. Although Many readers have reported that they have been encouraged at meetings to put your Faith in Jesus Christ the organization is non denominational. There is no reference to Jesus Christ in its literature. Los Angeles times syndicated columnist Landers welcomes your letters. You can write to her in care of the stars and stripes Apo 09211, . Forces editor got More letters in 88 More people in 1988 were willing to take pen in hand and let their opinions be known than in 1987, according to a Survey of letters to the editor sent to the stars and stripes. The newspaper received 5,014 letters in 1988, up from 4,860 in 1987. Most of the increase came in the final Quarter when 1,229 letters arrived up from 1,088 during the same period the previous year. During the final three months of 1988, readers wrote about subjects ranging from the horrifying such As the terrorist attack on the pan am flight in december to the nuisances of life such As inconsiderate dog owners and the removal of salad bars at Burger King. They debated the merits of bullfighting and the intelligence of those who decide what selections will fill the shelves in cafes stores. Some even found gum chewing irritating. I wonder if they know How they look sitting there chomping away on their gum one wrote. If it was t so sickening it would be  on the other extreme a Parent wrote to warn teens about the dangers of using inhalants to get High. The writer s son died doing just that. We can Tell you the effect on your family and friends left behind it is horribly devastating. You would not wish that pain and anguish on your worst enemy he wrote. Another writer wrote his letter from his jail cell where he was serving time after a drug related conviction. It s not Worth it he wrote. An radio and television were the subjects of 29 letters most involving questions about the sports decisions at the network. Some wanted More one wanted less. One wanted the station to rid itself of dumb miniseries. Cars were a big topic bringing 35 letters. Twenty five of the writers were confused about regulations regarding catalytic converters. Only one letter supported the merchants nation Al Bank policy called Check safekeeping that would not return cancelled checks to customers. Of the 17 opposing letters two were petitions signed by 86 people. Civilian employment policies brought 23 letters from oct. 1 to . 31. Most writers were unhappy with or confused by the regulations. Living conditions brought 71 letters. Six urged others to enjoy their time in Europe and not com Plain about it while 13 said they would if they had enough Money. Eight people complained about the Long waiting lists to get into government housing. Other con Cerns included vandalism Security and theft. When news of the possible pay raise for Congress broke 11 outraged readers wrote to express their feelings. Letter writers were split on the decision to not Grant Yasser Arafat a visa to speak at the United nations three for three against. Writers also read other letters. When one wrote to say that soldiers on return of forces to Germany exercises Are simply getting a free vacation nine soldiers responded with descriptions of this Vaca  letters to the editor must be signed but the stars and stripes honors requests to withhold the names and locations of writers. Letters that Are for warded to an Agency for reply do not include the writer s name and As Many identifying details As possible Are deleted. About one in every five letters is printed in the letters to the editor column. If a writer poses a question that recently was addressed a copy of that response will be sent. Letters not published in the stars and stripes usually Are acknowledged through a response from the managing editor. Mail clerks lauded for Long Holiday hours the Holiday season of 1988 is now Well Over. Hope fully everyone had a very pleasant season receiving the majority of their Christmas mail and gifts. The reason i am writing is in reference to one of the individuals who made sure of your receiving those items in a More timely manner your unit battalion mail clerk. Most individuals believe that the mail clerk Only receives mail and packages and then Doles them out a very easy Job right wrong. What Many people do not know is that administrative procedures must be adhered to under postal regulations. What this Means is forms and files must be completed and maintained on a daily basis before mail May be distributed. This is not to mention what manually loading and unloading mail bags for hundreds of individuals entails. Insured packages and mail each have several forms that must be completed prior to and upon de livery. Each individual authorized to receive mail at that particular unit must have a locator card on file listing his her dependents receiving mail at the same address. This should be completed upon i processing. In other words a lot takes place within your local unit in order for you to get your mail. Believe it or not most mail clerks do care about expediting these items to you. The majority work Long hours sometimes maintaining More than one Mai room going from one location to another taking mail and packages with them. During the Holiday mail season which starts around the end of october until mid january these same unit mail clerks Are called upon to work each saturday. Many extend their regular daily hours staying open so you May pick up your mail and gifts. What this Means in Many cases is that each year these mail clerks do not get thanksgiving or Christmas leave much less extended Holiday week ends off. In other words very very Little time with the family to do shopping or to enjoy recreational activities. As the wife of a mail clerk i really would not mind the extended hours and extra weekends provided someone recognized the initiative required to preform these extra duties but As usual with the military a senior official takes credit when the enlisted Excel in a position. The incredible fact is that once this season is Over Many people will expect continued expanded hours. Please do not think that i am one of your Young enlisted wives unhappy because my Hubby cannot make it Home for dinner on time each evening. I have spent the majority of the last 14 years married to a combat arms Soldier coping with Small children Finan Cial crisis etc., alone for weeks and months while he was in the Field or overseas. I Hope i made some of you aware of the work the postal people do to get your mail to you in time. Name and location withheld. All letters to the editor must contain the full printed name and address of the writer and must be signed. We do not read unsigned letters but we will withhold your name on request and protect your privacy. All letters Are subject to editing. European edition col Jeffrey m. Cook Usa commander editor in chief it col Suzanne l. Phillips Usan 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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