European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 3, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 10 the stars and stripes monday april 3,1989 letters Reader s plan to return tax refund debated 1 read John w. Johnson s letter about resuming his lax refund to inc government with some Surprise. Don t get me wrong f think it is a great idea bin what about us folks who Are not entitled to a refund Well. I have been kicking around an idea for same time and in includes All americans not just those with refunds. I Art of the problem with the irs is that they take social Security and Federal lax each month an then Al the end of tie year those who must pay get Sluck Wilh one big Bill. How Many of us would miss the Price of a pack of cigarettes or a big Mac each month i propose Hal every american give is a month for each member of their family to reduce the deficit. In my Case thai would mean $5 a month. Will i miss the Price of three six packs of Coke or two videotape rentals each month probably Riol but try to to part with 160 at the end of the year and you have a struggle on your hands.-. How Many of you single soldiers would miss is each month granted some people really would have trouble finding the extra Dollar but if those of us who could did the deficit would be gone in no time. As of Jan. 1. 1985, there were 217.1 million people residing in the unite states. If Only half of them contributed one Dollar per month in one year we could reduce the deficit by $1.423,200,000. That is almost a billion and a half anybody out hero have any ideas to help Meset this up. Let s Qutul relying on the president to reduce the deficit by himself and Start relying on ourselves again Joanne Arnold Primus this West Germany. \ i would like 16 commend John w. Johnson of wort Heim for the part ionic. Attitude he expressed in his re cent letter. If More people had this selfless Altitude the United states would not be in the trouble in is today. He pegged the problem right on the nose the greedy attitude of our elected officials. His solution however needs lobe re examined. _. Our government leaders Are Mone Holics in thai they arc addicted to spending Money. The amount of income appears to have no bearing on the amount spent. The system is completely out of control. Send ing them More Money would be like giving scotch to an alcoholic he May like the gesture but you Ore not helping him cure his disease. I believe your refund club should collect any Money destined to reduce the debt and Deposit in in private Bank account. When the . Budget has been balanced for five years in a Row then release the Money to the government to reduce the debt. If you Send your Money now it will Only be used for a congressional fact finding tour to Hawaii or the Bahamas not to reduce the debt. R president John f. Kennedy was a Fine Man and a very Good example for All americans to follow. We. All should ask what we can do for our at this Point though sending More Money would the frenzy to spend it. Let s make our elected officials earn their substantial pay and make inc hard economic choices. When they prove they arc reformed Mone Holics then maybe they can be trusted to credit the refund club s funds to the National debt. What do the rest of you think should we continue to drown in red Ink or pressure the Mone Holics in Washington to Reform the. Answer should be obvious. Once again my hat s off to you or. Johnson you Are truly an american. 1st it. Steven Curtis. Worms West German i have o disagree. I am a working family member patriotic too however i am not willing to give Back any More Money to a government that will spend i recklessly and carelessly on give away programs As it docs at the present Lime i have always loved John f. Kennedy s words ask what you can do for your f choose to Volunteer my skills education and Money through boy scouts our local school and Chapel. I"don1 feel compelled to Volunteer an extra few Hundred dollars to our government when my Money could be used to further programs i can readily keep track of. It in t our responsibility to bail this country out of debt. We have elected officials who arc Given six figured salaries to do this. 1 think you should Send your letter to them and ask Ihm to join your club. K can t feel Hay Haye worked any harder than my Hus. Band and i to achieve what we have in life. Several members of my family have been Feather merchants civilians disgusting term at Best. They have already paid their dues in service As Well As our servicemen and women at Large. Don t ask them to Shell out any More of their hard earned american dollars if you walked. In a room with your right Han shoulder High with the Index Finger pointed toward the ceiling 1 would give you a thumbs sorry but you can join me in helping our country step into the Ful Urc with George Bush s new Volunteer spirit but not with my extra Money. I m sure there Are millions of people who wish the received a refund Check to even make that Choice. You re one of the Lucky ones the government had your Money All year to buy forms to bail us out of debt Susan Stone Stuttgart West Germany writer says prejudice still alive in America i have considered deeply the articles new racism and Suryia Wpm Eri found 10 suffer Bias in Europe nol to mention a massive influx of these types of Arti cles since the Early 1970s. I like to believe the armed forces Haye made strides in suppressing sexual an racial harassment including racial discrimination. Unfortunately Racia prejudice is quite alive and Well in out american society including the m sure it docs nil Surprise Many people that a new racism1 is emerging in the United states. The Survey conducted by the defense advisory com Milec on women in the services is Only the lip of the acc bet. Feel As if the real problem lies in the heart of our country. Whiles look out for whiles Blacks look out for Blacks and hispanic look Oul for hispanics. Perhaps you really have a Sci Ofey balls and Sec that women look out for. Women men look out for men and the homeless people Well they look out Forean a Thor Loo ".-. /. R Don t see president1 Bush picking a few backs or i hispanics for his Cabinet positions believe you me if Jess Jackson made the democratic nomination and won the presidency he would t be selecting a few Whites either even so one has to consider that Jesse never really came close to even having a Chance due to the fact of his col is thai we All see it s Quiric. Obvious it s the second Best thing which distinguishes Usall. The first being our rank or position. He sounds like a Nice Guy Over the phone is he Black a very Subtle part of the new racism and stereotyping sweeping the Wester world somewhere deep in the mind of the average Cauca Sian american he or she had to feel cheated All this talk about Equality equal rights for hispanics Biack Sand orientals has to be a whom in the Side of the average hard working caucasian american. My Friend come a Long Way take a second look at How far the while come consider the explored ground they have travelled the pre tended ignorance of prejudice and discrimination unfairness wrought upon not just Blacks from former slave limes but the indians spaniards mexicans and an array of nationalities which i Don t have the space to mention. Don t think for a moment i m trying tomake them out As criminals by no Means please the Root of the problem is Man s human nature. It had to be controlled by some stiff legislation. Classic examples Are when women won the right to , is hard to believe that caucasian women at one ume. Could not Vole Laws were passed and the nature conformed. How about when Blacks were considered less than this is not hard to believe Formant of us As it was in the not to Disparti Pas that Blacks were considered less than equal. Now they arc equal it took blood sweat and legislation and the. Human nature came under control bridled by Law. To All those wonderful men out there Black White Blue or Green. Whatever the Case May be harassment sexual abuse racial poor judgment crude behaviour favouritism bigotry the list goes on and on Don t just sit there and cry to your Best Friend. Speak up speak out let somebody know what s really going on it will continue logo on until victims regardless of their color Start speaking up1 for themselves and their fellow men and fellow women. In inc last Hundred years of human existence the smoke screen has been slowly fading to reveal the dark Side of our natures Don t Lei the bloods sweat and cars not to forge the legislation to make right the wrongs m our society and military environments amount to nothing i n conclusion i encourage All Scricc member across the Board take a second Lei us Itol become stagnant in doing our pan and sharing the suffering of what has made our country great and free. It s not perfect like its people but each individual and generation from the president tothe private from the co Oraw executive to the Assembly line worker from the editor in chief to the staff writer they can All help make the world a belter place by betraying those Binl on their evil nature who disregard the Laws and legislation sect Forth 10 this Day for Only then will Blind prejudice bigotry apartheid Bias and racism truly by Gainius descent in nope thai Oil people will Mcconie As one. That an men and woman might be respected by each other and that we As generation might be credited with having disc lied Predis posed tendencies arid he pampering of narrow minded human natures. Truly this would be one More Grear leap for Mankind. Name and location withheld music Lover says he can t Stangs no More in the words of the immortal Popeye i Schadell i can Mimas. I can t Slang no More Many is the time when i have Felt inc need 10 Lake pen Tor Shotgun in hand and lash out at what 1 feel to be among the top 10 most selfish inconsiderate and of Normous i fringe mints on the rights of others. The crime of which i speak is he playing of loud music or should 1 say the playing of music loudly 1 do no understand and i wish i could find some one who could explain o me in Complete sentences not consisting entirely of four letter word whal makes some people think they have been chosen by god to decide for me and other lovers of peace and quiet when where and for How Long we win listen to l heir music it seems at times that there is no Refuge from the continuous onslaught. 1 know hat those guilty arc1 saying if you Don t like it move to the Well no one would like that More than 1, but at present i do not have the luxury of thai option. Also that statement in itself shows a blatant disregard of the rights of others. Others will accuse me of being a music hater. In tic. I love music Ali kinds almost. I also enjoy seafood but would not enjoy it quilt so much if in were crammed Down my Throat by someone who did so because in was entertaining to them. There is also the claim that some music is meant to be listened to loudly. To that 1 respond with one word headphones.1 could just As easily have said sound proofing. 1 would also like to add that i find loud music particularly annoying when it is heard Only As a relentless droning Bass beat which penetrates inc Walls windows floor or ceiling of an apartment Dor Mitory room or other place where 1 am paying Good Money to live. Whenever i am assaulted by loud music i try to handle in in a civilized manner generally such As excuse me could you please turn the music Down Only to be told to cram it into blow it out of or to kiss certain anatomical parts which i shall leave to your imagination i must admit that some begrudgingly con sent to which i express my thanks but in usually does t last. They seem to think i mean for the next half hour or until tomorrow because he volume never fails to return to the original intrusive level there has been much ado about the smoking non smoking Issue and i feel the Point i am trying o make Here is basically the same one. By my choosing not to listen to Jowid music 1 am Noi bothering or violating the rights of anyone. So am i wrong 10 complain when my rights Are violated by the choices and habits of others some seem 10 think so i think not am sure that there will be Many Reb tuls to this letter although i seriously doubt any of them Wilt con join any True moral or ethical values or be anything other than egoistic. 1 sincerely Hope however to hear from those who agree and like myself have suffered in silence until they can t Slang to More maybe one Day we will see More places with noise Laws which Are strictly enforced rather than being just wasted 1st class Greg a. Cady Hahn a West Germany
