Open Forum

To the party who wrote the article in the Jan. 28 Open Forum, I'd like to say "We The People" are the ones who elected the majority to the Senate, the House and the President. The people are getting tired of having a passive government; they want politicians who mean what they say. As far as global warming is concerned I don't think we could change the temperature of the earth if we tried, and thank God we were able to avert any U.S. small arms treaty or we would be giving up our constitutional rights set down by our forefathers. And hey, talk about bio-weapons, don't be surprised if old Saddam has already brought them into our country or given them to terrorists who have done so.

"First strike?" Using this analogy we made the "first strike" on Japan. They just blew up a couple ships and buildings, as did the terrorists. Then we dropped "The Bomb" on Japan and are planning to attack the terrorists. "First strike?" I think not. This is not just a few crackpots blowing up things; they are an organized army set on destroying the USA.

I wish people would appreciate what our forefathers have done to make this the greatest country in the world, and don't be so complacent. Keep informed of what is happening in the world. Don't just listen to the media's point of view, investigate other sources and get the truth about issues.

To those who think this is about oil, think again; we liberated Kuwait and could have kept all the oil, but instead helped them get back in production and gave it back to them. I believe this is probably what will happen in Iraq.

Please God, bless America again.

Jim Sykes

Brainerd

A good neighbor?

The super store issue has been discussed extensively over the past year. Wal-Mart was invited to the Rosenmier Forum debate July 10, 2002, at Central Lakes College and they declined to participate. The Brainerd and Baxter City Councils have discussed super stores and are in the process of revising their Long Range Plans. The county commissioners have discussed and encouraged a coordinated effort for development in this area. There are many revisions pending -- just as a Wal-Mart super store suddenly tries to slip in -- incredible timing?

Wal-Mart has apparently owned or controlled the land on the 371 bypass since 2000. Instead of being up front with the community, they waited until the last possible moment to disclose their plans to build a Wal-Mart Super Store on that property. Even the local Wal-Mart management claims to not have known about this plan.

Wal-Mart has considerable experience putting super stores into communities where they are not welcome. This behavior is typical of their development. It is called "stealth." They buy land under under a "development corporation" and slip in. Wal-Mart has learned to sneak in stores with as little publicity as possible. Do we want a "neighbor" who does not respect our local leadership?

Just who is Central Lakes Development? Are they a part of the plan to slip in under another name so that elected officials were not even aware that a Wal-Mart super store was applying? The name made them appear locally controlled, when they are not.

We do not need an operation like this in our community. They harm businesses that pay a living wage and offer benefits by their "predatory pricing" meant to under cut and drive out the competition. Does this super store really fit into our areas long-range plans?

Marcia Ferris

Brainerd

Septic systems

As septic systems freeze throughout the northland do we have any information on why some are not? Will we learn from this winter? Currently we have "septic system" regulations that only look at design and construction, not operation and performance. We do not have any field information on how systems perform. We guess. What works best in different situations, what system will last the longest, what systems work in a winter like this, how much seepage (pumping of tanks) do we produce and were does it all go? How many systems are in operation and how are they currently performing? In 1997 EPA published a statement that on-site septic systems can provide long-term treatment as effective as municipal treatment systems however they lack operation and maintenance. In the past six to seven years a group of counties and partners in the northeast part of the state (Northern Minnesota Technical Committee) have been looking at on-site systems to help assure design, construction, and performance. They are currently developing a performance-based code that will help to provide answer to these questions and provide a cost-effective rural infrastructure that is managed for performance. The group will be recognized for their work as a Clean Water Partner at EPA headquarters in Washington D.C. on Feb. 18, 2003.

Craig Gilbertson

Environmental scientist

Ayres Associates

Walker

A good idea

Regarding the Vox Pop partial birth abortion snippet in Sunday, Feb. 2 paper -- No, I don't know of any local anti-abortion group that gets together to decide who is going to write an Open Forum for the month, although, I do like the idea and I think I'll follow up on it. I have spoken to some of the others -- just by happenstance -- or the grace of God, who like myself, sign our names to what we write and do not hide in the Vox Pop. See, we really believe in what we say. So much so that we put our name to it and we take the heat for it.

To say the majority of Christians believing that abortion is a personal choice is irrelevant since I'm sure the majority of Germans thought Hitler was a great leader at that time too. It's OK to believe in something as long as everyone else does. I also thought it was interesting that this snippet ended with abortion being called a choice left in the hands of the woman (first) and her God (last). I wonder what God that would be who takes a back-seat?

Nadine M. Schaefbauer

Brainerd