September 11, 2011

Letters to the Editor Sept. 11, 2011
Honor firefighters today

On Sept. 11, 2001 many men and women risked and lost their lives to help those trapped by the attacks on the World Trade Center. This year, police officers, firefighters and EMTs are not invited to the opening of the new 9/11 memorial because "there is no more room."

click image to enlarge

Ten years later is not the time to forget about police and firefighters who were lost on 9/11.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Special section: "Remembering 9/11"

Ten years ago, they were not invited, yet they came anyway. This year I believe they deserve some credit.

Have someone place a firemen's hat on each fire hydrant today, the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

This will be a symbol of our thanks to everyone involved with saving people in the attacks that day and show our appreciation to those who fight every day to protect us and our country so something like this won't happen again. Please help me to spread the word and give these people the recognition they deserve.

Kiana Leigh

Acton

Former VP trying to cover a shameful legacy 

Having served over 30 years in the military, I have always had a disdain for people unwilling to serve their country in the military.

Among those would be former Vice-President Dick Cheney, who sought five deferments to avoid being drafted during the war in Vietnam.

Certainly he is no conscientious objector. Instead he has proven himself to be a war monger who personally orchestrated the Iraq war.

The war continues resulting in great monetary profits to his political allies; deaths of American troops; awful civilian deaths; massive displacement of Iraqi Christians; the impoverishment of millions; and billions of U.S. dollars being lost.

He is a rear-echelon, wanna-be-soldier-narcissist who orchestrated the torture of helpless, prisoners to make false confessions used to convince UN nations to join us in the invasion of Iraq; to humiliate prisoners at Abu Ghraib; and to create secret, foreign rendition sites out of view of the American public.

In recent television interviews, Cheney continues to champion torture in promoting his new book, "In My Time." He says he paints a favorable picture of himself and an unfavorable one of his colleagues.

For example, the former VP boldly bashes combat veterans such as Colin Powell and ex-POW Sen. John McCain who opposed the torture of prisoners.

Col. Lawrence Wilkerson, former chief of-staff to Secretary of State Colin Powell was quoted as saying, "This is a book written out of fear -- fear that one day someone will 'Pinochet' Dick Cheney," alluding to the former Chilean dictator, Augusto Pinochet, who was arrested for war crimes while seeking treatment in a London hospital. Wilkerson also calls for George W. Bush and Cheney to be held accountable for their crimes in office.

Sadly, the Obama administration has declined any war crime investigation or prosecution. Go figure!

Patrick Eisenhart

Augusta

Attack on LURC a threat to Maine's North Woods 

Maine's natural heritage is on the line in the debate over the future of the Land Use Regulation Commission, the government body charged with protecting Maine's North Woods ("Control key issue in debate on LURC," Aug. 21).

What Gov. LePage wants is not a more efficient way to make responsible land-use decisions in the Maine Woods; it's free rein for large, out-of-state developers and landowners, making it possible to turn this remote, unbroken forest into large resorts and housing subdivisions. Dismantling the commission would roll back 40 years of protections, opening the Maine Woods up to reckless development and threatening to change Maine's landscape forever.

The North Woods, the largest unbroken forest east of the Mississippi River, is where generations of Mainers have gone to hike, fish and enjoy the wild outdoors. From Baxter State Park to Moosehead Lake, most of us have a special place up north where we go to experience the real Maine, with its majestic forests, beautiful mountains and clear streams.

(Continued on page 2)

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