Letters to the Editor (5/2)

Couldn't agree more

Dear Editor:

I read a letter written by Lt. Col. Larry J. Kluth ("This country has a long way to go," AFN, March 26) and felt compelled to respond.

He wrote that the country isn't the way he would like it to be and that religion is having an interference with politics; I couldn't agree more.

I saw on a documentary that there is somewhere around 3,000 religions on this planet, each with a different idea on how the world was created and what they think their "higher power" wants them to do. The fact that there are even that many religions should be reason enough to believe that no one is right, even though most believe they are.

Yet, many people let it influence their professional opinions and actions because they feel so strongly by it. I know a few people that truly didn't want Mitt Romney to win just because of the fact that he is Mormon, not because of his political opinions or the way he would lead America. Romney, and almost all of the other candidates for that matter, would have been a giant leap up from our good old "Dubya" Bush.

At least none of them were arrested for DWI, found Jesus and was then elected for it.

Arien Freymuth

Some miss the forest by only seeing trees

Dear Editor:

Week after week the AFN publishes letters from unhappy residents complaining about the United States, evil Republicans, stupid Christians, and our collectively awful lots in life. I suppose that's not surprising given eight years of media stories telling Americans how bad things are.

The human condition in Ahwatukee exceeds that of 90 percent of the world's population. Although you'd never know it from the press, extremely low U.S. unemployment remains the envy of the world (at a rate half that of Europe). The U.S. economy is still more than twice as big as any other country's. Even those at the U.S. poverty line have cars, cable TV, Air Jordans, cell phones and food. Our community is safe, clean and replete with nice people and good schools filled with wonderful teachers.

Some miss this forest by only seeing trees with problems. We all choose how we will approach each day, our jobs, our neighbors, our countrymen and our spirituality. My suggestion: don't buy what unhappy and bitter folks are selling. It's obviously not working for them.

These letters mocking Christians and the gun-totin' South undermine the argument that Obama was "misinterpreted" when he did the same at a fundraiser for elitist millionaires. At least the left is consistent in its condescension. Like Marx, they appear to have no respect for the little people if the little people aren't on board with their revolution.

One such recent letter relied on Tocqueville in insulting our "ignorance." The irony is that Tocqueville believed America succeeded because of its individual economic opportunity, religiousity and patriotism. To quote that great French historian, "The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money." That, in a nutshell, it what the left is all about - convincing the public to rely on government to fix endless problems. If our problems were solved, they'd lose their jobs in big bureaucracy. So all we get is talk of trees with problems.

L. Brown

Telegraph Pass parking also problematic

Dear Editor:

I've casually perused the articles published in recent weeks about the parking situation at the Pima Canyon Trail. I'm surprised that there hasn't been any discussion (that I'm aware of) regarding the severe lack of parking at the Telegraph Pass trailhead on Desert Foothills Parkway.

It's a bad situation there, too, and many people are frustrated and inconvenienced.

As you may be aware, the parking lot at Telegraph Pass is often filled to capacity and people are forced to park in non-spaces, both on the asphalt and the dirt. It used to be that cars could park along the road in the neighborhood across the street, but now parking is prohibited there, resulting in an impossible situation.

I live just down the street and have been hiking Telegraph Pass almost daily for the past 10 years, but the parking problems only started recently. It's really frustrating to drive all the way over there to get some exercise and fresh air, only to find there's no place to park.

George Kontos

More parking nightmares

Dear Editor:

You think Pima Canyon has parking problems, I welcome you to visit the neighborhood around Desert Vista High School after 8:30 in the morning. Our streets have been taken over by students attending Desert Vista High School.

Come up 29th Place and follow the street around. It's like Interstate 10 at 8 a.m., a parking lot. The kids leave trash all over the place, and they are quite loud while walking to class.

I've lived here for nine years now and I've seen the problem get worse and worse each year. I went to speak with Dr. McDonald when he was principal and, basically, his thoughts were, "If it happens off campus there is not much I can do."

Morrice Henderson

Thanks for your support

Dear Editor:

As a new school sport club in the Ahwatukee Foothills area, the Desert Vista Water Polo Team would like to thank the Ahwatukee Foothills News staff and The Body Firm Fitness Center for providing support to our growing team.

We appreciate the acknowledgment you have given to our sport and we thank The Body Firm for sponsoring our team this season. Recently, five of our female athletes competed and all earned spots on the Mountain Zone travel team for their respective age groups. They will be competing at the Zone Championships in California over Memorial Day weekend against teams from all over the nation.

We are very proud of our teammates and we are also proud to be a part of a community that has given support to water polo.

Thank you, again, Ahwatukee Foothills News and The Body Firm Fitness Center. Your support and recognition has meant a great deal.

The Desert Vista Water Polo Team and coaches