The Dexter Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Letters to the Editor
PUBLISHED: March 27, 2008
To the Editor:
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I am concerned that no one is looking into the contamination of the ground underneath the former Federal Screw Works site.
In 1984 there was a contaminated spill that seeped into the surrounding ground of this site. I wonder how this was managed and cleaned.
Is there some hazard we should be investigating as far as effects on neighbors of the site? Was the ground cleaned properly in the past?
Eula Eddy
Chelsea
To the Editor:
"Now Billy, you have to wait your turn like everyone else."
"Don't wanna."
"I understand that it's hard sometimes, but the rule is that we line up in alphabetical order for the drinking fountain."
"Well it's not fair. My name's Zimbalski, and I'm tired of always going last. Why does Mary Adams always get to go first? I'm just as thirsty as she is. It's a stupid rule."
"Billy, you make a good point. Maybe we should change the rules so that the same people aren't always first. But for right now, the rule is alphabetical order, so until we change the rule, that's how we're going to do things."
"Well, I'm not gonna."
"Billy, I'm warning you right now, if you cut in line ahead of any of the other children then you can't have any water."
"Yeah, right. You'll still let me get a drink."
"Billy, this is your last chance."
"Oh, give me a break. You won't let me go thirsty."
"All right then, no water for you."
"Waaah! This is so unfair. I want a do-over."
Heh. Perhaps Billy has a future in the Michigan Democratic Party.
Now don't get me wrong, I am not a member of any political party. Yet, like many others I voted in Michigan's much debated, "Line-Jumper Up Yours!" primary election.
And while it actually would have been nice to vote for the candidate of my choice, instead, I received a ballot with only one name and a space labeled 'Uncommitted." All thanks to those good people who call themselves the "Democratic" Party. Hmm.
One name? Call me cynical, but something about the whole thing just didn't seem very "democratic" to me. I'll bet Stalin's ghost is still chuckling over that one.
So the prospect of participating in a "re-do" primary where there might be more than one name on the slate and my vote might actually count (imagine!) did offer a certain romantic appeal. And yet, I must admit that the idea also made me pretty uneasy.
After all, what's the lesson we'd be sending our children? If you break the rules and don't like the punishment, whine. Maybe you can get a "do-over."
Or better yet, maybe they'll just "take back" the penalty. Consequences are for suckers.
If we are warned in advance not to break the rules, yet we choose to break them anyway because we believe the rules are unjust, that is an act of civil disobedience that I'm certain Emerson would applaud.
But an essential element in civil disobedience is to also willingly suffer the consequences, or what's the point?
As Emerson, Gandhi, and King were hauled off to jail, I'm quite certain they didn't cry out, "Oh geeze, I didn't think you were actually serious about the whole 'jail thing.' Let me take it back."
If the exclusion of the Michigan and Florida delegates results in a contentious, brokered convention in August rather than a "Four-day Rocky Mountain Lovefest," well ... that's just too bad.
Remember, it is the Democratic Party itself that brought about this fiasco; and not just those who "broke the rules" but even more importantly, those who insist on perpetuating the antiquated primary system that Michigan and Florida were rebelling against.
In the distant past, before electronic communication was ubiquitous, candidates traveled by stagecoach and train and their statements only reached many through news stories telegraphed by stringers into their local newspaper office.
In that bygone era, citizens of states like Iowa or New Hampshire would not have had the opportunity to interact with or learn much about the candidates had their primaries not been placed early in the campaign season.
If not for this system, candidates for national office would have chosen to focus only on the larger, more populous regions of the country, leaving folks in smaller states pretty much without a voice and in the dark.
But in today's electronic age, with the Internet and more instant news sources than you can count, people across the country have an equal opportunity to follow candidates nearly every waking moment of every day.
From a pragmatic standpoint, who really cares if the candidates are in California, Wisconsin, or Rhode Island? The prevailing argument seems to be that the candidates would then only address the "regional issues" of those states with the highest populations.
Oh, please. While there certainly are important issues that admittedly are more "regional" (illegal immigration comes to mind), the vast number of issues that matter most to Americans (i.e. the economy, the war, health care, education, etc.) are not regional but national in scope.
If we had a single "National Primary Day," candidates would be less likely to "play to the local crowd" anyway, as they would not be stumping for the local vote.
All of this is not to suggest that the Democratic Party has a monopoly on blind arrogance and an inability to fully think through its decisions.
The Republicans also perpetuate this obsolete primary monstrosity. And this year they offer us, "Uncle John's Never-ending War Jamboree."
Here, I'm reminded of a man who has stuffed his hand into a kitchen sink in an effort to retrieve his wife's valuable wedding ring that she accidentally dropped down the drain.
While she suggests he consider taking the time to dismantle and closely inspect the pipes, he dismisses her and recklessly plunges his arm into the opening.
Yet even as the disposal kicks on and she yells for him to extract his hand, through gritted teeth he declares over the deafening roar, "Never! That would mean the sacrifice of my fingers has been for nothing. I'll keep my arm in here for another 100 years if I have to."
A bad idea is still a bad idea, even if you had the best of intentions.
I suppose that even with its faults, our political system is better than any other.
Still, let's not kid ourselves: Democrat and Republican, Green Party supporter and Independent; we'd better all take a close look in the mirror before we brag too loudly about being "the prettiest girl at the ball." We can certainly all do much better.
Christopher Meloche
Chelsea
To the Editor:
So the Chelsea High School is about to lose its student paper, the Bleu Print - how is that possible?
But wait ... what happened to the famous Bulldog Barks, the official student newspaper during my senior year at good old Chelsea High (1971)?
From what I've gleaned reading last week's article/letter, CHS is losing its student paper due to lack of interest (only 20 students signing up), the cost-effectiveness of having a teacher for such a small group - and a hint of crushed student spirits caused by a censorious administration.
But do not lose heart, fellow CHS "Production Writing" students (formerly known as "Journalism" students).
For in the dark past - 1971 - there was a similar crisis. The Bulldog Barks had a classroom, students and a "teacher," but they didn't have money. The paper was short of funds due to printing costs, which were contracted out. At this time CHS did not have the expensive equipment needed to print in-house.
But what ailed the Bulldog Barks was lack of leadership and a lukewarm interest in producing a paper. It was just another class.
What the Bulldog Barks really needed was some inspiration that only comes from competition - and that's where the Graphic Arts II class comes in.
This was the first year for Graphic Arts II and it had a total of five students, all seniors. We were piggybacked with another class, thus sharing the same teacher.
This teacher's inspiring words stick with me to this day: "I have enough on my hands with the regular Graphic Arts students. I want you five to come up with some ideas - I don't care what it is as long as you don't embarrass the school, do something stupid or get me in trouble." Or something to that effect.
Thus the birth of Chelsea High School's first (?) "underground" newspaper, "The Anti-Bulldog Barks," a fun, satirical little rag loaded with inside jokes and the occasional poke in the eye.
No profanity, not too strident but not politically correct. Our main target was the "official" student paper and its inability to produce a product - hence, our name. We also went after some of the much-funded school sports programs.
They came out with three issues and we published at least 11. Granted, their paper looked beautiful, being printed by professionals. Our paper looked marginal at best - being printed by us, with paper plates on an offset printer at Huron High School - for free (we knew the teacher there).
Our printing process was so fragile, if we couldn't get the plate printing properly before a run of 200 issues, it would disintegrate. It was a big deal for us when we found ink in other colors besides black. We learned how to add photographs. We charged 5 cents a copy and even had a few advertisers with later issues. We made a profit and they had bake sales. And we had a load of fun.
Our GA teacher only read and pre-approved the first issue. We never showed him a pre-issue for approval again, and he didn't ask.
I don't think we embarrassed the school; although I'm sure there were members in the Athletic Department that were glad to see us graduating. Did he get into trouble? He was tenured.
My advice to current CHS "journalism" - sorry, strike that - "Production Writing" students is this: You don't need 20 or more students or a teacher or even a classroom to write a student newspaper.
Judging from my property taxes, I'll assume Chelsea High School is swimming with computers and I understand with these machines it's possible to become a one-man printing empire.
So fellow students, what are you waiting for? If you have something to say in print, there is nothing stopping you. Your computer is your imprimatur - and how can any administrator or institution censor that?
In fact, a good business move might be to have your new paper censored by the powers-that-be to give it that "forbidden fruit" flavor. There's nothing like telling a high-schooler they can't have something to make 'em crave it.
With 20 students interested in putting out a paper, let's see... that should be five student newspapers floating around that school. Freedom of the press is not a privilege. You don't need no stinking permission.
But heed the advice of my old Graphic Arts teacher: Don't do something stupid. Or make sure you have tenure.
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