Letters - Thursday online

Forced resignation didn't follow rules

After I read the article about the forced resignation of Patricia Peterson by Memorial Health Systems, I realized that a better headline would have been: "Leaders of Colorado Springs reeling after resignation" ("Foundation reeling after resignation" The Gazette, June 1). By terminating Patricia Peterson, the Memorial trustees and CEO have undermined everything that I, as a foundation board member, worked to achieve during my six years on the board. I am appalled at the decision to send Peterson out the door.

The Foundation lacked effective leadership until Patricia Peterson was hired as the CEO in 2005. She turned the foundation around and created an identity and a successful following for the foundation. Peterson has done extraordinary work for the organization by working tirelessly to help us raise millions of dollars for Memorial and just completing a very successful gala, while continuing to court long-term supporters. She is passionate about Memorial and its mission.

The decision to terminate Peterson was made by the trustees and the CEO without the prior advice and consent of the Memorial Foundation board. As such, this decision was made in violation of the bylaws of the foundation which require such advice and consent, and, as far as I can tell, was illegal. What were the Memorial trustees and CEO thinking when they made this decision?

Have they adopted a philosophy of achieving short-term goals at the expense of Memorial's long-term health?

William K. Brown, Colorado Springs

Americans accept, like what works

In making an impassioned plea against government ownership of GM, Jeff Wright, in the June 6 Letters column, enters the magical realm inhabited by some, but not all, conservatives called the "reality distortion field." In this world, people actually care whether their capitalism is truly laissez-faire or is government-directed. Fat chance.

If the financial crisis had hit a year earlier, and George W. Bush and Henry Paulson were still in charge of the economy, chances are the government would have the same percentage ownership of GM it has under Barack Obama. Why? Because most Americans care more about whether the Big Three can survive in some imaginary state of health than whether the government owns a piece of that pie. Beyond the task of making the auto-manufacturing patient appear to have a pulse, all else is theatre.

Wright and his tea-party friends assume that Americans actually make decisions based on clearly-defined principles. Most citizens of the U.S., and most world citizens, are operationalists. They'll accept whatever appears to work. As long as Obama tries the "spaghetti-walls" theory of government, throwing spaghetti to see what sticks, his approval rating will stay above 60 percent. When specific Keynesian programs fail, then people can be motivated to lodge protests against those specific programs. But until that time, tea-party attendees will find that as long as they throw the words "Marxist" and "socialist" around indiscriminately, they'll be marching with a very small audience behind them.

Loring Wirbel, Colorado Springs

Protecting children's futures

I am one of the baby boomers who will benefit from a pension from the Post Office, Social security and veterans' benefits. Since I have been employed for more than 36 years, I will receive a defined retirement package. I will never be wealthy, but I will have an income I can survive on.

I have served my country for over 36 years and by all accounts I have earned my retirement benefits. I am one of the fortunate baby boomers who had the opportunity to work in an environment that allows its work force to earn these benefits. I am afraid I will not leave these opportunities to my daughter and my nieces and nephews unless decisive action is taken now that will guarantee these opportunities to our children and grandchildren.

The basic guarantee that we must provide is that all Americans must be given the right to enter into a contract with their employers. We have contractual rights and obligations in all areas of endeavors, except that of employment. A privileged few (CEOs, sports figures and members of unions) have this right but most Americans do not.

We have an opportunity to correct this flaw in our economic system by urging our members of Congress to pass the Employee Free Choice Act. This act will allow our judicial system to enforce the right of all Americans to form a contract with their employers, which will allow us to rebuild the middle class and provide a future as bright as or brighter than ours. Contractual rights must be universal - urge our members of Congress to pass the Employee Free Choice Act. We must provide the effort to fix our economy so that it can work for everyone. One truism still exists: a rising tide will lift all boats

Robert A. Annala, Colorado Springs

Tiller's work not so humorous

How macabre to laud the "generosity and sense of humor" of Dr. George Tiller, a man who made his living by killing babies ("Hundreds honor abortion provider," The Gazette, June 7). While his murder is terrible and not to be excused as justifiable revenge, I'll bet none of the babies who died at his hands would applaud his "generosity and sense of humor."

John Eaton, Colorado Springs

Why attack another's religion?

I want to reply to the article about Christy Darlington's attack on the Mormons and the Jehovah Witnesses. I am not of either of these faiths. She states that they are a false doctrine. What I know is that the Mormon church I attended once in my travels believed in Christ as the son of God and took holy communion, which signifies them as a Christian church. I dont know about the Jehovah Witnesses except when the came to my door, but they're talking about Christ or God. Why she singled out these two churches, I don't know.

I've traveled all over the world. In the Arab countries they lay down their rugs five times a day and pray, stopping on the roads or wherever they are and they follow their beliefs. In the Asiatic countries they bow to gold idols and follow their beliefs. In the jungles of Africa there are tribes that have never seen civilizations and they bow and live their lives by moral codes and their god.
It seems strange to me why anyone wants to attack another religion but worse when she attacks a religious group that belongs to Christianity. I believe this is one of our most biggest problems in out society. Instead of trying to redirect someone's religious beliefs we should all join and respect everyone's beliefs.

Rodney E. Hammond, Colorado Springs