LETTERS: AFA and religion; Slogan idea; Sirota, an injustice to journalism; and more

Life at a higher level

Regarding the city slogan, I feel that I have one that resonates, one that describes Colorado Springs very well. It is: “Colorado Springs, Life on(at) a Higher Level.” or “Colorado Springs, Live at a Higher Level.”

Raymond Janak

Colorado Springs

Gross injustice to journalism

David Sirota’s article in The Gazette on Dec. 17 regarding the “Assault on Democracy” is a gross injustice to journalism, history and the framers of the Constitution of the United States. It displays his lack of knowledge of the structure of our “Republic”. We are not a pure democracy, we are a republic with elected representatives who represent the population. Our founding fathers were aware of the potential of a few states deciding the election of a President of the United States. This is why the writers of the Constitution decided to give an equal voice to each state in the election process of a President through an Electoral College. Were it not for their wisdom, we could possibly have the election of the President decided by the most populous states in the Union and the people of Colorado would have virtually no voice in the decision process. There was a reason for their decision. They purposely chose an electoral college for the presidential election as opposed to the popular vote concept. Sirota needs to read the history of these writers. The wisdom of framing the Republic of the United States has served this country well for over 200 years. Only a very few times has the popular vote been different from that of the Electoral College.

Further, I resent his belittling and sarcastic tone toward ideas and concepts with which he disagrees. I have read many of his columns and find this style permeates his writing. It shows his inability to formulate a rational argument for his point of view. A real professional journalist will use his intelligence and sound reasoning to make his point in a discussion without lowering himself to such low standards.

Dr. Dennis Jackson

Colorado Springs

Must be more to the story

Over the last decade, Colorado schools have been judged by their CSAP scores published by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE). Per the Denver Post, 112 of the 181 school districts are accredited or accredited with distinction. What does this really mean to consumers of education? The website coloradoschoolgrades.com is made up of a coalition of 18 organizations who have developed a system by which to grade schools that includes CSAP scores, student academic growth, career readiness, and three year trends. Individual schools are rated A through F and are ranked based on the methodology described on their website.

Cheyenne Mountain D-12, Academy D-20, and Lewis Palmer D-38 are all accredited with distinction according to CDE. Of the 364 high schools, Colorado School Grades website ranks The Classical Academy (D20) at the top, Cheyenne Mountain (D12) is 15th, Pine Creek (D20) is 28th, Lewis Palmer (D38)i s 43rd, and Palmer Ridge (D38) is 117th.

What factors may be contributing to D38 high schools’ much lower rankings? LPSD has hardworking, competent teachers, but lacks the leadership necessary to create the atmosphere required to improve school morale and reduce high staff turnover. There must be more to the story than just CSAP scores and district accreditation.

Stephen Boyd

Larkspur

Nary a plow, salt or sand

If anyone got ice skates for Christmas they can come to Wordsworth Circle and use them. Twenty-one years, and I have never seen a snowplow. The street is frozen, touched by nary a plow, salt or sand.

We pay taxes just like Broadmoor or any other place. We can’t even request a pass-by. Saturday three snowplows went down Hancock Avenue, wasting gas. They could have come by and done something.

I guess God will have to do what the city can’t — let the sunshine and 60 degree temperatures melt the ice. I hope someone doesn’t say the city did a great job because I give it a big raspberry.

Majorie Pawlak

Colorado Springs

Facade of religious tolerance

I’ve been reading up lately on articles pertaining to the religious battle happening within the Air Force Academy and have a few concerns.

First of all, this mask of “religious tolerance” being worn by militant atheists is hiding their true intentions. Now, religious tolerance would be great, because that’s what America stands for. Religious freedom is one of the foremost reasons this land was settled. Unfortunately, this is not what Atheists (with a capital “A”) like Mikey Weinstein are truly striving for.

Every one should be able to worship as they will, so when I heard the academy was building a place of worship for Pagans, I took no issue with it. But what I do take issue with, however, is the $80,000 required to build it for just three pagan cadets.

The Pagans get an expensive shrine, but the Commanders of the Air Force Academy get threatened with lawsuits for merely encouraging the cadets to participate in Operation Christmas Child. The facade of religious tolerance that the militant atheists wear is to disguise their true intent.

It seems their goal is to tear down their largest opponent: Christianity. They simply appear to be supporting lesser threats to their own personal beliefs. I don’t see what say people like Mikey have in the Air Force Academy’s policies. Sure, Operation Christmas Child is somewhat involved, but I don’t see them forcing anyone to do anything.

Cody Martin

Colorado Springs