Letters 1-31-22: Vieth, Radocha, Bolstad

Let’s start respecting one another

Dear Editor:

I am a longtime resident of Sparta and my children attended school here from kindergarten through 12th grade. This community means a lot to me. I feel compelled to speak out.

The school board and community members have been involved in their commitment to bring high-quality education to all students. I believe we should strive to include all students and parents in decisions. All of us should be trying to do that with fairness and without judgment. This is conveyed on the Sparta Area School District’s website under “Our Collective Commitments.” No. 9 states: “We will consider all students’ interests, needs, backgrounds and cultures in our collective planning.” This should include constitutional rights such as whether or not to mask or to vaccinate. Plus, the news on the effectiveness of masks and vaccinations seems quite thought-provoking.

There has been some concern that money is a motivator for masking and vaccinating at the national and state level. If so, this impacts the local governments and schools, too. This leads to emotional disagreements between those “for” and those “against” from elected leaders to friends and neighbors. I am concerned that this has caused a rift in our community, which is divisive and causing friction between one another.

The school board has the power to repair this damage and make this community whole again. They should use that power with respect and impartiality. They should let parents decide concerning masking. It will help start the healing  process and restore the respect for one another.

Vicki Vieth, Sparta

Borders, language, culture

Dear Editor:

The debacle in Afghanistan is over. The U.S. is the richest and most powerful in the world.

The farm fields were bountiful, the silos were full, bales of hay were in the fields and stockyards were full.

The cattle and hogs and other farm animals were fat and slick.

The Americans were proud and productive. They worked and rejoiced in the highest standard of living known.

Enter Biden, the very generous, seeing all this plenty said, “A country as rich as the U.S. should provide food, health care, housing, security and abortions for our less fortunate.” Biden orders the lawmakers to levy a tax on the workers to provide money for these laws.

The lawmakers, each of whom hoped one day to become president, levied the taxes. They then said, “Let there be free entertainment for those who do not work. Also let there be free transportation, food and wines for those who enjoy this entertainment.” And the lawmakers levied more taxes. When the U.S. workers heard of all the free stuff they said, “this is for us.” Many left their jobs to work the system for the free stuff. Plenty turned to scarcity. High prices for food and other necessities. High transportation costs and high costs to heat homes. Again, the lawmakers raised taxes. After all, what else could they do? Misery and gloom replaced pride and joy. Now, Biden, very generous and well intentioned, went to a wise, old businessman and said, “Wise Old Man, I have tried to give the good life to all who live in the U.S. They no longer want to work. Food and goods are scarce. Prices are outrageous. Taxes are even more so. Give me a solution.” And the Wise Old Man replied in plain English, “There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch.”

John Radocha, Sparta

Quips and quotes

Dear Editor:

A few words of wisdom; perhaps some are just words:

1. If you can't make a donation or qualify for charity, you are in the middle class. 2. One hard thing to open is a closed mind. 3. Tight pants teach you not to drop things. 4. About the time you finish the school of experience, life is over. 5. The saying “what goes up must come down” was used before taxes were invented. 6. You can’t push yourself forward by patting yourself on the back. 7. Stand up to be seen, speak up to be heard, shut up to be respected. 8. Even though you’re on the right track, you may be run over if you sit down. 9. One of the first things a child learns in school is that other children get allowance. 10. One man put a classified ad in a newspaper that read “for sale: complete set of encyclopedias, never used, wife knows everything.”

Helen Bolstad, Sparta