MAILBAG:

Last week marked the beginning of Lent, the 40-day period preceding Easter when Roman Catholics and other Christians would abstain from meat and dairy products in memory of Jesus’ 40 days of fast and prayer before dying on the cross. With religious devotion yielding to self-indulgence, this devout tradition gradually gave way to meatless Fridays, and eventually, to no dietary restriction at all.

Yet, Jesus’ powerful message of compassion and love for all living beings applies to our time more than ever!

It’s a time when animals are raised for food under abject conditions of caging, crowding, deprivation, drugging, mutilation and manhandling. When they are trucked to the slaughterhouse for days without food or water, then bled, skinned and dismembered while still conscious. It’s a time when wastes from factory farms foul the water we drink and the air we breathe. When meat production accounts for 18% of greenhouse gases responsible for global warming. When most chronic killer diseases are linked to consumption of animal products.

Let’s show our respect for the teachings of Jesus by refusing to subsidize these sins against nature and humanity with our food dollars. By embracing for Lent and beyond the traditional, wholesome, nonviolent diet of vegetables, fruits and grains first mandated in Genesis I-29. (For additional in-formation, visit veg4lent.org.)

Harold Undell

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Are stimulus projects right for us?

Do you know that our City Council has asked President Obama for more than $90 million, according to stimuluswatch.org? I wonder how many of these projects have had any review by our residents. Do we really need $10-million worth of brick blocks? I support the $8 million for streets and alleys. Why is it that the $4 million for street pavement maintenance isn’t included in the $8 million? But, is $2.5 million needed for bridges? What exactly are the $10-million improvements for flood pumps? Why do we not include the additional $2 million listed later? Do you believe that we will save more than the $10-million cost through reduced emissions from water-meter-reading vehicles? Let’s lift sewage more efficiently with $10 million, OK? Replace a functioning pump station for $4.5 million. Be sure to pay $2.5 million for security. Why in the world are we asking $15.2 million for photo cell purchases? Then, what will the so-called “best in classâ€� energy-efficiency retrofit really get us for $4 million? Will we get back the $3.5 million to replace street lamps? Will the $1 million retrofit for “next generation demand responseâ€� return anything? What will the $500,000 “excellence in energyâ€� training center for 30 employees per year do for the city? Do we really need $500,000 to have hydraulic balusters to control the unruly downtown crowd? Can we not justify the $170,000 for hand-held ticket-writing machines for foot beat officers on our own yearly budget, if it is truly justified? Are any of these already in our budget? If not, why not?

By the way, the city’s chart shows that it will create 754 jobs. Do we need so many city jobs? Will the Feds pay for them forever more or will we? Get your shovels ready. Simply, it appears to be just asking for a handout based on a wish list. These projects may or may not have been thoroughly studied. I don’t know, do you? The list seems haphazard and it worries me that it will only encourage repeated past bad behavior. Money toward the infrastructure repairs make good sense since Councilman Keith Bohr told me that we would never catch up to the needed work. However, I urge this council to use restraint in its review of its list, decline unworthy projects and, additionally, drop its program to fix global warming … oops, global climate change.

This is a lot of money. An irresponsible federal and state government does not justify similar behavior from our city government. I believe the members in our council can and will act to fulfill their fiduciary role effectively. After all, that money comes from every single taxpayer.

Rod Kunishige