Letters to the Editor-5

By By

Tuesday, January 5, 1999 3:00 AM CST

Secondhand smoke ills

Your editorial of December 24, 1998 is compatible with the goal of our Racine non-profit foundation which is to eliminate the mutilation and deaths caused by secondhand tobacco smoke. National Health Organization reports that 40,000 plus innocent people die every year in this country from this horror.

Based on the figures of the latest U.S. Census, this is equal to more than two individuals dying every day in Wisconsin. This is in addition to the millions who suffer serious illness from this unnecessary cause.

The smoker has every right under current law to smoke, however, they do not have the liberty to have others pay the ultimate price of death for their `rights.'

We are in contact with many legislators and are working for legislation to halt this unconscionable tragedy.

As a Racine organization, we invite all those who wish to help us gain freedom from this carnage by writing to us for details of our programs.

Two plus people die every day in Wisconsin. This atrocity must stop.

To help us achieve this goal, please write to:

Stop Secondhand Smoke, Inc., 1822 South St., Racine, WI 53404.

Ed Holbus

President, Stop Secondhand Smoke

Benefit was a success

Several months ago we were told how Jerry had been stricken with his melanoma again. Not only on the lymph nodes, but also the muscles, liver, spine and pelvis. We were in shock. We also were angry, sad and scared. All those feelings are still inside us and so is the cancer. We can also add a few more emotions to that. Love, hope, faith and an enormous feeling of ``strength."

The Jerry Meingast benefit was not only a success for us, but for everyone there. Everyone of you pulled together like imaginary hands holding together in a great big circle. Praying and caring for someone you love or may not even know personally. We may not have known everyone there, but we coulfeel the power of everyones' touch and their strength.

Not one day goes by that Jerry and I don't thank someone for ``something." And thanks we feel is not enough for the awesome and overwhelming hold everyone has on us. Especially God and his faith in all of you.

How do we start. We have a family we are very thankful for and we don't mean just our immediate family. Everyone of you that support us and pray for us are a part of our family and that strength and power will pull us through whatever course and battle we take.

This thank you is for all of you that devoted their time by support and prayers. We are not giving up and we hope you won't either! We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for what has been done and for any help and support in the future.

Jerry Meingast and family

Franksville

Paintball vandalism

I am addressing this to the person or persons who shot at my vehicle with a paintball gun on or around Tuesday night, Dec. 29.

I live on Independence Road in Heritage Heights subdivision. The vehicle was parked in my driveway. Maybe someone got a new toy for Christmas. Or maybe they already had it. Either way, they used it to vandalize my property. The police said they have had prior complaints in my area. So any parents in the area who may have children with access to paintball guns, don't be afraid of your children. Ask them. If you care. If you don't, I hope next time, the weapon backfires in their face. Or I hope someone vandalizes your property. Or maybe someone will see your punk kid aiming a weapon at their house, think it is real, and will shoot back with real ammunition.

Rick Kristopeit

Mount Pleasant

Manipulation of advertising

In a Christmas Eve editorial you lamented the tendency of cities to hold gun manufacturers and dealers liable for the murder and mayhem caused by their legal products. You suggest that the consumers should be responsible for how they use guns and for whether or not they smoke.

Actually, gun owners already are held responsible for using guns to commit crimes, when they are caught, but mostly these people do not have the wealth to repay society for the harm they do.

There was a time when slaves were also legal products, and the common argument then was that a runaway slave should be returned to its owner just as a runaway horse should be. Maybe you consider that a reasonable argument?

How can we justify asking gun makers and dealers responsible for crimes committed with their legal but lethal products? In the first place, these businesses advertise their products to the public, just as cigarette makers do theirs. Since they indulge in manipulating the thinking of people, they should be held responsible for the consequences of that manipulation.

Frank N. Egerton

4400 Ridgeway Ave.

Devor Park ice rink help

As I sit to begin composing this letter, I am envisioning a Norman Rockwell scene of a town brought together for a day of fun on the ice. This is the scene that all of Burlington will be able to experience in the next few icy months of winter.

I would like to extend my sincerest thanks and appreciation to all of the people who were involved in making the winter ice rink at Devor Park a reality this year. The experience I had in finding information and support for the construction of an ice rink in Burlington was phenomenal.

Jennifer and Bob Grandi helped in the search for sites and in making initial contact with some of the service groups. Bob Riggs jumped right in to offer to contact Clinton's Lumber to solicit a donation and also offered to construct the rink's frame. Clinton's generously donated the lumber at half price. The Jaycees, Kiwanis, Rotary and Lions all donated almost $500 a piece to pay for all the materials to build the rink. Our local volunteer firemen have also been generous to volunteer their time for maintaining the rink by periodic mistings. And last but definitely not least my fellow board members who made the unanimous decision to pass a motion to build the rink on city property and our park supervisor who volunteered to have his crew help construct and maintain it.

The day the ice rink was constructed was extremely brisk. I would like to extend a special thank you to Bob Riggs, Irving Riggs, Larry Gobel and his crew for coming out in such bitter weather so the community could enjoy the rink over Christmas break.

At Christmas there is always so much talk of the giving spirit. I can honestly say that my days were overflowing with Christmas spirit as I spoke with all of the people involved in this great community project. Although the community has been experiencing some growing pains of late, the coming together of so many people can restore anyone's faith in the simple good that still remains. See you on the ice!

Sue Castro

Burlingto

Special Offer: Get 5 Weeks of the Journal Times for $7!