Too many idiots

Editor:

Too many guns?

Too many idiots. Too many idiots. Too many idiots. Too many idiots. Too many idiots. Too many idiots. Too many idiots. Too many idiots. Too many idiots. Too many idiots. Too many idiots. Too many idiots. Too many idiots. Too many idiots. Too many idiots.

Brad Lesher

Elkview

Not all Democrats qualify as godless

Editor:

In response to the Feb. 19 letter from Clairmont Smith, as a Christian and a Democrat I was offended by the idea that all Democrats are "godless."

I don't always agree with everything my party says and does. Smith certainly is entitled to his opinion, but to lump all people of a political party together is not correct.

I very seldom agree with Republicans and their ideas, but I know there are good people in that party as well as in mine. Thank you.

Curtis F. Lanham

Charleston

Power utility should look for efficiency

Editor:

I cannot speak for all West Virginians, but I do know that people in the coalfields cannot afford increased electric bills that would come from Appalachian Power's proposal to purchase overvalued coal generation from Ohio.

If the Public Service Commission allows Appalachian Power to purchase this coal-fired generation, the bill would be passed on to the customers.

This deal smells of corporate greed from the start, and is completely against more workable solutions, solutions such as aggressive investments in energy efficiency, which would lower our bills and create jobs - 19,000 stable jobs, to quote one estimate.

Energy efficiency is not some nice rural idea such as West Virginians have lived for generations. Energy efficiency is a national effort that creates those 19,000 jobs in West Virginia - alone! This proposed purchase of electric generation would unnecessarily cost West Virginia homeowners and business owners very large amounts of money - money that could go to much better use.

I encourage the Public Service Commission to require Appalachian Power to invest in energy efficiency rather than this obvious corporate shift of numbers - a very expensive hidden handshake and wink on the golf course.

Al Justice

War

Bias and power taint local law enforcement

Editor:

When an injustice is perpetrated against anyone in America, as members of a democracy it is our obligation to cry foul, especially when it comes at the hands of individuals entrusted with protecting and serving the public.

So here goes. A couple of years ago, in a town somewhere special in Kanawha County, a municipal court judge accepted a DUI plea agreement from a defendant. Shortly before this defendant's DUI hearing, he had faced the same police department in a ticketing case before the same judge.

Something miraculous took place in that first hearing. The defendant slaughtered the prosecutor's witness on the stand. Under oath, a young cop was questioned about the reliability of a police radar gun. He admitted it was manmade, thus the possibility of error existed. The judge decided in favor of the defendant.

Common sense can easily reason that the second case against the defendant was probably tainted with a smidgen of revenge. Could the defendant have represented himself and won? Probably. Did his court-appointed counsel represent him competently? In my opinion, no.

State legislators across this country have empowered law enforcement agencies with too much power. With the history of bigotry and racism, we need to look into having one standard of policing. Citizens would be better off, tax-wise and ethically, if we elected to use only the State Police as our law enforcement agency of choice.

In any case where complaints are filed against officers by a citizen, we could enact a citizen action committee to review allegations and facts. Thus no one could say it's just the forum where the fox oversees the chicken coop.

Donna Willis

Institute

Student asks about life in Charleston

Editor:

I am a fourth-grader at Rutgers Preparatory School in Somerset, N.J. Our class is learning about the states and capitals. I would like to learn more about what it is like to live in Charleston proper. If any of your readers would like to write a letter to me telling me about life in Charleston proper, it would help me learn about the capital of West Virginia. Thanks for your help with my project.

Shreya Aravindakshan

c/o Miss Kazal

Rutgers Preparatory School

1345 Easton Ave.

Somerset, NJ 08873