Letters to the Editor

I was starting to feel better about my community, based on the various letters that you've printed from people of all ages, that seem to understand that free health care for all is not about politics, but rather about fulfilling a moral obligation to our fellow human beings, i.e. "doing what Jesus would want us to do," meaning to actually care about the lives and welfare of our fellow Americans, simply because they are Americans, too, and then you decided to give some "equal time" to Aurora's burgeoning "tea-bag" movement. I applaud your journalistic integrity, as well as your thorough statistical research, including the group's current membership tally (6), but since the idiots are starting to "google" the asylum, I would like to address a couple points to this cabal's founder, Miss Sherry Pierce:

1. The reason why there is a "misnomer that tea parties are filled with Republicans" is because this "movement" is nothing more than Fox News saber-rattling, started by none other than the looniest man in America, Glenn Beck.

2. Miss Pierce asked us to "Look at England and Canada ... " and according to the World Health Organization, "The U.S. health system spends a higher portion of its gross domestic product than any other country but ranks 37 out of 191 countries according to its performance ... The United Kingdom, which spends just six percent of GDP on health services, ranks 18th." Canada is ranked 30th. Maybe a more "progressive" government is what America needs -- don't we like to be number 1?

As mentioned in the same article, our country already has several government-run "social" programs in place that many Americans use every day: Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment insurance and welfare, among others. These landmark programs were started by the greatest wartime president in history, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who knew that in order for the U.S. to rise up out of the Great Depression, government would have to play a crucial role.

All Roosevelt did was expand on the model that was already working. I'm sure he reasoned that if government already fights our fires, polices our streets and fights our wars, then why not use this power to save lives in other ways?

Why is it that we as Americans have no problem with paying billions in taxes to kill people in defense of our country, but we find it abhorrent if one penny of our tax dollars actually goes to helping one of our fellow citizens actually live a longer, healthier life?

The time has come for free health care for all Americans because it is our moral obligation to our fellow citizens, and as Jesus said, "Whatever you neglected to do unto one of these least of these, you neglected to do unto Me!"

Dan Halfeldt

Aurora

At times I'm impacted by something happens or something someone says. For example, in the mid 1990s (though it seemed like yesterday) I ran into a friend I'll call "Dave" (because that's his name).

I hadn't seen him since high school, so I asked him what he's been up to. He went on to tell me that after too many bar fights he had to go to prison for a year.

The though of his one-year stay bummed him out, so he went to the prison counselor. He walked in and saw a man disfigured from a horrible fire.

Dave said "What happened to you?"

The man said "I was the only one to survive a plane crash. I may not look like much, but I'm happy to be alive. In fact, I thank God for every day. They gave me a house on the prison grounds to stay in and I love what I do. It's just great to be alive. Now what can I do for you?"

Dave then humbly told him his purpose for visiting didn't matter any more.

I believe God uses things like these to question me about what really matters in life.

Mike Mueller

Aurora

A worsening economy has forced many unemployed Americans into making hard decisions about their health care, as your story importantly points out ("No safety net," 11/3). People who cannot afford health insurance may find their health care needs daunting, but the Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA) continues to provide help to those who need it most.

More than six million Americans have received help through the PPA, a single point of access to more than 475 patient assistance programs nationwide. These public and private programs offer more than 2,500 generic and branded prescription medications. The PPA has helped nearly 470,000 people in Illinois, and has connected people with more than 10,000 free clinics nationally. The PPA is a valuable resource and free service for people who are uninsured and financially struggling to find out whether they may qualify for programs that provide medicines for free or nearly free.

Our current economic downturn presents unique challenges to all Americans. However, it's important to know that help remains available for those in need. Your readers can contact PPA by visiting the Web site (www.pparx.org) or by calling 1-888-4PPANOW.

Ken Johnson

Senior vice president

Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America

Washington DC

The Beacon-News recently ran an article about the performance of the police chief at Northern Illinois University. That story stated that the chief is being paid $199,000 per year.

That salary seems to me to be outrageously high so I checked some other salaries on the Internet. According to Salary.com the average salaries for police chiefs in several of Illinois' larger cities is in the $90,000 to $100,000 range. If the salary you stated is correct, the NIU chief is making more than double the salaries of other comparable chiefs.

Furthermore, a salary of $199,000 is more than the salaries of 49 of the 50 governors and all members of Congress.

Someone should look into the apparent disproportionate pay of the NIU police chief and explain this disparity.

This particular instance raises the issue of whether other salaries at NIU (or other Illinois public universities for that matter) are also disproportionately high. The state of Illinois budget crisis makes such an investigation particularly appropriate.

I suggest The Beacon-News investigate these issues.

Jay Labelle

Montgomery