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U.S. should take care of Americans before saving the world
To the Editor:
Is it just me? Am I the only person that doesn’t understand why my country is spending and expending so much time, money, energy, and lives to “save” the rest of the world (with us as the model), when so many of our own citizens are suffering?
Money and programs for mental health services are being cut in this state as a result of supposed “mental health reform” – which was intended to make better care available to more people – but it seems to be failing miserably. Many of our citizens who need mental health care are poor, uneducated, and either unemployed or work in low-paying jobs. They can’t afford to visit $150/hour therapists, so they will end up on the streets, in the emergency rooms, in prisons, and many of them will never get the help they need. Eventually, all of us will become painfully aware of the failure of this system because we will no longer be able to close our eyes to the problem or step around it, but by then it may be too late.
It’s a shame and an embarrassment that for all the wonderful things we have in this country and all the opportunities that exist, so many of them seem to only be for people with money (and a good deal of it, too). While we are busy saving and reforming the world, many of our citizens have no insurance. They work hard and steady at decent jobs but struggle to make ends meet, don’t have enough to eat, can’t afford medicines and so don’t take them regularly, lose their homes in natural disasters and wait months for aid, yet periodically we hear about massive amounts of money going to expand art museums, build fancy new stadiums, or pay athletes and movie stars even more ridiculous salaries.
I’m not blaming only the government officials or one party over another – I think in some ways (some bigger than others) we’re all to blame, myself included, even if it’s a mistake of being too silent for too long or closing our eyes to what makes us uncomfortable or thinking there’s nothing we can do.
While it’s important to take safety and security measures against acts of aggression or violation of human rights, I think it’s also important to remember that for too many of our citizens, they are fighting daily a different kind of terrorism, in the form of disease, domestic violence, poverty, hunger, unemployment, and just plain hopelessness, to name a few, and life has become a struggle to survive to have the bare minimum that many of us take for granted. Before we try to “save” the world and make them like us, let’s do a little housecleaning ourselves, take better care of our children, our mentally ill, our poor, our elders, and show the rest of the world that we are a model truly worth following.
When does the madness stop? When do we begin taking better care of our own citizens and our own corner of the planet and truly become once again the land of hope and opportunity for all our people, not just for those with money and the “right” credentials? Vote, speak up, write letters, volunteer, or do something else, but make a difference. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “You must be the change you want to see in the world.”
Sharon Dobrovicz
Sylva
Football concessions to improve
To the Editor:
I would like to apologize to those who attended the last home football game and found themselves waiting in a long concession line. Some customers waited for 10 minutes or so, only to get to the window and be told that we’d run out of food and drinks.
As Band Booster president this year, I have not been adequately prepared for the crowds that are attending Smoky Mountain High School games. I would like to thank the fans for their patience. The front-line workers commented about the kindliness and good-heartedness of our patrons, even when we had to close down for a few minutes and re-stock.
Band Booster parents work hard. We get to the stands early, clean our stations, start preparing food and icing down drinks, and are then faced with at least three hours of frantically paced work (usually with no break). After the concession stand closes, we have to face our toughest task: cleaning up. Not only do we clean up the concession stand, but we also pick up all the trash in the stadium. Trash pickup takes at least an hour and is the most disgusting thing I do each week. I’ve picked up everything from spit bottles to smelly baby diapers. Perhaps the SMHS fans will be more cooperative about picking up their own trash now that they realize that someone’s tired mom or dad has to pick up after them.
I promise to be more organized and better prepared for this week’s homecoming game. We hope to have a drink station, condiment/coffee station, and extra food station (for hot dogs, hamburgers, and barbecue) in addition to the concession stand, which will still serve nachos, pizza, popcorn, candy and drinks. We also hope to have more trash cans available for your convenience. And we hope to have more parent volunteers working the stands. Band parents and band members of previous years are cordially invited to come and join in the fun. I’m sure you’d find working in the stand is just as invigorating as in years past, and you might make some new friends too.
If you have suggestions for making our concession efforts more productive or would like to volunteer for food service or trash pickup, please come by and see me. I’ll be selling soft drinks, Gatorade and water beside the concession stand Friday night.
Danell Moses
Sylva
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