Dear Editor,



The idea that some ignorant male like Todd Akin of Missouri has assumed he has the right to tell me what to do or not do, and other men who are considered intelligent agree with him, makes Newt Gingrich and his plan to farm the moon appear to be reasonable by comparison.

How can a country that produces a man like Steve Jobs or men who can put a fancy dune buggy on Mars produce men like Todd Akin and Paul Ryan? Beats me.

When I heard the Republican platform included the goal of totally undoing everything involved with women’s choices, from family planning to marriage partners, it sounds just like Afghanistan to me. The Republican male’s attitude toward women is exactly like those men whose control over women in Afghanistan is complete, even to death.

How can a modern American woman who knows how her mother or grandmother or great-grandmother fought for the right to protect herself and her family vote for or marry a man who belongs to a party like the modern right wing Republican party. I cannot understand. They wouldn’t have lasted a day during the American Revolution or during the western expansion of the pioneers.

I’m sure some of those early American men were not easy to live with, but women quietly won the right to be educated, to work to feed their children and, after many years and much opposition, they won the right to vote.

If those men who get their backbone from Viagra and Cialis, think women are going to accept the 2012 Republican platform they don’t know this generation of women.

Over the years I’ve been writing to you, I’ve probably touched on the subjects of family planning and abortion and “cherry picking” words and phrases out of the Bible before this, but I need to do it again. It’s the hypocrisy of the Republican party that leaves me agog (bug-eyed, open-mouthed). I know the Bible instructs us to not judge and I know I’m disobeying because I do judge them. They consider themselves faithful Christians and yet they ignore the basic teaching of Jesus and harp on some verse from the Old Testament.

They defend the sanctity of the unborn to the extent of killing doctors and nurses who perform abortions, then, when a child is born, they say: “We’re not a bottomless pocket. Feed yourself, and clothe yourself, you helpless baby. Don’t be a wuss. Take care of yourself. Why should I help you? You’re not my child. I want to keep my money in case I want to buy something more for myself - like a summer home, or a boat, or more stocks and bonds.”

I know that those examples are a little extreme, but I mean the basic premise: Some Republicans, the ones in charge, are hypocrites. Some members of the Republican Party are really fine people. They just got brainwashed. We are our brothers’ keepers and we should treat others like we want to be treated. I really believe God cries sometimes to see the way we humans treat each other. But I also believe He thinks we’re basically good, just aren’t through learning.



Amy Sparks

Pryor



Dear Editor,



I am a Veteran; I served in the US Navy from 1997 to 2007. Had a medical discharge, which put me on what is called TDRL (Temporary Disabled Retired List), which lasts for five years. I was told at the end of five years I would get a set of orders for re-evaluation.

Close to five years pass, I am looking for a set of orders, and five years expire and no-joy, nothing.

June 1, my pension stopped. That is the nutshell.

Here is the meat of it. I was discharged on 30 percent disability, which entitles me to 50 percent of my E-5 base pay, which has been a part of my budget for the past five years.  Spring 2008 I decided to attend school using my VA benefits, which between my pension and my VA benefit, I have been able to pay my bills.

In June when my pension stopped I called the Defense Finance and Accounting System (DFAS), to see what happened to my pay. They told me that the Bureau of Naval Personnel (BUPERS) had put a stop on my pay.

I then called BUPERS, I got the run around, and got forwarded to numbers of people whom were not in the office that day. I eventually got passed on to a gentleman by the name of Mr. Mayhue.

Mr. Mayhue all but cussed me out, telling me I was in non-compliance, saying they sent me mail and messages that had been returned by the post office.

During this time, DFAS and Veterans Affairs have known where I can be found, I have been receiving mail from both parties on a regular basis.

I finally reached Ms. Cannon at BUPERS, she then referred me to an appointment that ended up being in Chicago, Ill.

When I got Ms. Cannon’s referral, I was told I was responsible for coordination, which referred me to contact a Ms. Irving at the facility in Chicago that I would be going to.

I contacted Ms. Irving, she said it would be three to four business days, I waited the four business days and I had not heard anything. I left a voicemail and a email and didn’t get a response, which happened to be the end of the week, which I did talk to an HN Demsey, she told me that she didn’t know a lot about it.

Monday afternoon I called back I again reached HN Demsy, whom was rather indignant with me. She all but told me off, though she didn’t have all her ducks in a row.

She and everyone in her office had my information, because when Ms. Cannon sent my appointment request I was sent a copy, and in the recipient block they all got a copy of the message.

Tuesday morning came around and I got a call from the clinic secretary that I was supposed to have an appointment with.

After that I got an email from several people in HN Demsey’s office, trying to confirm my appointment which at this point was on July 9.

Air travel was arranged and paid for by BUPERS, though I had to arrange my own ground travel.

The ground travel in Chicago was a nightmare, and I had the blisters on my feet to prove it.

When I got to my appointment, the person whom I had my appointment with was the head of their department. To me they seem to have poor time management and poor delegation skills. My appointment was delayed and interrupted.

During my appointment, for the first time I learned that I was supposed to have orders cut for me every 18 months during the five-year period.

The rest of my ground travel experience was still a nightmare, it shouldn’t be that difficult to get around the Chicago metropolitan area.

I returned home, I waited a week until I tried contacting BUPERS.

I haven’t been able to contact Ms. Cannon since. I have left her voicemails. I have a couple of times been in touch with a Chief Watters, we talked a few times.  She promised to return my phone calls numerous times. There was only once she followed through with that promise and that was a day later, after the same day response she promised.

I did receive a letter from Washington, D.C. that I was being transferred from TDRL to PDRL (Permanent Retired Disabled List). Nothing has happened. I am owed back pay and my insurance needs to be reinstated.

The end of the week of Aug. 20, I went to Sen. Roy Blunt’s office in Springfield, Mo. I filled out a complaint, and asked them to look into it. It is now Sept. 11.

I haven’t heard anything. I am tired of making phone calls and jumping through hoops.



Jesse R. Mills

AE2 (RET) USN

Joplin, Mo.