Hypocrisy? That's rich!

This letter is in response to Gail Brunker's recent letter regarding what she viewed as "conservative hypocrisy" and the Clinton impeachment. In her letter, just to review, Gail listed three or four Republican leaders at the time of the impeachment who were later removed from their positions due to immoral behavior. She then concludes that conservative values must be hypocritical because these Republicans failed to live up to them.

Now I think Gail makes a good point here but not the one she intended. Her letter illustrates a big difference between conservatives and liberals. Conservatives who engage in bad behavior are usually removed or remove themselves while liberals who engage in bad behavior are held up as liberal heroes.

In every example she gave, in the recent Foley scandal, and a few others the result was immediate or eventual removal. However, if Clinton has a smoke with an intern he is put on a pedestal. William Jefferson was caught with $90,000 in bribe money hidden in his freezer and he is reelected a few months later by his liberal base. Ted Kennedy has a scandal list that could give a typist carpal tunnel and he is revered as a champion of the liberal cause and wins election after election.

Alcee Hastings was removed in 1989 for bribery, was reelected, and recently considered by Pelosi for the House Intelligence Committee chair. Gerry Studds was censured for having sex with a teenage House page and was rewarded with reelections and choice committee appointments.

Apparently liberals can avoid hypocrisy by condoning and celebrating immoral behavior. As humans it's not always easy to live up to our own beliefs, but I guess if you believe in nothing then you can't be a hypocrite.

David Siewell, Albany

The benefits of fluoride

Lately there has been a lot published regarding the pros and cons of putting fluoride in the water.

I came to Oregon in my 20s and when I went to a dentist for cleaning, he said to me, "You are not from Oregon, are you? I'd guess you are from Montana." I asked how he figured that out. "I know because you have no cavities at all."

I don't remember anyone going to the dentist very often, if at all, except for breaking a tooth or getting braces. The people in Montana have no choice. The fluoride is already in the water. I think maybe the people here should reconsider for the sake of our teeth.

Alice Swope, Lebanon

The chase and red lights

Been seeing many letters and articles regarding the recent police chase and resulting accident. I am amazed at how both ends of the spectrum have been cited in people's opinions.

Sadly this ended tragically. The question is: Was the chase necessary and/or avoidable? I answer yes and no. Police have to make split-second decisions in the line of duty. Even though in situations like this they are in control of themselves, they are not in control of the individual or public.

The officer was doing his duty of law enforcement, "to protect and serve." One duty is to catch law breakers and put them in jail. Had the officer discontinued or, better yet, as some would have it, not pursued at all, would the individual being chased slowed down or eventually stopped fleeing? Highly unlikely, and the accident would still have happened. A criminal choosing to flee is going to do so without regard to life or property including his own. Please don't be so naive to think otherwise.

We always hear and read people saying, "Where is a cop when you need one?" or that they are not doing enough to prevent crime. Yet when something like this happens they are put under the microscope for doing it. Any way you look at it, they are in a no-win situation.

Do I condone a police chase? No, but I accept it as a risk law enforcement must sometimes take.

This was tragic and likely unavoidable. Yet we have an even more dangerous situation occur dozens of times daily on our streets by what we all consider to be law-abiding citizens who blast through red lights. Oddly enough the public can accept this danger, but not law enforcement doing their job.

Mark Gasperino, North Albany

Those inconvenient facts

It is amazing how we can overlook certain facts if they don't build our stand on an issue.

Larry Smith refers to Hillary Clinton's co-president, Bill Clinton, as being a draft dodger, which he was. However, he did eventually make himself available to be drafted. It was just that his number wasn't drawn, hence he never served.

But what do we have with George Bush's co-president, Dick Cheney? People in the know say he has the most influence by far of any vice president. What about his military records? He said that he had "other priorities," which is why he didn't serve during the Vietnam War.

Like I said, it is interesting how certain facts are not mentioned if they don't help build our stand on issues.

Joe Blankenbaker, Albany

Where to get passports

Contrary to an assertion in a recent letter to the editor, the Lebanon Post Office does not issue passports at the present time. The Albany Post Office does.