Hope of peaceful coexistence vanishes with Crimson Tide flags

We have lived in Fort Wayne since 1995, but we are fans of the Crimson Tide of Alabama.

We became fans when our son, a National Merit finalist, was offered and accepted a full academic scholarship to the University of Alabama, something not offered by in-state universities.

Our daughter followed him a year later, and our family came to love the university, southern hospitality, the community of Tuscaloosa, which is still recovering from the devastating tornado, and the football team.

For years, we have proudly flown a Crimson Tide flag during football season and love the friendly conversations it triggers with neighbors passing by.

So it was with dismay that we found our flag missing Dec. 15. We attributed it to the wind. After Christmas, we put up another flag, which quickly disappeared. This time the bent hooks and lack of wind suggested someone ripped it from the porch. Sadly, we now suspect the wind was not the culprit in the first flag’s disappearance.

We will never know if it was kids bored during winter break, an anxious Notre Dame fan, or someone sick of the SEC, but it makes us wonder. If, as a people, we can’t peacefully coexist with football rivals, how can we expect countries to settle their differences and live in harmony?

On Monday, the Crimson Tide and the Fighting Irish met with the Tide winning 42-14. As Crimson Tide fans, we admired the talent on both sides of the field, hoped for a good game and prayed for no injuries.

HOLLY NINER Fort Wayne

Country tired of Washington games masquerading as political principle

As a voter, I was dismayed during the November election to find that so many members of the U.S. House and Senate had signed the “no tax increase.” pledge of Grover Norquist.

Who is Grover Norquist anyway, and why should members of Congress be his pawns?)

According to Internet research, 271 members of Congress had signed Norquist’s pledge including Rep. Marlin Stutzman and Sen. Dan Coats. Sen. Richard Lugar was one of the few Republican members of Congress who had not signed the pledge, and thereby, was targeted by far-right conservative interests during his primary election against Richard Mourdock.

Now, I don’t want my taxes to go up any more than anyone else, but in this time of economic crisis where a runaway deficit threatens our very future, I believe that all options for a solution ought to be on the table whether those options include spending cuts, tax increases, entitlement changes or code rewrites

My wise wife pointed out to me that the irony is that while these few lawmakers absolutely refused to consider any type of tax increases for any income level including the wealthy as a matter of principle, they were willing to allow the U.S. to go over the fiscal cliff and bring on tax increases for everyone. Oh well, so much for principle.

C’mon, Congress, the country is pleading for you, our lawmakers, to act like you really care about us and the country and not treat us to these political games disguised as principles.

DAVID DEW Fort Wayne

Gen. Wayne statue would distract from original intent for Green

In regard to the Perspective piece, “Keep Anthony Wayne where he’s star of show” (Dec. 30), I wish to state that I am opposed to moving the Gen. Wayne statue to the Courthouse Green.

The Green was created as an open space from which to view the Courthouse. The placement of the statue on the Green would detract from an open view of the Courthouse. It would interfere with the original plan of the Green and would create a cluttered look.

I am a member of the board of directors of the Allen County Courthouse Preservation Trust. Through donations and the assistance of the county commissioners, we were not only able to save the Courthouse murals but to restore the entire Courthouse. Mayor Tom Henry even arranged to get new lighting for the outside of the Courthouse.

As a part of the restoration, we were fortunate to find that Dick Waterfield had acquired title to all the land that now comprises the Green. The trust, through generous additional donations, was able to purchase the land from Waterfield, tear down the buildings and create the Courthouse Green.

We have succeed to date in preventing memorials, statues and even military equipment from being place on the Green by many well meaning people. All of these items would detract from the beauty and plan of the Green. I hope that those persons trying to move the Anthony Wayne statue to the Green will reconsider.

DONALD D. DOXSEE Fort Wayne