Letters to the Editor

Readers write: Letters to the editor, July 16

Inmates are also threatened by seismic risks in Seward

While deliberating the DOC's policies of inmate deaths, might we consider the potential mass deaths of inmates at the Seward Spring Creek Correctional Center? It's located in a seismic zone that places it the path of a tsunami that inundated this area in 1964. Seismic maps are online at http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/events/alaska1964/

— Karl Schroeder
Anchorage

Begich wrongly portrayed; he’s all about service

Dan Sullivan says that Mark Begich is all about Mark Begich. I beg to differ. Mark sits on five Senate committees, chairing two subcommittees. He began holding Town Hall meetings in his first term; his current Town Hall meetings — with employees, teleconferences and in-person sessions across Alaska — average 10 per month. I have attended two of his Anchorage meetings and have seen his personal attention to the concerns of individual veterans and senior citizens, of which I was one. My delayed tax return was expedited immediately upon his receipt of my complaint; I had my money in less than 10 days. Sen. Begich flies home nearly every weekend; you can often catch him at one of his offices across the state. He is the most energetic of U.S. senators — and he is all about Alaskans, and yes, he's a born-and-raised-here Alaskan. Thank you, Sen. Begich — you're the best.

— Suzanne Miles
Eagle River

Flag should be respected as symbol of pride, not apparel

In a July 9 ADN article about the governor candidates meeting up at Wasilla you mention "… the guy in an American flag do-rag." Governor candidates should know better and should follow established flag protocol as a matter of respect.

The federal Flag Code was approved in 1942 which, of course, was the time of WWII. It is now Title 4 of the U.S. Code. Part 8 — Respect for Flag — states that "no disrespect should be shown to the flag of the United States of America ... and "the flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery."

Part 8 also says that "no part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic uniform." Flag patches are allowed for certain groups like military personnel.

The Flag Code is easy to research for those who want to fly and use our national symbol properly with due respect. Please do the research if you are not sure. It matters.

— John T. Jensen
Anchorage

Thankful for improvements to opinion, news sections

It is 5:20 a.m., Tuesday, June 24, 2014 and my cup of gratitude is overflowing.

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Much is getting better with my world because of the actions of people as demonstrated in this morning's Alaska Dispatch News opinion pages. Thank you for making improvements in your news and opinions. Thank you to all those people who are speaking up and writing their ideas and opinions in opinion pieces and letters to the editors. You are definitely speaking to my concerns that we leave a better world than we entered, we see more peace than we have, that we provide more justice, respect and appreciation for women, children and ourselves, as men, that we provide a better education system for all of us, and finally that we do a better job of picking better governments in Juneau and in Washington. You have all contributed to my feeling that we are making it happen. For that I thank you.

— Hugh R. Hays
Veteran for Peace, Justice, Equality and a better Government
Soldotna

The views expressed here are the writers' own and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a letter for consideration, e-mail letters@adn.com, or click here to submit via any web browser. Submitting a letter constitutes granting permission for it to be edited for clarity, accuracy and brevity.

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