Letters to the editor: Peace-building is not a pipe dream but an investment
Peace-building is not a pipe dream but an investment
There is no doubt that many of us seek a world free of war. And many who hope to do away with war wrestle with how to achieve this end. Not knowing how to proceed, some will think a world without war is an important dream but a dream.
Hoping that war ceases by itself is not likely to be successful. But war can be averted through active peace-building. Addressing the underlying causes of violent conflict has a proven track record.
The United States currently funds three key peace-building activities through the Department of State. These activities have a strong record of success and saving taxpayer dollars. Yet, U.S. support for this work has been persistently underfunded. This is unfortunate because, for every dollar spent on conflict prevention, the world saves $16 on the cost of war.
An increase in funding for these peace-building programs is being considered, and we need to urge our senators and members of Congress to push for an increase in the financial support of these State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs in fiscal year 2024.
Reducing violence and war is not a pipe dream but within our grasp.
George Bergus, Iowa City
Saddened by Kalona Sales Barn news
I thought Kalona would be better than this. I read, with great dismay, the Feb. 13 article where the KSB is referred to as part of a “horse slaughter pipeline.” Horses are brought in, already in an abused condition, mistreated again at Sales Barn, before being sold to foreign processing plants in Canada and Mexico for human consumption.
The report was released by the Center for a Humane Economy & Animal Wellness Action who obviously had done their homework. The Iowa Department of Agriculture regulates animals imported into Iowa, but does not regulate the export of animals from Iowa.
I would hope that the citizens of Kalona and readers of this article would apply some pressure on the Sales Barn and city administration to stop this obvious abuse. I for one will curtail our frequent visits to Kalona.
Pete Sidwell, Iowa City
Some suggestions for the federal debt ceiling
Some Republicans in Congress are threatening to vote against an increase to the Federal debt ceiling unless there are substantial spending cuts. My modest suggestion for a spending cut is to reduce U.S. military spending to the level requested by the Pentagon and the Biden administration. Their request for military spending was $813 billion. The House and the Senate increased the request by $45 billion, and then approved $858 billion in military spending. The House approved it 350-80, and the Senate 83-11.
Why spend billions of dollars on things that are not needed? It may be worthwhile to compare that $45 billion of unnecessary federal spending to the 2023 budget for the Environmental Protection Agency. Its total budget for 2023 is $11.88 billion. That’s less than 27% of the unnecessary, unrequested increase in the military budget.
Reducing the military budget from $858 billion to $813 billion should be a no-brainer. And next time a deeper comparative analysis of the efficacy of the Pentagon and the EPA in defending the national security of the U.S. should be on the agenda.
Ed Flaherty, Iowa City
Private schools should reject money
Are religious congregations going to take public money for their private religious schools? Whether or not the politicians in power care about maintaining a firm boundary between church and state, religious communities should care. Many Americans are descendants of people who came here seeking religious freedom. Would those ancestors look kindly on us weakening the bulwark between church and state?
I am in favor of religious groups having the freedom to run their own schools. Religious schools can and should raise funds to enroll students from poor families. However, public money should not be used to support religious ministries. We already give religious groups generous tax breaks to allow them to raise funds free from government interference. We must not cross the line of using public money to pay for the teaching of religious beliefs in private schools.
Diverting public money to private religious schools violates the spirit of separation between church and state and does nothing to make urgent improvements to the public schools that over 480,000 Iowa students currently attend.
As a person of faith, I cannot support this policy. Religious freedom means religious responsibility. We have a responsibility to be good stewards of religious freedom, and to be good neighbors to others who don’t share our religious beliefs. Private school vouchers undercut both of those basic principles.
I hope all people of faith in Iowa will stand against private school vouchers.
Harold Page-Jamison, West Branch
Who will pay?
Cities, police, public schools, and roads need funding to provide services. New state laws limit major options of taxation of the rich or big corporations. When local options are removed, who will pay? We can't count on more federal government funds like for COVID that gave us a surplus by not spending it.
Judy Pfohl, Iowa City
Celebrating life on Land and International Women's Day
A flourishing life on land is the foundation for our life on this planet. Healthy landscapes provide food and other goods, wildlife habitat, and recreational opportunities. Healthy landscapes also provide ecosystem services necessary to environmental and human health and well-being. They help regulate water flow, control erosion and reduce flood risks. They maintain agricultural productivity and capture carbon.
Promoting sustainable use of our land and natural resources then is not just a cause, it’s the key to our survival, and not just here in Iowa but across the world. That is why the United States played a foundational role in the creation of 17 Global Sustainable Development goals, of which Life on Land is Goal 15, adopted by all United Nations member states in 2015. Since their adoption, the goals are becoming a unifying rallying cry in Iowa and across states and sectors of American society to solve universal and interrelated problems like ecological sustainability, hunger, poverty, and inequality by 2030.
Each year the Johnson County Chapter of the Iowa United Nations Association celebrates one of the SDGs on International Woman's Day and honors local and UN organizations advancing the selected SDG. This year, on March 8, Goal 15, Life on Land, will be celebrated. Field to Family, Grow Johnson County, and the Great Plains Action Society will be honored for their commitment and work advancing SDG 15. Proceeds will benefit these groups and the UN World Food Program. Entertainment will be provided by Folklorica, a local dance troupe sponsored by Open Heartland and by Andrew Ren̄e, University of Iowa vocalist, who is soon to release a CD of lesser-known African American songs.
This year the event will be both in person and live-streamed so people from across Iowa can attend. The event is a great opportunity to learn more about the SDGs and how people in Iowa are implementing them, and what we all can do to ensure that the benefits of land-based ecosystems, including sustainable livelihoods, will be enjoyed for generations to come. For tickets, visit https://N1KD23.eventbrite.com.
Jane Shuttleworth, board member, Iowa United Nations Association, Iowa City
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Letters to the editor: Peace-building is an investment
