Tasteless
Re: “Political hacks” (6/6/2019): Mayor Dave has a short memory. He doesn’t recall what Gov. Walker did to turn a $3 billion deficit to a surplus. He doesn’t remember all the whining, screaming, drum pounding and death threats the governor and the people of Wisconsin witnessed when those hard and unpopular fiscal decisions were made. I applaud [Assembly Speaker Robin] Vos and [Senate Majority Leader Scott] Fitzgerald’s efforts to help preserve that surplus. Wisconsin is in great fiscal shape and it took a ton of work to get there. The roads are not crumbling. I see orange signs everywhere I go. Evers had a horrible record as an educator. He needs all the help he can get as governor. Vos and Fitzgerald are the guys [who] will keep him between the rails. Finally, shame on Isthmus for showing their faces on the backsides of elephants. Really tasteless.
— Tom Davis, via email
Composting options
Re: “City gives composting another shot” (6/6/2019): This article about the pilot composting program in Madison fails to mention the diversity of composting businesses in Madison. We have been using curbsidecomposter.com for a number of years now and are very happy with their service. Until the city establishes a composting program for all neighborhoods, it would be nice if residents knew of all their options for composting. The cost can be high, as mentioned in the article, but there can also be creative ways to reduce cost for the environmentally conscious resident. For example, neighbors could pool together to share costs and dump their compost in a single bucket for pick up.
— Nimish Pujara, via email
Religion and fear
Re: “Man on a mission” (6/13/2019): Masood Akhtar deserves the recognition and rewards that he is receiving. As you informed us, he is making this world a better, less hate-filled place. In this time of Trump and his “helpers,” what better response is there? I was saddened when I read that many in the Muslim community are in fear while attending their mosque, mainly because of the New Zealand bombing. In many countries, Christians and Jews also live in fear because of atrocities that have been committed in the name of Mohammed, by those who see Islam as a religious AND a political force. All religions have committed atrocities. They all frighten me to some extent.
— Dan Johnson, via email
Correction: The article “Unitarian History” (6/13/2019) should have included the full name of the Shorewood Hills congregation: It is First Unitarian Society of Madison. In “Before Stonewall” (6/20/2019), it was incorrectly stated that Wisconsin’s 1982 Gay Bill of Rights had been modeled on legislation earlier passed by Dane and Milwaukee counties and Madison. It was the cities of Milwaukee and Madison, as well as Dane County, that had passed such legislation, not Milwaukee County.