Help shooting victims
After the senseless and violent actions at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin in Oak Creek, people are looking for ways to support and assist the victims and the congregation. It’s time to join together and get serious about teaching tolerance in our families, neighborhoods, schools, places of worship and on the internet. If humanity is to survive in a world with 7 billion very different people, we need zero tolerance for intolerance. We pray honor and bow in respect to the departed souls. We wish such a tragedy never befalls on any community and sincerely hope that the afflicted families find strength to ride through this crisis.
The Sukhwal Charitable Foundation, Inc., is volunteering to collect donations and send it to Victims Memorial Fund, Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, 7512 S. Howell Ave., Oak Creek, WI 53154. The foundation will match donations dollar for dollar up to a maximum of $1,000. The foundation will provide receipt for tax deduction if you so desire. For additional information, please call 348-7810 or (608) 642-0115 or email sukhwakl@uwplatt.edu.
The website https://www.wepay.com/donations/wearesikhs is also available to make these donations. This website was set up by the family of Temple President Satwant Singh Kaleka, who was shot and killed while heroically attempting to take down the shooter. None of the donations received, however, will benefit the Kaleka family. Instead, 100 percent of all contributions will go directly to lower income families who lost loved ones, those injured in the shooting, and to repairing the temple.
Sukhwal Foundation, Inc.
630 W. Madison St., Platteville
The issues Nov. 6
As a parent and former educator, I have spent a great deal of time and effort attempting to eliminate ignorance. Ignorance is not an uncommon condition. The ignorance we are all victims of is simply a case of being imperfect humans.
No one will ever be aware of everything. I am one who believes that we should all be striving to know as much as we possibly can in order to make better decisions in our lives.
We are currently in the midst of an election that is, without any doubt, the most important election in the history of this country. Ideally, we would be exposed to truthful information that would allow the electorate to make the choices that would be based on as little ignorance as possible. It is very evident that this is not the case. We are, and I fear that we will continue to be, the most ignorant electorate on earth.
Most of my friends and family have strong leanings toward a liberal ideology. That, in itself, is fine. The stunning thing, as we discuss the current direction of our country, is the complete absence of information with regard to vital topics. These well intentioned people have become the victims of a media that intentionally distorts, or just outright lies about any issue that does not fit their ideology.
Personally, I welcome being exposed to information that results in me changing my mind about something. It reinforces my belief in flexibility and personal growth. Without this flexibility I would be living a fantasy that I know everything. I know that this is not the case and by admitting that I am more open to the truth.
It is a simple fact that about 80 percent of all media sources have a liberal bias. Bias by the media is the most egregious obstacle our country faces when our goal should be the education of the people. When a huge percentage gets their information, or intentional lack of information, from this type of media, the result is an electorate that develops their views out of ignorance. This is both sad and dangerous. We all hear the constant screaming about the importance of education; yet what we get is the intentional omission of the truth. We hear that Fox News lies. It is my strong opinion that those who get their information from Fox receives a more well-rounded exposure to all of the various opinions than from any other news source.
My father always told me that women are generally smarter than men. I suppose he may have been correct. What is perplexing is how apparently women currently favor our current president with a 56-percent approval rating. Really. What is this approval based on? I can only conclude that they are getting their information from sources that are, at best, very limiting in their information.
When this vital election takes place, only 55 percent or so will bother to vote. Many who do vote will choose a particular single issue that is personally important to them.
Most voters will be completely ignorant of our unsustainable national debt; unaware of the fact that we have not even passed a budget during the entire Obama administration; unaware of the fact that we have to borrow 40 cents of every $1 we spend. Who can possibly think that this country can survive with this type of irresponsibility? Their answer is to tax the wealthy. That will result in fewer jobs and only having to borrow 37 cents out every $1. Is that really an answer to our problems?
Many social issues are of importance to many, however, the most important social issue that will trump them all and make all of the others moot is that our economy is on the brink of disaster with little chance of recovery. If you are young, if you have children or grandchildren, you should be aware of what we are in the process of passing on to these innocent and unsuspecting youth. If you believe that we will always have the wealthy that will be there to support our massive and rapidly growing dependent society; then ignorance is your worst enemy.
We must eliminate our ignorance.
Thomas Skubal
Platteville
The Platteville Journal will print most letters to the editor, regardless of the opinion presented. The Journal reserves the right to edit material that is libelous or otherwise offensive to community standards and to shorten letters the Journal feels are excessively long. All letters must be signed and the signature must appear on the printed letter, along with a contact number or email for verification. Some submitted letters may not be published due to space constraints. “Thank you” letters will not be printed. All letters and columns represent the views of the writers and not necessarily the views of The Platteville Journal.
