Stith a community treasure

It is not too often that a community or city can boast of a hidden living treasure. We have such a treasure. I speak of Hana Stith, curator of The African/African-American Historical Museum.

This woman has brought a world of history and traditions to our awareness that we never would have known without her hard work and dedication.

It is because of her hard work and research that we have access to so much of our nation’s discarded and overlooked history. Her research can be observed at her museum.

Mrs. Stith, we the people of Fort Wayne and Allen County thank and salute you for your hard work and dedication. God bless you, and we honor you during our celebration of Black History Month.

For more information, please visit myblackinfo.com/african_americanfw.htm.

EMERY McCLENDON Fort Wayne

Paul has right plan for the Fed

Probably many already know this, but it does not seem to be arousing much uproar.

The results of the first (partial) audit of the Federal Reserve can be found on the Internet. They show that between December 2007 and June 2010, the Federal Reserve doled out $16 trillion to failing banks and businesses. These included Chase, Bank of America and Merrill Lynch, but also banks in Germany, England, Scotland, Switzerland, France and Belgium.

This audit came at the continual prodding of Rep. Ron Paul. Paul differentiates between free-enterprise capitalism and a corporatism that favors large institutions. Help was not provided to individuals who were losing their homes.

Congress vigorously debates $3.5 billion sums but apparently hardly blinks at this travesty that sent our money overseas and to buddies in the corporate world. Our debt is $14.7 trillion, and they secretly gave out $16 trillion. No one oversees them.

Paul wants to eventually do away with the Fed, but you don’t hear much from the other candidates about this. Was he really crazy and dangerous when he brought this to light? Perhaps to the miscreants.

PAUL RESZEL Fort Wayne

Right to work timing ironic

The General Assembly, backed by Gov. Mitch Daniels, is trying to push through legislation to end the right of organized unions to charge union dues. The brave Senate Democrats who have been “absent” from the floor prevents enough from being present to conduct business.

The real nonsense in this legislation is that the state of Indiana is about to benefit from one of the largest union events in the country – the Super Bowl! Do the governor and legislators not realize that the NFL players are one of the largest labor organizations in the U.S.?

The NFL players’ union was in dispute this past year with owners that nearly delayed the start of the season. The lockout could even have ended the season and thus undone the Indiana Super Bowl and all its revenue for our state.

Republicans in the General Assembly are wanting to push through legislation quickly so citizens don’t have time to understand its effects. If it passes, the NFL players should refuse to play the Super Bowl in Indiana, since they are union members.

The rest of us should be in Indianapolis in protest if right to work passes.

GLORIA A. DANCE Fort Wayne

Union dues are a bargain

I read all the sides of the right-to-work debate and understand that everyone wants a job. Period. I also understand companies want one big watchdog less in their midst.

Those who earn middle-class wages and benefits don’t want to lose them. Paying union dues is a way to secure the right to have such a job and to keep it without fear of being canned unfairly and having to hire a lawyer. Unions got these rights for the workers, not the company. It is hard to swallow a union protecting the rare worker who takes no responsibility for the job they take for granted. That said, can I see some workers willing to pay dues for the good of the whole when there are those who won’t pay? Maybe for a while – that protection is valuable – but it’s a conquer-and-divide strategy the company will use, and you can guess the outcome.

Paying union dues doesn’t keep companies from hiring. It’s their choice to go where the labor is cheapest with the least amount of oversight. The state Labor Department will only do so much for your rights. Try paying bills with what companies really want to pay. Union dues will never sound so good!

ANNA DEKAN Woodburn