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Successful recycling; Help victims of crime

Legal disputes hinder work

For those of you driving at a leisurely pace south on 95, stuck in northbound traffic because of the Washington Bridge fiasco, or nursing your illness in an upstairs room at Rhode Island Hospital, you've noticed: that the SSI Endeavor will be loaded with scrap metal at the end of last week.

Real people worked to load the scrap metal. I assume they make pretty good money. Hoses flooded the scrap with water before it was loaded aboard to keep it cool. The SSI Endeavor was built 4 years ago. It flies the flag of the Marshall Islands. On Saturday evening we left fully loaded for Iskenderun in Turkey. The estimated arrival time in Turkey is November 14th. An 18 day trip. Turkey processes 75% of the world's scrap metal.

What we saw was a very successful recycling campaign. But our attorney general says, “Rhode Island Recycled Metals poses a public danger by recklessly neglecting basic safety measures at the expense of Rhode Islanders and the environment.”

While I support balance, I disagree with his comments on the issue or his forced delay on the demolition of the Washington Bridge. I couldn't worry about litigation. What I want is an end to my 45 minute commute from Warwick and one way to pay for that is for people to do real work and pay tax on real income.

Peder A. Schaefer, Providence

Those who help victims of crime

Politicians who hype crime as a campaign issue for their own benefit are often the same ones who cut federal funding to help victims of crime. Dedicated frontline workers from more than 30 victim support organizations in Rhode Island requested $2 million in the state budget to offset federal cuts, but were ignored.

As the former executive director of the Women's Center of Rhode Island, I know how easily this work can be limited. Don’t risk further staff cuts and layoffs in these vital services that already do heartbreaking work with modest budgets.

Thank you to Vanessa Volz, CEO of Sojourner House, for her call for Rhode Island to join neighboring states in supporting those who help victims of crime (“Why RI Must Prioritize Funding for Victim Services,” Op-Ed, Oct. 28). ).

Anne Grant, Pawtucket

Character is important

I heard a reporter on the radio say that polls for the upcoming presidential election show that voters care more about issues like immigration and the economy than the character of the candidates. Interestingly, this came immediately after it was said that one of the candidates was doing much worse in terms of character in the same polls.

My question to respondents is: How can you trust anything a person with no character says about immigration, the economy, or other issues? Also keep in mind that given the role of Congress, no candidate can truly predict what he or she will be able to accomplish in office.

Think carefully about who should lead and represent our country. Character is important.

Anne Ejnes, Glocester

Election or referendum

As we continue the discussion in the letters to the editor about Electoral College voting and the popular vote, the main issue is what is fair and how that is defined.

In a majority society, the referendum seems to be the fair choice. However, if the majority live in urban areas, this can result in the rural population being permanent losers in the elections and seeing their needs ignored. An example of this is adequate access to healthcare. That seems unfair.

I believe that whoever is elected president must carefully consider the needs of the minority without compromising the needs of the majority. Not an easy task.

Spence Blakely, Portsmouth

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