Published: October 23, 2007 05:02 pm            

Letters to the editor - Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2007

‘City of Firsts’? Not anymore

While driving through Kokomo one recent evening, I began contemplating the motto, “City of Firsts.” How did Kokomo have so many “firsts”? I believe it came through opportunity and innovation. Unfortunately, I also believe that Elwood Haynes and those like him would not have a chance today. City of Firsts? Not anymore.

Like most, if not all, American municipalities, Kokomo has succumbed to enlarging and maintaining the status quo of guaranteed security. The demands are for reward without risk, which is hardly a formula for innovation.

Innovators today, when successful, are targets for wealth redistribution and lawsuits. The most productive and successful members of society are “rewarded” with things like congressional hearing inquisitions.

We are commanded to succumb to the failures of the “village” instead of moving ahead with the motivation and success of individual enterprise and innovation.

“Kokomo, City of Firsts” is a great motto reflecting the worthy heritage of this city. I suspect, though, that it will be a long, long time before it becomes once again a depiction of future reality.

Charles A. Layne

Bunker Hill

City can ill afford another 10 weeks

Is there no end in sight? Is there no way to stop the travesty here and now? The people of Kokomo spoke in May. We said then that we had had enough – we wanted no more.

We had our fill of government by fiat – of cowering city administrators who “were only following orders,” as they aided and abetted a megalomaniac each time he trampled upon the very soul of our representative form of government.

Unfortunately, our mayor has not yet completed his personal crusade – his vision for the greater good of our community – and let the people be damned. What will we awaken to find tomorrow? An executive order nullifying the results of the primary election? Why not? No one in Kokomo seems to protest the mayor’s actions all that much anyway – at least after a week or so.

Or is there a way to end it now? Will someone seek an injunction? Will the department heads, for once, say, “No, sir! You are wrong! We will not obey!”

True, they could find themselves out of work a few weeks earlier than expected. But, then, they might also find it easier to face the public, not to mention that person in the mirror every morning.

The people of Kokomo can ill afford another 10 weeks with an unfettered sociopath holding the reins of power.

Leonard Thompson

Kokomo

        

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