Barack Obama's a symptom and the symbol of what a majority of Americans have become. We're no longer the same strong people who survived the great Depression. We're no longer the same strong people who won WWII, defeated German Nazism, developed the Atomic Bomb, and defeated Japanese totalitarianism, all in just four years. We're no longer the same strong people who won the cold war and defeated Russian Communism. The ideals of that generation are now lost to us. Too many Americans today care only about themselves and what they can get for free. They fail to see that nothing in life is for free and that the price they'll have to pay is their freedom.

To the extent we let America's greatness slip through our fingers, we deserve to suffer the full consequences of our actions.

Frederick Rembis

Clifton

Now what?

Now that President (George) Bush's presidency is coming to an end, who is Beverly Wardell going to bash now? Who has she to complain about now? Right......

Jane Carlotti

Clifton

Scary but great

I just want to say a great big "Thank You" to Dr. Wayne Gangi for a great Halloween display. Every year he puts a spectacular display of horror and gore that covers every foot of his property. Every year he adds more and more to his display. I l know I personally enjoyed the life size Jason with motion. Every year we enjoy watching as he builds the display from Labor Day till Halloween. Every year I personally bring or refer people to check out the great display. If you have never seen it, you must check it next year. He is on Grove Street, one block south of Route 3. He gives thousands of people enjoyment every year. And he asks for nothing in return. The doctor and his small army of friends and volunteers have once again outdone themselves. Every year someone has something negative to say about this display. Boohoo to them! Keep up the great work! Can't wait for next year’s display!

Tom Schuckman

Clifton

Will we ever learn?

During his victory speech in Chicago, the "messiah" had invoked the spirit of President (Abraham) Lincoln a number of times. He intentionally forgot other quotes made in 1861 by this great president, one of which include "You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich."  Another quote by a not-so-famous celebrity, Charles Barkley,  "The poor have voted for the Democrats for 50 years, and they're still poor." Will we ever learn? I doubt it.

John Nick

Clifton

Lesson to be learned

I noticed in a recent edition of the Clifton Journal that a 22-year-old man from Clifton named David Patti was arrested for crack cocaine and aggravated assault on a police officer. I was wondering if this person is related to Phil Patti who continuously writes his repugnant, extremist leftist letters to this newspaper? It certainly would not surprise me if David Patti was Phil’s son, which would demonstrate what a great father this pompous, arrogant, ignorant individual really is.

John Casselli

Clifton

Friend to animals

I recently witnessed a horrific dog attack on Barkley Avenue. Thanks to the quick, efficient response of John Tober from Animal Control, the victimized dog received the appropriate care and is now home with his family. After speaker with Tober, I realized that for him, working for Animal Control is more than just a job. Good work Mr. Tober – Clifton pets are lucky to have you.

Susan Murphy

Clifton

Meat is murder

As the purely arbitrary and historically meaningless holiday of Thanksgiving approaches, let us not claim to give thanks to life by participating in the senseless slaughter of innocent living beings. Eating the decaying flesh of a tortured, drugged and diseased-laden bird is no way to positively celebrate nature’s bounty. Human beings are after all primates not predators. We are neither biologically designed nor anatomically equipped for the proper digestion and metabolization of animal flesh. This is why so many undigested chunks of gore will putrefy in the nooks and crannies of your intestinal tract for quite some time after you ingest the animal’s filthy cadaver. Whether we seek a world of health and compassion or one of sickness and brutality we need look no further than our own dinner tables. It is the seeds we sow in our everyday diet and lifestyles that help determine the very nature of our realities. Human as healer and caretaker or human as killer and flesh-eating ghoul, the choice is ours to make. Either way meat is murder.

Phil Patti

Clifton

Sweeper doesn’t sweep

I agree with Joseph Mascuch. I have a large tree in front of my house and it has a lot of leaves that fall on my lawn and sidewalk and street. The street cleaner comes through once a week on a Wednesday, up and down. I go out after he comes through and all the leaves are still there. I am a senior citizen, living alone and I’m very tired of cleaning the curb in front of my house. They need to do a better job.

Dorothy Baurys

Clifton

Plenty of blame for all

I would like to respond to Douglas Conaway’s comment about failing to learn from history.

World War II was a result of Woodrow Wilson and other leaders forcing draconian terms on Germany after World War I bringing Hitler to power.

A divided Korea resulted from Chinese entry into the war.

The United States abandoned Vietnam because the public failed to support it as the casualty list grew. The CIA had overthrown the elected president of Iran and installed its Shah, a brutal tyrant. When he came to the U.S. for cancer treatment Iranian students stormed the embassy and took 52 hostages.

(George) Bush had plenty of warning before 9/11 and did nothing. He had intelligence that Iraq was not involved but he wanted to invade to get revenge against Saddam (Hussein). There was no need to repeat 9/11. It made Al-Qaeda’s point that they could hit the U.S. symbols of power – the Trade Center and the Pentagon. Conaway citing John Nick as a financial expert shows how fuzzy-minded he is.

Paul Furlong

Clifton