Trump's Sioux City speech; Mother Teresa's words; disabled veterans care: Your letters

Was there a hidden message in Trump speech story?

Sometimes there are hidden messages within a newspaper story. For example, refer to the front page of the Nov. 5 edition of the American News: “Trump creates buzz in Sioux City.” This was a story from the Des Moines Register.

On Nov. 3, Trump was in Sioux City for a rally at the airport to support Iowa Republicans for various political offices, but mostly he was there to exalt himself. As he basked in glory in front of a fanatical MAGA crowd, the ex-president repeated his old worn-out talking points about election fraud, crime, the border, etc. Then, in response to Trump hinting that he might run for president again, the news article added the following comment: “Outside the Sioux Gateway Airport, where frigid winds carried a strong stench of manure, the crowd cheered louder than it had all evening”.

Was the stench of manure a reference to nearby livestock? Was it the Des Moines Register just shooting straight? Was it another Trump speech full of BS? You decide.

Rick Benting, Redfield

'Abortion is profoundly anti-women'

Mother Teresa of Calcutta recognized killing unborn babies (abortion) for what it really is: “Abortion is profoundly anti-women. Three-quarters of its victims are women. Half the babies and all the mothers.”

Also from Mother Teresa: “It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish.”

Gloria Duenwald, Hoven

Disabled veterans grossly undercompensated in U.S.

Our disabled veterans are grossly undercompensated. The consequences for all of us could be dire.

In fiscal year 2023, a totally disabled veteran with no dependents is compensated at the ridiculous rate of $43,463.40 annually. The National Average Wage Index for 2021 was $60,575.07 per annum, and the median income for 2021 was $70,784. The per-capita gross domestic plaza in 2021 was $69,288, among the highest in the world.

This rate of compensation to disabled veterans is deliberate and cruel. They have been asking various administrations and congresses for fair compensation since the end of World War I in November 1918. That was 104 years ago. Where is it? In my opinion, the basic reason for their gross under-compensation situation is because they are only compensated for projected loss of wages due to their disabilities. They are not compensated for their low quality of life. This is done to keep taxation low for the wealthy elites. So what it comes down to is this: the groups that had their assets and overseas business interests protected the most by our now-broken former troops pay essentially nothing to support them in their brokenness. That is not very American, is it?

I ask Congress to pass legislation this year to compensate them fairly, especially the totally and permanently disabled among them who should be compensated at least at the level of the National Average Wage Index. This is now a national security problem. Once there is full realization among our youth that serious injury or illness in the armed forces almost guarantees a lifetime of near poverty as a disabled veteran, the armed forces will collapse rather quickly. In fact, this is already starting to happen. Enlistments are sparse. Be warned.

Thomas Michael Barnes, Aberdeen

This article originally appeared on Aberdeen News: letters to the editor about donald trump mother teresa and veterans