DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Highway 61 correspondence and documents, 1968-1974 | 1968-07-01 Fort Madison Evening Democrat Letter to the Editor form Miss Virginia Harper Page 2

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Highway 61 correspondence and documents, 1968-1974

1968-07-01 Fort Madison Evening Democrat Letter to the Editor form Miss Virginia Harper Page 2

-2-
later. The traffic picture is much different now and is bound to change more. 

This is not quite the time for sitting back and telling minority group members and lower income whites that they [underline] MUST sacrifice for the good of society as a whole. They've been sacrificing all of their lives and are accustomed to being used. As always, the grand old words which depict the role these people [underline] MUST PLAY are empty and distasteful, to say the least. 

Progress is not being made when we continue to ignore the voices of certain segments of the population. Public hearings are a farce and petitions are ignored, thereby being rendered useless. 

It is not being progressive to build a highway through a city. Anyone who does any amount of highway driving will agree that it is quite annoying to have to drive through a town, let alone one as long as this one. If there are aspects of this plan which will be beneficial to the citizens of the community as a whole, they have not been adequately explained. 

Situated, as we are, any changes we make should be in step with progressive development throughout Iowa. Traveling through the country, the new and efficient highways either skirt or go completely around cities, as in the case of Burlington and Keokuk. 

It has been said that no vested interests have wielded influence on the final plans of the Highway Commission. This must be given "tongue in cheek" treatment because the whole plan is in direct opposition to what is being done throughout the country for more effective traffic flow. 

Taxpayers would not be disregarded while being told they [underline] MUST sacrifice for the goold of all so that progress can be made. 

I am aware that the plans have been approved. I cannot say that I am any more satisfied than the many others, that this is the most feasible route...it does not give one the impression that it is a

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-2- later. The traffic picture is much different now and is bound to change more. This is not quite the time for sitting back and telling minority group members and lower income whites that they [underline] MUST sacrifice for the good of society as a whole. They've been sacrificing all of their lives and are accustomed to being used. As always, the grand old words which depict the role these people [underline] MUST PLAY are empty and distasteful, to say the least. Progress is not being made when we continue to ignore the voices of certain segments of the population. Public hearings are a farce and petitions are ignored, thereby being rendered useless. It is not being progressive to build a highway through a city. Anyone who does any amount of highway driving will agree that it is quite annoying to have to drive through a town, let alone one as long as this one. If there are aspects of this plan which will be beneficial to the citizens of the community as a whole, they have not been adequately explained. Situated, as we are, any changes we make should be in step with progressive development throughout Iowa. Traveling through the country, the new and efficient highways either skirt or go completely around cities, as in the case of Burlington and Keokuk. It has been said that no vested interests have wielded influence on the final plans of the Highway Commission. This must be given "tongue in cheek" treatment because the whole plan is in direct opposition to what is being done throughout the country for more effective traffic flow. Taxpayers would not be disregarded while being told they [underline] MUST sacrifice for the goold of all so that progress can be made. I am aware that the plans have been approved. I cannot say that I am any more satisfied than the many others, that this is the most feasible route...it does not give one the impression that it is a