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• Tokay teacher Mike Murphy plans to file complaint with grand jury to save electives

• Pollution cleanup in Lodi one step closer to start

• Four Lodi parks will stay open

• Lodi Unified School District board discusses federal stimulus money, saving employees' jobs

• Lodi Memorial Hospital sues Anthem Blue Cross for $6.3 million

• Regional Roundup

• Two arraigned in Lodi teen's heat death; third skips court

• Correction

February 8th, 2010

• Public Meetings

• Locals pick best, most memorable Super Bowl commercials

• Regional Roundup

February 6th, 2010

• The Home Depot hopes to join Costco at Reynolds Ranch

• Meet Larry, Curly and Moe

• Baboon business

• Regional Roundup

• Several Lodi venues let you watch the Super Bowl in style

• Lodi Library celebrates 100 years of serving the community

• Culinary craft

February 5th, 2010

• Kids, teachers help Haiti by collecting pennies for Learning Link

• Lodi, Galt students reach out to help Haiti earthquake survivors

• Tasered suspect claims he is Yosemite Sam

• Hours of sweat and work go into putting on crab feeds

• Things looking up for state's real estate

• Correction

• Regional Roundup

• Stray bullet strikes Lodi home; police suspect gang activity may be factor

February 4th, 2010

• Managers at Geweke Toyota answer questions about recall

• Lodi City Council votes to replace play structure at Century Park

• Lodi extends ban on pot shops for another year

• Mokelumne River triathlon set for June

• Family, friends to run half-marathon in memory of Galt family

February 3rd, 2010

• Correction

• Regional Roundup

• Delta College trustees again collide over stipend committee

• Lodi-area senators Dave Cox, Lois Wolk admit to gifts; Tom Berryhill case pending

• Lodi Unified School District president issues warning to speakers over cuts

• Galt City Council avoids budget cuts — for now

• New Lodi Memorial Hospital emergency room opens to the public without a hitch

• Bad bugs, weeds are hot topics at Grape Day

February 2nd, 2010

• Big rig plows 7 cars

• Local business leaders say tourism, Costco, Home Depot may play roles in city's future

• Former Lodian Erica Davis is first paraplegic woman to summit Kilimanjaro

• Jumpers across California

• Correction

• Regional Roundup

• No snow leopards, otters for Micke Grove

• McNerney leads in campaign cash

• Police: Train victim was a Lodi teen

February 1st, 2010

• Find cuddly alpacas not too far from Lodi

• Public Meetings

• Patients can expect faster, better service when Lodi Memorial Hospital's new emergency room opens

• Man killed by Amtrak train in Lodi

The following stories have received the most reader comments during the last 7 days.

• Will terrorists be given Miranda warnings? (75)
• President Obama's first year (67)
• Lodi Unified School District president issues warning to speakers over cuts (64)
• Local business leaders say tourism, Costco, Home Depot may play roles in city's future (60)
• Islamic symbol in mosaic — what is all the fuss? (49)
• Many reject the politics of 'no' (43)
• Writer comments on Neely column (42)
• The Home Depot hopes to join Costco at Reynolds Ranch (41)
• Police: Train victim was a Lodi teen (31)
• Time to shed the convenient sham of 'Don't ask, don't tell' policy (31)

ADVERTISEMENT

America: Losing its identity, or in transition?

As with any American, we sometimes need to be reminded of what makes America great above all other countries — not the melting pot factor, but that Americans are courageous to challenge and define what a nation of freedom represents.

Eric Holder stated that Americans are "a nation of cowards." I am not sure what he wanted to expostulate in his message; however, race has nothing to do with a divide in our country and we are definitely not a country of cowards.

Americans respect people who come to this country, work, live and contribute to the country by means of innovation, business development or influence of our American culture through art or talent. We love and embrace the history and stories of the American street runts who, through ambition, drive and talent, lead them to wealth and fame. America is a self-portrait of freedom that expands beyond the spectrum of races, colors and religions.

Friends of mine ask me if we are losing our American Identity. I responded back by asking. "What defines an American?"

Americans, as our founders understood, are grounded by actions and attitudes. We are a culmination of people who brought contemptible or came to America to escape tyranny or poverty, or search for opportunity that has been going on since the declaration of our independence.

Our country is going through a transition. With any transition it may not have all the alacrity compared to many other campaigns our nation has endeavored. We will all play a part in the emendation of how our country faces our economic trials and future diplomacies both domestic and global.

One thing I know about my fellow Americans is that we shine our best during our most challenging and humbling events in our history. America is not losing its identity, but simply transitioning the flat platitude of our government and citizens representing America as the greatest country on the earth.

Rudy Gutierrez
Lodi