Letters to the Editor 03-09-1998

July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.

By -

- Church And State - Deaths Of The Innocent - Innocent Until Guilty - Unwanted Animals - Candidate Background - Farm Article


Church And State

Editor, Times-Union:
The Times-Union ran a story in the Feb. 27 edition titled "Judge Rules VU Police Did Not Violate Separation of Church and State."

In that story, the attorney for a VU student arrested by campus police for drunken driving argued: "A campus police force violated the constitutional separation of church and state."

The judge in this case ruled: "Valparaiso University is not violating the constitutional principal of separation of church and state."

I will now get to the point of this letter.

The judge and the lawyer both used wording that would imply that the "Separation of church and state," is a constitutional principal.

One would conclude by their statements, that the words "Separation of church and state" appear in the Constitution, but the fact is, no such words exist in the Constitution nor is a "Separation of church and state" implied.

So what is going on here? A judge and a lawyer don't know what the Constitution says, surely this can't be.

So, I did a little digging and this is what I found.

Today, any public display of religion, such as prayer in school, or the Ten Commandments on the wall of a court room is immediately attacked by civil libertarian lawyers, who will claim that these are a violation of the "Establishment clause of the First Amendment," "Separation of church and state."

This is a misrepresentation!

Let me quote the First Amendment "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."

I ask you, do you see the words "Separation of church and state" in the First Amendment? This so called "constitutional principal" does not exist!

So where did this argument come from?

In 1801 the "Danbury Baptist" heard a rumor that there was going to be a "national denomination" made in America, and being as they didn't want this they wrote a letter to Thomas Jefferson, protesting this.

Jefferson's 1802 response was to assure them that, "The First Amendment had erected a wall between the church and state." And Jefferson also stated, in the same letter that, "The wall was one directional, it keeps government from running the church, but insured that the Christian principals remained in government."

The First Amendment was to protect the church from government, not the other way around!

So Jefferson calmed the Danbury Baptists and his letter fell into disuse.

But, this letter is the thing that is used to support this whole idea of separation of church and state!

I am limited as to how much information I can give you in this space, so you will have to keep looking for the rest of the story. I am going to show you that the Supreme Court, in 1947, added words to Jefferson's above quoted 1802 letter and have, with the help of others, fabricated this myth of "separation of church and state," to the point where most people believe these words are really in the Constitution!

Mark Jones
Warsaw

Deaths Of The Innocent

Editor, Times-Union:
Who would not be in favor of trying to depose a despotic ruler like Saddam Hussein, before he kills thousands or even millions of people with chemical weaponry. War in the Middle East seems inevitable based on the current events there.

Iraq is a country of about 20 million people, and it is said that Mr. Hussein killed some of his own people with chemical weapons and gunships. I wonder about the United States, which has nine Justices in Washington who have concurred in the killing of over 30 million innocent Americans in the past 25 years, some by chemically induced deaths (such as saline abortion), others by hacking them to death. We kill our people in secret so it doesn't get worldwide attention, nor has it yet brought squadrons of bombers lurking around our hemisphere, poised to stop the killing with destruction of their own. You can prepare your horses for battle, but safety is of the Lord.

The Lord God of Heaven will yet require blood to be shed for the innocent blood of pre-born babies in this United States, whether or not the so called "Supreme" court and the President make it legal to do the killing. God told us that when He said, "There is no wisdom, nor counsel, nor understanding against the Lord" in the Bible.

Rick W. Wagner
Pierceton

Innocent Until Guilty

Editor, Times-Union:
Why is it that a person is guilty until proven innocent? Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? Did that change somewhere along the years and I'm just not aware of it?

I'm referring to the family of little Austin and Justin Reed. The parents and grandparents couldn't just grieve for their lost babies, they also had to be reminded everyday in the newspapers and on the local news stations that they were under scrutiny by the fire inspectors and police for "possibly" starting the fire (or whatever they were trying to accuse them of).

It's so heartbreaking! Why couldn't they just investigate and keep their suspicions to themselves until they had the actual facts right in front of them. Why put it on the news everyday that they're still being investigated? Why put innocent people through all of this pain when there is already more pain than they can bear?

Sometimes it makes me wonder if it's just to sell more newspapers or make for a better election.

To the families of Austin and Justin: I'm so sorry you were falsely accused and made to suffer more than you already were. And I'm so sorry you lost your little boys. May God be with you in these difficult days ahead.

Susan Van Curen
Mentone

Unwanted Animals

Editor, Times-Union:
Yes, we have a problem - too many unwanted puppies and kittens. We must help them since they cannot help themselves. With your support, the Animal Welfare League of Kosciusko County can, is and will make a difference - spay-neuter program, current innoculations, adoptions, in home loving care.

As membership chairman, I invite all of you to participate by sending $10 for regular membership or $1 for junior membership each. Lifetime membership is $250. Won't you please send today to AWL, P.O. Box 1906, Warsaw, 46581-1906. Any questions please call 267-8566 or 269-2108. Thank you so much for caring.

Margaret F. Scott
Warsaw

Candidate Background

Editor, Times-Union:
I was born in Eastern Kentucky to an Irish and English family. My father was Daniel Boone Conley and my mother was Elizabeth Allen. I was brought up on my grandfather's 300 acre farm. I was a farmer for the first part of my life and I know what the farmer needs. I moved to Warsaw in 1963 with my wife and children. I went to work at Warsaw Plating Works Inc. I worked there 19 years. My first job was at Singer Sewing Machine Company in South Bend. They moved south not long afterward. I lived in Starke County at Knox, (the county seat). While I lived in Knox, I helped build two churches, the First Baptist of Knox and the Bible Baptist on 35S. I worked in these two churches doing visitation work when they went on strike and went back to Kentucky for four years where I met my wife, Christine Miller, to this union was born four children. I also have six grandchildren. I drove to South Bend each day. I then went to Kingsberry Ordinance Plant and applied for a job. I was turned down because of a heart murmur. I lived in LaPorte County and went from there to Bremen and got a job at Lone Star Boat Company where I worked for one year.

I preached in three counties in Kentucky and about 25 or 30 counties in and all the way from Wheatfield to Chicago. I belong to and I am an ordained minister of Jesus Christ of the Independent Baptist Church.

I have been employed the following places: Warsaw Plating; Singer Sewing Machine Company, South Bend; Lone Star Boat Company, Bremen; two summers at NIPSCO; Bethleham Steel; Kmart, Warsaw; Hardee's, Warsaw; Owen's Supermarket, Warsaw; Kingsberry Ordinance Plant; R.R. Donnelley, Warsaw. I now am working at the Marsh Supermarket, Warsaw.

I graduated from Salyersville High School, Salyersville, Ky., with honors. The three last years of high school I had straight A's and at the top of the class. I then attended Lee Junior College for a short time. I was called to preach at age 20. I have preached 44 years. I was ordained and I have preached, married people and conducted funerals. I have never pastored a church. I was called to be an Evangelist preacher. I was not a draft dodger although I was a preacher. I was not a conscientious objector. I went and was examined and turned down for Korea because of my heart murmur. I have worked for people all my life in the ministry. I now stand ready to be your servent and representative in Washington, D.C.

I need your vote, your support. Thank you very much.

Rev. Dewey M. Conley

Farm Article

Editor, Times-Union:
What a joy it is to receive the Times-Union and how refreshing it is to read Kelly Easterday's articles each week. She is so informative to all matters relating to farmers and she makes you feel like each person is special. Most people who farm for a living do not need to be told things of minor details that they learned when they were a child. Her articles talk to you like adults and bring information to let you know what is new in agriculture. Kosciusko County farmers are very fortunate when Ms. Easterday came to our area.

Hilda Hughes
Claypool

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- Church And State - Deaths Of The Innocent - Innocent Until Guilty - Unwanted Animals - Candidate Background - Farm Article


Church And State

Editor, Times-Union:
The Times-Union ran a story in the Feb. 27 edition titled "Judge Rules VU Police Did Not Violate Separation of Church and State."

In that story, the attorney for a VU student arrested by campus police for drunken driving argued: "A campus police force violated the constitutional separation of church and state."

The judge in this case ruled: "Valparaiso University is not violating the constitutional principal of separation of church and state."

I will now get to the point of this letter.

The judge and the lawyer both used wording that would imply that the "Separation of church and state," is a constitutional principal.

One would conclude by their statements, that the words "Separation of church and state" appear in the Constitution, but the fact is, no such words exist in the Constitution nor is a "Separation of church and state" implied.

So what is going on here? A judge and a lawyer don't know what the Constitution says, surely this can't be.

So, I did a little digging and this is what I found.

Today, any public display of religion, such as prayer in school, or the Ten Commandments on the wall of a court room is immediately attacked by civil libertarian lawyers, who will claim that these are a violation of the "Establishment clause of the First Amendment," "Separation of church and state."

This is a misrepresentation!

Let me quote the First Amendment "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."

I ask you, do you see the words "Separation of church and state" in the First Amendment? This so called "constitutional principal" does not exist!

So where did this argument come from?

In 1801 the "Danbury Baptist" heard a rumor that there was going to be a "national denomination" made in America, and being as they didn't want this they wrote a letter to Thomas Jefferson, protesting this.

Jefferson's 1802 response was to assure them that, "The First Amendment had erected a wall between the church and state." And Jefferson also stated, in the same letter that, "The wall was one directional, it keeps government from running the church, but insured that the Christian principals remained in government."

The First Amendment was to protect the church from government, not the other way around!

So Jefferson calmed the Danbury Baptists and his letter fell into disuse.

But, this letter is the thing that is used to support this whole idea of separation of church and state!

I am limited as to how much information I can give you in this space, so you will have to keep looking for the rest of the story. I am going to show you that the Supreme Court, in 1947, added words to Jefferson's above quoted 1802 letter and have, with the help of others, fabricated this myth of "separation of church and state," to the point where most people believe these words are really in the Constitution!

Mark Jones
Warsaw

Deaths Of The Innocent

Editor, Times-Union:
Who would not be in favor of trying to depose a despotic ruler like Saddam Hussein, before he kills thousands or even millions of people with chemical weaponry. War in the Middle East seems inevitable based on the current events there.

Iraq is a country of about 20 million people, and it is said that Mr. Hussein killed some of his own people with chemical weapons and gunships. I wonder about the United States, which has nine Justices in Washington who have concurred in the killing of over 30 million innocent Americans in the past 25 years, some by chemically induced deaths (such as saline abortion), others by hacking them to death. We kill our people in secret so it doesn't get worldwide attention, nor has it yet brought squadrons of bombers lurking around our hemisphere, poised to stop the killing with destruction of their own. You can prepare your horses for battle, but safety is of the Lord.

The Lord God of Heaven will yet require blood to be shed for the innocent blood of pre-born babies in this United States, whether or not the so called "Supreme" court and the President make it legal to do the killing. God told us that when He said, "There is no wisdom, nor counsel, nor understanding against the Lord" in the Bible.

Rick W. Wagner
Pierceton

Innocent Until Guilty

Editor, Times-Union:
Why is it that a person is guilty until proven innocent? Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? Did that change somewhere along the years and I'm just not aware of it?

I'm referring to the family of little Austin and Justin Reed. The parents and grandparents couldn't just grieve for their lost babies, they also had to be reminded everyday in the newspapers and on the local news stations that they were under scrutiny by the fire inspectors and police for "possibly" starting the fire (or whatever they were trying to accuse them of).

It's so heartbreaking! Why couldn't they just investigate and keep their suspicions to themselves until they had the actual facts right in front of them. Why put it on the news everyday that they're still being investigated? Why put innocent people through all of this pain when there is already more pain than they can bear?

Sometimes it makes me wonder if it's just to sell more newspapers or make for a better election.

To the families of Austin and Justin: I'm so sorry you were falsely accused and made to suffer more than you already were. And I'm so sorry you lost your little boys. May God be with you in these difficult days ahead.

Susan Van Curen
Mentone

Unwanted Animals

Editor, Times-Union:
Yes, we have a problem - too many unwanted puppies and kittens. We must help them since they cannot help themselves. With your support, the Animal Welfare League of Kosciusko County can, is and will make a difference - spay-neuter program, current innoculations, adoptions, in home loving care.

As membership chairman, I invite all of you to participate by sending $10 for regular membership or $1 for junior membership each. Lifetime membership is $250. Won't you please send today to AWL, P.O. Box 1906, Warsaw, 46581-1906. Any questions please call 267-8566 or 269-2108. Thank you so much for caring.

Margaret F. Scott
Warsaw

Candidate Background

Editor, Times-Union:
I was born in Eastern Kentucky to an Irish and English family. My father was Daniel Boone Conley and my mother was Elizabeth Allen. I was brought up on my grandfather's 300 acre farm. I was a farmer for the first part of my life and I know what the farmer needs. I moved to Warsaw in 1963 with my wife and children. I went to work at Warsaw Plating Works Inc. I worked there 19 years. My first job was at Singer Sewing Machine Company in South Bend. They moved south not long afterward. I lived in Starke County at Knox, (the county seat). While I lived in Knox, I helped build two churches, the First Baptist of Knox and the Bible Baptist on 35S. I worked in these two churches doing visitation work when they went on strike and went back to Kentucky for four years where I met my wife, Christine Miller, to this union was born four children. I also have six grandchildren. I drove to South Bend each day. I then went to Kingsberry Ordinance Plant and applied for a job. I was turned down because of a heart murmur. I lived in LaPorte County and went from there to Bremen and got a job at Lone Star Boat Company where I worked for one year.

I preached in three counties in Kentucky and about 25 or 30 counties in and all the way from Wheatfield to Chicago. I belong to and I am an ordained minister of Jesus Christ of the Independent Baptist Church.

I have been employed the following places: Warsaw Plating; Singer Sewing Machine Company, South Bend; Lone Star Boat Company, Bremen; two summers at NIPSCO; Bethleham Steel; Kmart, Warsaw; Hardee's, Warsaw; Owen's Supermarket, Warsaw; Kingsberry Ordinance Plant; R.R. Donnelley, Warsaw. I now am working at the Marsh Supermarket, Warsaw.

I graduated from Salyersville High School, Salyersville, Ky., with honors. The three last years of high school I had straight A's and at the top of the class. I then attended Lee Junior College for a short time. I was called to preach at age 20. I have preached 44 years. I was ordained and I have preached, married people and conducted funerals. I have never pastored a church. I was called to be an Evangelist preacher. I was not a draft dodger although I was a preacher. I was not a conscientious objector. I went and was examined and turned down for Korea because of my heart murmur. I have worked for people all my life in the ministry. I now stand ready to be your servent and representative in Washington, D.C.

I need your vote, your support. Thank you very much.

Rev. Dewey M. Conley

Farm Article

Editor, Times-Union:
What a joy it is to receive the Times-Union and how refreshing it is to read Kelly Easterday's articles each week. She is so informative to all matters relating to farmers and she makes you feel like each person is special. Most people who farm for a living do not need to be told things of minor details that they learned when they were a child. Her articles talk to you like adults and bring information to let you know what is new in agriculture. Kosciusko County farmers are very fortunate when Ms. Easterday came to our area.

Hilda Hughes
Claypool

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