Letters to the Editor 03-24-2005
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- Freedom Of ExpressionEditor, Times-Union: - Individuals - Who Are We?
Freedom Of ExpressionEditor, Times-Union:
This is in response to "Counterproductive" March 15. Although I do respect the author's request that I am not welcome to support any of his letters in the future, what's puzzling to me is Mr. Houze's attempt to limit my writing, after making such a firm statement in favor of free speech or freedom of expression. First off, Mr. Houze, I don't believe you are the ultimate arbiter of what appears on the opinion page of the Times-Union. As I understand, that job is the editor's. You are not trying to usurp his authority are you?I fully understand your fear of my sharp-edged words offending those in power. The truth always disturbs those in power. I could give you many examples of those who spoke or speak truth to power, but just one should suffice: Jesus Christ.
Opinion is an interesting word -Êbelief, judgment, formal statement by an expert. The word opinion has as many negative connotations as it has positive. Before I form an opinion I must research the topic. An informed opinion is the only one safe from attack. The only thing left to the attacker is the character of the person with the informed opinion. One can see this time after time if we look at the past and the present we find many examples ...
Mr. Houze, I respect your opinion, and the safe position you've set up for yourself politically. This same safe position is found in your writing. Lukewarm words are seemingly safe, but not real effective, and mostly invite attack. If you recall, Mr. Houze, Kent Coldren's attack was an attack on your words, not mine.
With this in mind, one could say your words are more apt to start a civil war or revolution than mine. Have a very safe life.
In conclusion, I want to make a short comment on "Personal Attacks" by Mark Rogers. This is without a doubt the best condensed writing on the topic of freedom of speech and expression that I've read so far. Mark's piece was also published March 15. Thank you, Mark.
Gene May
Etna Green
Individuals
Editor, Times-Union:Thank you to Carrie Stucklen for your response to the letter that I submitted on March 16. I do appreciate your concern and input. I agree with you that the lifestyle of a molester can be anyone in the community. I realize that the sexual orientation of the aggressor does not matter and that it is pretty irrelevant. That is what I meant in my letter when I said that there are individuals in all walks of life or in different lifestyles of people that can give their own group a bad name. I only referred mainly with the gay lifestyle because of how society can point their fingers at a particular group. I'm not trying to judge people in society but that is the way it seems to be in many cases. But I sincerely appreciate your input, Carrie.
Also, I would like to add that when my letter was printed on March 16, you may have noticed immediately following was a line that said that the letter had to be edited due to the length, so I would like to now add the part that was taken out. It is as follows.
I need to say some things about differences in individuals. I will say it in general terms relating to this situation and not of this situation since nothing has been proven yet. When things like this occur it is very unfortunate for many different people. First and foremost it is unfortunate and devastating for the children or the victim(s). They will need immediate counseling and a lot of attention from their parents and ones that they can trust, in some cases they may not know who to trust. But most important, they need to know that this is in no way any fault of their own.
It is also unfortunate for the aggressor because they will no longer be trusted due to their immoral actions, nor should they be. There is obviously something very wrong or troubling in their lives and they need to be dealt with and need to know that their actions are totally and morally unacceptable, unexcusable and should not go unpunished.
You are right, Carrie, a child molester is a sick, sick individual. I think we can all agree with that.
Yes, we do need to protect the children or other potential victims, that should be the most important idea in these situations and I do apologize if it seemed that I was only protecting those in the gay lifestyle. That was not my total intention but I did feel that it needed to be said. I was merely trying to protect the reputation of the innocent individuals in the gay lifestyle, those that would never have a part in something such as this. And yes, child molesters are in all walks of society.
Hopefully, we as a society and community can find a way to protect the children from these predators.
Kerry Mills
Mentone
via e-mail
Who Are We?
Editor, Times-Union:It is significant that our first astronauts, while being trained, were required to give 20 answers to the question, "Who are you?" What would you and I answer? There is an inborn sense of being more than we are. Plato, centuries before Christ, philosophized that there must be a perfection somewhere, something beyond life's imperfections here.
When such questions do not find answers which satisfy, desperation, despondency and even the choice of death can result, as evidenced in the climbing number of middle and high school students and soldiers suicides.
Contributing to the sad picture is the influence of the evil one, Satan, who has control of, and works through hundreds of agents, who promote sex and pornography in every media, poluting young minds, and older ones too. He has intellectuals in high positions teaching a hedonistic, and permissive philosophy. Just think of the end result in anyone, if and when no hope and no absolute truth is known, as in the l0 Commandments. The only commitment Satan's agents have is "to get ours no matter what happens to others; and away with morality and religion which makes us feel guilty."
When a baby is born, he or she is very selfish. Crying is the way early learned to get its way. How carefully and lovingly, training is necessary to grow out of selfishness. If there is failure, Satan gladly takes over. A lifetime of "what satisfies and pleases me" becomes priority. This is not as God intended. This results in what Jesus spoke of as "being lost." Luke l5 in the Bible tells of a young man who ended up in a pig pen after he emptied his wallet on temporary friends, and "having it his way." But he had "good early home training" and knew to go back home to his father.
This is what God intended and wants each of us to do. He loves the "lost ones." He invites the lost ones to come his way, and be freed from Satan. He did salvage work for us through Jesus his son, who absorbed all of our sin by his death on the cross. Talk about love! Satan is defeated when you and I come to our senses, accept God's salvage gift, Jesus, and follow and live for him. Turn, pray and accept him.
Who am I, who are you? Living souls who need not to be lost, because "Jesus came to save whose who are lost."(Matthew l8:ll)
C.L. Hendrix
Winona Lake
via e-mail
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- Freedom Of ExpressionEditor, Times-Union: - Individuals - Who Are We?
Freedom Of ExpressionEditor, Times-Union:
This is in response to "Counterproductive" March 15. Although I do respect the author's request that I am not welcome to support any of his letters in the future, what's puzzling to me is Mr. Houze's attempt to limit my writing, after making such a firm statement in favor of free speech or freedom of expression. First off, Mr. Houze, I don't believe you are the ultimate arbiter of what appears on the opinion page of the Times-Union. As I understand, that job is the editor's. You are not trying to usurp his authority are you?I fully understand your fear of my sharp-edged words offending those in power. The truth always disturbs those in power. I could give you many examples of those who spoke or speak truth to power, but just one should suffice: Jesus Christ.
Opinion is an interesting word -Êbelief, judgment, formal statement by an expert. The word opinion has as many negative connotations as it has positive. Before I form an opinion I must research the topic. An informed opinion is the only one safe from attack. The only thing left to the attacker is the character of the person with the informed opinion. One can see this time after time if we look at the past and the present we find many examples ...
Mr. Houze, I respect your opinion, and the safe position you've set up for yourself politically. This same safe position is found in your writing. Lukewarm words are seemingly safe, but not real effective, and mostly invite attack. If you recall, Mr. Houze, Kent Coldren's attack was an attack on your words, not mine.
With this in mind, one could say your words are more apt to start a civil war or revolution than mine. Have a very safe life.
In conclusion, I want to make a short comment on "Personal Attacks" by Mark Rogers. This is without a doubt the best condensed writing on the topic of freedom of speech and expression that I've read so far. Mark's piece was also published March 15. Thank you, Mark.
Gene May
Etna Green
Individuals
Editor, Times-Union:Thank you to Carrie Stucklen for your response to the letter that I submitted on March 16. I do appreciate your concern and input. I agree with you that the lifestyle of a molester can be anyone in the community. I realize that the sexual orientation of the aggressor does not matter and that it is pretty irrelevant. That is what I meant in my letter when I said that there are individuals in all walks of life or in different lifestyles of people that can give their own group a bad name. I only referred mainly with the gay lifestyle because of how society can point their fingers at a particular group. I'm not trying to judge people in society but that is the way it seems to be in many cases. But I sincerely appreciate your input, Carrie.
Also, I would like to add that when my letter was printed on March 16, you may have noticed immediately following was a line that said that the letter had to be edited due to the length, so I would like to now add the part that was taken out. It is as follows.
I need to say some things about differences in individuals. I will say it in general terms relating to this situation and not of this situation since nothing has been proven yet. When things like this occur it is very unfortunate for many different people. First and foremost it is unfortunate and devastating for the children or the victim(s). They will need immediate counseling and a lot of attention from their parents and ones that they can trust, in some cases they may not know who to trust. But most important, they need to know that this is in no way any fault of their own.
It is also unfortunate for the aggressor because they will no longer be trusted due to their immoral actions, nor should they be. There is obviously something very wrong or troubling in their lives and they need to be dealt with and need to know that their actions are totally and morally unacceptable, unexcusable and should not go unpunished.
You are right, Carrie, a child molester is a sick, sick individual. I think we can all agree with that.
Yes, we do need to protect the children or other potential victims, that should be the most important idea in these situations and I do apologize if it seemed that I was only protecting those in the gay lifestyle. That was not my total intention but I did feel that it needed to be said. I was merely trying to protect the reputation of the innocent individuals in the gay lifestyle, those that would never have a part in something such as this. And yes, child molesters are in all walks of society.
Hopefully, we as a society and community can find a way to protect the children from these predators.
Kerry Mills
Mentone
via e-mail
Who Are We?
Editor, Times-Union:It is significant that our first astronauts, while being trained, were required to give 20 answers to the question, "Who are you?" What would you and I answer? There is an inborn sense of being more than we are. Plato, centuries before Christ, philosophized that there must be a perfection somewhere, something beyond life's imperfections here.
When such questions do not find answers which satisfy, desperation, despondency and even the choice of death can result, as evidenced in the climbing number of middle and high school students and soldiers suicides.
Contributing to the sad picture is the influence of the evil one, Satan, who has control of, and works through hundreds of agents, who promote sex and pornography in every media, poluting young minds, and older ones too. He has intellectuals in high positions teaching a hedonistic, and permissive philosophy. Just think of the end result in anyone, if and when no hope and no absolute truth is known, as in the l0 Commandments. The only commitment Satan's agents have is "to get ours no matter what happens to others; and away with morality and religion which makes us feel guilty."
When a baby is born, he or she is very selfish. Crying is the way early learned to get its way. How carefully and lovingly, training is necessary to grow out of selfishness. If there is failure, Satan gladly takes over. A lifetime of "what satisfies and pleases me" becomes priority. This is not as God intended. This results in what Jesus spoke of as "being lost." Luke l5 in the Bible tells of a young man who ended up in a pig pen after he emptied his wallet on temporary friends, and "having it his way." But he had "good early home training" and knew to go back home to his father.
This is what God intended and wants each of us to do. He loves the "lost ones." He invites the lost ones to come his way, and be freed from Satan. He did salvage work for us through Jesus his son, who absorbed all of our sin by his death on the cross. Talk about love! Satan is defeated when you and I come to our senses, accept God's salvage gift, Jesus, and follow and live for him. Turn, pray and accept him.
Who am I, who are you? Living souls who need not to be lost, because "Jesus came to save whose who are lost."(Matthew l8:ll)
C.L. Hendrix
Winona Lake
via e-mail
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