Letters to the Editor 04-06-2005
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- Abuse Prevention - Bible Teaching - Deception - Tax And Spend
Abuse Prevention
Editor, Times-Union:The month of April is devoted to celebrating everything we can do to transform our community into a place that cares about and actively supports families and children. By ensuring that all parents in our community have access to quality child care, affordable health services, parenting education resources and substance abuse and mental health programs, we make progress toward what the month stands for: April is Child Abuse Prevention Month.
The majority of child abuse cases stem from situations and conditions that are entirely preventable in an engaged and supportive community. A community that cares about early childhood development, parent support and maternal mental health, for instance, is more likely to see families nurturing children who are born healthy and enter school ready to learn. Towns and counties that work to create school systems and who come together to ensure that affordable housing is available in good, safe neighborhoods are less likely to see stressed, isolated families who do not know where to turn.
Child Abuse Prevention Month is about connecting all of these dots so that the solutions to child abuse receive the attention the public craves. In a recent poll, 89 percent of Americans reported that child abuse was a "very important" moral issue to them. But it's not enough to care about the problem and address its consequences. We have to pay attention to the kinds of efforts that will prevent it from happening in the first place. So this April, learn more about what you and your community can do to support child abuse prevention. It's a shared responsibility and we're stronger together.
Amy L. Drake
President
Child Abuse Prevention Council
Kosciusko County Inc.
Warsaw
Bible Teaching
Editor, Times-Union:The last sentence in your editorial, Gary, asks the question: "Why in the world is the husband (Terri Schiavo's) so unyielding in his demand that his wife be dead?"
Perhaps it is guilt and he in his illogical thinking believes her death will absolve his guilt and free him to marry the mother of his children. It is misguided logic but many people think this way. It goes back to the Bible, which teaches that we do not have the right to remarry as long as our previous spouse is still living. According to Bible teaching, we only have the right to divorce under certain conditions, such as fornication or adultery, and even then, nowhere have I found that we have the right to remarry as long as that ex-spouse lives.
So perhaps in his mind he believes that Terri's death will absolve him and he will be free to remarry. But he has already abandoned all of his marriage vows in that he has not only committed adultery, but he has also rejected the vows that he made for better or worse, and in sickness and in health.
Only God knows what's in his heart and that alone will convict him.
We as sinners are rebellious and selfish, knowing right from wrong, yet somehow thinking we can live our lives our way, rather than God's way, all the while making excuses in order to justify our sinful desires and wrongful choices.
I myself have been married and divorced three times, been in business and lost because I was determined to do it my way, rather than God's way. I have no one to blame for my wrong choices except myself. I was stubborn, bullheaded and rebellious. As my aunt says, some of us have to hit bottom before we can look up.
Jesus came to show us the way and until we can give up ourselves as he did, until we can stop making excuses for our weaknesses and our sins, accept responsibility for our wrongful choices and confess our sins, only then can we accept the forgiveness and mercy of our heavenly father and enjoy the peace that can only come from him.
Deanna Newton
Warsaw
Deception
Editor, Times-Union:Oh, what a tangled web we weave when at first we practice to deceive.
This tangled web is a liar's prison, they are entangled because of one bad decision and obvious lack of foresight or vision.
The tangled web has a snowballing effect. With layers upon layers of lies to detect the outside observer can see at a glance that frequent liars don't stand a chance of convincing a public that believes in the truth, that lying is acceptable and not so uncouth.
One lie is forgiven if an admission is made and all wounds are healed, and all dues are paid. But when we refuse to admit to a lie that cripples the children and makes people die we do a disservice to our father and mother who warned us that one lie leads to another. When the same lies are told again and again, they don't become truth, but the greatest of sin for the lie will never be akin to the glorious truth that stands free of spin on the highest point that exists on Earth, this truth we've all known from the moment of birth. It shines brilliant light at the center of our being and gives us the function of hearing and seeing.
But when we turn away from the light, we begin to lose our hearing, we begin to lose our sight ... there in the shadows of dark gray the tangled web now comes into play. Is it truth? Is it lie? One just can't say but let us not forget we are turned the wrong way. This truly is a matter of direction away from the light and total perfection that gives us our freedom and protection.
We must remember what we've known from the start. The truth lives deep within the heart. At the center of our being the light does shine, it's shining in yours, it's shining in mine.
For the tangled web I have much disdain, it causes such sorrow it causes such pain. When one is confused and not sure of direction just turn to the light and total perfection.
Gene May
Etna Green
Tax And Spend
Editor, Times-Union:I'm a conservative Republican (grandson of the late Honorable Glenn Funk, Marion County Superior Court Judge-R) and in disbelief as I watch and read of a Republican controlled State of Indiana House, Senate and governorship submit numerous proposals, trial balloons and ideas resulting in tax increase bills. Republicans are proposing an increase in the state gasoline tax, numerous Marion County taxes in support of a new stadium, allowing local governments to raise taxes in lieu of an increase of property taxes and a so-called temporary 1 percent tax on those making over $100,000 a year. Sounds like tax and spend Democrats!
Gasoline is high enough already; I like a nice cold inexpensive beer; fortunately I don't smoke; my wife and I like to spend time in downtown Indy at a nice hotel and dine at a fine restaurant every now and then; and I've never heard of a temporary tax!
I pay like everyone else per month: income taxes - federal, state and county, plus FICA (Social Security), Medicare, property taxes (recently increased due to revaluations), gasoline tax (federal and state) and state sales tax (recently increased from 5 percent to 6 percent). What do these state reps, senators and the governor think I/we are made of? Money? We taxpayers are not in possession of a bottomless money pit. We are being nickeled and dimed to death!
I am amazed that people of all levels of income are not outraged at this abuse of power, the state of Indiana has been spending more than total revenue. As a pilot for American Airlines, I've taken a huge reduction in pay (38 percent) and have made adjustments in living expenses called reduction in spending! The state of Indiana must do the same! Not raise various taxes! Reduce the spending in the various social programs and, if necessary, reduce all spending across the board to bring Indiana back to solvency.
I take back my vote for Governor Daniels, not only has he proposed various tax increases, he also ran as a proponent of Daylight-Saving Time, but with Indiana in the Central Time Zone. But now Governor Daniels said he would consider asking the U.S. DOT for hearings of switching Indiana to the Central Time Zone but he wouldn't ask the federal government right away.
This guy is a deceiver, a typical one-term political hack.
My grandfather is rolling over in his grave at these tax and spend Democ-I mean Republicans.
Robert A. Ragland
Leesburg
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- Abuse Prevention - Bible Teaching - Deception - Tax And Spend
Abuse Prevention
Editor, Times-Union:The month of April is devoted to celebrating everything we can do to transform our community into a place that cares about and actively supports families and children. By ensuring that all parents in our community have access to quality child care, affordable health services, parenting education resources and substance abuse and mental health programs, we make progress toward what the month stands for: April is Child Abuse Prevention Month.
The majority of child abuse cases stem from situations and conditions that are entirely preventable in an engaged and supportive community. A community that cares about early childhood development, parent support and maternal mental health, for instance, is more likely to see families nurturing children who are born healthy and enter school ready to learn. Towns and counties that work to create school systems and who come together to ensure that affordable housing is available in good, safe neighborhoods are less likely to see stressed, isolated families who do not know where to turn.
Child Abuse Prevention Month is about connecting all of these dots so that the solutions to child abuse receive the attention the public craves. In a recent poll, 89 percent of Americans reported that child abuse was a "very important" moral issue to them. But it's not enough to care about the problem and address its consequences. We have to pay attention to the kinds of efforts that will prevent it from happening in the first place. So this April, learn more about what you and your community can do to support child abuse prevention. It's a shared responsibility and we're stronger together.
Amy L. Drake
President
Child Abuse Prevention Council
Kosciusko County Inc.
Warsaw
Bible Teaching
Editor, Times-Union:The last sentence in your editorial, Gary, asks the question: "Why in the world is the husband (Terri Schiavo's) so unyielding in his demand that his wife be dead?"
Perhaps it is guilt and he in his illogical thinking believes her death will absolve his guilt and free him to marry the mother of his children. It is misguided logic but many people think this way. It goes back to the Bible, which teaches that we do not have the right to remarry as long as our previous spouse is still living. According to Bible teaching, we only have the right to divorce under certain conditions, such as fornication or adultery, and even then, nowhere have I found that we have the right to remarry as long as that ex-spouse lives.
So perhaps in his mind he believes that Terri's death will absolve him and he will be free to remarry. But he has already abandoned all of his marriage vows in that he has not only committed adultery, but he has also rejected the vows that he made for better or worse, and in sickness and in health.
Only God knows what's in his heart and that alone will convict him.
We as sinners are rebellious and selfish, knowing right from wrong, yet somehow thinking we can live our lives our way, rather than God's way, all the while making excuses in order to justify our sinful desires and wrongful choices.
I myself have been married and divorced three times, been in business and lost because I was determined to do it my way, rather than God's way. I have no one to blame for my wrong choices except myself. I was stubborn, bullheaded and rebellious. As my aunt says, some of us have to hit bottom before we can look up.
Jesus came to show us the way and until we can give up ourselves as he did, until we can stop making excuses for our weaknesses and our sins, accept responsibility for our wrongful choices and confess our sins, only then can we accept the forgiveness and mercy of our heavenly father and enjoy the peace that can only come from him.
Deanna Newton
Warsaw
Deception
Editor, Times-Union:Oh, what a tangled web we weave when at first we practice to deceive.
This tangled web is a liar's prison, they are entangled because of one bad decision and obvious lack of foresight or vision.
The tangled web has a snowballing effect. With layers upon layers of lies to detect the outside observer can see at a glance that frequent liars don't stand a chance of convincing a public that believes in the truth, that lying is acceptable and not so uncouth.
One lie is forgiven if an admission is made and all wounds are healed, and all dues are paid. But when we refuse to admit to a lie that cripples the children and makes people die we do a disservice to our father and mother who warned us that one lie leads to another. When the same lies are told again and again, they don't become truth, but the greatest of sin for the lie will never be akin to the glorious truth that stands free of spin on the highest point that exists on Earth, this truth we've all known from the moment of birth. It shines brilliant light at the center of our being and gives us the function of hearing and seeing.
But when we turn away from the light, we begin to lose our hearing, we begin to lose our sight ... there in the shadows of dark gray the tangled web now comes into play. Is it truth? Is it lie? One just can't say but let us not forget we are turned the wrong way. This truly is a matter of direction away from the light and total perfection that gives us our freedom and protection.
We must remember what we've known from the start. The truth lives deep within the heart. At the center of our being the light does shine, it's shining in yours, it's shining in mine.
For the tangled web I have much disdain, it causes such sorrow it causes such pain. When one is confused and not sure of direction just turn to the light and total perfection.
Gene May
Etna Green
Tax And Spend
Editor, Times-Union:I'm a conservative Republican (grandson of the late Honorable Glenn Funk, Marion County Superior Court Judge-R) and in disbelief as I watch and read of a Republican controlled State of Indiana House, Senate and governorship submit numerous proposals, trial balloons and ideas resulting in tax increase bills. Republicans are proposing an increase in the state gasoline tax, numerous Marion County taxes in support of a new stadium, allowing local governments to raise taxes in lieu of an increase of property taxes and a so-called temporary 1 percent tax on those making over $100,000 a year. Sounds like tax and spend Democrats!
Gasoline is high enough already; I like a nice cold inexpensive beer; fortunately I don't smoke; my wife and I like to spend time in downtown Indy at a nice hotel and dine at a fine restaurant every now and then; and I've never heard of a temporary tax!
I pay like everyone else per month: income taxes - federal, state and county, plus FICA (Social Security), Medicare, property taxes (recently increased due to revaluations), gasoline tax (federal and state) and state sales tax (recently increased from 5 percent to 6 percent). What do these state reps, senators and the governor think I/we are made of? Money? We taxpayers are not in possession of a bottomless money pit. We are being nickeled and dimed to death!
I am amazed that people of all levels of income are not outraged at this abuse of power, the state of Indiana has been spending more than total revenue. As a pilot for American Airlines, I've taken a huge reduction in pay (38 percent) and have made adjustments in living expenses called reduction in spending! The state of Indiana must do the same! Not raise various taxes! Reduce the spending in the various social programs and, if necessary, reduce all spending across the board to bring Indiana back to solvency.
I take back my vote for Governor Daniels, not only has he proposed various tax increases, he also ran as a proponent of Daylight-Saving Time, but with Indiana in the Central Time Zone. But now Governor Daniels said he would consider asking the U.S. DOT for hearings of switching Indiana to the Central Time Zone but he wouldn't ask the federal government right away.
This guy is a deceiver, a typical one-term political hack.
My grandfather is rolling over in his grave at these tax and spend Democ-I mean Republicans.
Robert A. Ragland
Leesburg
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