Letters to the Editor 04-21-2003
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- News Views Tripe - Manchester Options - Human Conflict - Family In Need - Packages For Troops
News Views Tripe
Editor, Times-Union:Your article of Saturday, April 19, 2003, on censorship was one of the most irresponsible pieces of tripe I have read in a while. How could you, the editor of a newspaper, write this? "W"? Is that your pet name for him or are you buds? Or is that a pathetic attempt to claim familiarity with him? On Wednesday evenings I have a one-hour respite from my surroundings, but I never forget where I am. I know I live in Republicanville surrounded by Bushettes. Your enthusiasm is amazing to behold as I watch you all push and shove each other to careen over the edge of the cliff throwing freedom to the winds. One thing you would do well to remember, being in the business of printed news, is that when you write articles condoning censorship, as your well disguised barbs did, you cut your own throat. You see, despite the current administration's best attempts, so far we still live in a democracy and the rules apply to everyone, and when you declare that we have to give up our right to disagree or suffer the consequences, then, so do you. W won't be in office forever, fortunately the worst that can happen is he will do two terms. If you really believe that it is all right to disagree as long as those who don't like it are allowed to put you out of business for it, then you need to sit down and read the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. While you're at it, brush up on a little American history. We are here today because someone disagreed and dared to stand up and say so.
Deborah L. Smith
Democrat (yes, there really is one out there)
Warsaw
via e-mail
Manchester Options
Editor, Times-Union:In response to the cost reduction plan presented to the Manchester Community School Board on April 1, a group of parents met on April 15 to discuss possible suggestions and alternatives to the proposed cuts.
This was part of an effort to "think outside-the-box" as was proposed by an individual at the board meeting. The group also discussed our prioritization for reinstatement of programs, if money should become available.
Following is a list of suggestions or ideas that we created. Many of these could be temporary changes to help see us through this period of financial crisis. They are not in order of priority.
Have you considered:
1. Hiring a full- or part-time grant writer or soliciting volunteers for grant writing?
2. Exploring the potential of the $5M for technology grant noted in Senate Budget Bill 1001?
3. Having administrators pay the same percentage of benefit coverage as other staff?
4. Combining the transportation director with the assistant superintendent's job?
5. Making program cuts based on merit, not cost?
6. Decreasing all coaching salaries?
7. Suspending pay to school board members?
8. Eliminating the assistant superintendent job and replacing it with a business manager?
9. Equalizing the numbers of students at the elementary schools and eliminating the assistant principal job at Manchester Elementary?
10. Relocating Central Office to another facility in the corporation?
11. Improving the early retirement plan to make retirement more enticing?
12. Improving the utility management in the buildings (ie., fine-tune the heating/cooling for most cost-effective use) and looking into Senate Budget Bill-1001 that will allow utilities to be paid from Capital Projects funds?
13. Instituting a fee schedule for extracurricular activities with a scholarship program for those unable to pay the fee?
14. Reducing the administrative staff so that the administrator to student ratio is comparable to the teacher to student ratio?
15. Tapping into the retired citizen and college student population for potential volunteers?
16. Working with the homeschooled population to encourage enrollment as part-time students in order to increase our state funds?
We appreciate the questions you've answered in the newspaper, but we would still like to know what clustering will look like for the Gemini students.
Here is our priority list of programs for reinstatement:
1. Reading Recovery position - can this come from Special Funds?
2. Special Education position
3. Gemini positions
Thank you for considering these ideas and suggestions.
Dan Andersen, Judi Brown,
Amy Brumbaugh-Smith,
Debbie Chinworth, Ann Hartsough,
Pam Higgins, Chris Huffman,
Carol Johnson, Michael Kiester,
Mary Lahman, Janet McElwee,
Lucy McKinley, Mike McKinley,
Kathy Parrett, David Strobel
via e-mail
Human Conflict
Editor, Times-Union:The situation in Iraq reminds us that humans are continually in conflict because humans have been taught that conflict and violence are acceptable behaviors.
Our holy scriptures contain passages in which God vents his anger at humans by killing them, or causing sickness and pestilence, or placing some other disaster in their path. This has produced a widespread belief in a God who uses and condones the use of violence as a means of conflict resolution.
Unless we change these basic beliefs, we will never see an end to the kinds of tragedies we are now witnessing. There is something that we can do about all this, however. We can all take The Five Steps to Peace:
1. Permit ourselves to acknowledge that some of our old beliefs about God and about life are no longer working.
2. Explore the possibility that there is something we do not understand about God and about life, the understanding of which could change everything.
3. Announce that we are willing for new understandings about God and about life to now be brought forth, understandings that could produce a new way of life on this planet.
4. Courageously examine these new understandings and, if they align with our personal inner truth and knowing, enlarge our belief system to include them.
5. Express our lives as a demonstration of our highest beliefs, rather than as a denial of them.
I encourage humanity to do so.
Donna Stewart
Warsaw
via e-mail
Family In Need
Editor, Times-Union:There is a family in Claypool that is in need. A run of bad luck has hit them. They have three children and their electricity has been shut off. They are living there with no electricity. They are the type of people that would help anyone. They are also the type of people that don't like to ask for help. But I, as a concerned citizen and a really good friend, am asking if there is anyone out there that would be willing to donate any money to help out this family.
In order for them to have their electricity turned on, they need $1,590.44. Any contributions would be greatly appreciated. You may contact me at 265-6753.
Larry Sainer
Claypool
Packages For Troops
Editor, Times-Union:Unfortunately, the headlines recently in the news media concerning unsolicited mail for our deployed service personnel has all but stopped donations to Enduring Freedom Supporters of Indiana at Lakeside Chevrolet.
Funds for shipping and the following items are still required to continue our support effort: toothpaste, tooth brushes, soap, tube shaving cream, disposable razors, deodorant sticks, skin lotion, insect repellent, flea collars, sunscreen, eye drops, mouth wash, wet wipes, food snacks, powdered drink mix, beef jerky, dried fruit, gum, disposable cameras, boot socks and stationary. Aerosol cans and heavy items cannot be sent. Please make monetary donations payable to "Enduring Freedom Supporters of Indiana" and mail to P.O. Box 1769 Warsaw, IN 46581. Donated items are also being collected at the following locations: American Legion Posts in Syracuse, Pierceton and Warsaw; the VFW Posts in Syracuse and Warsaw, the Silver Lake Lions Club and the Wal-Mart in Warsaw. To date, approximately 500 packages have been mailed to our local servicemen and women. Their e-mail responses to this effort were very grateful and they said to "keep them coming."
Jack Stump, Tammy Shepherd
Lakeside Chevrolet, 269-1666
[[In-content Ad]]
- News Views Tripe - Manchester Options - Human Conflict - Family In Need - Packages For Troops
News Views Tripe
Editor, Times-Union:Your article of Saturday, April 19, 2003, on censorship was one of the most irresponsible pieces of tripe I have read in a while. How could you, the editor of a newspaper, write this? "W"? Is that your pet name for him or are you buds? Or is that a pathetic attempt to claim familiarity with him? On Wednesday evenings I have a one-hour respite from my surroundings, but I never forget where I am. I know I live in Republicanville surrounded by Bushettes. Your enthusiasm is amazing to behold as I watch you all push and shove each other to careen over the edge of the cliff throwing freedom to the winds. One thing you would do well to remember, being in the business of printed news, is that when you write articles condoning censorship, as your well disguised barbs did, you cut your own throat. You see, despite the current administration's best attempts, so far we still live in a democracy and the rules apply to everyone, and when you declare that we have to give up our right to disagree or suffer the consequences, then, so do you. W won't be in office forever, fortunately the worst that can happen is he will do two terms. If you really believe that it is all right to disagree as long as those who don't like it are allowed to put you out of business for it, then you need to sit down and read the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. While you're at it, brush up on a little American history. We are here today because someone disagreed and dared to stand up and say so.
Deborah L. Smith
Democrat (yes, there really is one out there)
Warsaw
via e-mail
Manchester Options
Editor, Times-Union:In response to the cost reduction plan presented to the Manchester Community School Board on April 1, a group of parents met on April 15 to discuss possible suggestions and alternatives to the proposed cuts.
This was part of an effort to "think outside-the-box" as was proposed by an individual at the board meeting. The group also discussed our prioritization for reinstatement of programs, if money should become available.
Following is a list of suggestions or ideas that we created. Many of these could be temporary changes to help see us through this period of financial crisis. They are not in order of priority.
Have you considered:
1. Hiring a full- or part-time grant writer or soliciting volunteers for grant writing?
2. Exploring the potential of the $5M for technology grant noted in Senate Budget Bill 1001?
3. Having administrators pay the same percentage of benefit coverage as other staff?
4. Combining the transportation director with the assistant superintendent's job?
5. Making program cuts based on merit, not cost?
6. Decreasing all coaching salaries?
7. Suspending pay to school board members?
8. Eliminating the assistant superintendent job and replacing it with a business manager?
9. Equalizing the numbers of students at the elementary schools and eliminating the assistant principal job at Manchester Elementary?
10. Relocating Central Office to another facility in the corporation?
11. Improving the early retirement plan to make retirement more enticing?
12. Improving the utility management in the buildings (ie., fine-tune the heating/cooling for most cost-effective use) and looking into Senate Budget Bill-1001 that will allow utilities to be paid from Capital Projects funds?
13. Instituting a fee schedule for extracurricular activities with a scholarship program for those unable to pay the fee?
14. Reducing the administrative staff so that the administrator to student ratio is comparable to the teacher to student ratio?
15. Tapping into the retired citizen and college student population for potential volunteers?
16. Working with the homeschooled population to encourage enrollment as part-time students in order to increase our state funds?
We appreciate the questions you've answered in the newspaper, but we would still like to know what clustering will look like for the Gemini students.
Here is our priority list of programs for reinstatement:
1. Reading Recovery position - can this come from Special Funds?
2. Special Education position
3. Gemini positions
Thank you for considering these ideas and suggestions.
Dan Andersen, Judi Brown,
Amy Brumbaugh-Smith,
Debbie Chinworth, Ann Hartsough,
Pam Higgins, Chris Huffman,
Carol Johnson, Michael Kiester,
Mary Lahman, Janet McElwee,
Lucy McKinley, Mike McKinley,
Kathy Parrett, David Strobel
via e-mail
Human Conflict
Editor, Times-Union:The situation in Iraq reminds us that humans are continually in conflict because humans have been taught that conflict and violence are acceptable behaviors.
Our holy scriptures contain passages in which God vents his anger at humans by killing them, or causing sickness and pestilence, or placing some other disaster in their path. This has produced a widespread belief in a God who uses and condones the use of violence as a means of conflict resolution.
Unless we change these basic beliefs, we will never see an end to the kinds of tragedies we are now witnessing. There is something that we can do about all this, however. We can all take The Five Steps to Peace:
1. Permit ourselves to acknowledge that some of our old beliefs about God and about life are no longer working.
2. Explore the possibility that there is something we do not understand about God and about life, the understanding of which could change everything.
3. Announce that we are willing for new understandings about God and about life to now be brought forth, understandings that could produce a new way of life on this planet.
4. Courageously examine these new understandings and, if they align with our personal inner truth and knowing, enlarge our belief system to include them.
5. Express our lives as a demonstration of our highest beliefs, rather than as a denial of them.
I encourage humanity to do so.
Donna Stewart
Warsaw
via e-mail
Family In Need
Editor, Times-Union:There is a family in Claypool that is in need. A run of bad luck has hit them. They have three children and their electricity has been shut off. They are living there with no electricity. They are the type of people that would help anyone. They are also the type of people that don't like to ask for help. But I, as a concerned citizen and a really good friend, am asking if there is anyone out there that would be willing to donate any money to help out this family.
In order for them to have their electricity turned on, they need $1,590.44. Any contributions would be greatly appreciated. You may contact me at 265-6753.
Larry Sainer
Claypool
Packages For Troops
Editor, Times-Union:Unfortunately, the headlines recently in the news media concerning unsolicited mail for our deployed service personnel has all but stopped donations to Enduring Freedom Supporters of Indiana at Lakeside Chevrolet.
Funds for shipping and the following items are still required to continue our support effort: toothpaste, tooth brushes, soap, tube shaving cream, disposable razors, deodorant sticks, skin lotion, insect repellent, flea collars, sunscreen, eye drops, mouth wash, wet wipes, food snacks, powdered drink mix, beef jerky, dried fruit, gum, disposable cameras, boot socks and stationary. Aerosol cans and heavy items cannot be sent. Please make monetary donations payable to "Enduring Freedom Supporters of Indiana" and mail to P.O. Box 1769 Warsaw, IN 46581. Donated items are also being collected at the following locations: American Legion Posts in Syracuse, Pierceton and Warsaw; the VFW Posts in Syracuse and Warsaw, the Silver Lake Lions Club and the Wal-Mart in Warsaw. To date, approximately 500 packages have been mailed to our local servicemen and women. Their e-mail responses to this effort were very grateful and they said to "keep them coming."
Jack Stump, Tammy Shepherd
Lakeside Chevrolet, 269-1666
[[In-content Ad]]
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