Letters to the Editor 05-25-1999
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- Gun Laws - Jail Conditions - Code Enforcement - Animal Welfare - Prairie View Thanks - Voting - Angels Among Us - Safe Boating
Gun Laws
Editor, Times-Union:Thank God above,the congress passed another gun law today, now there won't be any more high school shootings, yeah right, personally, I think we need to impeach the congress for wasting the tax payer's money. They spent a whole day on a piece of paper that won't stop anyone, what a joke, and we're paying for this. It's not the gun, it's the person behind the gun. If a law that should be passed, it's a law that says parents need to teach their kids right from wrong and discipline. Have a nice day.
Michael L. Stevens, PiercetonÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ
via e-mail
Jail Conditions
Editor, Times-Union:So you didn't like our jail! Too bad! I'm sure you were taught (if not at home) in school, that if you did a crime against society you had to pay for it. Three days are very little to serve.
You complained about your sheet. Well, I would bet your sheets at home are not changed more than once a week. As for your receiving rehabilitation, it's proven to be a waste of time and you already know that you need to live by the law and stay out of jail. Also complaining about the food you were served; consider yourself lucky to get it, cause in the past - bread and water was it!
As for the ones you said you wanted to help because they were not causing any trouble, well, that's what they're supposed to do - not cause any trouble. They've caused trouble enough.
Dixie Lawshe, Warsaw
Code Enforcement
Editor, Times-Union:This letter is to thank Pam Kennedy and Larry Clifford for their efforts in trying to enforce people to comply with Warsaw's building codes. I have been a homeowner on West Fort Wayne Street for 20 years.
The past three years our neighborhood has a homeowner certainly not abiding by any rules! Not only is there no "consideration or respect for neighbors" but in my opinion, it is a danger also. We have lots of small children in this area. And when several lawnmowers are piled up but the lawn is never mowed along with old tires, various other objects and jugs half full of some unknown substance, and then children's toys are added to the heap, it becomes a hazardous situation. And why does a two licensed driver household need seven or eight vehicles blocking the street? Also this is a residential area, not a commercial one. This neighborhood is behind you all the way! Keep up the good work.
Martha Sellers, Warsaw
via e-mail
Animal Welfare
Editor, Times-Union:Thanks to some fine people in Kosciusko County, a total of 25 dogs and cats no longer have to live their lives in little cages! These animals were adopted the weekend of May 1-2 from the Animal Welfare League Rescue and Adoption Center. Unfortunately, we still have over 100 dogs and over 180 cats that still need homes. If you want a lap cat - come see us!
And to the people who dropped off nine puppies on a Sunday a few weeks ago - why didn't you bring the puppies in the building instead of putting them in one of the outdoor cages and then speeding off in your car? There were at least six of us there working that day. Were you afraid we would demand money, refuse the puppies or "read you the riot act?" We wouldn't have done any of those things. We would have liked to have known something about the puppies though, like when they were born and what kind of dogs are their parents. We do want to thank you for letting us have the puppies and not just dropping them off on a country road. Our concern is that the mother will continue having unwanted litters of puppies. We want to help. Whoever you are, please contact any local veterinarian and ask for one of our spay/neuter forms. The AWL will assist you in getting her spayed. And to the people who did the same thing on the same day but left us two dogs instead of a bunch of puppies, we wish you would have stopped in and given us some information on these dogs. We do know they were two terrified animals. It makes them more adoptable if we know, for example, if they like children or if they like cats. People coming in to adopt an older dog want to know these things. Please, people, we don't bite either - so bring the animals inside to us.
We are still working on the Cat Viewing Room that will house about 50 cats. If anyone is remodeling and has a good used picture window or bay window they don't want, we could really use it for our Cat Viewing Room. We want these cats to be able to see the outdoors, see the sunshine, watch the birds! If anyone has any cages or outside kennels that they would like to donate, please call the center at 267-3008. We really need cat and dog toys, too.
Our address is 3489 E. CR 100S, Pierceton (located behind Quality Farm & Fleet). Be sure to visit our website at www.awl-warsaw.org. If you would like to become a member of AWL, please call me at 834-4786, and I'll send you a membership application.
Peggy Gerkin, AWL Membership Chairman
Prairie View Thanks
Editor, Times-Union:The staff and residents of Prairie View Health Care Center would like to thank the maintenance department, Bryon Kiser and Dale Jackson Sr., for doing such a great job renovating the courtyard for our enjoyment. We all thank you!
Steve Jones, Administrator
Voting
Editor, Times-Union:For most of the 45+ years I have been voting, it has been my opinion that those who voted a straight party ticket were so dumb that they should not have had the right to vote.
But, in the last seven years since having gotten involved as an independent, I have had a rude awakening. The two major parties have had it so locked up that their candidates will be voted in (at least in this state) probably even if 95 percent of the voters do not show up to vote. Why? Because both of the two major parties are controlled by special interest groups. In plain English, they are owned, and not by the voters.
As a former Congressional candidate, I will tell you that it should be a crime the way an independent is treated by some of the voter registration clerks and much of the populace that doesn't have a clue about other people's rights or the Constitution. Most voters do not realize or understand what a person not of the two major parties or one of the three splinter parties need go through just to exercise their right to run for offices. Or to give some of the disenfranchised people a choice. Most voters do not know or realize that an independent must get a certain number of signatures in every county in which they need to be on the ballot. These signatures must be by registered voters. Every one of them is checked by the voter registration clerk of the county. Some clerks will go out of the way to remove people from the petition, i.e. not being able to read a middle initial of the voter signing the petition, not being able to distinguish a 3 from an 8 in a street address, etc.
What it really comes down to is this: party hacks are afraid of the competition. Or, that maybe they will lose their job if someone gets in that knows there is a problem, or what the answer to a problem might be. But mostly it comes to their loss of having someone that they can control.
At all levels of government these offices are being purchased. When a Congressional candidate spends a half a million dollars or more every two years for a job that pays $135,000, or $10,000 is spent on behalf of someone for a part-time job that pays $5,000, these positions are all being bought and they are owned by special interests. Mr. Perot said that America was not for sale at any price.
FACT: The United States has been and is being sold. Starting on Dec. 26, 1913 with the creation of the privately owned and controlled Federal Reserve Banking System; on July 13, 1933 with the IRS being turned over to a private corporation to draft the tax regulations and being allowed to collect taxes for the government; with the sellout of the U.S. Postal System in the 1970's; with all of the deals that the U.S. Congress has slipped in since the 1980's that allow foreign companies to be major stockholders in American companies; with such treaties such as NAFTA in 1993 that has allowed many of our jobs to be shipped to Mexico where labor is not much more than a dollar an hour - still carry the American label and allow the CEO's and other big shots to make outrageous profits and salaries; laws which allow products to be made by either child or prison labor in countries that do not have or respect human rights laws and sold in this country - the CEO's and blue chip stockholders again benefit; laws that allow foreigners to donate to campaigns.
Many of you have said that you want reform of the government at all levels. If this is the case, it seems odd that in the entire 92 counties of Indiana, less than 50 people have shown enough interest to run for some 900 political offices at the local level.
For those of you that think you own this country: if you are not a member of one of the special interest groups, think again. Think reform.
C.L. Alfred, Peru
Angels Among Us
Editor, Times-Union:Last Friday night (the 21st), my husband and I had gone to see the new Star Wars movie. While in line, we noticed everyone had tickets. I turned to my husband and said, "We might as well go home."
A lady who dropped her kids off overheard us talking and said she "had bought seven tickets and two kids hadn't shown up. Would we like to buy the two tickets left?" We said, "That would be wonderful!" We bought the tickets and looked forward to the movie.
When the movie was over, we headed for our car. Just as we were getting in, the lady who had given us the tickets came by and handed me a card. I looked at her with surprise on my face and said, "Thank you." She then left.
I opened the card and read it. Then I started crying. This lady who we didn't know had given us back the money we'd paid her for the tickets.
In the card, she had stated that her mother had been sick for two years and was now in remission. She noticed I too was sick and she wanted me to have the money back so that we could take in another movie when I felt up to it.
To this precious angel (and you know who you are), thank you for your kindness and compassion.
In a world full of selfishness, who says "Angels don't walk amongst us!" From one believer to another. Thank you.
Joy Flora, Mentone
Safe Boating
Editor, Times-Union:Memorial Day Weekend marks the unofficial start of summer - a time when the days grow long, the weather gets warm, and we all look forward to enjoying the great outdoors. Whether you celebrate the holiday on land or on the water, it's always important to remember to drink responsibly. To that end, Nelson Beverage, your local Anheuser-Busch distributor, wants everyone to remember that boating is a privilege and a responsibility, just as important as driving a car.
Let's all work to make our summer enjoyable by remembering that responsibility is a lifesaver.
Jeff May, Sales Manager Nelson Beverage
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- Gun Laws - Jail Conditions - Code Enforcement - Animal Welfare - Prairie View Thanks - Voting - Angels Among Us - Safe Boating
Gun Laws
Editor, Times-Union:Thank God above,the congress passed another gun law today, now there won't be any more high school shootings, yeah right, personally, I think we need to impeach the congress for wasting the tax payer's money. They spent a whole day on a piece of paper that won't stop anyone, what a joke, and we're paying for this. It's not the gun, it's the person behind the gun. If a law that should be passed, it's a law that says parents need to teach their kids right from wrong and discipline. Have a nice day.
Michael L. Stevens, PiercetonÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ
via e-mail
Jail Conditions
Editor, Times-Union:So you didn't like our jail! Too bad! I'm sure you were taught (if not at home) in school, that if you did a crime against society you had to pay for it. Three days are very little to serve.
You complained about your sheet. Well, I would bet your sheets at home are not changed more than once a week. As for your receiving rehabilitation, it's proven to be a waste of time and you already know that you need to live by the law and stay out of jail. Also complaining about the food you were served; consider yourself lucky to get it, cause in the past - bread and water was it!
As for the ones you said you wanted to help because they were not causing any trouble, well, that's what they're supposed to do - not cause any trouble. They've caused trouble enough.
Dixie Lawshe, Warsaw
Code Enforcement
Editor, Times-Union:This letter is to thank Pam Kennedy and Larry Clifford for their efforts in trying to enforce people to comply with Warsaw's building codes. I have been a homeowner on West Fort Wayne Street for 20 years.
The past three years our neighborhood has a homeowner certainly not abiding by any rules! Not only is there no "consideration or respect for neighbors" but in my opinion, it is a danger also. We have lots of small children in this area. And when several lawnmowers are piled up but the lawn is never mowed along with old tires, various other objects and jugs half full of some unknown substance, and then children's toys are added to the heap, it becomes a hazardous situation. And why does a two licensed driver household need seven or eight vehicles blocking the street? Also this is a residential area, not a commercial one. This neighborhood is behind you all the way! Keep up the good work.
Martha Sellers, Warsaw
via e-mail
Animal Welfare
Editor, Times-Union:Thanks to some fine people in Kosciusko County, a total of 25 dogs and cats no longer have to live their lives in little cages! These animals were adopted the weekend of May 1-2 from the Animal Welfare League Rescue and Adoption Center. Unfortunately, we still have over 100 dogs and over 180 cats that still need homes. If you want a lap cat - come see us!
And to the people who dropped off nine puppies on a Sunday a few weeks ago - why didn't you bring the puppies in the building instead of putting them in one of the outdoor cages and then speeding off in your car? There were at least six of us there working that day. Were you afraid we would demand money, refuse the puppies or "read you the riot act?" We wouldn't have done any of those things. We would have liked to have known something about the puppies though, like when they were born and what kind of dogs are their parents. We do want to thank you for letting us have the puppies and not just dropping them off on a country road. Our concern is that the mother will continue having unwanted litters of puppies. We want to help. Whoever you are, please contact any local veterinarian and ask for one of our spay/neuter forms. The AWL will assist you in getting her spayed. And to the people who did the same thing on the same day but left us two dogs instead of a bunch of puppies, we wish you would have stopped in and given us some information on these dogs. We do know they were two terrified animals. It makes them more adoptable if we know, for example, if they like children or if they like cats. People coming in to adopt an older dog want to know these things. Please, people, we don't bite either - so bring the animals inside to us.
We are still working on the Cat Viewing Room that will house about 50 cats. If anyone is remodeling and has a good used picture window or bay window they don't want, we could really use it for our Cat Viewing Room. We want these cats to be able to see the outdoors, see the sunshine, watch the birds! If anyone has any cages or outside kennels that they would like to donate, please call the center at 267-3008. We really need cat and dog toys, too.
Our address is 3489 E. CR 100S, Pierceton (located behind Quality Farm & Fleet). Be sure to visit our website at www.awl-warsaw.org. If you would like to become a member of AWL, please call me at 834-4786, and I'll send you a membership application.
Peggy Gerkin, AWL Membership Chairman
Prairie View Thanks
Editor, Times-Union:The staff and residents of Prairie View Health Care Center would like to thank the maintenance department, Bryon Kiser and Dale Jackson Sr., for doing such a great job renovating the courtyard for our enjoyment. We all thank you!
Steve Jones, Administrator
Voting
Editor, Times-Union:For most of the 45+ years I have been voting, it has been my opinion that those who voted a straight party ticket were so dumb that they should not have had the right to vote.
But, in the last seven years since having gotten involved as an independent, I have had a rude awakening. The two major parties have had it so locked up that their candidates will be voted in (at least in this state) probably even if 95 percent of the voters do not show up to vote. Why? Because both of the two major parties are controlled by special interest groups. In plain English, they are owned, and not by the voters.
As a former Congressional candidate, I will tell you that it should be a crime the way an independent is treated by some of the voter registration clerks and much of the populace that doesn't have a clue about other people's rights or the Constitution. Most voters do not realize or understand what a person not of the two major parties or one of the three splinter parties need go through just to exercise their right to run for offices. Or to give some of the disenfranchised people a choice. Most voters do not know or realize that an independent must get a certain number of signatures in every county in which they need to be on the ballot. These signatures must be by registered voters. Every one of them is checked by the voter registration clerk of the county. Some clerks will go out of the way to remove people from the petition, i.e. not being able to read a middle initial of the voter signing the petition, not being able to distinguish a 3 from an 8 in a street address, etc.
What it really comes down to is this: party hacks are afraid of the competition. Or, that maybe they will lose their job if someone gets in that knows there is a problem, or what the answer to a problem might be. But mostly it comes to their loss of having someone that they can control.
At all levels of government these offices are being purchased. When a Congressional candidate spends a half a million dollars or more every two years for a job that pays $135,000, or $10,000 is spent on behalf of someone for a part-time job that pays $5,000, these positions are all being bought and they are owned by special interests. Mr. Perot said that America was not for sale at any price.
FACT: The United States has been and is being sold. Starting on Dec. 26, 1913 with the creation of the privately owned and controlled Federal Reserve Banking System; on July 13, 1933 with the IRS being turned over to a private corporation to draft the tax regulations and being allowed to collect taxes for the government; with the sellout of the U.S. Postal System in the 1970's; with all of the deals that the U.S. Congress has slipped in since the 1980's that allow foreign companies to be major stockholders in American companies; with such treaties such as NAFTA in 1993 that has allowed many of our jobs to be shipped to Mexico where labor is not much more than a dollar an hour - still carry the American label and allow the CEO's and other big shots to make outrageous profits and salaries; laws which allow products to be made by either child or prison labor in countries that do not have or respect human rights laws and sold in this country - the CEO's and blue chip stockholders again benefit; laws that allow foreigners to donate to campaigns.
Many of you have said that you want reform of the government at all levels. If this is the case, it seems odd that in the entire 92 counties of Indiana, less than 50 people have shown enough interest to run for some 900 political offices at the local level.
For those of you that think you own this country: if you are not a member of one of the special interest groups, think again. Think reform.
C.L. Alfred, Peru
Angels Among Us
Editor, Times-Union:Last Friday night (the 21st), my husband and I had gone to see the new Star Wars movie. While in line, we noticed everyone had tickets. I turned to my husband and said, "We might as well go home."
A lady who dropped her kids off overheard us talking and said she "had bought seven tickets and two kids hadn't shown up. Would we like to buy the two tickets left?" We said, "That would be wonderful!" We bought the tickets and looked forward to the movie.
When the movie was over, we headed for our car. Just as we were getting in, the lady who had given us the tickets came by and handed me a card. I looked at her with surprise on my face and said, "Thank you." She then left.
I opened the card and read it. Then I started crying. This lady who we didn't know had given us back the money we'd paid her for the tickets.
In the card, she had stated that her mother had been sick for two years and was now in remission. She noticed I too was sick and she wanted me to have the money back so that we could take in another movie when I felt up to it.
To this precious angel (and you know who you are), thank you for your kindness and compassion.
In a world full of selfishness, who says "Angels don't walk amongst us!" From one believer to another. Thank you.
Joy Flora, Mentone
Safe Boating
Editor, Times-Union:Memorial Day Weekend marks the unofficial start of summer - a time when the days grow long, the weather gets warm, and we all look forward to enjoying the great outdoors. Whether you celebrate the holiday on land or on the water, it's always important to remember to drink responsibly. To that end, Nelson Beverage, your local Anheuser-Busch distributor, wants everyone to remember that boating is a privilege and a responsibility, just as important as driving a car.
Let's all work to make our summer enjoyable by remembering that responsibility is a lifesaver.
Jeff May, Sales Manager Nelson Beverage
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