Letters to the Editor 05-27-2004
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- Power Of The Pen - Price Of Freedom - Property Tax Equity - Scholars - Thanks To Veterans - Supports Bush - Heroes Among Us - FunFest Success - Welcome Aboard
Power Of The Pen
Editor, Times-Union:"The pen is mightier than the sword" as the proverb says and that has never been more apparent than now in our culture. It appears that some have left behind the use of the pen to portray good thinking and are now using it to arouse emotional responses in the readers of the exploits of the pen. (This is a talent that is not just reserved for the left, but is also symptomatic of the right.)
In the recent editorial by Richard Reeves, "Berlusoni and Mussolini; Bush and ...?", Mr. Reeves steps over the line of good journalism and uses quotes from women in Rome to portray our president as Hitler and raise national emotions against our president. Apparently those Roman women and Mr. Reeves have forgotten what Hitler hoisted on Europe in the deaths of 6 million Jews plus Christians, gypsies and invalids. Our president is no Hitler.
The Roman women that Mr. Reeves so eloquently quotes have also forgotten the American lives that were expended to relieve the oppression of Hitler and his despotic fascist government. Apparently they and Mr. Reeves believe that they are the only ones who should have such freedom from despots and are not willing to see that others have it as well, i.e., Iraqis.
Mr. Reeves further extols the exploits of a rogue movie director who chooses to portray our president as being in collusion with the enemy, a president who is a deserter from the military, and who is not capable to direct our country. What is up with Mr. Reeves? In his liberal bias has he lost all sense of decency and instead of offering solutions he only chooses to attack the character of our president? Where was Mr. Reeves six years ago when the presidential office was being defamed by immorality at the desk in the presidential office?
If our troops come home from liberating Iraq to shame that mirrors the shame of Vietnam, it will be due to pundits such as Mr. Reeves who choose not to see and report the good that is happening. It will be due to the continual sniping at the character of our president and our troops without any offer of solutions.
Our troops have given freedom to such men as Mr. Reeves to express his sentiments. It is a freedom that I would not want to lose. And we will not lose it due to men and women in uniform, leaders and writers, and movie directors who choose to protect the freedoms that we have so enjoyed.
Curtis C. Miller
Warsaw
Price Of Freedom
Editor, Times-Union:Recently I watched a documentary about the planning and execution of D-Day. The stark price of freedom was recorded in the images of so many men who died storming the beaches at Normandy. Now the pictures in the news of the fallen soldiers in Iraqcontinue to remind me that freedom has a price. In between Normandy and now, many others in Korea and Vietnam have given everything so that I might be free. This country's essence is based on liberty and private property rights. Memorial Day is the holiday we remember and honor those who sacrificed all for freedom. I find no small irony that the government is taking Memorial Day to launch an all-out campaign to force a significantly large number of non-compliant citizens to wear their seat belts.
The phrases "Give me liberty or give me death" and "Click it or ticket" do not go together. For the record, I have never argued that wearing seat belts was not prudent. I argue now and will continue to argue that individuals should make these choices.
Millions of people in our country have lost the right to choose. Smokers, bar and restaurant owners are the present pariahs. Using the reasoning that brought about seat belt laws and smoking laws, I can only conclude that we must ban all eating in restaurants. According to some data, our diet is going to cost us more than not using seat belts and smoking combined. If we value individual freedom, we must stop taking it away. We also must pay for and tolerate the other persons' lack of prudence. This course of action still beats pitchforks and rifles.
Chas Creekmore
Pierceton
via e-mail
Property Tax Equity
Editor, Times-Union:Thank you, thank you, thank you, Sen. Kent Adams, for your letter dated May 21 titled, "Property Tax." The "sentiments" you quoted, "We want a better system," and "Do no harm," uttered by the Property Tax Replacement Study Committee, certainly demonstrates that the current way of doing business to extract taxes for local government demands an overhaul! I appreciated your comment, "The goal is to lessen local government's dependence on property taxes and create a more equitable and fair method of funding local government." Obviously the Indiana state legislators recognize the current system is neither equitable nor fair! Current procedure brought great "harm" to my wife and I financially when Kosciusko County officials sold our property at tax sale "without our knowledge," a violation of our constitutional rights according to the 14th Amendment. Current procedure further "discriminated" against us because we live outside the circulation area of the Times-Union and do not frequent public buildings in Kosciusko County, which is the current archaic method to notify a taxpayer of delinquency. Furthermore, the Treasurer's Office ignored our address change notification, and the Auditor's Office failed to notify us of a tax problem or of our right of appeal when we spoke to that office by telephone to report a change of address. The current system has brought "harm" to many people. I trust the Property Tax Replacement Study Committee will produce a more equitable and fair method to extract taxes and completely eliminate the current harmful and unfair system.
Tom Huffman
Sherman, Texas, via e-mail
Scholars
Editor, Times-Union:Tuesday evening Warsaw Community High School seniors once again experienced the generosity of our community. Eighty-three students received more than 60 scholarship awards made possible by businesses, individuals, trusts and foundations. With weekly news about educational services being cut due to budgetary constraints, it is heartwarming to see that our community continues to value our young people as important resources in our future. Thank-you to all the individuals and corporations who so clearly demonstrated their support.
Diane Quance
Senior Scholarship Chairwoman, via e-mail
Thanks To Veterans
Editor, Times-Union:Just before the basketball game starts and we all face the red, white and blue flag at the center of the stage in this tiny gymnasium of Silver Lake School, then the school band plays the "Star Spangled Banner." I am a young girl, and I don't understand why tears spill over onto my cheeks every time I hear the song. I am embarrassed about the tears. I don't understand why I love the red, white and blue and everything for which it stands. Later I would understand that it is because of what my father and mother's generation sacrificed and endured in World War II.
My father, Gordon Howell, graduated from Silver Lake High School in 1938. In 1963, I graduated from Silver Lake High School. When I was growing up, dad rarely spoke of the war. I only know that my father left Brownwood, Texas, for a European Campaign when I was less than a day old. I know that he was shot and I thank God that he survived. He won't talk about it. "It's nothing," he would say. Occasionally he spoke of the motorcycles he and his friends rode while stationed in California during the war, or of the oranges they picked "right off the trees." Dad spoke of having to hitchhike from the base at Fort Knox, Ky., to go to town. They weren't the letters of a child, but of a man who stepped up to whatever would be served to him.
An article in the Brownwood,Texas, paper said that Sgt. Howell had little pity on a fellow soldier who had a minor surgery and assigned him to KP duty. He did not talk about the war. Occasionally, he spoke of friends. He spoke of a very long train ride across this great country of ours. He spoke of the tanks. He spoke of little else regarding the war. That was a long time ago. "It was nothing," he would answer my questions about, "What did you do in the war, Dad?" That was the end of the conversation.
Dad and his brother, Nelson Howell, both served in WW II. Their uncle, Bernie Howell, served in the Philippines and wrote home long letters describing the climate and living conditions. Dad wrote little home that I know of. Letters he wrote to his mother and dad have survived the 60 years since WW II. The letters reveal only the tip of the iceberg of this complicated, gentle person my father is. He hides most of himself below the surface and gives everything, expecting nothing in return. "It's nothing," he would say.
Always a hard worker, he remodeled old houses for our family, built new houses for us, using every spare moment and every spare dollar that found its way to his pocket. Today, at age 84, he still talks of the remodeling projects he has planned. Yet, if you tell him how much you appreciate what he has done, he always says, "Oh, it's nothing." Like his service to our country. "Oh, it's nothing." Like all the sacrifices he has made for his family, his heart and hands have created a masterpiece. "Oh, Dad. It is something!"
Today, when I face the flag and the "Star Spangled Banner" is played, tears still spill down my cheeks. The tears are a tribute to my father and all of the men and women who for centuries have created our world by serving our country in many many ways, and it is personal. It is something!
Thank you, to all the veterans.
Priscilla Howell Elliot
Green Valley, Ariz.
via e-mail
Supports Bush
Editor, Times-Union:I believe that President Bush made the right decision to go and fight in Iraq. We needed to get Saddam out of power before he became a huge threat to the entire world. He could have been the next Hitler. But Bush realized that we needed to take him out and he did. He went in with our military and found and captured him. He got him out of power so he could not manipulate his people anymore. He had practically brainwashed all his countrymen into believing he was all-good, and that the U.S. was so bad. He did this with his power to control the media. His people could only watch what he said they could watch so they could not see the truth. And if they did see the truth and got caught, they probably would have got killed. So most lived in fear and just supported him. He ruled not by trust, reliability and truth. But by tyranny, fear and control. He gave his people no freedom or power, so he did or does not deserve to be in power. I am glad President Bush went into Iraq and took him out of power, and I will always support his decision to do that.
Caleb Lozano
Heroes Among Us
Editor, Times-Union:Over the past several weeks we have been reminded of the heroes who walk among us. The Times-Union has done a great service to our community by running the stories of our World War II veterans and we thank you.
As we honor those who fought the Second World War, we can't help but think of those who have served our country and defended our freedom in subsequent wars. We especially think of our men and women who are serving now in Iraq and Afghanistan, elsewhere around the world and at home. They always stand in need of our prayers.
This weekend, Memorial weekend, is a time set aside to honor our veterans and particularly those soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice. A great deal of effort has gone into planning an event-filled day, this Saturday, that will pay special tribute to our World War II veterans.
I would encourage all in our community to support that effort and participate in whatever way possible. I would also like to invite the public to attend a prayer breakfast to be held at the American Legion Post 49 beginning at 7 a.m.
Capt. Matthew Osborn
The Salvation Army
via e-mail
FunFest Success
Editor, Times-Union:This past Saturday, May 22, Leesburg Elementary in conjunction with the Leesburg Volunteer Fire Department held our first combined Carnival/FunFest. The planning for this event began early in December and continued until the early morning hours of Saturday. This event held many fun-filled family activities, which included games, moon walks, a dunk tank, ponies, food prizes and informative demonstrations. The day kicked off at 10 a.m. with a steady stream of families participating until closing time at 3 p.m., many attending this event were from all over Kosciusko County. The children who attended were introduced to the wonderful and dedicated efforts of our firemen, police, EMS, DARE, the K9 Unit, the Dive Units. These men gave unconditionally of their time and funds; to them we are so very grateful. They may not have realized it Saturday, but they have created a bond with the youth of our community that will last a lifetime! Our Leesburg students were also very blessed to welcome and meet many new children and parents who will join our Leesburg School family in the fall. To the dedicated, caring, loving staff of Leesburg Elementary, words cannot express the gratitude that we have toward your unselfish giving of time every day to every child; our children are a success because of you! To the Leesburg community members who donated time, funds, supplies and efforts, you are incredible, thank you! To the parents of all those great smiling faces, keep up the good work, you are molding our future! Finally, to those committee members who helped organize this event, all the parent volunteers, our special sixth-grade helpers, Dr. & Mrs. McGuire, Mrs. Hess, Mrs. Simmers, my fellow PTO board members, the Carnival/FunFest 2004 has been declared a success! Again, thanks to all!
Patti Hanson
Leesburg Elementary PTO president
via e-mail
Welcome Aboard
Editor, Times-Union:Welcome aboard Mr. Dave Saweskey Sr. It's about time!
Strange, is it not, what trips our triggers? It's been more than 30 years but it still makes us angry.
We don't want to see another group of American heroes being spit on, called "baby killers" and having bags of dog manure thrown at them.
Harold L. Kitson
Warsaw
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- Power Of The Pen - Price Of Freedom - Property Tax Equity - Scholars - Thanks To Veterans - Supports Bush - Heroes Among Us - FunFest Success - Welcome Aboard
Power Of The Pen
Editor, Times-Union:"The pen is mightier than the sword" as the proverb says and that has never been more apparent than now in our culture. It appears that some have left behind the use of the pen to portray good thinking and are now using it to arouse emotional responses in the readers of the exploits of the pen. (This is a talent that is not just reserved for the left, but is also symptomatic of the right.)
In the recent editorial by Richard Reeves, "Berlusoni and Mussolini; Bush and ...?", Mr. Reeves steps over the line of good journalism and uses quotes from women in Rome to portray our president as Hitler and raise national emotions against our president. Apparently those Roman women and Mr. Reeves have forgotten what Hitler hoisted on Europe in the deaths of 6 million Jews plus Christians, gypsies and invalids. Our president is no Hitler.
The Roman women that Mr. Reeves so eloquently quotes have also forgotten the American lives that were expended to relieve the oppression of Hitler and his despotic fascist government. Apparently they and Mr. Reeves believe that they are the only ones who should have such freedom from despots and are not willing to see that others have it as well, i.e., Iraqis.
Mr. Reeves further extols the exploits of a rogue movie director who chooses to portray our president as being in collusion with the enemy, a president who is a deserter from the military, and who is not capable to direct our country. What is up with Mr. Reeves? In his liberal bias has he lost all sense of decency and instead of offering solutions he only chooses to attack the character of our president? Where was Mr. Reeves six years ago when the presidential office was being defamed by immorality at the desk in the presidential office?
If our troops come home from liberating Iraq to shame that mirrors the shame of Vietnam, it will be due to pundits such as Mr. Reeves who choose not to see and report the good that is happening. It will be due to the continual sniping at the character of our president and our troops without any offer of solutions.
Our troops have given freedom to such men as Mr. Reeves to express his sentiments. It is a freedom that I would not want to lose. And we will not lose it due to men and women in uniform, leaders and writers, and movie directors who choose to protect the freedoms that we have so enjoyed.
Curtis C. Miller
Warsaw
Price Of Freedom
Editor, Times-Union:Recently I watched a documentary about the planning and execution of D-Day. The stark price of freedom was recorded in the images of so many men who died storming the beaches at Normandy. Now the pictures in the news of the fallen soldiers in Iraqcontinue to remind me that freedom has a price. In between Normandy and now, many others in Korea and Vietnam have given everything so that I might be free. This country's essence is based on liberty and private property rights. Memorial Day is the holiday we remember and honor those who sacrificed all for freedom. I find no small irony that the government is taking Memorial Day to launch an all-out campaign to force a significantly large number of non-compliant citizens to wear their seat belts.
The phrases "Give me liberty or give me death" and "Click it or ticket" do not go together. For the record, I have never argued that wearing seat belts was not prudent. I argue now and will continue to argue that individuals should make these choices.
Millions of people in our country have lost the right to choose. Smokers, bar and restaurant owners are the present pariahs. Using the reasoning that brought about seat belt laws and smoking laws, I can only conclude that we must ban all eating in restaurants. According to some data, our diet is going to cost us more than not using seat belts and smoking combined. If we value individual freedom, we must stop taking it away. We also must pay for and tolerate the other persons' lack of prudence. This course of action still beats pitchforks and rifles.
Chas Creekmore
Pierceton
via e-mail
Property Tax Equity
Editor, Times-Union:Thank you, thank you, thank you, Sen. Kent Adams, for your letter dated May 21 titled, "Property Tax." The "sentiments" you quoted, "We want a better system," and "Do no harm," uttered by the Property Tax Replacement Study Committee, certainly demonstrates that the current way of doing business to extract taxes for local government demands an overhaul! I appreciated your comment, "The goal is to lessen local government's dependence on property taxes and create a more equitable and fair method of funding local government." Obviously the Indiana state legislators recognize the current system is neither equitable nor fair! Current procedure brought great "harm" to my wife and I financially when Kosciusko County officials sold our property at tax sale "without our knowledge," a violation of our constitutional rights according to the 14th Amendment. Current procedure further "discriminated" against us because we live outside the circulation area of the Times-Union and do not frequent public buildings in Kosciusko County, which is the current archaic method to notify a taxpayer of delinquency. Furthermore, the Treasurer's Office ignored our address change notification, and the Auditor's Office failed to notify us of a tax problem or of our right of appeal when we spoke to that office by telephone to report a change of address. The current system has brought "harm" to many people. I trust the Property Tax Replacement Study Committee will produce a more equitable and fair method to extract taxes and completely eliminate the current harmful and unfair system.
Tom Huffman
Sherman, Texas, via e-mail
Scholars
Editor, Times-Union:Tuesday evening Warsaw Community High School seniors once again experienced the generosity of our community. Eighty-three students received more than 60 scholarship awards made possible by businesses, individuals, trusts and foundations. With weekly news about educational services being cut due to budgetary constraints, it is heartwarming to see that our community continues to value our young people as important resources in our future. Thank-you to all the individuals and corporations who so clearly demonstrated their support.
Diane Quance
Senior Scholarship Chairwoman, via e-mail
Thanks To Veterans
Editor, Times-Union:Just before the basketball game starts and we all face the red, white and blue flag at the center of the stage in this tiny gymnasium of Silver Lake School, then the school band plays the "Star Spangled Banner." I am a young girl, and I don't understand why tears spill over onto my cheeks every time I hear the song. I am embarrassed about the tears. I don't understand why I love the red, white and blue and everything for which it stands. Later I would understand that it is because of what my father and mother's generation sacrificed and endured in World War II.
My father, Gordon Howell, graduated from Silver Lake High School in 1938. In 1963, I graduated from Silver Lake High School. When I was growing up, dad rarely spoke of the war. I only know that my father left Brownwood, Texas, for a European Campaign when I was less than a day old. I know that he was shot and I thank God that he survived. He won't talk about it. "It's nothing," he would say. Occasionally he spoke of the motorcycles he and his friends rode while stationed in California during the war, or of the oranges they picked "right off the trees." Dad spoke of having to hitchhike from the base at Fort Knox, Ky., to go to town. They weren't the letters of a child, but of a man who stepped up to whatever would be served to him.
An article in the Brownwood,Texas, paper said that Sgt. Howell had little pity on a fellow soldier who had a minor surgery and assigned him to KP duty. He did not talk about the war. Occasionally, he spoke of friends. He spoke of a very long train ride across this great country of ours. He spoke of the tanks. He spoke of little else regarding the war. That was a long time ago. "It was nothing," he would answer my questions about, "What did you do in the war, Dad?" That was the end of the conversation.
Dad and his brother, Nelson Howell, both served in WW II. Their uncle, Bernie Howell, served in the Philippines and wrote home long letters describing the climate and living conditions. Dad wrote little home that I know of. Letters he wrote to his mother and dad have survived the 60 years since WW II. The letters reveal only the tip of the iceberg of this complicated, gentle person my father is. He hides most of himself below the surface and gives everything, expecting nothing in return. "It's nothing," he would say.
Always a hard worker, he remodeled old houses for our family, built new houses for us, using every spare moment and every spare dollar that found its way to his pocket. Today, at age 84, he still talks of the remodeling projects he has planned. Yet, if you tell him how much you appreciate what he has done, he always says, "Oh, it's nothing." Like his service to our country. "Oh, it's nothing." Like all the sacrifices he has made for his family, his heart and hands have created a masterpiece. "Oh, Dad. It is something!"
Today, when I face the flag and the "Star Spangled Banner" is played, tears still spill down my cheeks. The tears are a tribute to my father and all of the men and women who for centuries have created our world by serving our country in many many ways, and it is personal. It is something!
Thank you, to all the veterans.
Priscilla Howell Elliot
Green Valley, Ariz.
via e-mail
Supports Bush
Editor, Times-Union:I believe that President Bush made the right decision to go and fight in Iraq. We needed to get Saddam out of power before he became a huge threat to the entire world. He could have been the next Hitler. But Bush realized that we needed to take him out and he did. He went in with our military and found and captured him. He got him out of power so he could not manipulate his people anymore. He had practically brainwashed all his countrymen into believing he was all-good, and that the U.S. was so bad. He did this with his power to control the media. His people could only watch what he said they could watch so they could not see the truth. And if they did see the truth and got caught, they probably would have got killed. So most lived in fear and just supported him. He ruled not by trust, reliability and truth. But by tyranny, fear and control. He gave his people no freedom or power, so he did or does not deserve to be in power. I am glad President Bush went into Iraq and took him out of power, and I will always support his decision to do that.
Caleb Lozano
Heroes Among Us
Editor, Times-Union:Over the past several weeks we have been reminded of the heroes who walk among us. The Times-Union has done a great service to our community by running the stories of our World War II veterans and we thank you.
As we honor those who fought the Second World War, we can't help but think of those who have served our country and defended our freedom in subsequent wars. We especially think of our men and women who are serving now in Iraq and Afghanistan, elsewhere around the world and at home. They always stand in need of our prayers.
This weekend, Memorial weekend, is a time set aside to honor our veterans and particularly those soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice. A great deal of effort has gone into planning an event-filled day, this Saturday, that will pay special tribute to our World War II veterans.
I would encourage all in our community to support that effort and participate in whatever way possible. I would also like to invite the public to attend a prayer breakfast to be held at the American Legion Post 49 beginning at 7 a.m.
Capt. Matthew Osborn
The Salvation Army
via e-mail
FunFest Success
Editor, Times-Union:This past Saturday, May 22, Leesburg Elementary in conjunction with the Leesburg Volunteer Fire Department held our first combined Carnival/FunFest. The planning for this event began early in December and continued until the early morning hours of Saturday. This event held many fun-filled family activities, which included games, moon walks, a dunk tank, ponies, food prizes and informative demonstrations. The day kicked off at 10 a.m. with a steady stream of families participating until closing time at 3 p.m., many attending this event were from all over Kosciusko County. The children who attended were introduced to the wonderful and dedicated efforts of our firemen, police, EMS, DARE, the K9 Unit, the Dive Units. These men gave unconditionally of their time and funds; to them we are so very grateful. They may not have realized it Saturday, but they have created a bond with the youth of our community that will last a lifetime! Our Leesburg students were also very blessed to welcome and meet many new children and parents who will join our Leesburg School family in the fall. To the dedicated, caring, loving staff of Leesburg Elementary, words cannot express the gratitude that we have toward your unselfish giving of time every day to every child; our children are a success because of you! To the Leesburg community members who donated time, funds, supplies and efforts, you are incredible, thank you! To the parents of all those great smiling faces, keep up the good work, you are molding our future! Finally, to those committee members who helped organize this event, all the parent volunteers, our special sixth-grade helpers, Dr. & Mrs. McGuire, Mrs. Hess, Mrs. Simmers, my fellow PTO board members, the Carnival/FunFest 2004 has been declared a success! Again, thanks to all!
Patti Hanson
Leesburg Elementary PTO president
via e-mail
Welcome Aboard
Editor, Times-Union:Welcome aboard Mr. Dave Saweskey Sr. It's about time!
Strange, is it not, what trips our triggers? It's been more than 30 years but it still makes us angry.
We don't want to see another group of American heroes being spit on, called "baby killers" and having bags of dog manure thrown at them.
Harold L. Kitson
Warsaw
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