Letters to the Editor 07-01-2002
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- Safety Concerns - History Lesson - Church And State - Rewriting Our Roots - Outraged
Safety Concerns
Editor, Times-Union:Certain events occur in our lives that cause us to change our focus and perspective of the world around us. That event for myself is the nearing birth of my and my wife's first child. The impending birth of our child has caused me to look at things very differently in regards to safety.
Bringing me to my point of concern. Canal Street (the street running between Center Lake and Center Park) is currently a through street. Many vehicles use this street to cut over to Lake Street, thus, increasing the chance of a fatal accident involving people trying to access the lake via the park and vice versa. As our city and county grow, so does the traffic using this through street. With growth comes change, including increases in crime and the types of crime. With so many children enjoying the lake and Center Park, how long will it be before our children become targets for child abduction? Canal street being a through street does not hinder this from happening. A vehicle could stop, take a child and continue un-hindered to escape. I know that there will be some that say this could never happen here in Warsaw, but I imagine five years ago no one ever thought we would find a body behind our local restaurant.
I would like to thank the park director for recognizing the risks associated with this through street and closing it during the Lakes Festival. But, a permanent solution is needed to solve the risks associated with this area.
I would like to propose the closing of the entrance to Canal Street off of Detroit Street. The resulting area could be used as seen fit. Eliminating this through street would be in the best interest of the community and reduce the risk to our children. I find it is better to be proactive than to be reactive when considering the safety and well-being of our children.
In addition, I would like to propose the reinstatement of the four-way stop at the intersections of Indiana and Fort Wayne streets. If the city wants to encourage people to use the park and venture downtown, then this four-way stop would reduce the risk of injury to people wanting to do so.
I am sure that there are other areas of concern in our city. I would like to encourage the reader to contact our city council or your area's representative. You can find their e-mail addresses and phone numbers at the following Web address: www.warsawcity.net/electedoff.htm
I would like to thank the reader for their time and attention regarding this matter.
Rick D. Cripe
Warsaw
via e-mail
History Lesson
Editor, Times-Union:I pledge allegiance ... but not in school? Our children are exposed to drugs, alcohol, and smoking in school, but the 9th U.S. Circuit Court feels the pledge of allegiance is unconstitutional? Maybe they are the ones who should return to school and take a basic history class. Being politically correct is one thing, being Circut Court judge with no common sense is ridiculous!
Maybe the history class they need to spend some quality time in is In The Beginning ...
Mike Wood
Warsaw
via e-mail
Church And State
Editor, Times-Union:The Separation of Church and State;
What is the big deal about separation of church and state here lately? The government has had the mixing of church and state for years and years, if you don't think so,then why does the president of the United States go to church on Sunday and claims he is a Christian and living a Christian life? Then goes to work Monday morning working for the government. If that isn't the mixing of church and state I don't know what is. If he is living a Christian life, then those views of his Christian life are passed on to his decision-making at work. Therefore, you are mixing church and state. Also the Congress and the House are going to church too. Gee, does this mean anyone who goes to church, should not be in public office? Food for thought.
Michael L. Stevens
Pierceton
via e-mail
Rewriting Our Roots
Editor, Times-Union:The Fourth of July often brings, not just a celebration of our nation's birth, but also a renewal of family ties with travel to numerous family reunions across our country; a return to one's roots. Without these reunions it only takes a few generations for these families to become scattered, as the wind scatters seeds. It is now time to return as a nation to our nation's roots. As a nation - it's time for a reunion; lest our nation be scattered by the winds. Our nation's roots absolutely did not exclude God from our country. Not only was Divine Providence (God) mentioned in the Declaration of Independence when the authors included the phrase, "with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor," but George Washington in a letter written in 1789 wrote, "The man must be bad indeed who can look upon the events of the American Revolution without feeling the warmest gratitude towards the great Author of the Universe whose divine interposition was so frequently manifested in our behalf." God was part of our Founders' lives and a part of their deliberations as this nation was founded. Mentioning God or showing the Ten Commandments is not establishing a state religion - it is recognizing the roots of our great and benevolent nation
Including " Under God" in our Pledge of Allegiance is not, nor was it ever intended to be, forbidden by our Constitution. It is time for a national reunion. Bring God back into the life of our country. It is what makes the USA special - different from most of the world. His presence in our schools, our lives and our communities provides the moral compass - a compass that today is swinging wildly - pulled by forces which care little about our roots or our future.
Write to your leaders - ask that judges be appointed who will quit rewriting our roots. If that doesn't work, then perhaps it's time to make it very plain with a Constitutional Amendment that the mention of a Supreme Being does not establish a state religion but simply reaffirms the hearts of our Founders. It's time.
Robert E. Eppich
Warsaw
via e-mail
Outraged
Editor, Times-Union:The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco has ruled that the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional. Americans should be outraged at this irresponsible decision. The court found that the reciting of the pledge by teachers and students "amounts to a government endorsement of religion," going so far as to compare the phrase "under God" with "under Zeus." Just last month this radical court found that certain people could smoke marijuana on federal lands if it is part of their religion.
This ruling is further proof that we need to end the judicial crisis and place the men and women of distinction that President Bush has nominated on the bench. While the president continues to nominate responsible jurists, Democrats in the Senate continue to play partisan games with our courts.
Richard D. Neff
Warsaw
via e-mail
[[In-content Ad]]
- Safety Concerns - History Lesson - Church And State - Rewriting Our Roots - Outraged
Safety Concerns
Editor, Times-Union:Certain events occur in our lives that cause us to change our focus and perspective of the world around us. That event for myself is the nearing birth of my and my wife's first child. The impending birth of our child has caused me to look at things very differently in regards to safety.
Bringing me to my point of concern. Canal Street (the street running between Center Lake and Center Park) is currently a through street. Many vehicles use this street to cut over to Lake Street, thus, increasing the chance of a fatal accident involving people trying to access the lake via the park and vice versa. As our city and county grow, so does the traffic using this through street. With growth comes change, including increases in crime and the types of crime. With so many children enjoying the lake and Center Park, how long will it be before our children become targets for child abduction? Canal street being a through street does not hinder this from happening. A vehicle could stop, take a child and continue un-hindered to escape. I know that there will be some that say this could never happen here in Warsaw, but I imagine five years ago no one ever thought we would find a body behind our local restaurant.
I would like to thank the park director for recognizing the risks associated with this through street and closing it during the Lakes Festival. But, a permanent solution is needed to solve the risks associated with this area.
I would like to propose the closing of the entrance to Canal Street off of Detroit Street. The resulting area could be used as seen fit. Eliminating this through street would be in the best interest of the community and reduce the risk to our children. I find it is better to be proactive than to be reactive when considering the safety and well-being of our children.
In addition, I would like to propose the reinstatement of the four-way stop at the intersections of Indiana and Fort Wayne streets. If the city wants to encourage people to use the park and venture downtown, then this four-way stop would reduce the risk of injury to people wanting to do so.
I am sure that there are other areas of concern in our city. I would like to encourage the reader to contact our city council or your area's representative. You can find their e-mail addresses and phone numbers at the following Web address: www.warsawcity.net/electedoff.htm
I would like to thank the reader for their time and attention regarding this matter.
Rick D. Cripe
Warsaw
via e-mail
History Lesson
Editor, Times-Union:I pledge allegiance ... but not in school? Our children are exposed to drugs, alcohol, and smoking in school, but the 9th U.S. Circuit Court feels the pledge of allegiance is unconstitutional? Maybe they are the ones who should return to school and take a basic history class. Being politically correct is one thing, being Circut Court judge with no common sense is ridiculous!
Maybe the history class they need to spend some quality time in is In The Beginning ...
Mike Wood
Warsaw
via e-mail
Church And State
Editor, Times-Union:The Separation of Church and State;
What is the big deal about separation of church and state here lately? The government has had the mixing of church and state for years and years, if you don't think so,then why does the president of the United States go to church on Sunday and claims he is a Christian and living a Christian life? Then goes to work Monday morning working for the government. If that isn't the mixing of church and state I don't know what is. If he is living a Christian life, then those views of his Christian life are passed on to his decision-making at work. Therefore, you are mixing church and state. Also the Congress and the House are going to church too. Gee, does this mean anyone who goes to church, should not be in public office? Food for thought.
Michael L. Stevens
Pierceton
via e-mail
Rewriting Our Roots
Editor, Times-Union:The Fourth of July often brings, not just a celebration of our nation's birth, but also a renewal of family ties with travel to numerous family reunions across our country; a return to one's roots. Without these reunions it only takes a few generations for these families to become scattered, as the wind scatters seeds. It is now time to return as a nation to our nation's roots. As a nation - it's time for a reunion; lest our nation be scattered by the winds. Our nation's roots absolutely did not exclude God from our country. Not only was Divine Providence (God) mentioned in the Declaration of Independence when the authors included the phrase, "with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor," but George Washington in a letter written in 1789 wrote, "The man must be bad indeed who can look upon the events of the American Revolution without feeling the warmest gratitude towards the great Author of the Universe whose divine interposition was so frequently manifested in our behalf." God was part of our Founders' lives and a part of their deliberations as this nation was founded. Mentioning God or showing the Ten Commandments is not establishing a state religion - it is recognizing the roots of our great and benevolent nation
Including " Under God" in our Pledge of Allegiance is not, nor was it ever intended to be, forbidden by our Constitution. It is time for a national reunion. Bring God back into the life of our country. It is what makes the USA special - different from most of the world. His presence in our schools, our lives and our communities provides the moral compass - a compass that today is swinging wildly - pulled by forces which care little about our roots or our future.
Write to your leaders - ask that judges be appointed who will quit rewriting our roots. If that doesn't work, then perhaps it's time to make it very plain with a Constitutional Amendment that the mention of a Supreme Being does not establish a state religion but simply reaffirms the hearts of our Founders. It's time.
Robert E. Eppich
Warsaw
via e-mail
Outraged
Editor, Times-Union:The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco has ruled that the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional. Americans should be outraged at this irresponsible decision. The court found that the reciting of the pledge by teachers and students "amounts to a government endorsement of religion," going so far as to compare the phrase "under God" with "under Zeus." Just last month this radical court found that certain people could smoke marijuana on federal lands if it is part of their religion.
This ruling is further proof that we need to end the judicial crisis and place the men and women of distinction that President Bush has nominated on the bench. While the president continues to nominate responsible jurists, Democrats in the Senate continue to play partisan games with our courts.
Richard D. Neff
Warsaw
via e-mail
[[In-content Ad]]
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092