Letters to the Editor 07-13-2001
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- Grow Hemp - Church And State - Pops Concert - Christian Soldiers
Grow Hemp
Editor, Times-Union:This letter is prompted by an article in the Times-Union, July 6, page 8A, concerning the spraying of ditch weed.
I am so tired of the stupidity, especially coming from the state police department, who should know that hemp and marijuana are not the same. They wasted $13 million of taxpayer money last year and are planning to do the same this year, spraying ditch weed. Ditch weed is what is left from when hemp was grown abundantly during World Wars I and II for the purpose of making rope, some of which can still be found hanging in old barns.
Ditch weed or hemp is not marijuana and one cannot get high smoking it. Hemp contains such a minute trace of THC that no one can smoke enough of it to get even a buzz. What you will get is a very nasty headache and very sick if you smoke enough of it. True, there are some people out there who want to get high so badly they can't tell the difference between a nasty headache and a buzz. There are also people who can get quite tipsy on a non-alcoholic drink if they are led to believe there is alcohol in their drink. Mind over matter.
Over 90 percent of the so-called marijuana confiscated in their so-called drug busts is nothing more than hemp and contains trace amounts or no THC.
Fact: One cannot hide a patch of marijuana in the middle of a hemp field because the cross-pollination will diminish the THC levels in the marijuana to an undesirable level.
Growing hemp again would be extremely beneficial to the planet. No pesticides or herbicides are needed. We have already completely destroyed a large amount of our soil due to herbicide and pesticide use. Growing hemp absorbs an enormous amount of carbon monoxide and puts off four times as much oxygen as the same acreage of trees. A tree takes at least 20 years to grow; hemp can be harvested two or three times per growing season.
An extremely fine quality of paper can be made from hemp and will not turn yellow or brittle with age because there is no need to use acid or bleach in the processing. When processing tree paper, we are not only deforesting our land but polluting our streams and water supply as well.
Twenty-five thousand products can be made from hemp, including paper, rope, extremely durable clothing, accessories, jewelry, bath and body, cooking oil, foods, health supplements, heating oil, carpet, paint, home furnishings, etc.
George Washington grew it; our first American flag was made from hemp cloth; the first Levis were made from it; Abraham Lincoln used hemp oil in his reading lamps; Ben Franklin started one of the first hemp paper mills; the first verse of our National Anthem was penned on a hemp envelope; and Henry Ford built and powered an entire automobile with hemp in the early 1930s.
Quite the hearty plant our creator gave us and we are wasting millions trying to unsuccessfully eradicate it, not to mention all the unnecessary chemicals being sprayed into the environment. How ironic, instead of getting wiser, we just keep getting dumb and dumber and at our own expense.
Deanna Newton
Warsaw
Church And State
Editor, Times-Union:"Separation of church and state" has been a media catch phrase for the past 40 years. Any time religion can be even remotely linked to the public - no matter how obscure the link - the political left wing cries "unconstitutional!" One would logically conclude that these supposed defenders of the Constitution would oppose all instances of religion crossing paths with government, but that logic has recently been proven incorrect.
Students at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne have decided to perform a play called "Corpus Christi" in which Jesus Christ is depicted as a homosexual man who is sexually active with his disciples. The play has generated much controversy, which seems to be its intent.
Upon learning of this portrayal of Christ, my initial reaction was shock at its outright blasphemy. Most religions rooted in the Christian faith believe that homosexuality is a sin; we also believe that Jesus Christ was the embodiment of God, who is without sin. Naturally, I felt compelled to defend my religion and my belief in the Bible; however, I also understand that free speech is one of the basic rights of an American, and I would not try to silence an individual simply because I didn't like what he or she had to say.
I will, however, make every attempt to intervene in a situation where taxpayer dollars are paying for a play which glorifies sacrilege and attacks the Christian faith. If "separation of church and state" is the law of the land, shouldn't it apply to all faiths?
It has become all too popular and trendy in 21st century America to degrade Christianity and those who believe in it. The public does not tolerate the desecration of Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism or any other religions and faiths which make up America's rainbow of beliefs, and we should treat Christianity with as much respect. Why should Hoosier taxpayers foot the bill for the production of a play that is facilitating this kind of contempt for a 2,000-year-old religion? The answer is: They shouldn't.
I have joined several of my legislative colleagues in a lawsuit to halt production of "Corpus Christi." Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne is a taxpayer-funded institution and a play such as this has no place at a public university. It is not my intent to challenge the freedom of speech - a First Amendment right - but rather to exercise the freedom of and from religion. And, under the Constitution, I believe Hoosiers have a right to refuse to pay for this play.
I encourage you to contact IPFW Chancellor Michael Wartell to express your opinion of the taxpayer-funded play. You can write to him at 2101 E. Coliseum Blvd, KT166, Fort Wayne, IN 46805; you can e-mail him at [email protected] or call 481-6103.
The desecration of any religion should not be tolerated, and it certainly should not be financed by the state. It is important that Hoosiers are aware that they are paying for this play - your voice is needed in stopping this injustice.
Woody Burton
State Representative
R-Greenwood
Pops Concert
Editor, Times-Union:CHEERS to the many Kosciusko County corporations, organizations and foundations who made possible the Patriotic Pops Concerts in Syracuse and Winona Lake. The Fort Wayne Philharmonic is grateful to all of them.
A SALUTE to the dozens of individuals in both communities who also donated generously to the concerts. We sincerely thank them for their support of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic.
APPLAUSE ALSO to the wonderful audience of approximately 2,000 people in each community who were so appreciative of our concerts and all those who administered all of the details relating to the Winona Lake and Syracuse concerts. We sincerely thank you all, without whom this concert would not have happened.
Our sincere gratitude to all of you.
Colleen Benninghoff
Regional Touring Development
Fort Wayne Philharmonic
Christian Soldiers
Editor, Times-Union:Most people remember the song, "Onward Christian Soldiers." This song reminds us of our God-given responsibilities, that we, as soldiers of God, must not be afraid to go against the evil that consumes our world.
If, as a father, someone was to break into your house, grab your child, ram scissors in their head and suck out their brain, rip their limbs off and throw them in the trash, would you react? How would you react? Would you say it's not politically correct to defend them? Or maybe you feel it might offend someone if you make a stand. I would bet that you would fight until your dying breath to protect your child. So, as a soldier of God, is it only your child God wants you to protect? We torture and murder thousands of children every day for self-centered, selfish reasons. If you have an abortion for any reason other than to save your life, then you are no better than the killer sitting on death row; you are a murderer and unless you ask for forgiveness, you will answer to God for murdering your child. And for the men who don't take on the responsibility of being the father and allowing abortion, you too will answer for murder.
Today at 4 p.m., at the southeast corner of the Marsh parking lot, there will be a group of people meeting who aren't afraid to go public with their stand. We will walk to an area business that promotes abortion. We will stand and hold signs in defense of our children.
Being a man shouldn't be based on how tough you are, or how much money you have; it should be based on how you take on the responsibility of being an example of providing for your family and spiritual growth for your children.
Please come today, bring your family and friends, for one hour. You may save a life. We have community support for a no-kill shelter for animals, yet turn our backs on our own children.
When you're lying in bed tonight, remember the chorus, "Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before." Ask yourself, "What would God have me do?"
Matthew Trier
Warsaw
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- Grow Hemp - Church And State - Pops Concert - Christian Soldiers
Grow Hemp
Editor, Times-Union:This letter is prompted by an article in the Times-Union, July 6, page 8A, concerning the spraying of ditch weed.
I am so tired of the stupidity, especially coming from the state police department, who should know that hemp and marijuana are not the same. They wasted $13 million of taxpayer money last year and are planning to do the same this year, spraying ditch weed. Ditch weed is what is left from when hemp was grown abundantly during World Wars I and II for the purpose of making rope, some of which can still be found hanging in old barns.
Ditch weed or hemp is not marijuana and one cannot get high smoking it. Hemp contains such a minute trace of THC that no one can smoke enough of it to get even a buzz. What you will get is a very nasty headache and very sick if you smoke enough of it. True, there are some people out there who want to get high so badly they can't tell the difference between a nasty headache and a buzz. There are also people who can get quite tipsy on a non-alcoholic drink if they are led to believe there is alcohol in their drink. Mind over matter.
Over 90 percent of the so-called marijuana confiscated in their so-called drug busts is nothing more than hemp and contains trace amounts or no THC.
Fact: One cannot hide a patch of marijuana in the middle of a hemp field because the cross-pollination will diminish the THC levels in the marijuana to an undesirable level.
Growing hemp again would be extremely beneficial to the planet. No pesticides or herbicides are needed. We have already completely destroyed a large amount of our soil due to herbicide and pesticide use. Growing hemp absorbs an enormous amount of carbon monoxide and puts off four times as much oxygen as the same acreage of trees. A tree takes at least 20 years to grow; hemp can be harvested two or three times per growing season.
An extremely fine quality of paper can be made from hemp and will not turn yellow or brittle with age because there is no need to use acid or bleach in the processing. When processing tree paper, we are not only deforesting our land but polluting our streams and water supply as well.
Twenty-five thousand products can be made from hemp, including paper, rope, extremely durable clothing, accessories, jewelry, bath and body, cooking oil, foods, health supplements, heating oil, carpet, paint, home furnishings, etc.
George Washington grew it; our first American flag was made from hemp cloth; the first Levis were made from it; Abraham Lincoln used hemp oil in his reading lamps; Ben Franklin started one of the first hemp paper mills; the first verse of our National Anthem was penned on a hemp envelope; and Henry Ford built and powered an entire automobile with hemp in the early 1930s.
Quite the hearty plant our creator gave us and we are wasting millions trying to unsuccessfully eradicate it, not to mention all the unnecessary chemicals being sprayed into the environment. How ironic, instead of getting wiser, we just keep getting dumb and dumber and at our own expense.
Deanna Newton
Warsaw
Church And State
Editor, Times-Union:"Separation of church and state" has been a media catch phrase for the past 40 years. Any time religion can be even remotely linked to the public - no matter how obscure the link - the political left wing cries "unconstitutional!" One would logically conclude that these supposed defenders of the Constitution would oppose all instances of religion crossing paths with government, but that logic has recently been proven incorrect.
Students at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne have decided to perform a play called "Corpus Christi" in which Jesus Christ is depicted as a homosexual man who is sexually active with his disciples. The play has generated much controversy, which seems to be its intent.
Upon learning of this portrayal of Christ, my initial reaction was shock at its outright blasphemy. Most religions rooted in the Christian faith believe that homosexuality is a sin; we also believe that Jesus Christ was the embodiment of God, who is without sin. Naturally, I felt compelled to defend my religion and my belief in the Bible; however, I also understand that free speech is one of the basic rights of an American, and I would not try to silence an individual simply because I didn't like what he or she had to say.
I will, however, make every attempt to intervene in a situation where taxpayer dollars are paying for a play which glorifies sacrilege and attacks the Christian faith. If "separation of church and state" is the law of the land, shouldn't it apply to all faiths?
It has become all too popular and trendy in 21st century America to degrade Christianity and those who believe in it. The public does not tolerate the desecration of Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism or any other religions and faiths which make up America's rainbow of beliefs, and we should treat Christianity with as much respect. Why should Hoosier taxpayers foot the bill for the production of a play that is facilitating this kind of contempt for a 2,000-year-old religion? The answer is: They shouldn't.
I have joined several of my legislative colleagues in a lawsuit to halt production of "Corpus Christi." Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne is a taxpayer-funded institution and a play such as this has no place at a public university. It is not my intent to challenge the freedom of speech - a First Amendment right - but rather to exercise the freedom of and from religion. And, under the Constitution, I believe Hoosiers have a right to refuse to pay for this play.
I encourage you to contact IPFW Chancellor Michael Wartell to express your opinion of the taxpayer-funded play. You can write to him at 2101 E. Coliseum Blvd, KT166, Fort Wayne, IN 46805; you can e-mail him at [email protected] or call 481-6103.
The desecration of any religion should not be tolerated, and it certainly should not be financed by the state. It is important that Hoosiers are aware that they are paying for this play - your voice is needed in stopping this injustice.
Woody Burton
State Representative
R-Greenwood
Pops Concert
Editor, Times-Union:CHEERS to the many Kosciusko County corporations, organizations and foundations who made possible the Patriotic Pops Concerts in Syracuse and Winona Lake. The Fort Wayne Philharmonic is grateful to all of them.
A SALUTE to the dozens of individuals in both communities who also donated generously to the concerts. We sincerely thank them for their support of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic.
APPLAUSE ALSO to the wonderful audience of approximately 2,000 people in each community who were so appreciative of our concerts and all those who administered all of the details relating to the Winona Lake and Syracuse concerts. We sincerely thank you all, without whom this concert would not have happened.
Our sincere gratitude to all of you.
Colleen Benninghoff
Regional Touring Development
Fort Wayne Philharmonic
Christian Soldiers
Editor, Times-Union:Most people remember the song, "Onward Christian Soldiers." This song reminds us of our God-given responsibilities, that we, as soldiers of God, must not be afraid to go against the evil that consumes our world.
If, as a father, someone was to break into your house, grab your child, ram scissors in their head and suck out their brain, rip their limbs off and throw them in the trash, would you react? How would you react? Would you say it's not politically correct to defend them? Or maybe you feel it might offend someone if you make a stand. I would bet that you would fight until your dying breath to protect your child. So, as a soldier of God, is it only your child God wants you to protect? We torture and murder thousands of children every day for self-centered, selfish reasons. If you have an abortion for any reason other than to save your life, then you are no better than the killer sitting on death row; you are a murderer and unless you ask for forgiveness, you will answer to God for murdering your child. And for the men who don't take on the responsibility of being the father and allowing abortion, you too will answer for murder.
Today at 4 p.m., at the southeast corner of the Marsh parking lot, there will be a group of people meeting who aren't afraid to go public with their stand. We will walk to an area business that promotes abortion. We will stand and hold signs in defense of our children.
Being a man shouldn't be based on how tough you are, or how much money you have; it should be based on how you take on the responsibility of being an example of providing for your family and spiritual growth for your children.
Please come today, bring your family and friends, for one hour. You may save a life. We have community support for a no-kill shelter for animals, yet turn our backs on our own children.
When you're lying in bed tonight, remember the chorus, "Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before." Ask yourself, "What would God have me do?"
Matthew Trier
Warsaw
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