Letters to the Editor 09-06-2005
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- Medical Alternative - Donations Sought - Material World - Lessons Learned - God Punishes
Medical Alternative
Editor, Times-Union:Don't you wish media pundits would sometimes look down at the graphic scrawl running along the bottom of the screen before they begin expounding on some subject? Take embryonic stem cell research. Some people argue for embryonic stem cell research, saying it's the only way research for new cures can continue. The only way? Many times I've seen graphic scrawls on these very shows announce that the same stem cells can be obtained from placentas, umbilical cords, bone marrow and even sinus tissue, thus avoiding legal and ethical problems. We should always look for other solutions, instead of ending an innocent life. Take the situation Dr. Dennis Cooley faced.
In 1970, a five-year-old boy was brought to Massachusetts General Hospital with a serious congenital heart defect. Open heart surgery would save the boy's life, but his parents would not permit it because of religious conviction. The stage was set for a classic confrontation -Êstate v. church; parents' v. child's rights. But Dr. Cooley came up with a new life-saving procedure. Before the operation, some of the boy's blood was drained out into containers then reintroduced during surgery. Since the blood did not technically leave the patient's body, it was not considered a transfusion when reintroduced. The new procedure also prevented thousands of deaths from transfusions-borne infections. Instead of plowing into a legal and ethical battleground, Dr. Cooley and his fellow doctors found an alternate solution.
Today, adult stem cells offer an alternate solution to embryonic stem cells for medical research without bogging down in a legal and ethical quagmire.
William L. Kelly
Warsaw
Donations Sought
Editor, Times-Union:A number of worthy efforts are being made to help relieve the suffering pertaining to Hurricane Katrina. I learned yesterday (Sunday) that the Hands of Hope group from Warsaw will be sending a medical team of 13 people this coming Saturday to Mississippi. They need $15,000 to purchase medicine. Dr. Gary Pitts told me he can get much of this at cost. Some of it will be donated. With sending out word today, we have only four to five days to respond.
If anyone would like to give to the Hands of Hope Hurricane Relief Fund, you can make out a check to Hands of Hope (memo: Hurricane Relief Fund). Any size donation is appreciated. All donations are tax-deductible. You can drop off donations to the Boathouse Restaurant in Winona Lake, to the American Table Restaurant in Warsaw, or to the Pill Box Pharmacy in Warsaw.
Thank you for helping in this situation of need. God bless you, one and all.
Pastor Doug Vogel
Warsaw, via e-mail
Material World
Editor, Times-Union:What has this world come to? Why is it taking so long to get help to the people stranded on interstates and other areas? No water or food in three or four days is ridiculous! When the tsunami hit, it didn't take this long to at least get something to them. I can understand these families' frustrations in our world. Is this what has made material things more important than people? I'm a volunteer for several organizations that help people in disasters and I don't understand why something hasn't been done before now.
Sharon Justice
Warsaw, via e-mail
Lessons Learned
Editor, Times-Union:This past week has been a true lesson for humanity. We have been watching the play by play of all the goings on - it is hard to imagine the devastation, even seeing the pictures. But I have come to some conclusions about this whole mess.
1. Obviously, the city of New Orleans did not have a disaster plan worked out - the worse case scenario planned and then put into action prior to Katrina hitting. The question of "What if Katrina had not hit and all that money spent for nothing?" is answered by the fact it would have been cheaper then what they are facing now. Why were school buses and city buses not deployed and taken down each and every street and in the mandatory evacuation those people that had no transportation picked up - no one could have the option to say, "No."
2. Why do people see their property as more important then their lives? I don't care if I had to crawl out of there I would have taken my children and left - there is no excuse for people being left behind or staying.
3. Why was there not food supplies and port-a-johns at the superdome? Again, no disaster plan.
4. Why now, when people can walk out, are they standing around not doing something? We each have the capability of action no matter how small or big. Don't expect someone to come and rescue you - rescue yourself, clean up after yourself, be responsible.
5. This is not just a New Orleans problem - it is a Gulf Coast problem. So I don't want to hear no one is helping. I see all these people giving their all to come to that area and help.
6. We as a country are rallying and helping as fast as we can and we should be mighty glad we live where that is an actuality.
7. As far as the looting and violence - well those people will be held accountable - it is a city amuck - it is sad.
8. We need to pray for all the victims and families - we need to lift our President and the government agencies responsible for the relief effort in a constant state of prayer. All the young men and women of the Reserves who are helping and the safety of the police in this area is also a great prayer request.
9. This will not be resolved overnight, in a week, in months and most likely in years - but we need to band together as a country and do our best to help our own no matter how long it takes. But we also need to use "habitat for humanity" rules and let the people work in rebuilding their city and homes. I think it is called sweat equity.
Abraham Lincoln said "I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go." This is so true for all of us right now.
Phyllis L. Barger
Warsaw, via e-mail
God Punishes
Editor, Times-Union:At midnight on Aug. 31, the multi-million dollar new gambling casino on the south side of New Orleans was to open with its 16,000 employees! (Just in case any of you sleepy souls missed the news.)
This week also was to be a gathering of 100,000 homosexuals, who intended to commit unspeakably indecent acts in public. To show they meant business, they sent to city officials previously published lewd pictures as a sample of what to expect, so I read. Their visit was estimated to bring to New Orleans area about $100 million. (That's one-tenth of a billion dollars). This occasion was to be billed as "Southern Decadence Day." Could it be, instead, one of the costliest weeks of American history and not a great moneymaker?
When Katrina was just a "baby storm" in the Atlantic, I had a dream early one morning. In it I saw winds of hurricane strength outside every window of our house! Next morning, I had no idea what the dream might mean. But every day this week I have thought of last week's dream!
Already the evacuation of the Gaza area in Israel was underway, with the screaming and kicking resistance of the Israeli residents there as they were evicted from their homes, never to return. Millions of Jews and Christians believe that the Sovereign God promised this real estate to Israel a long time ago, as stated in their holy writing and ours.
My question to you, Mr. Editor, and all my fellow citizens: Could there be a connection between our pressure on Israel to evacuate Gaza in Israel and New Orleans in the USA? If not, then what did YHVH God mean in Jeremiah 31:35 if not what is says in plain English? Was the Almighty just kidding in Ezekiel chapters 47 and 48?
Before we flippantly toss aside the opinions of Steve Shultz, Avner Boskey and James Goll, et. al., we should have some, "reality checking" of our own convictions about history and world events as we see them developing before us daily!
J. Robert and Jodie Boggs
Winona Lake, via e-mail
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- Medical Alternative - Donations Sought - Material World - Lessons Learned - God Punishes
Medical Alternative
Editor, Times-Union:Don't you wish media pundits would sometimes look down at the graphic scrawl running along the bottom of the screen before they begin expounding on some subject? Take embryonic stem cell research. Some people argue for embryonic stem cell research, saying it's the only way research for new cures can continue. The only way? Many times I've seen graphic scrawls on these very shows announce that the same stem cells can be obtained from placentas, umbilical cords, bone marrow and even sinus tissue, thus avoiding legal and ethical problems. We should always look for other solutions, instead of ending an innocent life. Take the situation Dr. Dennis Cooley faced.
In 1970, a five-year-old boy was brought to Massachusetts General Hospital with a serious congenital heart defect. Open heart surgery would save the boy's life, but his parents would not permit it because of religious conviction. The stage was set for a classic confrontation -Êstate v. church; parents' v. child's rights. But Dr. Cooley came up with a new life-saving procedure. Before the operation, some of the boy's blood was drained out into containers then reintroduced during surgery. Since the blood did not technically leave the patient's body, it was not considered a transfusion when reintroduced. The new procedure also prevented thousands of deaths from transfusions-borne infections. Instead of plowing into a legal and ethical battleground, Dr. Cooley and his fellow doctors found an alternate solution.
Today, adult stem cells offer an alternate solution to embryonic stem cells for medical research without bogging down in a legal and ethical quagmire.
William L. Kelly
Warsaw
Donations Sought
Editor, Times-Union:A number of worthy efforts are being made to help relieve the suffering pertaining to Hurricane Katrina. I learned yesterday (Sunday) that the Hands of Hope group from Warsaw will be sending a medical team of 13 people this coming Saturday to Mississippi. They need $15,000 to purchase medicine. Dr. Gary Pitts told me he can get much of this at cost. Some of it will be donated. With sending out word today, we have only four to five days to respond.
If anyone would like to give to the Hands of Hope Hurricane Relief Fund, you can make out a check to Hands of Hope (memo: Hurricane Relief Fund). Any size donation is appreciated. All donations are tax-deductible. You can drop off donations to the Boathouse Restaurant in Winona Lake, to the American Table Restaurant in Warsaw, or to the Pill Box Pharmacy in Warsaw.
Thank you for helping in this situation of need. God bless you, one and all.
Pastor Doug Vogel
Warsaw, via e-mail
Material World
Editor, Times-Union:What has this world come to? Why is it taking so long to get help to the people stranded on interstates and other areas? No water or food in three or four days is ridiculous! When the tsunami hit, it didn't take this long to at least get something to them. I can understand these families' frustrations in our world. Is this what has made material things more important than people? I'm a volunteer for several organizations that help people in disasters and I don't understand why something hasn't been done before now.
Sharon Justice
Warsaw, via e-mail
Lessons Learned
Editor, Times-Union:This past week has been a true lesson for humanity. We have been watching the play by play of all the goings on - it is hard to imagine the devastation, even seeing the pictures. But I have come to some conclusions about this whole mess.
1. Obviously, the city of New Orleans did not have a disaster plan worked out - the worse case scenario planned and then put into action prior to Katrina hitting. The question of "What if Katrina had not hit and all that money spent for nothing?" is answered by the fact it would have been cheaper then what they are facing now. Why were school buses and city buses not deployed and taken down each and every street and in the mandatory evacuation those people that had no transportation picked up - no one could have the option to say, "No."
2. Why do people see their property as more important then their lives? I don't care if I had to crawl out of there I would have taken my children and left - there is no excuse for people being left behind or staying.
3. Why was there not food supplies and port-a-johns at the superdome? Again, no disaster plan.
4. Why now, when people can walk out, are they standing around not doing something? We each have the capability of action no matter how small or big. Don't expect someone to come and rescue you - rescue yourself, clean up after yourself, be responsible.
5. This is not just a New Orleans problem - it is a Gulf Coast problem. So I don't want to hear no one is helping. I see all these people giving their all to come to that area and help.
6. We as a country are rallying and helping as fast as we can and we should be mighty glad we live where that is an actuality.
7. As far as the looting and violence - well those people will be held accountable - it is a city amuck - it is sad.
8. We need to pray for all the victims and families - we need to lift our President and the government agencies responsible for the relief effort in a constant state of prayer. All the young men and women of the Reserves who are helping and the safety of the police in this area is also a great prayer request.
9. This will not be resolved overnight, in a week, in months and most likely in years - but we need to band together as a country and do our best to help our own no matter how long it takes. But we also need to use "habitat for humanity" rules and let the people work in rebuilding their city and homes. I think it is called sweat equity.
Abraham Lincoln said "I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go." This is so true for all of us right now.
Phyllis L. Barger
Warsaw, via e-mail
God Punishes
Editor, Times-Union:At midnight on Aug. 31, the multi-million dollar new gambling casino on the south side of New Orleans was to open with its 16,000 employees! (Just in case any of you sleepy souls missed the news.)
This week also was to be a gathering of 100,000 homosexuals, who intended to commit unspeakably indecent acts in public. To show they meant business, they sent to city officials previously published lewd pictures as a sample of what to expect, so I read. Their visit was estimated to bring to New Orleans area about $100 million. (That's one-tenth of a billion dollars). This occasion was to be billed as "Southern Decadence Day." Could it be, instead, one of the costliest weeks of American history and not a great moneymaker?
When Katrina was just a "baby storm" in the Atlantic, I had a dream early one morning. In it I saw winds of hurricane strength outside every window of our house! Next morning, I had no idea what the dream might mean. But every day this week I have thought of last week's dream!
Already the evacuation of the Gaza area in Israel was underway, with the screaming and kicking resistance of the Israeli residents there as they were evicted from their homes, never to return. Millions of Jews and Christians believe that the Sovereign God promised this real estate to Israel a long time ago, as stated in their holy writing and ours.
My question to you, Mr. Editor, and all my fellow citizens: Could there be a connection between our pressure on Israel to evacuate Gaza in Israel and New Orleans in the USA? If not, then what did YHVH God mean in Jeremiah 31:35 if not what is says in plain English? Was the Almighty just kidding in Ezekiel chapters 47 and 48?
Before we flippantly toss aside the opinions of Steve Shultz, Avner Boskey and James Goll, et. al., we should have some, "reality checking" of our own convictions about history and world events as we see them developing before us daily!
J. Robert and Jodie Boggs
Winona Lake, via e-mail
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