Letters to the Editor 11-02-2002
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- Pierceton Pantry Open - The Wall - Dig's Diner - Tragic Story
Pierceton Pantry Open
Editor, Times-Union:I read in your letters to the Editor page a letter from the Roving Chef that said the Pierceton Food Pantry was closed.
I have no idea where this information came from. The Pierceton Food Pantry is alive and well and is in operation four days a week, and will continue as long as I am Trustee.
The Pierceton Food Pantry is in my office, so I should know.
Don Kenipe
Washington Township Trustee
The Wall
Editor, Times-Union:On the third of Oct. you wrote an article titled "Vietnam Wall Stirs Memories For Many." In May 2000 I wrote how I felt the first time I went to The Wall (timeswrsw.com/M000526.HTM#AVisitToTheWall).
There is a "T" and sweatshirt out that has a man with his head down and his hand against the wall; in the wall there are figures, with one pressing his hand against the man's hand. Maybe if these soldiers in the wall could talk, it might go like this... "We're soldiers of the wall; we've fought and died for one and all. We're just resting here you see, to see if our bloodshed kept you free. A patriot's dream for liberty. We didn't wish to die, when we heard that clarion cry, a call to arms set us on this course. And we'd do 'er again without remorse, for we'd rather be men than shirk when our country needs us to do dirty work. For we know that freedom is not free and our children must grow tall in liberty. We can see the purple mountain majesty, from our wall. See huddling masses yearning to be free, from our wall. We see a nation built on honesty, fought for with our blood of integrity. We see great courage maintained in modesty from our place here on the wall standing so proud and so tall. We are the ones our country called to trample tyranny, beloved freedom galled. We bore in might righteous spirit of right. We fought evil in Vietnam devastating. Armed with fire and lightning, forces of communism dissipating, Vietcong bastions wherein wrath lay stored fell to America's terrible sword. American soldiers prayed goodness of justice would at long last prevail, common freedoms to Vietnamese avail. But it was not to be, now as soldiers of the wall forever stand we, symbols of courageous struggle for liberty, of the best of us valiantly fallen, blest youth forever stolen. We hope our sacrifice wasn't in vain for we gave our lives in suffering pain. Where heroes proved more than life, their country loved, endowed with great courage and strength, we went to any length, fighting in Nam's gore and mud to inspire young men's red blood to crown our nation with noble brotherhood. We fought to make a difference, to stand in might, for right's defense. We watched our buddies die, followed them in death by and by, standing brave and standing tall. Finding gloried honor on this granite wall. We heard the distant sound of the gun, to Vietnam did run. We did not look behind as valorous courage we seemed to find. So do not shed for us faint tears; see our dream for country; see beyond the years. As we bled in the jungles of hell, we knew we were doing out duties well. For we answered our country's call, 'cause someone had to do it. We soldiers fighting in 'Nam's misty pall gave a gift to our beloved ... our all. It's lonely and so cold here. I hope people never forget us here, in this black marbled granite bier. For the sign of a man is the amount of respect he gives for father and brothers who gave all for them who now on this lonely wall live. Was our sacrifice worth it, can you see, do you honor our proud victory fought and won for you and me - though sad we be for our sainted mothers, do not cry for me, my brothers, but give to my death meaning beyond my moldering grave greening. We pray with all power in our hearts for men guiding, standing safeguard, protecting our great nation, brave men standing between loved ones and war's unholy devastation. Always remember with love and respect those who strains of freedom reflect from this hallowed wall, revered now by us all. Remember those living in darkening shadow whom with courage and honor jousted with freedom's malignant foe.
Robert L. Reed
Vietnam 68 - 69
Cha Rang Valley
Warsaw
Dig's Diner
Editor, Times-Union:For the past 10 years I have been frequenting Dig's Diner and, for my money, in this town there is no better place to eat. In 1992, I moved from Leesburg to Warsaw, and after my arrival the first restaurant I visited was Dig's, where I was met and waited on by Nanette, Bill's friendly, gracious spouse who said to me: "Welcome to Warsaw." I think that nearly everybody likes to go to Dig's, and I feel that the reason people enjoy patronizing Dig's Diner is because they love that warm, friendly feeling of cordiality that prevails throughout the place. And Bill is a great one to razz people. If Bill didn't (playfully) heckle everybody who patronizes his eatery, he just wouldn't be Bill DeGaetano. His customers expect a good razzing from Bill, and if he didn't yell at them now and then, his patrons wouldn't feel that they were dining at Dig's.
When I eat at Dig's, I sometimes ask for half-orders, and one day I said that I wanted a half-order of this and a half-order of that, and I also ordered a ham salad sandwich, so Bill yelled out in a loud, gruff tone, "And I suppose you want only half a sandwich!" (Bill DeGaetano is truly a big-hearted bozo, but don't tell him that, or he's likely to kick you right in the --.)
One day I head a woman say, "I don't like to go into Dig's because he's so mean to his waitresses - the way he yells at them!" I don't believe that any of Bill's help are offended by the way he yells at them. I haven't heard that any of them are planning to quit. Bill has a wonderful staff of waitresses: Tina, Tara, Rose, Nicole, Marylou and Janet. They are gals who are warm, friendly, capable and anxious to satisfy.
Yes, when it comes to good eating and good service, I would recommend Dig's Diner to anyone, even to Elvis or Marilyn M. if they were still alive.
Don Kaiser
Warsaw
Tragic Story
Editor, Times-Union:Saturday's front page article about Cuautle's murder of her infant child is a sad and tragic story, and one that is all too familiar. The article noted that the motive was not established. But one has to imagine that the motive for women who discard their babies to dumpsters is much the same as those who discard them in abortion clinics. They are often poverty-level, single mothers overwhelmed with the prospective responsibility of another child. This obviously does not excuse or necessitate the murder of children, either inside or outside the womb. Yet, how great a disparity there is in the consequences. If Cuautle would have made the decision to terminate the life moments earlier, while it was still in the birth canal, she would have been upheld by our pro-choice courts as simply exercising her rights. That is a story of tragic proportion far greater than the one that was printed Saturday.
A murder conviction for mothers like Cuautle may be both accurate and just. But it is also, for our courts, the ultimate hypocrisy.
P.S. Many states have adopted the Safe Haven Act, which allows mother to leave unwanted babies in a safe place without threat of being charged with abandonment. If this alternative were better known, perhaps more desperate mothers would choose it over dumpsters and clinics.
Ron Ogden
Winona Lake
[[In-content Ad]]
- Pierceton Pantry Open - The Wall - Dig's Diner - Tragic Story
Pierceton Pantry Open
Editor, Times-Union:I read in your letters to the Editor page a letter from the Roving Chef that said the Pierceton Food Pantry was closed.
I have no idea where this information came from. The Pierceton Food Pantry is alive and well and is in operation four days a week, and will continue as long as I am Trustee.
The Pierceton Food Pantry is in my office, so I should know.
Don Kenipe
Washington Township Trustee
The Wall
Editor, Times-Union:On the third of Oct. you wrote an article titled "Vietnam Wall Stirs Memories For Many." In May 2000 I wrote how I felt the first time I went to The Wall (timeswrsw.com/M000526.HTM#AVisitToTheWall).
There is a "T" and sweatshirt out that has a man with his head down and his hand against the wall; in the wall there are figures, with one pressing his hand against the man's hand. Maybe if these soldiers in the wall could talk, it might go like this... "We're soldiers of the wall; we've fought and died for one and all. We're just resting here you see, to see if our bloodshed kept you free. A patriot's dream for liberty. We didn't wish to die, when we heard that clarion cry, a call to arms set us on this course. And we'd do 'er again without remorse, for we'd rather be men than shirk when our country needs us to do dirty work. For we know that freedom is not free and our children must grow tall in liberty. We can see the purple mountain majesty, from our wall. See huddling masses yearning to be free, from our wall. We see a nation built on honesty, fought for with our blood of integrity. We see great courage maintained in modesty from our place here on the wall standing so proud and so tall. We are the ones our country called to trample tyranny, beloved freedom galled. We bore in might righteous spirit of right. We fought evil in Vietnam devastating. Armed with fire and lightning, forces of communism dissipating, Vietcong bastions wherein wrath lay stored fell to America's terrible sword. American soldiers prayed goodness of justice would at long last prevail, common freedoms to Vietnamese avail. But it was not to be, now as soldiers of the wall forever stand we, symbols of courageous struggle for liberty, of the best of us valiantly fallen, blest youth forever stolen. We hope our sacrifice wasn't in vain for we gave our lives in suffering pain. Where heroes proved more than life, their country loved, endowed with great courage and strength, we went to any length, fighting in Nam's gore and mud to inspire young men's red blood to crown our nation with noble brotherhood. We fought to make a difference, to stand in might, for right's defense. We watched our buddies die, followed them in death by and by, standing brave and standing tall. Finding gloried honor on this granite wall. We heard the distant sound of the gun, to Vietnam did run. We did not look behind as valorous courage we seemed to find. So do not shed for us faint tears; see our dream for country; see beyond the years. As we bled in the jungles of hell, we knew we were doing out duties well. For we answered our country's call, 'cause someone had to do it. We soldiers fighting in 'Nam's misty pall gave a gift to our beloved ... our all. It's lonely and so cold here. I hope people never forget us here, in this black marbled granite bier. For the sign of a man is the amount of respect he gives for father and brothers who gave all for them who now on this lonely wall live. Was our sacrifice worth it, can you see, do you honor our proud victory fought and won for you and me - though sad we be for our sainted mothers, do not cry for me, my brothers, but give to my death meaning beyond my moldering grave greening. We pray with all power in our hearts for men guiding, standing safeguard, protecting our great nation, brave men standing between loved ones and war's unholy devastation. Always remember with love and respect those who strains of freedom reflect from this hallowed wall, revered now by us all. Remember those living in darkening shadow whom with courage and honor jousted with freedom's malignant foe.
Robert L. Reed
Vietnam 68 - 69
Cha Rang Valley
Warsaw
Dig's Diner
Editor, Times-Union:For the past 10 years I have been frequenting Dig's Diner and, for my money, in this town there is no better place to eat. In 1992, I moved from Leesburg to Warsaw, and after my arrival the first restaurant I visited was Dig's, where I was met and waited on by Nanette, Bill's friendly, gracious spouse who said to me: "Welcome to Warsaw." I think that nearly everybody likes to go to Dig's, and I feel that the reason people enjoy patronizing Dig's Diner is because they love that warm, friendly feeling of cordiality that prevails throughout the place. And Bill is a great one to razz people. If Bill didn't (playfully) heckle everybody who patronizes his eatery, he just wouldn't be Bill DeGaetano. His customers expect a good razzing from Bill, and if he didn't yell at them now and then, his patrons wouldn't feel that they were dining at Dig's.
When I eat at Dig's, I sometimes ask for half-orders, and one day I said that I wanted a half-order of this and a half-order of that, and I also ordered a ham salad sandwich, so Bill yelled out in a loud, gruff tone, "And I suppose you want only half a sandwich!" (Bill DeGaetano is truly a big-hearted bozo, but don't tell him that, or he's likely to kick you right in the --.)
One day I head a woman say, "I don't like to go into Dig's because he's so mean to his waitresses - the way he yells at them!" I don't believe that any of Bill's help are offended by the way he yells at them. I haven't heard that any of them are planning to quit. Bill has a wonderful staff of waitresses: Tina, Tara, Rose, Nicole, Marylou and Janet. They are gals who are warm, friendly, capable and anxious to satisfy.
Yes, when it comes to good eating and good service, I would recommend Dig's Diner to anyone, even to Elvis or Marilyn M. if they were still alive.
Don Kaiser
Warsaw
Tragic Story
Editor, Times-Union:Saturday's front page article about Cuautle's murder of her infant child is a sad and tragic story, and one that is all too familiar. The article noted that the motive was not established. But one has to imagine that the motive for women who discard their babies to dumpsters is much the same as those who discard them in abortion clinics. They are often poverty-level, single mothers overwhelmed with the prospective responsibility of another child. This obviously does not excuse or necessitate the murder of children, either inside or outside the womb. Yet, how great a disparity there is in the consequences. If Cuautle would have made the decision to terminate the life moments earlier, while it was still in the birth canal, she would have been upheld by our pro-choice courts as simply exercising her rights. That is a story of tragic proportion far greater than the one that was printed Saturday.
A murder conviction for mothers like Cuautle may be both accurate and just. But it is also, for our courts, the ultimate hypocrisy.
P.S. Many states have adopted the Safe Haven Act, which allows mother to leave unwanted babies in a safe place without threat of being charged with abandonment. If this alternative were better known, perhaps more desperate mothers would choose it over dumpsters and clinics.
Ron Ogden
Winona Lake
[[In-content Ad]]
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092