Letters to the Editor 12-23-1997
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- McCarthyism - Police Department - Pierceton Christmas - Gasoline Prices
McCarthyism
Editor, Times-Union:I quote a letter to the editor in an area paper dated Dec. 17 by the Rev. Noel G. Reed, a Methodist minister. He said that "those seeking a pound of flesh have again crawled out of the woodwork unfurling the insensitivity banner." He described this action as "McCarthyism revisited." Rev. Reed told me that he was amazed at how few people that he talked to remembered what McCarthyism was/is.
The dictionary defines McCarthyism as "The political practice of publishing accusations of disloyalty or subversion (read, insensitivity) with insufficient regard to evidence." Joseph McCarthy, the senator from Wisconsin from 1946-1957, began a campaign to smoke out communist thinking in society, beginning with the state department and the U.S. Army, of all places. This was in a post-war era when communists had snapped up Eastern Europe, bankrolled the North Korean attack on South Korea (thus causing the Korean "police action" of 1950-53), exploded an atomic bomb, and threatened to take over the world. To top matters off, China fell to the communists in 1949.
In the post-war era, our nation developed a case of mass paranoia, which is defined as "a chronic severe mental disorder characterized by deterioration of normal intellectual and social functioning and by partial or complete withdrawal from reality; specifically delusions of persecution strenuously defended by the afflicted." Fear gripped the nation resulting in a mass hysteria over who lost China. General of the Army George C. Marshall was secretary of state in that era. McCarthy had the audacity to accuse one of the greatest patriots in U.S. history, a general who outranked MacArthur and Eisenhower and was author of "The Marshall Plan" designed to rehabilitate Europe, of being a communist.
McCarthy's power was so strong that even General Eisenhower deferred to him in the Wisconsin presidential primary of 1952. By 1954, McCarthy made a fool of himself on the televised Army-McCarthy hearings. This emboldened the Senate to censure him and effectively destroy his career and the evil he spawned with it. He died an alcoholic in office at the age of 48.
Political correctness is indeed the McCarthyism of the '90s. It breeds primarily in the field of education. Now we can see it for what it is. This letter is the first step of censure. A school board ruling can complete it.
Now please note: McCarthy didn't lose his Senate seat, but his reign of terror was over. If we will all stand back and take a deep breath, no one will have to lose a job. Even NFL officials are showing the good judgment to reverse bad calls.
The opportunity is now open. Just reinstate Mrs. Roberts with an apology, pull in your horns, and let's go forward with a new attitude. As the Bible says, "What the Devil meant for evil. God turned to good."
G. Thorpe Mitchell, Col. USAF (Ret.)
Pastor, Northern Lakes Cathedral of Praise
Syracuse
Police Department
Editor, Times-Union:I think it's a real crime some councilmen just can't see the good in the Warsaw Police Department. I just hope that if you or your family ever need a police officer for some reason or another that their car has gas in the tank and is in good working condition. It would be a shame if they couldn't get to your house because of a decision you made on money during a council meeting. I feel the Warsaw Police Department does a wonderful job in every aspect. They risk their lives to protect ours. And they do this with very little respect from some. As for a certain councilman wanting something new under his Christmas tree, he needs to remember Santa always makes a list and checks it twice to see who's been naughty or nice.
Kathy Masterson
Claypool
Pierceton Christmas
Editor, Times-Union:We all imagine Christmas with family and friends roasting chestnuts over an open fire with gifts and good food. The harsh reality is that for many children and families Christmas is a time that they hope to have enough food on the table and a present for each child.
At Pierceton Elementary School we have been blessed this season with many groups and individuals who are making this Christmas very special for some of our children. We had an annual canned food drive by the student council in which we collected over 800 food items. In addition others brought that number to well over 1,000. This food will be combined with perishable food and meat, then distributed to approximately 80 families.
Over 20 coats and hats were bought for students who would have otherwise had a much colder Christmas.
Many have donated money or adopted families from our school.
Another student council sponsored a special party for 30 children, bringing them gifts and sharing treats.
And the office manager at Pierceton Elementary School has coordinated all of these efforts making sure that all families that are in need get assistance from one group or another.
The students and staff at Pierceton Elementary School are surely blessed to live in such a caring community - a community that exemplifies the true meaning of Christmas.
Ruth E. Jones
Pierceton Elementary Principal
Gasoline Prices
Editor, Times-Union:I'm sure you are all enjoying the price of gasoline. Why, we have the extreme joy of paying only $1.09.9. Just think of those poor suckers who are paying $.99.9. What a shame. Now who in the world do you think is suffering. Those poor distributors, may the good Lord have mercy on them as they steal us blind.
You know, all you have to do is travel a few miles in any direction, and you can begin to save 3 and 4 cents per gallon. Travel a little farther south, east or west and you too can pay that whopping 99 cents. In fact, today I happened to travel as far south as Alexandria and I just had to pull into the station and pay $.97.9 per gallon.
Look at it this way. We are an island unto ourselves. Sitting high and dry paying those high prices while the rest pay a decent price.
The more people I talk with, they get the majority of their gas outside of Warsaw. In fact, I have bought only one tank of gas in Warsaw in over eight months. Now, how many others are doing the same. Now we can see who is the real loser.
Come on, distributor, come down off your high horse and join the rest of the world. You residents can boycott the local stations and then they can force the distributor to get real, or please justify your price. Even on the east coast I paid $1.01.9.
Kenneth L. Stenstrom
Warsaw
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- McCarthyism - Police Department - Pierceton Christmas - Gasoline Prices
McCarthyism
Editor, Times-Union:I quote a letter to the editor in an area paper dated Dec. 17 by the Rev. Noel G. Reed, a Methodist minister. He said that "those seeking a pound of flesh have again crawled out of the woodwork unfurling the insensitivity banner." He described this action as "McCarthyism revisited." Rev. Reed told me that he was amazed at how few people that he talked to remembered what McCarthyism was/is.
The dictionary defines McCarthyism as "The political practice of publishing accusations of disloyalty or subversion (read, insensitivity) with insufficient regard to evidence." Joseph McCarthy, the senator from Wisconsin from 1946-1957, began a campaign to smoke out communist thinking in society, beginning with the state department and the U.S. Army, of all places. This was in a post-war era when communists had snapped up Eastern Europe, bankrolled the North Korean attack on South Korea (thus causing the Korean "police action" of 1950-53), exploded an atomic bomb, and threatened to take over the world. To top matters off, China fell to the communists in 1949.
In the post-war era, our nation developed a case of mass paranoia, which is defined as "a chronic severe mental disorder characterized by deterioration of normal intellectual and social functioning and by partial or complete withdrawal from reality; specifically delusions of persecution strenuously defended by the afflicted." Fear gripped the nation resulting in a mass hysteria over who lost China. General of the Army George C. Marshall was secretary of state in that era. McCarthy had the audacity to accuse one of the greatest patriots in U.S. history, a general who outranked MacArthur and Eisenhower and was author of "The Marshall Plan" designed to rehabilitate Europe, of being a communist.
McCarthy's power was so strong that even General Eisenhower deferred to him in the Wisconsin presidential primary of 1952. By 1954, McCarthy made a fool of himself on the televised Army-McCarthy hearings. This emboldened the Senate to censure him and effectively destroy his career and the evil he spawned with it. He died an alcoholic in office at the age of 48.
Political correctness is indeed the McCarthyism of the '90s. It breeds primarily in the field of education. Now we can see it for what it is. This letter is the first step of censure. A school board ruling can complete it.
Now please note: McCarthy didn't lose his Senate seat, but his reign of terror was over. If we will all stand back and take a deep breath, no one will have to lose a job. Even NFL officials are showing the good judgment to reverse bad calls.
The opportunity is now open. Just reinstate Mrs. Roberts with an apology, pull in your horns, and let's go forward with a new attitude. As the Bible says, "What the Devil meant for evil. God turned to good."
G. Thorpe Mitchell, Col. USAF (Ret.)
Pastor, Northern Lakes Cathedral of Praise
Syracuse
Police Department
Editor, Times-Union:I think it's a real crime some councilmen just can't see the good in the Warsaw Police Department. I just hope that if you or your family ever need a police officer for some reason or another that their car has gas in the tank and is in good working condition. It would be a shame if they couldn't get to your house because of a decision you made on money during a council meeting. I feel the Warsaw Police Department does a wonderful job in every aspect. They risk their lives to protect ours. And they do this with very little respect from some. As for a certain councilman wanting something new under his Christmas tree, he needs to remember Santa always makes a list and checks it twice to see who's been naughty or nice.
Kathy Masterson
Claypool
Pierceton Christmas
Editor, Times-Union:We all imagine Christmas with family and friends roasting chestnuts over an open fire with gifts and good food. The harsh reality is that for many children and families Christmas is a time that they hope to have enough food on the table and a present for each child.
At Pierceton Elementary School we have been blessed this season with many groups and individuals who are making this Christmas very special for some of our children. We had an annual canned food drive by the student council in which we collected over 800 food items. In addition others brought that number to well over 1,000. This food will be combined with perishable food and meat, then distributed to approximately 80 families.
Over 20 coats and hats were bought for students who would have otherwise had a much colder Christmas.
Many have donated money or adopted families from our school.
Another student council sponsored a special party for 30 children, bringing them gifts and sharing treats.
And the office manager at Pierceton Elementary School has coordinated all of these efforts making sure that all families that are in need get assistance from one group or another.
The students and staff at Pierceton Elementary School are surely blessed to live in such a caring community - a community that exemplifies the true meaning of Christmas.
Ruth E. Jones
Pierceton Elementary Principal
Gasoline Prices
Editor, Times-Union:I'm sure you are all enjoying the price of gasoline. Why, we have the extreme joy of paying only $1.09.9. Just think of those poor suckers who are paying $.99.9. What a shame. Now who in the world do you think is suffering. Those poor distributors, may the good Lord have mercy on them as they steal us blind.
You know, all you have to do is travel a few miles in any direction, and you can begin to save 3 and 4 cents per gallon. Travel a little farther south, east or west and you too can pay that whopping 99 cents. In fact, today I happened to travel as far south as Alexandria and I just had to pull into the station and pay $.97.9 per gallon.
Look at it this way. We are an island unto ourselves. Sitting high and dry paying those high prices while the rest pay a decent price.
The more people I talk with, they get the majority of their gas outside of Warsaw. In fact, I have bought only one tank of gas in Warsaw in over eight months. Now, how many others are doing the same. Now we can see who is the real loser.
Come on, distributor, come down off your high horse and join the rest of the world. You residents can boycott the local stations and then they can force the distributor to get real, or please justify your price. Even on the east coast I paid $1.01.9.
Kenneth L. Stenstrom
Warsaw
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