Editor, Times-Union: In Saturday's (3-27-99) edition of the Times-Union, Managing Editor, Mr. Gary Gerard, (near the end of his column, titled "Newswrap") offered an apology for the printing of two words in an article reprinted off the Associated Press newswire concerning an unfortunate rape incident out in Sparks, Nev.
Taken out of context, some of Mr. Gerard's apology said: "It is our (the Times-Union's) intent to remove all offensive material..." Well, if our newspaper and Mr. Gerard continue to be so diligent in removing all this offensive material from the articles coming into their newsroom from the various newswires/internet/independent reporting sources, pretty soon all you good folk, so offended by such "news," will find nothing more to read in the pages of the newspaper excepting obits, the funny pages and classified ads! - Grow up and enter the real world, folk!
Personally, I find the atrocities and related war news coming out of Europe lately much MORE "obscene" and/or "blasphemous" than any mere two words of questionable usage uttered by cretins!
Furthermore, the story in which those two g**-forsaken words were printed becomes "lost" in this whole question of bigoted censorialness! Does anyone care that the young woman needs your support, prayers and understanding out there in Sparks, Nev.? Did the "complaining party" offer up any prayers to his/her deity that day, upon reading what the young woman suffered, to spread any measure of healing out to her over the distance between the "complaining party" and this young woman? I would be very surprised, indeed, if that answer came back to me in the affirmative. Mainly because I have become quite "jaded" as it pertains to folk living within these quiet, comfortable, insulated confines of Warsaw.
And the old saw that "What if our child had picked up this copy of the newspaper and read those two awful words..." doesn't jive here either. First, if "the child" is old enough to understand such words and their usage, the parent(s) responsibility is over. Second, if "the child" is sufficiently interested to read of the world-at-large, its "news," and its cultures ... having such censorship in place serves only to dis-educate such a "child." And finally, all you good folk out there operating in close proximity to your cousin, the ostrich, need to attend a seminar hosted and led by some moderator/presenter such as George Carlin or William S. Burroughs!
Words are words. Folk are folk. Folk perceive words as they may. And there's no getting around any of that!
So, get your head out of your a**... oops! ... I mean, the sand!
Start worrying about real things. A good place to start would be the Native Americans here in our country that are going through systematic genocidal partitioning from the rest of our disease-free culture out in the Four Corners area of the Southwestern United States. Or, if you must be right up there, politically correct and up-to-date, offer up some measure of peace prayers for the Serbs and Muslims in Europe. Closer to home, you might even support folk here in the Tri-State area that are fighting for freedom to express their own religious beliefs. (I'll bet you that the majority of you folk reading this letter didn't even know that was an "issue" right here in the Midwest during the year, 1999!)
And, as for you, Mr. Gerard: Don't you dare knuckle under to these wimps, wasps and wastrels complaining about "words that offend them!" Should you continue to do so, you will forever be as namby-pamby as your front page picture at the head of your column makes you appear! Blessed be!
Larry W. Craig Warsaw Note: I suppose I should have worded the apology differently. It's the profanity we toil to remove. Not to worry. I'm sure we'll print something offensive to someone soon enough.
Gary Gerard, Managing Editor
P.S. I like my picture.
Noise Ordinance Again
Editor, Times-Union: We ask the commissioners to look at the noise ordinance again.
The people in Tippy Lake, Palestine Lake, Silver Lake, North Webster, Barbee Lakes area and Chapman Lake area have demonstrated a need for some kind of noise control (i.e. barking dogs).
For the most part, these noisy dogs are penned or tied to barrels or the pens are made from wooden pallets.
While it is true, we the people can sue the noisy neighbor, what if he moves down the street a short distance and starts over again like in North Webster and the wolves, and another neighbor moves in with another dog in a pen. Where does it stop?
There is only one way to settle this, and that is to hold the people responsible for the disturbance of that peace, accountability is the only way. The sheriff's job is to maintain peace in the county not have the burden put on the victim. It will not raise your taxes because the violator will be fined to pay for the possible cost of the ordinance if any.
The commissioners can and should pass some sort of unnecessary noise ordinance. Occasional bark or rooster crow or farmer's tractor or the neighbor's lawn mower are necessary noises and are of course not included. We are talking about disturbing noises. A constant disturbance of the peace.
Unnecessary and disturbing noises are the key words here.
Herschel Rainwater, Warsaw
Philharmonic Says Thanks
Editor, Times-Union: The Fort Wayne Philharmonic was privileged to have performed two concerts in Warsaw this past season, a Holiday Pops concert in December and the most recent one, a Freimann Ensemble program. Both concerts were performed at Rodeheaver Hall on the campus of Grace College. We wish to send "Cheers and Bouquets" to the generous donors who made these concerts possible.
Thanks for the wonderful audiences too. We look forward to our return in the 1999-2000 season.
Colleen Benninghoff, Regional Touring Director, Ft. Wayne Philharmonic
Wrestling Tournament
Editor, Times-Union: On March 27, the Warsaw Tiger Wrestling Club hosted a freestyle tournament. This tournament brought 704 wrestlers and their families to our community. There were many people involved in this huge event. We would like to thank all of the parents and students who worked at the tournament. The tournament could not have been a success without your help. We would also like to thank Cal Roe and Pizza Hut for keeping our concession stand in pizzas. We would also like to thank Dairy Queen for their assistance in providing ice cream treats for the fans. Thanks also to Marsh for cooperating with our last minute needs. We would also like to thank the Warsaw schools and this community for providing such a fine facility that makes such a wonderful contribution at events such as these.
Warsaw Tiger Wrestling Club
Leesburg PTO Says Thanks
Editor, Times-Union: The Leesburg Elementary PTO would like to extend a sincere thank you to those individuals and businesses who helped to make our school carnival a great success. We would like to thank officers Coburn and Polston (what good sports), the Leesburg School staff, teachers and parents for contributing their time and energy to this event. Also, thank you to all of the local businesses that donated items for the raffle. What a great way to provide an evening of wholesome fun and enjoyment for all the students and their families, as well as contributing to the PTO fund. Again, many thanks!
Mary Armstrong and Cindy Coppes, Leesburg School carnival co-chairs
Get Out And Vote
Editor, Times-Union: We the people need to be changing our government, from Warsaw, all the way up to Washington D.C. We can only do any change by voting. Two-term limits should be the law. We should be able to control all politics and not let them control the voter. Please get out and vote your choice.
