Editor, Times-Union: Since the demise of Frank Sinatra, one newspaper referred to Mr. Sinatra as being "The Voice of the Century," a statement that covers a lot of territory. Sinatra had a voice. (Who can ever forget those times during World War II, when he crooned so lovingly, "All Or Nothing At All," and "I Didn't Sleep A Wink Last Night"?) Yes, Sinatra had a voice, I'm not denying that - but people forget so quickly. What I'm trying to say is, how can we not remember so many other great balladeers of the past?
In case vocal fans have forgotten, there was once a rather popular singer by the name of Crosby. Remember him? In fact, in his day, there wasn't a more idolized, more beloved vocalist in the history of show business than Bing Crosby. (In fact, I understand that it was Bing Crosby from whom Sinatra received his inspiration to become the great singer and star that he turned out to be.)
Frank Sinatra's singing career took fire when he joined the Tommy Dorsey orchestra; I can recall those early '40s when Sinatra sang at the Paramount Theatre in New York where all the girls - they are old grannies now -Êwould stand in line and scream to high heaven whenever "Frankie" appeared on the scene.
In 1943, Sinatra played his first lead in the film "Higher And Higher," which, of course, was a smash hit. I recall that before production started on the movie, a contest was held where a young girl had a chance of winning a role in the Sinatra picture. Well, a girl from Chicago by the name of Barbara Hale won the contest; I still can envision the newspaper photo of Miss Hale jumping for joy upon hearing the news that she was to appear in a picture with Frank Sinatra. (Miss Hale later won fame playing "Della Street," secretary to Raymond Burr's "Perry Mason.")
Frank Sinatra, since his death, has been praised and looked upon by some as a guy who could do no wrong; but I'm afraid that "Frankie," like the rest of us, was capable of erring now and then. In fact, at times in a state of anger, Sinatra wasn't above using his fist on somebody who crossed him; I remember the time that he was alleged to have attended a dance where movie columnist Hedda Hopper was present and Frankie kicked her in the posterior right there on the dance floor because she wrote something about him that he deemed derogatory.
Yes, Frank Sinatra had a temper; but I understand that, as regards carrying out acts of charity and compassion, Sinatra could be quite benevolent. For instance, years ago when a policeman was killed somewhere in the southern part of Indiana, Frank Sinatra was kind and gracious enough to visit that territory and hold a benefit for the family of the policeman who died.
I guess I can state that one of Frank Sinatra's most popular hits, "All Or Nothing At All," says it all about Frankie; for when it comes to talent, money, fame, power and everything in general that can happen to a celebrity, Frank Sinatra did have it all.
Don Kaiser Warsaw !end Death Watch Editor, Times-Union: It is hard to believe that our local newspaper would not have the consideration to foresee how a line like "Death Watch" would impact a local business. Restaurateurs in this town are hard working citizens trying to make a living in a very difficult industry. We are committed to our businesses because we love this community and it is in our hearts to make others happy and to provide a needed service to the public.
Some who own restaurants in this town live here; we shop here and pay taxes here, so do our employees. Our kids go to Warsaw schools and we patronize each other's business instead of going to Fort Wayne and South Bend to dine. We want each other to succeed. My husband and I chose to build our lives and business in this community where our children would grow up with all of the benefits of a small town. We love Warsaw.
The recent "Potpourri" column was at best a taunt if not a cheer for the lost revenues of local business. Citizens should recognize that losing any business impacts the very fiber of our community. No one laughed when major employers in the community were forced to lay off experienced employees after years of faithful service. With all the endeavors to rejuvenate downtown Warsaw, it is shameful to see a local publication furthering the designs of chain business at the expense of the local business leaders. It is a condemnation of individuality and the heritage of the homespun hospitality that exists in every local eatery striving to survive in this fast paced society.
I understand that competition is the American way. We are all privileged to live in a country with free enterprise. If the majority of the nation's orthopedic industry can survive in the same small Indiana town, I am sure a few restaurants can, too. Local restaurateurs represent the essence of commitment to our community, supporting the growth of Warsaw and its entire population. While the novelty of the new restaurants is a temptation that the best of us feel a need to experience, it is the simple love of our community that keeps our local businesses thriving and upholding the solid values that we hold dear. Local restaurateurs rejoice in our home. We don't want to watch death.
Melissa Samuelson Owner of Orion's Restaurant
Pro-Choice Distortion
Editor, Times-Union: Congress is currently working to pass pro-life legislation called the Child Custody Protection Act. This legislation would prohibit someone from taking a minor girl to another state to obtain an abortion, thus violating the parental consent laws of the state in which the minor resides. Parental consent laws have been important in both reducing the number of abortions in a state as well as helping girls find positive alternatives to abortion.
Now that this pro-life legislation is beginning to make some headway, pro-abortion forces are resurfacing an old lie about Becky Bell. Becky Bell, abortion proponents say, died of an illegal abortion years ago because of Indiana's parental consent statute.
Becky Bell was a 17-year-old Indiana girl who reportedly died of an illegal abortion on Sept. 16, 1988. "Pro-choice" and feminist organizations, especially Planned Parenthood and Eleanor Smeal's "Feminist Majority Fund," immediately seized on Becky Bell's death and stated as fact that it was directly caused by Indiana's parental consent laws. They launched a media campaign and enlisted her parents to hit the talk show and lecture circuit to denounce parental notification and consent laws all over the country -Êthe law that they claimed "caused Becky's death."
This received media attention for a while, until the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) got a copy of the post-mortem report, which showed no sign of either induced abortion or infection in or near the reproductive organs. What the report did show was that Becky Bell died of a deadly and fast-acting form of pneumonia, which had neither originated in nor had affected the reproductive system. She had contracted this especially lethal form of pneumonia at about the same time that she had a miscarriage.
Various doctors have confirmed that Becky Bell did not die from an induced abortion. Dr. John Curry, former head of the Tissue Bank at Bethesda Naval Hospital, reviewed the coroner's pathology report. He noted that the report listed massive infection in Becky Bell's lungs and in other areas of her body, but there was no evidence of infection on the outside of her uterus or within it. He also stated that the germ that killed her was a common pneumonia germ "...which is unlikely to originate from a contaminated abortion procedure."
Dr. Curtis Harris, president of the American Academy of Medical Ethics, consulted in detail with five leading specialists in the fields of infectious disease, infertility, pathology and obstetrics/gynecology. The opinion of these five national experts was unanimous: that Becky Bell had an incomplete miscarriage (not an induced abortion).
Shortly after NRLC started distributing copies of the autopsy report, Mr. and Mrs. Bell dropped out of sight, and Eleanor Smeal never said another word about it.
It is a tragedy that Becky Bell died, but it is also a tragedy when the pro-choice movement purposely lies and exploits her death to further their own agenda.
Dave Koontz President, Kosciusko County Right to Life
Winona Lake
Brother's Honor
Editor, Times-Union: This is a letter in response to the article "In My Brother's Honor" that was published on June 1, 1998. The author of this article states many things as facts that are untrue. First, Rick Swope did not have a passenger in his truck. His wife was in her car following him home to make sure he didn't lose the lumber he was hauling. The accident happened on the passenger side of the truck and she witnessed none of it. The scenario of the situation is this: Rick was at a green light in which the left hand turns must yield. The oncoming traffic consisted of two vehicles that were waiting to make left turns. Rick hesitated over and over then decided to turn. At the time he began to turn there were no cars or motorcycles passing on the right of the vehicles which were turning opposite him. The article states that Rick was in a hurry and he made the turn carelessly, this is untrue.
I am not putting blame on Scott Carr by any means but I believe the facts should be known. Everyone will draw their own conclusions no matter what, but Rick did not break any law. That is why there were no charges brought against him. I am writing this because I know Rick Swope pretty well and his life has been very altered by this event. He thinks about Scott Carr on a daily basis and will for the rest of his life. It's not like he has just gone on with life as though nothing happened.
