Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2005 | ||
For past Letters to the Editor, view our Archives by publication date.
Bad Links? | What our Readers Are SayingLetters to the Editor Fayette soldier gets a thank-you mealMy brother, Specialist Chad G. Carter, is a soldier in the 48th Brigade, the unit that has been hit so hard with casualties the past several weeks. Fortunately, for our family, he was home on R&R when these tragedies occurred. However, as you can imagine we were hit hard with the news each time an incident happened. The thoughts continued to race through our minds that we would have to send him back there in just a few short days to serve at least another nine months. On his final day at home, he and my mom had the opportunity to spend some normal time together. They went shopping and had lunch. He was in uniform in preparation to take his flight out later in the afternoon. The following is a synopsis of what occurred that makes me so proud to be a Fayette citizen. My mother and brother decided to eat lunch at Ruby Tuesdays, here in Fayetteville. At the salad bar, a gentleman asked where my brother was stationed. My brother told him that he was about to return to Iraq. They each got their salad and returned to their tables. Shortly, thereafter, the wife of the gentleman came over to the table to tell my brother, Thank you. This touched my mother deeply and surprised my brother greatly. Since his deployment, he has always been quite humble about doing his job. When it came time to leave, my mother asked the waitress for the check. She and my brother were told that the group at the table which included the gentleman and his wife had already taken care of it. Once again my mother was truly touched and my brother surprised. He went to thank the table and talked for a short time. When he returned to his table, he told my mother with tears in his eyes that he just couldnt understand the fuss, that he was just doing what duty demanded and did not feel special at all. The waitress told him that she felt as if she had just waited upon a superstar. These simple gestures of thank you from strangers in our community made my brothers last day here very special and very proud. It allowed him to see that others think of him the way we always have: as a hero. I wanted to write this letter in the hope that it would be published so that I could say, Thank you, to those in our community who showed my brother that we do appreciate and honor the sacrifice that he and those serving with him are making for us everyday. Even though I was not present when these events took place, having served our country in the past, I understand how important it is for us to recognize the sacrifices of these soldiers and their families. I know that there are many who do not support our governments actions with this war, but I am proud that we are a people that can support those who are trying their best to protect our freedom in whatever way they can, regardless of our feelings on policy. I am so glad we have learned from our past mistakes. Thank you and God bless you for supporting our troops. With a full heart, Rebecca Miller Editors note: We received a follow-up e-mail about this incident, as follows: Not sure which editor was working on this story... Although I think my sister has a talent for dramatics, she told the story as it happened (she must have talked to my momma). Not sure there is anymore to tell... The real story is the family and our waitress. Spc. Carter, Chad
Tyrone speed (trap) limitsThank you for the heads up on your elected officials brilliant idea to shift the burden of their salaries from silly concepts such as fiscal prudence and onto the backs of the locals of your fair town. I wonder how much money the signs and labor to change signs will cost, versus the revenue increases. Also, while your local constables dutifully secure those dangerous roads doling out citations, how many rapes, robberies and murders occur due to said police not being present on the streets? It is their job to prevent and react to crime. Where is the priority? I also wonder what the fatality/accident rate was on those streets affected to bolster the argument that it was done in the interest of public safety. What a load of bull. Rick Day
Speed, greed and criminals: Tyrone to make drivers balance budgetI found it interesting that the town of Tyrone would use revenue from traffic violations to actually generate income but thats what they do. Barry Amos actually counts on this revenue when he projects next years budget to mayor and council during their yearly budget workshops. It was during one of the quietly advertised workshops that it was discovered the town fell way short on Amos projected revenue from traffic violations this past year. When asked why the town fell so short Amos answered, I guess we have more law-abiding citizens than we thought. By gosh, if we aint got no criminals, well make some. Of the speed limit changes, only one is in a subdivision. Paul Letourneau wants us to believe that council is all of a sudden concerned about the citizens and our safety and thats the reason behind these changes. If that was true, more subdivisions would be on that list, but they are not, only Ashland Trail which runs through Windsong shows up. And it should be, because there is so much traffic short-cutting across Tyrone to avoid the snarls at the congested Castlewood/Senoia Road intersection. Not all the roads have cart paths either, so they cant use that excuse. If the mayor and council are truly concerned about our safety, then every subdivision should have a 25 mph speed limit. About 10 years ago, there was an accident in my subdivision. After the accident I made a call to town hall to see if I could get the speed limit changed to 25 mph in our subdivision. I dont exactly remember what I was told but it seemed like it was going to take an act of Congress to get it changed. I guess the folks in office back then were not so concerned about generating revenue. The driving force in the speed limit reductions coming to Tyrone is money, greed. Amos has projected a certain amount of revenue from traffic violations in next years budget and no matter what, council refuses to fall short of that number two years in a row. Residential and commercial growth have drawn extraordinary amounts of traffic to our town. You might think we have outgrown our roads. Instead of addressing the congestion that mayor and council have created, they choose to lower speed limits in high traffic areas to generate income. Do you know what their plans are for all that money? All of us need to get involved with the shenanigans going on at Town Hall. Town Council meetings are held every first and third Thursday of each month at 6:30 or 7 p.m., depending upon the season. There are two council positions up for election this fall. Applicants must apply by mid-September at Town Hall to be eligible for this falls election. Get involved; if we dont we cant blame anyone but ourselves. Steven Chontos
Tyrone speed limit changes: State should take away its traffic finesI am not a citizen of Tyrone, but I pass through the town limits almost every day. If I were a citizen of Tyrone, I would gather every neighbor I could, go to the next Town Council and demand their resignation. The article written by Lee Williams showed how small-town thinking by small-town politicians leads to bad decisions and then lying to cover it up. The second paragraph reads, After learning the traffic fines revenue was lower than projected, Tyrone Town Council members unanimously voted to reduce speed limits on specific roads. A council member, Paul Letourneau, showing a typical small-town, small-minded politicians view of the world, indicated the objective of reducing the speed limits is to prevent injuries and save lives. Bull! No one on the Tyrone Town Council gave a whit about public safety until traffic fine revenue was down. Mr. Letourneau further stated, The town has a reputation as a speed trap, but thats not true. Of course its true. Say it loud and say it clear, Tyrone is a speed trap! You didnt get that reputation for no reason. And now your town council just proved it. They lowered the speed limit on these roads for one reason and one reason alone, to subject their citizens, and other hapless intruders passing through Tyrone, to a tax increase using the police to collect the tax through traffic fines. I am sure there are citizens of Tyrone who think since Im NOT a citizen of Tyrone, I should mind my own business. And I will. I will avoid going through Tyrone, spending any money in Tyrone, or supporting any businesses in Tyrone. If enough like-minded citizens of Fayette and other counties follow suit, it will be the citizens of Tyrone who see other taxes go up. Perhaps when you get tired of paying ever-increasing taxes, you will see just how unfriendly. Secondly if safety were the primary concern, why not make the speed limits 20 mph, or even 10 mph? At that speed, certainly lives would be saved. Tyrone Town Council, you are lying to yourselves and being hypocritical with your citizens. Its about the money and you know it. I am going to work with some state legislators to enact legislation to ban small towns from using traffic fines as a source of revenue. The incentive is too great for them to abuse the laws and their citizens in order to raise revenue, as shown by the Tyrone Town Council. All revenue from traffic fines will be donated to a local charity selected by the entire county, not some small incorporated township. The goal should be about public safety, which by the way includes moving traffic as rapidly and as safely as possible through your town, not revenue generation. I am convinced more traffic accidents are caused by traffic not moving efficiently and quickly, as are caused by going 10 miles over the speed limit. Briggs Arrington
Revoke its radar permitTyrone is a disgrace to modern-day Georgia. Operating speed traps was all but eliminated in most of Georgia in the seventies. I regret that I have to pass through this little antique of a town daily. Perhaps its time the state of Georgia revoked Tyrones radar operating permits as it has done with other rogue cities that were operating speed traps. Tyrone is a disgrace to Fayette County and its citizens. Write your state government demanding action be taken. L. Carl
Return to 2-year termsI dont know why it has been changed and our elected officials are in for four years instead of two, but it is a very bad idea. Two-year terms are plenty. If they work out, great: vote for them the next election as well. But, when you pull lemons like we have [with] the council and mayor, four years is a very long time to pay for your mistakes. Gail Onesi
Why PTC firefighters need help . . .In the Aug. 10 Free Speech, someone wrote in asking questions about the many articles written regarding the need of firefighters in Peachtree City. One previous letter stated to stop by any local fire station and ask about the staffing needs and requirements for yourself. But since the writer seemed to want it spelled out for them, as someone who has some knowledge, Ill try to answer some of the writers questions here. Regarding the question of how many stations and why, the city of Peachtree City presently has four fire stations. The primary goal of any fire department is to have stations strategically located to reduce initial response times, in laymans terms the time it takes to get to your home or business. This is an attempt to initiate lifesaving measures before someone is irreversibly brain dead (4-6 minutes) if stricken by a sudden cardiac arrest. Additionally, a fire typically doubles in size every minute, so the sooner fire crews are established and extinguishment begins, fewer losses will be incurred and more importantly, effecting a rescue of anyone still inside may be attainable by a quicker response, only if a sufficient number of personnel also arrive. Next question: How many people in the fire department, and how many are firefighters, and how many work first shift, second, etc.? The Peachtree City Fire Department consists of both career and unpaid volunteer personnel. As in most fire departments, shift personnel are assigned 24 hours on a shift, followed by 48 hours (two days) off (averaging a 56-hour work week). At present, PCFD operates each shift with 13 personnel total (minimum of 12) divided between four stations. There are also the normal administration positions, Monday through Friday personnel, i.e., fire chief, assistant fire chief, fire marshall, assistant fire marshall, training captain, EMS lieutenant, administrative assistant and staff assistant. As far as how many are firefighters, with the exceptions of the administrative and staff assistants, everyone is a firefighter. In an effort to be cost-effective, the PCFD also employs several part-time firefighter EMT/paramedics, most of whom work full-time at other area departments. These personnel are used to cover shift positions when full-time career people are off for vacation days, schools, etc. By utilizing part-time personnel who receive no benefits, the city saves the overall costs of an additional six to nine full-time personnel that would be required to maintain our currant minimal staffing. The personnel tally of career personnel is 39 line/shift, eight administrative and up to 15 part-time. For much of the last 10 to 20 years, the number of volunteer members of PCFD has fluctuated anywhere between 25 and 45 personnel. The Free Speech writer on Aug. 10 asked not only how many volunteers, but why not more. The why not more is not only a local phenomenon, but a trend that has plagued the entire American fire service for several years, and isnt getting better with time. The fire service nationally has lost tens of thousands of volunteers in recent years. With so many commitments, people dont have the time to commit hundreds of hours to become certified firefighters or emergency medical technicians, with many more hours to achieve the requirements for officer, paramedic and the many specialties performed in todays fire service. Past recruitment efforts for Peachtree City have involved press articles, years of public service messages posted on the citys cable access and even some door-to-door canvassing, asking people to volunteer their time. Still, regardless of how many volunteers PCFD has, the data for more than the last 10 years has shown an average volunteer response on structure related calls to be about two people. At this time, if PCFD was primarily or strictly an all-volunteer department, you would be hard-pressed to do anything but blend into the crowd of onlookers with two people. Again, this is both a national and local trend. I cant confirm the exact total number of volunteers on other local fire departments at this writing, but from what Ive heard through the grapevine, various volunteer forces on several local Southside departments in some cases have dwindled down to a half dozen to none at all, at this time. If you as a citizen would like to help your local or a nearby fire department, apply to volunteer. Those that do volunteer tend to experience a camaraderie not found in most jobs, and a sense of personal satisfaction in helping others. Expect to complete many hours and months of training to achieve the required certification level to start. Plan on getting hot and dirty, entering hazardous, dangerous environments; expect strenuous activities and hard work. Plan 10 to 20 hours a month attending various training classes, something youll have to do as long as you remain in the fire service. In many cases plan on staying at the station, doing station time an additional 24, 36 or more hours a month. Plan on not being home as much, as you might have required training to attend and calls to respond to. Are you committed enough? If you think youre up for the task, put in your volunteer application. Maybe some of this explains the why we dont have more volunteers. Next question to address: How much are these firefighters paid? While I dont have exact figures on everyones salary, or the total budget amount for salaries for the Peachtree City Fire Department in my hand, it is public record, and Im sure can be obtained through a request at City Hall. On the flip side, I might ask the writer how much they make, and what kind of hazardous and strenuous activities are involved in their line of work as well. The salaries of the career staff positions are comparable to some of the other local departments, which typically is a little lower than that of better-staffed departments just to our north, but differences in salary doesnt seem to be an issue with most local firefighters. Additionally, with this preceding question of salaries, and the many statements made in the above referenced Free Speech about taxes and his/her tax-paying burden, the writer needs some clarification. Something to consider when questioning the cost effectiveness and service of the Peachtree City Fire Department may include a tax comparison. Fayette County unincorporated residents are assessed a separate fire tax (separate from the regular county tax) for their fire protection by Fayette County Fire and EMS. This tax, at a millage rate of just under 4 mills, happens to be close to Peachtree Citys ENTIRE millage rate of just over 4 mills. Yes, thats right: County residents pay their regular tax for most of the county services, and then pay a separate tax almost equal to Peachtree Citys entire budget, just for their fire department. Peachtree Citys 4 mill-plus tax includes police, fire and EMS, public works, recreation, library, etc. If broken down from the general Peachtree City tax, residents of Peachtree City probably dont even pay 1 mill in tax towards fire and EMS. If Peachtree City residents did pay close to half the millage of what county residents pay, they probably would have one of the best-staffed, most effective fire and EMS departments on the Southside. This doesnt include the frequently mentioned EMS tax inequity issue, where Peachtree City residents are taxed by Fayette Countys general budget, and a portion goes to Fayette County Emergency Services under an EMS tax (over and above their fire tax). EMS is a service already provided by Peachtree City Fire Department. Another question the writer asked was, What is the advantage in taking six to eight vehicles to every fire from all of the stations? Some fires actually may require many pieces of equipment, based on size or the scope of an incident. Much of what is done at the local level, regarding vehicle response to incidents, is based on insufficient staffing (one or two people per truck). This goes for the other local fire departments, just as much as it does for Peachtree City. There is NO advantage to having units respond from all or most of your stations, leaving parts of your jurisdiction unprotected for additional calls. Sometimes though, even the best-staffed departments may require pulling every unit they have to an incident, again based on the scope and needs. Ultimately, when running with one person on most of your fire vehicles as Peachtree City does, every response will require multiple trucks. A goal in Peachtree City for several years now has been to acquire sufficient personnel to staff each truck with two persons, alleviating some multiple unit responses. Were not even thinking of the typical three-man companies that the majority of fire departments operate with in the metro Atlanta area and throughout much of the nations suburban departments. Were not striving to attain the four-man companies that Henry County FD is presently working on as their goal, another staffing standard that many departments have, or the four to six people that the city of Newnan puts on a fire truck. For several years, our lofty goal has been to have sufficient personnel on duty between our four stations to staff each vehicle ultimately with two personnel. This is based on a task analysis of what would be required to simultaneously handle one EMS call/ambulance transport and still have enough personnel left in the city to safely extinguish a 1,500 square foot, single family residential structure fire, again determined by fire-ground task analysis and common fire service practices. This is based again on the typical number of personnel required to effectively battle a fire in a house probably half the size of the average Peachtree City residence. No pipe dreams or extravagance here, only the minimal number of people to potentially have a chance at making a difference when called upon. The last questions from the Free Speech Ill address at this time are the questions regarding whether its necessary to have full-time people, very little is going on usually and there must be a better organization available then adding more full-time employees. Ive already explained the national decline of volunteers. To reiterate, today there are too many outside demands on people, and the modern fire service requires so much more in continual training, something career firefighters due everyday to take up a portion of their day. While actual fires on average only account for 1 percent of a firefighters career activity, there isnt little going on. In addition to various fire training, there are also requirements for EMS, Haz-Mat (hazardous materials), dive/water rescue, vehicle extrication, confined space/above-grade rescue, WMD/Homeland Security just to name a few types of training and classes that daily take up a portion of our time. Then well add vehicle and station maintenance, which includes repairs, cleaning, inventories, and general maintenance on four facilities and a fleet of vehicles, all accomplished with minimal personnel and little assistance by volunteers (mandated training requirements are enough of a commitment for volunteers). Additionally, career personnel inspect all commercial structures in the city annually; inspect, test and paint almost 2,000 hydrants in the city annually, test thousands of feet of fire hose and test the pumps on all trucks. Other tasks to take up our time include completion of reports and documentation, station tours and other various public safety education activities. Oh, and lets not forget the 2,400-plus fire and EMS calls we respond to annually. Other additional work occupying our time includes various self-help construction work at our facilities including remodeling projects and modifications to vehicles, both frequent efforts by our personnel to save our taxpayers money by doing it ourselves and not jobbing all projects out. With the dedication and commitment put forth by the members of the PCFD, I think you would be hard-pressed to find a better, more committed or more cost-effective organization. I hope this answers some of the Free Speech writers questions about the Peachtree City Fire Department. I also hope that the reader can see that the city of Peachtree City has done an excellent job of providing quality services, at a low cost to our taxpayers. But along the way what has occurred is that staffing at the fire department, as well as some other city departments, didnt keep pace with the citys growth, resulting in understaffing. For years, city administration has touted to city employees that our city had the fewest number of employees of any comparably-sized city in the state, and thanked us all for the jobs we did. We appreciate what the city has provided for the fire department over the years, and many dedicated employees here at PCFD enjoy providing the best we possibly can to our residents with what we have. Were only requesting staffing be at a more acceptable, safer level, for both us as firefighters, and subsequently our citizens as well. Name withheld
Fayette Commission should do the fair thing: Vote by districtYou and your newspaper have done a great job in covering an event that exposes the Fayette community to the contents of the historic Voting Rights Act of 1965. This Act did what was fair and just when it allowed minority citizens to fully participate in the political process in many areas of the South where minority citizens were historically denied access to the vote and political office. That includes Fayette County. During the Voting Rights commemoration, long-time Fayette County resident Rosa Anderson told the audience about the voter intimidation that kept many black people in Fayette County from voting in the 60s. With that in mind, the Fayette County commissioners have done an outstanding job in rejecting the call for a change from at-large to district voting. District voting would greatly increase the possibility that a minority could get elected as a Fayette County commissioner. It would also make it easier to remove a commissioner from office if the majority of voters from his or her district chose to do so through a recall or regular election. In the South, it is common and traditionally undesirable for those in the majority to voluntarily do anything to help those in the minority have a better chance to participate in the affairs of government. Just like before 1965, the Fayette County commissioners have absolutely no obligation whatsoever to do what is fair and just for they are among the majority and the majority rules until they become the minority. Thats because the majority/minority issue is not always about black and white or Republican or Democrat. It is sometimes about fairness and justice or boldly doing the right thing even when the vocal minority opposes doing the right thing. John E. Jones
An apology for flippant title about Arnold letterWhen we place ourselves in the public forum, we assume some risks, but we ought also to assume some responsibility. Our published words ought then to be measured carefully and convey only that which we mean to convey. Two weeks ago I wrote a reply to Kevin Arnolds letter to the editor. In the process of sending my reply to the Citizen the e-mail software requested a subject heading. I wrote Benedict Arnold and friends based of course on both Kevin and Benedict possessing the same surnames. The Citizen had never used one of my subject titles, but they did that time. The name Benedict Arnold conveys a definite, pejorative meaning to any American, even though they may be unfamiliar with the actual history surrounding the man. My subject title was flippant, insulting, and uncalled for. I take full responsibility, and apologize to Kevin Arnold for the thoughtless association. Timothy J. Parker
Mayor Brown announces run for final term, seeks grassroots helpWhen I ran for elected office four years ago, it was a pure grassroots campaign. There comes a point when you can no longer stand to see unfair practices and cronyism and you are led to act. That is how my journey into politics began. As an average citizen with no connections to the power circles of government, I simply took a stand by submitting letters to the local newspaper as our forefathers did hundreds of years ago. I should not have been able to compete with the big establishment players but God opened the doors and I kept walking through. When then-City Attorney Jim Webb sued me (and The Citizen) in 2000 for a letter that I composed exposing some unsavory relationships between local developers and government, it was supposed to be sledge hammer of the powerful crushing the little ant that dared to speak out. Instead, Webb was ousted as City Attorney and a grassroots revolt had begun. A year later, I thought about pursuing the mayors race. Former Mayor Fred Brown and a host of others did everything possible to defeat me in the race but they were no match for the multitude of average citizens that wanted one of their own in elected office. When we uncovered the crooked acts of the Development Authority and their illegal debt funding scheme, a massive battle for accountability in government began. Sometime later, nearly all of the authority members would resign and a fair system that accounted for all tax funds and proper management would take its place. When my council came on board we inherited the worst budget shortfall in the citys history. Today, the budget is solid and our citys bond rating was elevated to the top three in the entire state. We now have more funding appropriated for road projects ($66 million plus $11 million SPLOST) than the entire county has ever had at one time in our history. We have more funds, equipment and manpower going into cart path infrastructure than at any other time in the citys history. We were recognized this year as the best of the best by the national media. We are the most open government in the state of Georgia and we have been a leader in protecting our greenspaces and addressing storm-water issues. We have extended our love to our teenagers and our senior citizens. We have reached out to those in need. We have protected our health and safety with the indoor smoking ban, new emergency vehicles and new emergency services personnel. By the grace of God, a lot of good things have happened to Peachtree City. However, the most rewarding moment for me is when my political opposition stated that I do not do anything in my own self-interest. I witnessed human goodness when a number of the Tennis Center members came to me and apologized for making bad remarks about me after my allegations about the Development Authority misdeeds were proven true. I have had a great deal of satisfaction in hearing people on the losing end of an issue before the City Council tell me that they were comfortable with the situation and they felt the process was fair and considerate to all. I was delighted to see some of our teenagers giving presentations before the council knowing they have ownership in our process and to have some of our seniors say they felt like someone in government is looking out for them for the first time. I experienced a great deal of joy from receiving a political action award from a minority organization for being fair to everyone. I am running for a final term (we have term limitations) and I am asking you to help me do it in grassroots style once again. I intend to keep working hard on issues with the city and could certainly use all the help I can get. If you can help with the re-election campaign, please e-mail me your information at MayorSteveBrown@hotmail.com. I love you all and it is an honor to be your mayor. Steve Brown, mayor
School Board member Smola objects to critical item in Free Speech sectionI appreciate your talking with me on Tuesday evening, Aug. 9. I would like to reiterate the topic of our discussion. The statement referencing me by name, printed in the Aug. 10 edition of The Citizen under the Free Speech section, has caused me great concern and considerable anguish. I read this statement in the online edition of the paper on Tuesday evening. Your own paper indicates in the introduction to this section that it will not print libelous statements. This statement is libelous and completely false in its implication. It is based in malice with the intent to do harm to my personal reputation. It has negative effect on my family and on my ability to successfully represent my clients. The impression it presents is detrimental to the relationship I have with constituents I serve and to the personal associations I participate in such as duties I perform at my church, where I serve as a Eucharistic Minister. You indicated to me that you had not read the statement and that it was printed without your knowledge. It was my understanding that as the editor of the Citizen News, you are ultimately responsible for any article that appears in it. Recognizing that errors do occur in the process of pursuing journalistic integrity, I am demanding the paper print a prominently displayed apology and retraction of the statement, removal of the statement from your online archives and discontinuance of articles regarding me or any member of my family that are not based in fact. Additionally, so I can also place the author of the statement on notice of my intent to pursue legal avenues if they continue to disparage my name and reputation, I demand you provide the identity of the author of the statement. It is unfortunate that Free Speech has become a forum of venomous attacks on people in this community, without any regard by the paper to confirm the validity of the statements. Journalistic integrity is based in truth. As I mentioned to you on the phone, you have the authority to return The Citizen to that integrity. I hope you will consider doing so. Janet Smola
Church music more entertainment than worship in many churches todayI am writing in response to an article entitled, Hymns or choruses, which ran in the July 27 issue of your paper. The author draws a contrast between traditional and contemporary forms of worship focusing on the type of music used in each. I believe that choruses play an important role in religious education. I can remember singing Jesus Loves Me and Deep and Wide as a child of 3 to 5 years of age. As time passed and I became older I was introduced to music which contained deeper religious truths. Later I was taken to Big Church where I learned to sing grown-up hymns and the Doxology because it was sung every Sunday morning. I believe mankind is Gods greatest creation so far. Of course, I have no insight into the mind of God but I cant help but wonder what He might think when adults and youth are repeating a three-verse chorus with four lines to the verse and only one word changes from one verse to the next. He might think, I have given them minds keen enough to move from one of my planets to another and return safely. As I allow them to discover how the bodies I created for them function they are making progress in medicine, but this music, is that the best they can do? The writer also refers to a whole new generation of people whose spirituality would not be enhanced one blip to know and sing Victory in Jesus. I disagree with that statement as I remember words of this hymn that remind me that He sought me and bought me with his redeeming blood. The statement is made in the column Let the Holy Spirit have his way in the matter of church music. I am constantly amazed by some preachers, and super Christians who invoke the name of God and Jesus as well as the Holy Spirit in an attempt to validate a controversial position. Super Christians are defined as those who have received the second blessing (whatever that is) or have a masters degree in piety from the University of Self Righteousness. This is in juxtaposition to common Christians who when convicted by the Holy Spirit confessed their sins to the Father and put their faith and trust in Jesus. I personally believe that The Holy Spirit gets blamed for a lot of things in which He had no part. I dare say that some of the gray heads referred to as being upset with Martin Luther because of his new music were probably on speaking terms with the Holy Spirit also. It seems to me that church music is becoming more and more a warm-up exercise for a sermon or simply entertainment rather than a vessel by which individuals can prepare their mind and heart to receive a message from God they can use in their daily lives. I wonder if churches are being truthful when they entertain folks with something approaching a combination of rock, rap and gospel music and then attempt to move from this into the Gospel. I feel the Gospel is strong enough to stand on its own and should not be diluted by worldly influences such as is seen in some of todays church music. One last point: Reference is made to a Vocal minority who perhaps could have stifled Martin Luthers efforts to change the type of music of the day. I believe the music issue today was initiated, promoted and pretty well forced on the majority of church people by a vocal minority. In speaking with friends who attend various churches in different locales, I find the situation with respect to present church music is pretty much the same. No one asked us about this; they just did it. Tom Huckaby
Come back to the Catholic ChurchIn last Fridays poignant column by the Rev. Epps, he was given a sad reminder that the Church universal is divided when he attended a Roman Catholic church and was not allowed to receive communion. I too am saddened that this division resulted from rather unfortunate circumstances involving a certain king and his overwhelming desire to be with a woman other than his wife. Be that as it may, I would like to say to all Episcopalians first and to all Protestants in general that there is a simple and quick way to heal this lamentable division: Come back to the Catholic Church. Although only a few churches originated from a split with the Catholic Church itself (most are the result of splits from other Protestant churches), we can all, for better or worse, trace our Christian heritage back to the Roman Catholic Church. The Orthodox split in 1054 over a petty feud between a papal representative and the patriarch of Constantinople. The Lutheran and Episcopal/Anglican churches went their separate ways in the early 16th century, one out of disgust with the abuse of indulgences, and the other so that a king could get his way. In short, the disunity of Christendom is the fruit of human folly, and if it werent so devastating for Western Civilization, we could almost laugh at the silliness of it. For the most basic rule of battle is divide and conquer. The enemies of Christianity, both spiritual and worldly, had a few successes before the Reformation, but since our Church universal has split into 30,000 pieces, their progress has been nearly unstoppable. The climax was the 20th century, as explicitly anti-Christian ideologies facilitated the deaths of some 100 million souls. So, I say again, come back to the Catholic Church. We havent changed in 2,000 years and miss our separated brethren immensely. Trey Hoffman
Prayer at government meetings inappropriateRecently two of our local mayors supported their established practice of leading prayers at public meetings. I do not agree that it is appropriate. Like sex, religion is a private matter. We draw the line on public displays. Today in America the burka sets the line for some while nude sunbathing is acceptable in certain specific but appropriate places. A Muslim or Orthodox Jew should step outside to do his required prayers, not interfere with a classroom or council meeting. We are finally recognizing that your right to smoke should not require others to inhale your smoke also. The practice of one religion at the expense of another is not the American way. We respect not only your right to practice your religion but also the right to not practice an organized religion. We respect the right to privacy by setting reasonable boundaries. Like sex, we only draw the line where religious practices infringe on others. While an adult can refuse a blood transfusion for religious or personal reasons, the courts do legally step in at times to protect a child. Contraception and abortion used to be illegal. Today they are legal, not required but they are available. When does life get protected and when not is still being debated. If you wouldnt want the interruption of a Muslims vocal daily prayers at that spot, dont inflict your prayers on others. A moment of silence allows a moment of meditation or voluntary, personal silent prayer to all while not infringing on others. While I firmly believe in praying to God, I still respect the rights of others not to. Kathie Cheney
Time to drown out carpetbagging ACLUThe time has come for Americans to eradicate the modern-day version of the Ku Klux Klan. This evil diabolical group runs roughshod over the traditional values that this great nation was founded upon. Instead of burning crosses to intimidate ethnic minorities, this bunch of thugs forces the majority to remove those crosses and most other religious symbols from public display. These modern-day carpetbaggers, known as the ACLU, plunder the countryside by filing lawsuits by the thousands forcing counties, churches and citizens to spend untold fortunes in order to defend their right to display their belief in a higher being. The ACLU and their allies on the benches across the country thumb their nose at the majority and cater to the depraved minorities. The ACLU has the audacity to sue the Boy Scouts for not allowing homosexual scout masters and, yet, will represent the degenerates of NAMBLA (North American Men Boy Lovers Association), who believe that adult men should have the right to have sex with young boys. Look it up. Their acronym stands for the American Civil Liberties Union and nothing could be further from the truth. The time has come to find out what businesses support and fund this bunch and boycott them. Perhaps a better acronym would be the Anti-Christian Litigation Unit. They do not resent any religious symbols except those of our Judeo-Christian tradition. The time has come for Americans to unite and drown out this bunch of tradition hating loudmouths. The time is now. Before it is too late. Kevin D. Arnold |
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