In the Feb. 10 edition of The Citizen, Ms. Carol Jensen-Linton reported that a very large group of McIntosh High School students joined in the singing of the national anthem at a basketball game at Starr’s Mill High School. The McIntosh students joined in on the line, “and the home of the brave,” singing loudly, drowning out the Starr’s Mill student who was singing a capella, changing the line to “home of the Chiefs.” Ms. Jensen-Linton was critical of the students’ action.

The annual City Council retreat is coming up the second weekend in March. This is where council discusses its priorities for the remainder of this year and they begin to discuss the budget for 2011. It is a great opportunity for citizens to be heard as well as be educated on exactly what council is considering for next year and what it deems to be priorities.

When the Democrats regained control of Congress in January 2007, they promised fiscal responsibility. They passed PayGo (pay-as-you-go) which requires Congress to find a way to pay for programs without raising taxes.

I have written you before about our neighbor who hunts on property where he has no permission to hunt. It doesn’t matter if it’s deer season or not, he hunts.

I recently wrote a letter to the paper entitled “Westmoreland Right On Most Things, get government out of the way.”

I am writing in response to Carol Jensen-Linton’s recent article referencing the alleged poor behavior exhibited by McIntosh High School students during the singing of our National Anthem at the McIntosh/Starr’s Mill basketball game played on Feb. 2, 2010. I have a different opinion.

My response to Carol Jensen-Linton’s letter (Feb. 10) regarding “McIntosh students dis our national anthem”: I did the exact same thing 30 years ago when I was in high school in Illinois.

All I can say after reading Carol Jensen-Linton’s opinion (Feb. 10) that McIntosh students dissed our national anthem is, “How dare you!”

We just celebrated the birth of our first granddaughter. Amid the joy, I’m already thinking of how I’m going to attempt to explain some things to her – like how the government mortgaged away her future before she was even born.

Instead of listening to the American people whose focus in 2009 was the economy and jobs, this president decided to spend his first year on healthcare. Because as he said, seven presidents have tried and failed in getting healthcare legislation passed and he was bound to make history and be the last.

I was very impressed by a recent gallery reception at Artworks on the Square in Fayetteville.

It was well-attended and included a student photography exhibit with cash awards for the top winners.

Abortion is a critical moral issue in our time. Previous generations have had to overcome the evils of slavery and segregation. The culture of death with abortion as its centerpiece is an evil that must be exposed, resisted, and defeated. On Jan. 22, 1973, the United States Supreme Court found the right to abortion on demand in the Constitution. It was an appalling decision which has led to an average of 1.6 million abortions annually.

As you well know, all of us are going through hard times; money is short. I want to know through your newspaper if anyone other than me is having problems with LP gas.

I have lived in Fayette County for almost 15 years and have been proud of the patriotism exhibited by our citizens toward the flag, the national anthem, and our veterans.

My response to Matt O’Neal’s letter (Feb. 3) on solving the immediate fiscal needs of our state government is that the government owes its citizens the duty to protect them, and the citizens in turn have the duty to fund their government adequately.

Recently John Munford wrote a wonderfully written article, “Councilman: PTC has too many workers” (The Citizen, Feb. 3, 2010). At a time where spending has gotten so out of control with federal and local governments, [Councilman Eric] Imker brings common-sense economics back. This lone wolf seems to be making a huge splash for a newly-elected councilman, one that was way overdue.

We send our children to school for 12 years, and in their 12th year, they are allowed to do a work program. Sounds good. How much do they teach in this work program, or do they just get rid of them for the remainder of the day? Let me tell you what they don’t teach our kids before they go into the workforce.

The recent earthquake in Haiti is a disaster of incalculable magnitude. Haiti, a nation only a few hundred miles from the coast of Florida, is in another struggle for survival.

Dear citizens of Fayette County: Wow! It was absolutely amazing to see the faces of so many brave little soldiers at Fort Benning when Santa came into the room laden with all of the wonderful gifts you so generously donated this past holiday season.

The progressive movement is on the move again – the lunatic fringe of liberal thinking. It is the home of everything that you despise, such as income tax, prohibition, and the Federal Reserve. The United Nations is also progressive. The President and Secretary of State have referred to themselves as progressives.

This is in response to Robinson, Carter and Browning.

I recently read your articles blasting our fine representative Westmoreland in The Citizen.

Last month, the independent voters of Massachusetts unleashed their frustration with the Obama administration by electing a Republican to a seat held by the Democrats for almost 50 years.

Peachtree City’s budget dilemma isn’t new, nor is it unique, but we could be unique if we decide to actually do something about it.

I have read and enjoyed Claude Paquin articles in the past, but his last article (”Some bold tax suggestions for legislators”) disappoints.

I believe that Rep. Lynn Westmoreland’s trashing of the President was totally uncalled for. It is Westmoreland who doesn’t “get it.”

Ever found a place in nature that made you just drink in the beauty of the natural world? Ever stopped to wonder how many of these special places exist in our rapidly industrializing surroundings? Ever thought of the water, mucky and contaminated, that used to be crystal clear?

In last week’s edition, you included a letter from a driver who had experienced a crash due to another driver using a cellphone while driving.

In a recent editorial, Professor Walter E. Williams states that the reason why natural disasters take fewer lives in this country is because we have greater wealth and that Haiti is suffering from self-inflicted poverty. Please allow this 55-year-old educated black American to share with your many readers some little-known history about Haiti and France that the professor somehow conveniently omitted.

[Recently] I wrote on the waste and worthless projects our government creates in the name of “your tax dollars at work.”

Can someone explain why we have crosswalks with electronic crossing guides at several locations in Fayette County when in fact, there are no sidewalks on either side of the road and where pedestrians do not cross the road?