Editor, Times-Union: Yesterday I was watching the program "Meet The Press" where the chairman of the Democratic National Party was a guest. He was asked at least three times whether the Democratic Party was going to give the money received from the Enron company back so that the working employees who were victimized by the company could be benefited by this. His evasive answer each time was that no money had been received from Enron during his tenure as chairman. My reaction is that he was really saying, "Heck no, we won't give it back to help anyone." This is from a member of the party which always tries to convince us that they are the only party to take care of us, the working people. Union members need to wake up. Unfortunately, it seems most of the politicians in Washington are greedy regardless of which political party they claim. This will continue until WE THE PEOPLE revolt. Revolting means that whenever We The People decide to take our government back by most of us registering and voting. As it stands now only a minority number of us register to vote, and then too many of us stay away from the polls. When the majority of us register and vote, then our representatives in Congress and other government bodies will listen to us and do what we want. This is an election year. Do your duties as citizens of the greatest country. Register and vote.
Fred R. Yohey Atwood
The Real Christ
Editor, Times-Union: In her letter printed in the January 16th Times-Union, Angie McCraner, after an eight-year study of world religions, comes up with an astounding revelation. All know the same God who has sent many teachers!
She says that the best teacher that God has sent is Christ. She has examined the life of Christ and says that we should be as he is (unconditionally loving, accepting, forgiving, tolerant and nonjudgmental). She even gives several scriptures that should be used as examples for others so they will not be judgmental. (But those scriptures clearly reveal that Christ is all for some of us to be very judgmental!) This, while judging Mr. Trier for being judgmental. Shouldn't she practice what she preaches?
She has studied for eight years and has never learned that Christ called the leaders of the prevailing religion of his day "hypocrites" and "blind fools"? She studied and never learned that Christ told a man who had been healed that he would suffer much more than he ever suffered if he would sin AGAIN? (That is unconditional forgiveness?)
Her study does prove one important fact about today's religions. She is so right when saying that all religions have the same god. the Bible clearly reveals that the real god of this world at this time is Satan! The devil rules the world at this time according to the Holy Bible!
She is also right about another thing. If all lived as Christ did a lot of your world's problems would disappear. (But just where are a few who have been chosen to be able to live as he did that scripture tells about?) To live as he did, she says one must be a joyful, peaceful, loving and happy person. Just how joyful, peaceful, loving and happy a person was Christ as he was calling the religious elect, "blind fools"? How joyful must he have looked as he was threatening that "healed man" with a much more severe illness if he would sin again! (Have many of today's "healed" give up sinning?) He even said that he didn't come to bring peace, but "war," even in families! Just imagine the joyful, peaceful, loving and happy look on his face as he said this! What kind of a person could be as "wonderful" as Ms. McCraner says one needs to be (that Mr. Trier couldn't possibly be?) when seeing the hypocrisy of today's joyful, tolerant, non-judgmental, religious blind fools that cause so much evil in this world, even in Christian US of A?
Ms. McCraner wants us to live the happy, joyful, non-judgmental life that Christ lived. But in her many years of religious study she hasn't learned that the Christ was far from being a happy non-judgmental person. Scripture says he didn't have enough beauty or majesty to make him attractive. It says he was an undesirable person. It even says he was so far from being the ideal person that she says one must be that people couldn't look at him! Shouldn't she go back to her study of religion to see what the real Christ was like before she judges others as she does!
Robert Stichter Milford
Congratulations, Rita
Editor, Times-Union: I'm not the first person, and I'm sure I won't be the last, to congratulate Rita Price on her recent acceptance of the IHSAA's 2001-2002 Distinguished Media Service Award.
When I was growing up in Kosciusko County near Warsaw, we would listen to Rita giving the play-by-play on Friday night football games in the fall; Friday & Saturday nights in the winter time it was basketball. Of course, it was many more nights because of the girls' games throughout the week.
Rita was always there. It really made you wonder how she did it. She would spin tunes and do the news during the daytime, and nearly every evening there she was ... sitting at mid-court, or mid-field, right on top of the action giving the best play-by-play with enthusiasm like no one else!
When did that woman sleep!?
You know who Rita reminds me of? Dick Clark! I've known Rita Price for many years and she never changes. Her enthusiasm is constant, if not contagious. You could close your eyes, listen to her words and feel the excitement. All the while seeing in your mind as ball was passed from player to player as they made their way up court for the score!
I graduated from Tippecanoe Valley High School in 1983. I listened to many, many broadcasts from "Death Valley," as well as the hardcourts. If you wanted to know the score, just tune into Rita, she'd have it.
Congratulations, Rita, on a job well done to perfection.
Diana Roberts Memphis, Tenn. via e-mail
Improper Protesters
Editor, Times-Union: I am a mom of two, a 5-year-old and a 9-year-old. I love my children with all of my heart and would do anything to protect them. We were on our way home last week and my daughter got very upset about some pictures that were being displayed in front of the Planned Parenthood! The pictures were of aborted babies! My daughter got tears in her eyes and I answered her questions and comforted her the best I could! I was on my way home tonight and the same people with the same pictures were out protesting for what they believe in and I do understand that is their right! I also do not believe in abortion but on the same hand feel that the choice should be there if that is what a person chooses to do! I am glad we no longer live in the era of the back alley abortion clinics in which many women and unborn babies lost their lives! I also do not believe that we should judge other people and you do not know what choice is right for another until you have walked in their shoes!
Having said that, I also have rights as well. I have the right not to let my children see movies over a G rating and those pictures of aborted babies that the people are holding in front of Planned Parenthood are well over a G rating! I also have to right to ask what group these people are with, which, when I asked them, they refused to tell me! I also should have the right to drive to my home, which is off of 15, with my family and not have my children's heads messed with by those awful pictures! I also should have the right to file a complaint with the police for those pictures. When I talked to them about this they told me that there is nothing that they can do! Furthermore, I should have the right to go and use Planned Parenthood's services without crossing a picket line! I am 31 and have used Planned Parenthood for many years. I have gotten great health care that I would have not been able to get because my insurance doesn't pay for it! I also should have the right for my children to be able to ride the bus from school and Headstart and not have to see those awful pictures! There are several schools in the area in which these people choose to exercise their rights, and one is a Headstart preschool! So the question I have to ask now is, if these people are out to save innocent children, what are they doing messing with innocent children's heads with those pictures of aborted babies? Also, how many unplanned pregnancies are they causing by standing there with those signs and possibly making people that want to use the Planned Parenthood not go and pick up their birth control pills or have their yearly checkup because they are there!
I would just like to add that if these people would really like to help with their cause that their time might be better spent raising money for organizations like Heartline Pregnancy Center or the Teens and Tots program and give those people in that situation help so they don't have to make that choice! Thank you.
Tammi Raisler Warsaw via e-mail
God And Basketball
Editor, Times-Union: God and Basketball: Wawasee girls basketball seems confused. When does running up scores for four years have anything to do with God? Surely girls on weaker teams also play for God. Did they deserve to be driven down? If so, then God really is about big winners!
Wilbur Jacobson Syracuse
Cheers For Old Glory
Editor, Times-Union: It is great to see Old Glory flying around the downtown area. Cheers to Denny Nice and Bill Dalton for working so hard to raise money to purchase the flags and the hardware to fly the flags. Jeers to Charlie Smith (man of the year) and the Board of Works for first denying permission to fly the flag from the light poles. Thanks, Denny and Bill, for a great deed.
