I'm afraid this will come as a great shock to Steve Haines, but I must respectfully disagree with his opinion regarding Gary Gerard's March 15 "News Views."
Actually, that column is one of the main reasons why I (and a multitude of my like-minded friends) subscribe to the Times-Union. It is really refreshing to have someone write so eloquently each week about the issues that surround us. (Sometimes, horror of horrors, we even clip this column and send it to friends and relatives living in less fortunate environments.)
As a matter of fact, my friends and I often sit around the Saturday evening dinner table discussing "that column." And guess what ] we, most assuredly part of the silent majority, agree with Mr. Gerard's views 99 percent of the time. And yes, we're delighted that someone has the moral courage to publicly wonder why the silent majority doesn't protest when someone like Howard Stern receives plaudits from liberal talk shows and movie reviews, or why we don't say "enough is enough" as new allegations unfold week after week about wrongdoing in the Clinton administration.
No, contrary to Mr. Haines' opinion, I believe what Gary Gerard wrote is absolutely true. We have become so desensitized to corruptness and moral decay that we literally shrug our shoulders. And that is why when someone like Gary writes his shining views and reminds us, we applaud.
Mrs. William T. (Jeanne) Jones Jr. Syracuse
Criticism
Editor, Times-Union:
I am always looking for simple, concise descriptions that help differentiate conservative and liberal ideologies. I was interested to read Steve Haines' letter to you in the March 18 issue of the Times-Union, because he has provided yet another valuable way to distinguish conservativism from liberalism. When conservatives speak their mind by criticizing ideas or practices, they are whining. When liberals speak their mind by criticizing ideas or practices, they are passionately and compassionately calling for change.
As I read Mr. Haines' letter, I was strangely swept back in time to my days in primary school. A great way to seemingly prevail in an argument was to laugh at and ridicule the person(s) with whom you disagreed, without offering any substantive rebuttal. Such was the nature of Mr. Haines' objection to the News Views editorials. His objections also called to mind an encouraging, powerful idea I recently heard, expounded by a man I respect very much, Mr. Alan Keyes. He said, "Criticism is not refutation." To the conservatives out there who have the desire to exchange their views in the arena of ideas, I say, just keep right on whining. I am optimistic, for our country's sake, that someday the liberals won't be laughing.
Ben Scripture Warsaw
Benefit
Editor, Times-Union:
On a cold, miserable Saturday night I sat in the back of a long, smoke-filled room and observed something very special. It was the sight of people being pleasantly entertained by some very good musicians. It was the sight of patrons milling about the bar area, dropping paper money and coins into a large tip jar, purchasing liquid refreshments and passing the time dancing to the music. That isn't what made it special. It was special because their presence this night benefited my daughter. The musicians were playing for free. That tip jar being filled with money was for her, and the building had been graciously donated for this benefit by the Elks. A community was reaching out to a little girl named Brenna.
Sunday was also very cold as I drove hungrily across the Owen's parking lot to the ever-popular Nelson's Golden Glo Chicken outfit, marked by the smoking camper, and was greeted by a very long line of people patiently waiting for the same meal. Another charity event was under way for my baby girl, and this one sold out before it even started. Much time and hard work had gone into this event, and both had been doled out freely by the radiology department at KCH and the women of Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church.
My little girl, 5 months old and stricken with leukemia, has just begun her journey through the valley of the shadow, and she has already touched so many lives. She will not journey through this fire alone. God always has her in his hands. And she has her daddy. She also has her mommy, a courageous woman of immense integrity and strength who, side by side with nurses and physicians, had taken care of her during her first stay at Riley Hospital for Children, and yet still followed God's urging to see the hurt of another little girl and her family and minister to their needs.
And she has the support of an entire community. We have been so overwhelmed with your well wishes, prayers and notes of encouragement that it would be impossible for me to thank everyone who has come to her aid. A special thank-you goes to those who donated the white blood cells that kept her going through February: Mike Scott (who donated twice), Aggie Burnau, Sandy Johnson, Luann Deafenbaugh, Shawn Murdock and Deb Schneider. I would also like to thank everyone else for their unflagging support through these difficult times. I don't know the will of God, but I know his love is perfect and his plans for my Brenna must be perfect as well. If he takes her, we will see her again upon our passing through our hope in Jesus Christ. If he allows her to stay with us, she will be loved and she will one day know what a great community she can claim as her home town. Thank you, Warsaw.
Doug Jeffreys, RPh
Legion
Editor, Times-Union:
The American Legion Post 49 would like to extend our special thanks and appreciation to Mr. H. Dale Tucker and Mr. Tim Roemer, U.S. congressman, for acquiring a flag that has been flown over the White House. Mr. Tucker has been working with Mr. Roemer to get a flag for our local post. The flag will be proudly displayed in a case at Post 49.
Rolland W. Crowel Commander Legion Post 49
Swim Team
Editor, Times-Union:
The Tiger boys and girls swim team would like to say thanks to the local businesses who helped us reach a goal of getting swim team towels. It will be fun to start next season with this symbol of team spirit. Your participation and support are sincerely appreciated.
Tiger swim team parents Dan and Lisa Hirsch Representatives
Spending
Editor, Times-Union:
The last few weeks have made me wonder about just what our good people in Washington are trying to prove. Clinton made a trip to Arkansas to see the storm damage. Then Gore came to the Ohio valley to see the flood damage. Then goes Hillary to Arkansas to see the damage.
What I would like to know is what these three trips cost. Also, who is paying for them? Then also they send another so-called to inspect the flood to decide if it rates assistance. Now it looks to me that money could have been a lot better spent helping the people. It does not make any difference which party is in power, they do the same thing.
Also, while I am going on, why can't the news media let a sleeping dog lie? Can't they understand that after a year the people in Scotland are beginning to make adjustments to the loss of the children. Then here come the news media and reopen the wound.
Elmer Vining Etna Green
Catholic
Editor, Times-Union:
This letter is in response to Deanna Newton's, the one in which she expresses some of her sentiments and concerns about the Catholic faith and the Catholic church.
There have always been a few bad Catholics around. Martin Luther, the ex-Catholic monk, is an example. If there weren't other bad Catholics in the year 1517 when he rebelled against God and his Holy Church, there simply would not have been a Protestant Reformation. Ditto for King Henry the VIII and his Church of England. John Calvin, another ex-monk of the same time, was another bad Catholic who persecuted the Catholic church and the faithful. Each of these men first rebelled against authority (The Holy Catholic Church), then inspired others to lie and murder to attain his own agenda. This is not the work of holy men; it is the work of Satan. We can see the fruits of the Protestant revolt against authority in our own day by the sheer number of so-called churches, each and every one a product of some dispute. We can see the legacy of death and lies all around us, but most especially in abortion. Satan is only too happy to fill in when our Lord Jesus Christ is rejected. And make no mistake: rejecting his one, holy, catholic and apostolic church is rejecting him and his kingdom.
In the present day, the revolt against the church is from within. The Novus Ordo (new order) Catholicism is the legacy of the Second Vatican Council. This clone of Protestantism has modernists all over the world tripping over each other trying to destroy the faith. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the Latin Canon, proclaimed by Pope St. Pius V to be the Mass forever, is now offered almost exclusively by persecuted orders of Holy Mother Church.
In its place one finds "liturgies." The desacralization of the Sacraments came next and, of course, there are plenty of bad Catholics around to offer little or no resistance to the trashing of their faith. Pope Paul VI said in 1972 that, "From somewhere or other the smoke of Satan has entered the temple of God." No one has said that Satan has left. When we hear about Catholics who say that priests should be able to marry or that women should be ordained, we must realize that their agenda is to nullify the priesthood; the chaste, male, Sacrament of Holy Orders upon which the other Sacraments depend. Nothing would please Satan more, and the modernist clergy seem content. We should wonder why one or more of the local priests didn't respond to Deanna Newton's letter.
Providentially, it seems, God has saved the best for last. I am speaking of the blessed virgin Mary, the mother of God; about whom scripture says "all ages to come shall call me blessed." It is through her and her alone that we can find our way back to God, just as it was through her that he came to redeem us with his precious blood. All of us have recourse to her and must avail ourselves to her, the perfect adorer of the blessed Trinity and queen of Heaven. Trust in her immaculate heart and powerful intercession. She will lead you to her son.
