Editor, Times-Union: Mr. Herendeen, I applaud your ability to hold your judgment until you have all the facts. A rare quality these days, since we all seem to have opinions and want to share them at the drop of a hat.
Knowing the student who nominated this quote and many of the students who voted for this as their motto, I read it in an entirely different way. I read: Be true to yourself and your values and don't be afraid to express yourself, because the opinions of those who are close to you and really matter in your life are the only ones that are really important. Those who will stand by you no matter what are the people you should be concerned about. Don't change yourself or your values because of someone who isn't involved in your life or even cares about you.
Like you said in your letter "stick to your values and they will lead you far", is excellent advice and I think what the seniors at Valley were saying, only in another "motto" sort of way.
I don't think you took anything out of context, you just chose a different interpretation. Knowing these students as I do, I just read it entirely different. It's like a lot of things we see in print, when we know the source it often takes on a different meaning. And I know this source as a very positive and caring group of young adults.
Respectfully submitted, Jo Gamble T.V.H.S. Senior Class Sponsor
Class Motto II
Editor, Times-Union: This letter is in response to Mr. Herendeen's letter dated May 12th. As senior class president of Tippecanoe Valley High School, I submitted the Dr. Seuss quote "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind". It was then voted on by the entire senior class and chosen to be our class motto. I sincerely believe Dr. Seuss, one of America's most famous children's authors, did not intend to offend anyone. I believe his words were an encouragement to be your own person.
Beginning in elementary school and all through high school we take many different history classes. In those history classes we read about people who did great things by simply standing up for what they believed in even when it wasn't a popular choice. These people are remembered and honored because of their beliefs and determination to be their own person and because they took a stand. Yet, as my class desires to make our mark on the world, you are under the assumption that we may not care what you think and therefore, are offended.
I feel that E. E. Cummings, another of America's great poets, summed up everything my fellow classmates are trying to say when he wrote: "To be nobody but yourself in a world that's doing its best to make you somebody else, is to fight the hardest battle you are ever going to fight. Never stop fighting". I would like to thank you for reminding me just how true this statement is and to never stop fighting for what you believe in. I won't and I hope the Tippecanoe Valley Class of 2005 won't either.
In conclusion, I would like to congratulate my fellow classmates for all of their hard work and achievements. You all have much to be proud of and I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors.
Lacey Shewman Senior Class President of Tippecanoe Valley High School
Class Motto III
Editor, Times-Union: This is in response to Duane Herendeen's "Class Motto" (Thursday, May 12)
Hello, Duane. I know your letter was directed towards this year's graduates from Tippecanoe Valley High School, and I actually graduated last year from Warsaw Community High School, but our 2004 class also adopted the motto "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." I'm sure some of the Tippecanoe Valley seniors will write in with their own thoughts regarding your letter, but I couldn't resist responding, because the quote meant a lot to me, personally, when we used it last year.
To me, the quote meant something a little less negative than "if you don't agree, screw you." To me, the line "those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind" just meant that we as graduates were going out into a world that could be ugly. A world full of diversity, and not so full of acceptance. Nevertheless, we should be true to ourselves, and if others didn't like us because of that, then so be it ... they wouldn't matter in our personal lives. Those who would matter to us, down the road, would be the people that accepted our flaws, our triumphs, our shortcomings, our talents and our ugly spots. They would be the people that accepted everything about us, even when others turned up their noses.
I've had noses turned up on me quite a bit.
So that's a more positive view of the quote, take it as you will. By the way, Dr. Seuss was the one who originally said it. And he doesn't seem like the type of guy that would say "screw you."
Brittany Kusserow Winona Lake, IN 46590
Unsafe Drivers
Editor, Times-Union: Roads are unsafe for drivers who obey road signs and speed limits on highways.
When I drive from Mentone to Warsaw any hour or day of the week, I can count on three things happening:
1. People passing on yellow lines.
2. Passing at the country road intersections.
3. Tailgaiting. Let's obey the rules, save lives and wrecks.
G.H. Grubbs Mentone
Selective Prosecution
Editor, Times-Union: Once again the public is seeing an obvious display of selective prosecution by the federal justice department. This time the long arm of the law is reaching into the computers and fiscal files of the orthopedics industries in our area. For the next few weeks Warsaw will be invaded by federal agents and regulators confiscating computers and records of the orthopedics industries, looking for violators of the regulation that guards against industries making remunerations (payoffs or kickbacks) to doctors and distributors.
I don't agree with payoffs and kickbacks whether they are played by the orthopedics industry, the pharmaceutical industry or any other corporation or business interest. However, I can't help but notice the hypocrisy of King George and the gang in Washington who support deregulation for corporate and business interest. They did promise to get the government off the backs of corporate and business interest, they just didn't say how selective they would be in that endeavor.
The pharmaceutical industries have been making payoffs and kickbacks to doctors for a number of decades. They've bought doctors homes, given shares of pharmaceutical company stock to doctors who prescribe drugs produced by the afore mentioned pharmaceutical companies. They give weekly seminars that are attended by not only doctors, but also by public school teachers, in an attempt to push attention deficit disorder drugs to our school children. This is the purpose of pharmaceutical industry grants, that are given to schools in our nation. But that's a subject for a separate concern. My questions are:
1. In the current time, deregulation is pushed like an addictive drug. Why then is the orthopedics industry being investigated for regulations infractions?
2. Is it because one closed a plant in Texas and moved it to Warsaw, Ind.?
3. Is it because the Bush administration is serious about regulating industries, corporations and businesses?
4. Or are they just being hypocritical again?
Gene May Etna Green
Grave Thief
Editor, Times-Union: To the Low Down, Yesterday, May 6, I took a small bouquet of flowers to my husband's grave to honor his memory and being gone from us for 26 years. By midafternoon you had slithered your way to the grave and stole the vase. You left the flowers laying so they will die quicker. His daughter found your foul deed in midafternoon. The vase couldn't have been worth more than a buck. Are you happy with yourself? I hope you have a real GREAT DAY!
Pat Foreman Moore and Kathy Foreman Love
Warsaw Proud Conservative Editor, Times-Union: I have one word for M. Tapp and Matt Perry! Loser!
You make my day when I read your vitriolic diatribes against my President.
It makes me prouder than ever to be a part of a conservative movement that gives you liberals an opportunity to moan, groan, wail, sob and boo-hoo!
Did either of you even vote? Most complainers don't!
Be award of this fact: The conservative movement is growing! We'll have another Republican president in 2008. At that point, you liberals can either lead, follow or get out of the way!
