Letters from Readers - 2009
|
Dec. 28, 2009 Keep US out of Italian court system Recently, 20-year-old American Amanda Knox confessed to the killing of her British roommate in Italy. She stood trial in Italy, and the court heard a voluminous amount of evidence pointing to her guilt. She will be serving 26 years in prison. The family of Amanda Knox is already busy enlisting the help of American government officials to try and pressure the Italian government to change the outcome of the case when it is appealed. They have already succeeded in getting a United States senator to declare that the Italian legal system was flawed. But was the Italian system flawed, or does the American justice system still view women as belonging to the “weaker sex”, and in need of special protection? If the U.S. government runs to the aid of Amanda Knox and tries to reverse the outcome of a perfectly good trial, they are indeed making such a sexist statement. Therefore, barring grave procedural error, the U.S. government needs to stay out of the affair, and let justice be served in memory of the murdered victim, Meredith Kercher. Joe Rodrigue San Dimas, Calif. Dec. 21, 2009 Discouraging disclaimer I was disheartened to read the disclaimer at the beginning of your firearms classifieds, stating that you would not list handguns or semiautomatic arms for sale. Shame on you. Semiautomatic arms and handguns are legal and legitimate arms for target practice, hunting and self-defense, and enjoy the full protection of the Second Amendment, just as any other type does. In your Dec. 14 issue, the first firearm listed in the classifieds is a Marlin Model 60. Are you aware that this is a semiautomatic 22 rim-fire rifle? There is also a listing for a Mossberg Model 935 shotgun, a semiautomatic design. There are also several pump action shotguns listed. If the purpose of not listing semiautomatic rifles or handguns is to somehow discourage or distance yourself from criminal use of an arm sold through your classifieds, how difficult would it be for the criminally-minded to purchase one of these, cut the barrel down, making it a sawed-off shotgun with which to use in armed robberies or other crimes? Are we to think that the crimes so committed would be somehow less devastating to the victims because the firearm was not of semiautomatic design? In the end I find it hypocritical that your paper and the opinions expressed therein are protected by the Bill of Rights, yet you discriminate against the free use of arms that are protected by that same document. To act as though that the right to arms is limited to what is socially acceptable is the same as saying that our right to speech and press is limited to what people inoffensive. I hope you will reconsider your position. Semiautomatics are legal and legitimate firearms. And while some may appear militaristic, they are in function no different from those of more traditional styling. John Haxton Mentone Editor's note: After consulting with an ATF agent recommended to us by Sheriff Jeff Shaver, we remain committed to our current policy regarding the types of firearms we allow to be sold in our publication. Surely the Second Amendment will survive our attempts to balance limiting our liabilities with a free classified ads section. The guns Mr. Haxton mentioned in his letter have been removed from The Post. We thank him for bringing the oversight to our attention. Nov. 23, 2009 Humorless Regarding Ned Hickson's recent column about jury duty ("Wearing a tinfoil hat to jury duty," Nov. 9), I wonder if he would he think a lawsuit against him for seriously injuring or killing someone because he was eating while driving was frivolous? The least of his problems would be a burned chin from a hot onion ring. I, for one, would love to sit on that jury. The same people who would never think of drunk driving do all sorts of dangerous things while driving, knowing full-well the punishment is a slap on the wrist. He should be ashamed for his blatant disregard for others who must share the road with him while he has his lunch. Catherine Campanelli Gaylesville Editor's Note: As occasionally happens, one of our readers has failed to realize that Mr. Hickson's weekly column is an attempt at humor. The creative art that is humor is defined at the Web site dictionary.com as "a comic, absurd, or incongruous quality causing amusement; the faculty of perceiving what is amusing or comical." The definition further explains that humor is often used "to illustrate some fundamental absurdity in human nature or conduct." Sadly, the world is filled with people who are sometimes too caught up in preconceptions to realize when someone is trying to make their life better by poking a little fun at us all. Don't feel bad about missing Mr. Hickson's point, Ms. Campanelli. Some of our very best friends occasionally suffer from the same affliction. Nov. 16, 2009 Standing together On Saturday, Nov. 7, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi brought her $1 trillion so-called healthcare reform bill to a vote in the U.S. House. It received just two more votes than it needed to pass. Despite intense pressure to vote for it, the entire Alabama House delegation held strong and stood with small business by voting “no” on H.R. 3962. With this “no” vote, the Alabama House delegation chose to stand with small business and vote against a bill that includes employer mandates, increased payroll taxes, new onerous reporting requirements, stiff fines and other new tax burdens. The Alabama House delegation recognized that H.R. 3962 fails to deliver what small businesses have sought for many years—lower costs, more choices and real competition in the private insurance marketplace for employers and employees. It is critical that a final bill reflects these needs, and National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) members are thankful that the Alabama delegation was willing to stand up for small business. With legislation coming up in the Senate, Alabama small business owners need to remain vocal to ensure our elected leaders know that devastating new healthcare mandates, massive increases in government spending, and higher healthcare costs is not reform that Alabama business owners will support now or at the ballot box. Rosemary Elebash, State Director NFIB - Alabama office Montgomery Nov. 9, 2009 Giving, and taking away Those who advocate universal health care should be given an MRI -- at their own expense -- to determine if there is anything between their ears other than a brain stem! This "free" health care fiasco will enslave wage-earners with a tax-and-fee burden so heavy as to force them into cardiac arrest, making them involuntary hosts to a swarm of parasites. How is a bankrupt nation supposed to pay for the health care of an estimated 50 million uninsured when 40 percent of Americans receive entitlements, whether earned or unearned, in excess of their income and payroll taxes? Government cannot give any person or persons anything without taking it from someone else. As we struggle through the rubble of a ruined nation, is it proper to remind all that humanity's greatest problems have always been other humans? Each day our internal wreckage is nakedly exposed while the assassination by unarmed conflict of all things perceived to have been created by "Long Dead White Men" by a coalition of African tribalism and radical feminism continues unabated. Nations, like individuals, seldom die smelling of soap. Jesse Warmack Piedmont Nov. 2, 2009 Two ways to change things Our federal government is out of control. Most federal representatives completely ignore our Constitution, which they took a solemn oath to uphold. The feds are responsible, but the real blame is that we the people have allowed it to happen. It will continue to get worse unless we stop it. We can start by contacting our senators and congressmen and demand that they make no changes to our health care. The current administration wants, over time, to take total control of our heath care. Our dollar is no longer backed by gold or silver. It is fiat money made legal tender by the federal government. Furthermore, the unconstitutional Federal Reserv, a private entity not responsible to anyone, determines how much money should be in circulation. We need to make a first true audit of this organization by urging Congress to pass H.R. 1207, the Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2009. If we can get enough people to contact Congress about these two items, we will be well on the way to reining in our runaway federal government. Edward Milton Ventresca Canyon Country, Calif. Oct. 26, 2009 We have lost control "Our nation did not become great because of what the government did. It became great because of what the government was prevented from doing. The Constitution is supposed to be the preventer." Did you ever think of that? The first sentence of the United States Constitution says: "All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States." Therefore, the Supreme Court cannot make law; the president cannot make law with executive orders or signing statements; and the only laws Congress can make are those "herein granted." If the Constitution were fully adhered to, the federal government would be 20 percent its current size and 20 percent its current cost. There's more! Where did "We the People" lose control? George Washington cautioned us when he said "Government is not reason, it is not eloquence; it is force! Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master." Washington had only four Cabinet officials. Why do we now need close to 20? Government should undo various bureaus, agencies, departments, etc. that never should have been launched in the first place. And what about inflation? What do we do about that? Anyone given power to inflate the currency will use it. The Federal Reserve should be abolished. Government schools will not teach anything that diminishes government power. When the federal government intruded into education, the costs skyrocketed and the quality plummeted. Energy, the same result. Housing, same type of crisis. Wouldn't it be the height of insanity to let the federal government take over the nation's medical industry? For more information from the same source, see the September 2009 Bulletin of the John Birch Society and the Constitution of the United States. Martha V. Pearson Centre Oct. 19, 2009 Editor's note: This letter initially appeared in the Oct. 5 edition. Edits made at that time in an attempt to fit the letter into the available space in our letters section resulted in a misidentification. We are happy to run this corrected version, which was resubmitted by the author. The second letter is a response to Mr. Roberts that we received last week. These are our rights? My son and I went to the Northeast Alabama Tea Party last month at Crosspoint Church. We got there late but in time to hear Judge Roy Moore's speech. He said he was not there to talk about politics, but about something more important -- our constitutional rights. We went to the gathering to pass out information in the form of a magazine and hear the speakers. My son handed out magazines to a lot of people, including four Etowah County sheriff deputies. I saw one of the deputies reading the magazine and he seemed to have no problem with it. After Judge Moore finished speaking about his love for the Constitution, a break was called and an unnamed man held up one of our magazines then told the crowd, "We do not agree with this!" A lady then yelled, "The garbage is over here!" and proceeded to rip up several copies of the magazine. Another lady verbally assaulted my son, telling him he should have asked for permission to pass out the magazines. Why would we ask permission to hand out magazines at a public event celebrating the freedoms offering by our Constitution, where an ad in the local newspaper invited people to take the microphone and speak? In the 20 minutes we were there, no one had time to read the articles in the magazine to find out if they agreed with its contents or not. Instead, one man told everyone "we don't agree with it," and we were led off the property by the same deputies who had taken copies of the magazine while the crowd shouted "USA! USA! USA!" Why do the same people who claim to fight for our rights attack those rights? When does a public event become a controlled private event where law enforcement must remove "thought criminals"? What is American about chanting "USA!" while someone is being denied their right to free speech? Maybe Marsha Thomas, the public relations officer for the Northeast Alabama Tea Party Association can answer these questions. We passed out the same information in Leesburg on July 4. What changed? Danny Roberts Leesburg Disruptive and wrong I observed the man passing out magazines at the North Alabama Tea Party at Crosspoint Church last month. He did not mention the name of the magazine, "Republic." Also, he did not tell you about the content of that magazine. You see, the writer of that magazine believes our government was responsible for the bombing of the World Trade Center in New York. Judge Moore did speak at the event but he had nothing to do with the man or his magazines. If he had not been disruptive, he could have stayed as long as he wanted and listened to our speakers. There was no open microphone; all the speakers had been scheduled ahead of time. "The Northeast Alabama Tea Party is a diversified group of citizens united by a deep concern for America's future, and dedicated to the task of educating ourselves, staying informed on governmental issues and sharing them with our friends and neighbors. We believe this great nation was founded on godly principles and that we are a Judeo-Christian nation. Our greatest bond is belief in and defending our Constitution and God-given rights and the belief that it is our duty to stay informed and share information with our neighbors." Marsha Thomas Gadsden Oct. 12, 2009 Thank you In August I received cancer surgery at Cherokee Medical Center from Dr. Robert Heuermann. The facility was very clean and all the personal help was friendly. My nurse, Renee, stayed with me all during the surgery and after I was transferred to my room. One of the very nice volunteers brought me lunch and my nurse came to the room every 15 minutes to see if I needed anything. I hope the people of Cherokee County realize what a wonderful hospital, and good doctors, we have right here. Joyce Mallett Centre Debacle in Afghanistan? President Obama is trying to decide our military strategy in Afghanistan. He is mulling over input from his civilian and military advisers and members of Congress, but he cannot make a timely decision because of his lack of military and national security experience. His community organizing background is not very helpful in this situation. It appears he will follow a path of political compromise similar to the policies that handcuffed our military in Vietnam. Obama is attempting to stifle his generals and turn them into Obama puppets, which will kill initiative and inhibit candid assessments of the war. This is a recipe for disaster in Afghanistan and could produce another war dominated by unsound military decisions made by politicians. Predator drones, air power, missiles and mechanized armies cannot defeat the Taliban and al-Qaida because of the extremely rugged terrain that is home to these fighters. General McChrystal should receive the additional ground combat troops he requested, including special operations forces; and we need to speed up the training of the Afghan army. We need a decisive military strategy for Afghanistan, not the indecision exhibited by the Obama Administration, which could lead to a debacle. If Afghanistan goes, Pakistan could follow. Donald A. Moskowitz Londonderry, N.H. Oct. 5, 2009 Thank you The Centre Middle School science department would like to thank the following local businesses. All of them have made monetary donations towards the purchase of equipment and supplies for our new science lab: Drs. Pruitt and Eberhart; Cherokee Electric Cooperative; Tom Kelly Insurance; Dr. Brian Perry and Perry Medical Center; Hi-C Trucking; and Lancaster Construction. These businesses continue to support education and the students at Centre Middle School. Thanks again! Cynthia Welsh Science teacher These are our rights? My son and I went to the Northeast Alabama Tea Party last month at Crosspoint Church. We got there late but in time to hear Judge Roy Moore's speech. He said he was not there to talk about politics, but about something more important -- our constitutional rights. We went to the gathering to pass out information in the form of a magazine and hear the speakers. My son handed out magazines to a lot of people, including four Etowah County sheriff deputies. I saw one of the deputies reading the magazine and he seemed to have no problem with it. After Judge Moore finished speaking about his love for the Constitution, he called a break and held up one of our magazines then told the crowd, "We do not agree with this!" A lady then yelled, "The garbage is over here!" and proceeded to rip up several copies of the magazine. Another lady verbally assaulted my son, telling him he should have asked for permission to pass out the magazines. Why would we ask permission to hand out magazines at a public event celebrating the freedoms offering by our Constitution, where an ad in the local newspaper invited people to take the microphone and speak? In the 20 minutes we were there, no one had time to read the articles in the magazine to find out if they agreed with its contents or not. Instead, Judge Moore told everyone "we don't agree with it," and we were led off the property by the same deputies who had taken copies of the magazine while the crowd shouted "USA! USA! USA!" Why do the same people who claim to fight for our rights attack those rights? When does a public event become a controlled private event where law enforcement must remove "thought criminals"? What is American about chanting "USA!" while someone is being denied their right to free speech? Maybe Marcia Thomas, the public relations officer for the Northeast Alabama Tea Party Association can answer these questions. We passed out the same information in Leesburg on July 4. What changed? Danny Roberts Leesburg Sept. 28, 2009 What's the big deal? Why shouldn't a man have freedom of speech and freedom of expression to call a liar, a liar? Especially the president of the United States? A man in his position should remain above reproach. President Obama has lied and misled the American people since before he and his cronies stole the election. When we have people like ACORN and the Black Panthers in charge of voter registration and policing the polling places, it makes it just about impossible for an honest person to win. Obama is also lying when he will not tell the people who his health plan covers, such as the $10 billion that goes into the big union retirement fund, and all the money ACORN and his sleazy czars are being paid. I applaud Rep. Joe Wilson for doing what was constitutionally correct and not getting hung up on political correctness. And shame on all the others. I am not a racist, but I am one highly pissed white man. How about this, teachers: Did you know that the teachers' organization gave over a million dollars of your money to the corrupt organization ACORN last year? Big money, big politics think average Americans are stupid, I guess. Stand up, America. Be seen and be heard, and be counted. Demand that your senators and representatives in Congress understand that you stand for and what your demands are. This is no longer about party lines, race, age or status in life. It is about taking back the control of our country. Let's quarantine Washington -- nothing in, nothing out. In closing, if it walks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it is probably a duck. If it thinks like a communist, lies like a communist, and surrounds itself with communists, don't you think it's a safe bet that it has strong communist ties? Sgt. Creig Payne (Ret.) Centre Mobley for me As a retired law enforcement officer I have had opportunities to interact with many attorneys. I would be hesitant to recommend many of them to my friends. However, after retaining Mr. Wesley Mobley to represent me on a legal matter I was pleasantly surprised. Mr. Mobley gave my situation his immediate attention and was able to bring it to a very satisfactory conclusion for me. I now take this opportunity to highly recommend Mr. Mobley. It is very satisfying to know there is an attorney in Centre who takes his profession very seriously. Rod Simmons Centre Sept. 14, 2009 Thanks so much I recently had to have surgery for breast cancer and I want all the good people who helped me to know how much I appreciate them. Dr. Robert Heuermann and his secretary, Sonya Sanford, took me in and performed my surgeries. No one could have asked for a better doctor who has a more caring heart. The staff members at our wonderful hospital, Cherokee Medical Center, were all kind and caring. Some of the people I remember are: Renee Chesnut, RN; Milissa McCullough, RN; Jacklyn Sinclair, RN; Holly Hechler, OR Tech; and Dr. Ed Bosch, who so skillfully kept me sedated. Also, Amanda Ray in admitting and Ann Martin, the financial counselor, were very helpful. We have a very good hospital right here in our county and the staff there are the angels of my life. My boss, Lanny Starr, and his sister, Sandra Bell, are God-sent. I miss working but plan to be back there as soon as possible. Thanks to all my friends at Real Pit Barbecue. I love and miss you all. My neighbors, Gail McGatha, Delores Jones, Beth Owens, and Miss Eddeymae Kennedy, my landlord, have all helped and supported me through this trying time. Thank you all very much. Also, thanks to the following people at DHR: Sue Border, Catherine Huffman, Josh Goggins, and Elaine Gray. There are many more who work at the hospital whom I can't recall. I was out of it for a while, but thanks for all your care and kindness. People like those I have mentioned will always be needed in this world because there can never be too much kindness, too much love, or too much hope for tomorrow. Barbara Dow Centre Regarding Wal-Mart In response to the letter by the couple from Kentucky ("Rude at Wal-Mart," Letters to the Editor, Aug. 31): I have been shopping at the Centre location since it opened and I have always been treated as nicely as you would want. The door greeters, as well as the other employees, have always been very kind and helpful to me and my daughter. We could not ask to be treated any better. I have always enjoyed going to Centre Wal-Mart and will continue to do so. Great job to all of you! Vicki Cox Sand Rock Aug. 31, 2009 Rude at Wal-Mart We are writing because we believe the Wal-Mart in Centre should either get some new help or close down. The other day, one Wal-Mart employee working at the door called a lady "fat." She told her she was "too fat" to ride the electric chair. What a shame. The poor lady cried. If one of us had been that lady we would have knocked her down. There are some employees in the Centre store who are very nice. One lady at the door is super nice, but she only works late. So, we try to come into the store when she is working, on weekends. Bet she would never call someone fat. There was another young man in the store, an employee, who was rude. We asked him for help and he told us he was on break and Wal-Mart would not let him work while he was on break. Well, fine. I bought my big-screen TV and DVD player from Kmart, instead. The employees there were very nice. I think the manager at Wal-Mart in Centre needs to do a better job. Employees at my local Wal-Mart in Kentucky said they would not put up with rude people. We have a lake house in Leesburg, but our trips to Wal-Mart in Centre are very few now. Mr. and Mrs. Barney Bolds Lexington, Ky. Exodus vouchers? Rejecting all forms of indoctrination and not being a member of the Church of Political Correctness, I find the latest barrage of liberalism deplorable. To wit, the destruction of public housing projects, to be replaced by vouchers allowing an exodus of single parenthood and crime for our inner cities to the suburbs and countryside for the supposed purpose of the self-improvement of parasites incapable of humiliation. Label me a heretic for refusing to be an indentured servant to the ideology of National Suicide. There is no coincidence in politics, as legislation is invented to produce inevitable consequences. Our elected and appointed magistrates should be indicted and convicted of conspiracy to murder civility and personal responsibility, leaving us with little more than the lint in our pockets. Outrage must morph into something other than a silent scream. Jesse L. Warmack Piedmont Aug. 17, 2009 Regarding health care I am a first-time writer to your newspaper. I have enjoyed reading the articles and letters to the editor. I would like to let you know that the politicians are receiving a backlash of non-support for health care reform and cannot fathom why people are so upset about this topic. After giving a free ride for indebtedness by banks, Wall Street brokers, bailout monies for auto industry, etc., they seem to be mystified by the public reaction to back-door conference meetings and agreements. Apparently, hitting the light of a free press is just too fancy-free to be real. Some of the politicians totally disregard their constituents, and their “sound reasoning” is laughable considering the indebtedness their plans would cause our country. But I can understand that this outrage by the citizenry was only caused by their own precipitous actions. Take time to consider the consequences of the health care bills and don't push responsibility for funding to our kids and grandkids. I do not think that the 46 million uninsured would like health insurance if it meant their children and grandchildren had to pay for it. I also believe that if the politicians enact legislation as proposed, then they should be willing to be a part of that health care plan. When they are willing to participate in the same plan they're pushing for the rest of America, then I feel that Americans will support the legislation. Ron Sutton Centre Aug. 10, 2009 Out of the U.N. The American Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2009 -- H.R. 1146 -- introduced by Rep. Ron Paul, and co-sponsored by John Duncan of Tennessee, would end U.S. membership in the United Nations and restore American sovereignty! If anyone wants to know why Dr. Paul sees the need to end our membership, see the book "The Fearful Master, A Second Look at the United Nations" and you'll wonder why we were surrendered to the satanic, communist-controlled U.N. in the first place! By 1964 there had been eight men appointed to the position of undersecretary general of Political and Security Council Affairs, and seven of them were from Russia. The other was from Yugoslavia. Trygue Lie said the pattern was no coincidence. The Big Five had reached an agreement in London that Soviet nationals would be appointed. And the U.S. secretary of State agreed with the Soviet delegation in the matter! We have now been involved in more wars since we surrendered to the U.N. than in the 200 years before! Bombing and machine-gunning schools, hospitals, pedestrians, cars, etc., leaving babies' bodies lying around like so much bloody debris. Alger Hiss, a communist in the U.S. State Dept., was appointed by Harry Truman to set up the U.N. Hiss then appointed five fellow Reds to important offices. There is much more documentation in the book "The Fearful Master". One wonders where were we, the people, to allow the Senate to commit such an anti-American crime! It's about time Congress is doing its duty. Letters to your congressman would really wake them up now. We need to get out of the United Nations. Martha V. Pearson Centre Attempt at humor A couple of weeks ago, my friend and editor of The Post Scott Wright wrote and published an article regarding our softball team, La Cabana's El Aces Loaded. In that article, he quoted me as saying that I came to a game a few weeks ago with the intention to “kick some a** and chew bubble gum.” Since then, I have received several concerned phone calls, e-mails, and visits from friends and family. For the record, I did not make the statement. Scott thought it would be funny to print the line because, as he noted in the article, I “attend church regularly.” This was just an attempt at humor by Scott, who we all know is not funny. I am working with him, however, to try and properly develop his sense of humor. I am also considering suing him for libel. Now that would be funny! Shane Givens, Esq. Centre Aug. 3, 2009 Blasphemy This letter is in response to "Do no harm" (Letters to the Editor, July 20), concerning doctors who over-prescribe medication and over-medicate patients. We can understand the lady's grief and anger, but we cannot understand why The Post felt the need to spell out our Lord's name in vain. We know that in this country, for the most part, we still have freedom of the press. However, we believe that this county is, on the whole, a Christian county, and that the editor had other options without denying the lady her right to be heard. Everyone could have known what she was saying if you had used either initials or placed a couple of spaces there instead of spelling it out. It was in very poor taste and even though we get a little impatient with all the people who are always getting "offended" in some form or other by what someone says or writes we, and we believe many others, were extremely offended by that. We have never read the Lord's name used like that before in the Birmingham News or any other reputable newspaper. With every freedom that we have there is also responsibility. Robert and Jean Norton Centre Editors Note: Readers may recall that during the Rev. Jeremiah Wright scandal last year, several national news outlets, in the interests of free speech and accuracy, repeated the same declaration Mrs. Woodward used in her letter of July 20. That doesn't necessarily make our decision correct, but it was the example we used as a guide. Also, given the life-or-death context of the letter, we felt it was important to let Mrs. Woodward speak her mind. We take full responsibility for our decision. July 20, 2009 Overcharged! In February my husband had a CAT scan performed on him at Cherokee Medical Center. The bill for that test was $3,560.80. After the test he was referred to a specialist in Rome, Ga. and subsequently had another CAT scan at Harbin Clinic in May. The bill for the scan from Harbin Clinic was only $620. Yes, you read right. I spoke with Mr. Jeff Noblin, the administrator at Cherokee Medical Center, and he told me that they are more expensive because they are a hospital. He also wanted me to let everyone know that their prices are competitive with other hospitals in the area. He told me I should call and check. I really don't have a need to call and check, though. Not when I can go a few miles down the road and get the same medical services for a lot less money. We have been very pleased with Harbin Clinic and I am thankful that we have a medical facility that is close enough to give us the option to go somewhere else. I would think that Cherokee Medical Center would try to be competitive with Harbin Clinic so that we would stay in Centre to have our medical needs met. I just want the people in this community to know that there is a huge difference in the charges for the same service at Harbin Clinic and Cherokee Medical Center. Then, people can make their own choices. As for me and my family, we will be using Harbin Clinic. Thanks to The Post for allowing me to voice my opinion. Mrs. Jaime Ward Cedar Bluff Response from hospital CEO Jeff Noblin Do no harm May God damn physicians who over-diagnose, over-prescribe and over-medicate their patients, often knowingly and despite the wishes of the family who objects and tries to intervene. May God save the patients who overdoes and bless their families, whose hearts are forever broken. It's not all about pop stars, rock stars and move stars; it's also about everyday families whose lives will never be the same. Addiction can kill and there are many enablers. I applaud all physicians who remain ethical and true to the Hippocratic Oath ... "do no harm." Phoebe Woodward Cedar Bluff July 13, 2009 We need a change Our country is not a democracy. Historically, all democracies fail. They fail because, ultimately, people vote themselves benefits, tax breaks, jobs, etc. The United States of America was very deliberately not set up as a democracy, but as a republic. Our forefathers gave much thought and many of them gave their lives to form a government in which people voted for representatives who would in turn make the decisions for them and for the greater good. That is how it is supposed to be, but now our politicians sell their souls and buy votes from their constituents with one grandiose plan after another. (Education wasn't even a guarantee with the country was founded!) Someone comes up with a program that sounds great on a daily basis. It helps people so it must be good, it must be right. Let's do it! Let's fund it! The federal government will pick up the tab so we don't have to! Oops! Wait a minute, they're using MY tax dollars for their philanthropy. The founding fathers never dreamed that politicians would make a career out of holding office. It was a duty and a privilege, back then, to help out your country for a few years and then go back to your business or livelihood. Term limits would do more to solve this problem of tax and spend and excessive government than anything else we can do. We need to get away from this idea that we have to vote for attractive, charming men and women who promise us the moon. We need intelligent and unselfish politicians who will do the right thing by our country. Marie Forrest Centre July 6, 2009 Appreciate teachers On May 5, the nation celebrated National Teachers Day. To all the parents and guardians of our children in the Cherokee County School System, if you have never let your child's teachers know just how much you appreciate their hard work and dedication, do so when school starts back in August. This past year, I have had the privilege to be a substitute teacher in the county school system. I have been responsible for students ranging in age from pre-schoolers to high schoolers. Most of my substitute days were at Centre Middle School. There, I found the principal, assistant principal, every teacher and all of the support personnel to be extremely dedicated to the well-being of the students. They all went out of their way to teach, council and help in any way they could to make sure that every student had the best possible experience in middle school. That is not to say that there were never problems. I, myself, even had a few disciplinary problems in some classes. Believe me, if a parent or guardian is called the school for a problem with their child's behavior, YOUR CHILD DID IT. At CMS, I have seen teachers go the extra mile for students because they could see their potential. My daughter is a teacher, and I did not appreciate just how hard she works until I experienced a teacher's daily schedule. So give your child's teacher the utmost respect and ask what you can do to help your child get the most from his or her education. Teach them respect for others, the importance of being attentive in class, doing their homework, and obeying the rules. Linda Payne Centre June 29, 2009 No Southern Cruisers The report in last week's edition of The Post Paper by Maci Hughes about the July 4 Liberty Day event in Cedar Bluff stated that the Southern Cruisers will participate in the festivities this year. Unfortunately, that is incorrect. Back in March we contacted the mayor's office and were told to deal with Nell Oliver about the upcoming event. Mrs. Oliver told us that there were a lot of changes coming and that we wouldn't be able to reserve the spot we have used for the last five years. She said we would have to set up out on the street with the cars and charge each participant a $5 "parking fee". We discussed these changes at our next meeting and decided that we could not have a fund raising event under those circumstances, so we cancelled our Liberty Day plans. Mrs. Oliver also had me remove the Cedar Bluff Liberty Day website, as she had made arrangements to have it done by someone else. This site had been maintained for four years at no cost to the city other than the hosting fees, so I was almost relieved to be rid of it. Still, we lost thousands of pictures and a lot of history about the event. The Weiss Lake Southern Cruisers has always given every penny raised at our Liberty Day bike shows and poker runs to a local charity. Last year it was presented to the Cherokee County Children's Advocacy Center. Rest assured that we will have a fund raiser later on this year. Our plans are to contribute to another Christmas for the Elderly. But it will be done without participating in Liberty Day or lining the coffers at Cedar Bluff. Steve Wilson, member Weiss Lake Southern Cruisers June 15, 2009 I am innocent My name is Rick Carroll. On or about Nov. 3, 2008 I shot and killed a man in my home. He was my daughter's boyfriend. Over a period of 3-4 days he became very drunk and belligerent. He had invited a young female friend of his to my home to "spend time" with him while my daughter was gone. During that time they drank whiskey non-stop from early morning one day until the following morning. They both have long records of drug use, although I did not see any drugs. I shot him on a Thursday. The previous Wednesday he had told my daughter that he was "gonna kill that SOB," meaning me. Early Thursday evening I asked him if he had threatened me. All he said was "I got plans for you." He hit me twice on the right side of my head and was coming at me a third time, with something in his right hand. I couldn't make out what it was but at that point I became very concerned for my life. That is when I reached for my shoulder holster, which I always carry on my property, pulled my gun and shot him. This man was 40 years old, a 4th degree black belt, and had extensive martial arts training. I am 62 years old and, like most of us at that age, not in the best physical condition of my life. My daughter told me there was no doubt he would have killed me if I had not defended myself like any normal person in that situation would have. His own family told my daughter that they have no hard feelings towards me at all. They said that they were surprised he lived as long as he had, and that they thought the charges against me should be dropped. This came from his own family. As I said, I am 62 and he was 40, and I have NEVER been in any serious trouble in my life, while he has spend time in jail many times. Well, the investigator, who for now shall remain nameless because it will come out in the impending lawsuit, decided that with his 24 years of experience on the planet, he has gained so much knowledge and insight into life that he decided to charge me with murder. Here I sit, over seven months later. This mess has cost me my home and everything in it. My retirement years are meaningless now because everything is gone. I am unable to bond out because of the money, and even if I could I no longer have a home to go home to. I pray every day that I will wake up from this nightmare, but it only gets worse. Thank you, Cherokee County, Alabama, for ruining my life. I would like to know what your readers think of this terrible injustice. Rick Carroll Centre Editor's note: Mr. Carroll first wrote to us in March requesting that we print this letter. We suggested he consult with his attorney before we did so because of admissions he makes regarding the crime he is alleged to have committed. Mr. Carroll wrote back last week, thanked us for our concern, and requested that we print his letter. June 9, 2009 To Dick Cheney You protest President Barack Obama "criminalizing" your administration's actions, but did Nixon and Hitler teach you nothing? Outing CIA agents, warrantless wire-tapping and torture are crimes! You actually want memos released proving that torture yielded information. Republicans just don't get it: the ends don't justify the means. You say we can't safely imprison terrorists, but any Democrats saying that you'd call unpatriotic! Why talk all over TV anyway -- everywhere except before Congress and under oath -- when as vice president you were nowhere? The Democrats won -- if you can't take it, go crying back into your hole, you GOP hypocrite. As your kind used to say, support the president. J. Andrew Smith Bloomfield, N.J. What we would miss We are fortunate on many fronts to be living in our community of Cherokee County. In particular, three "care" centers stand out as evidence of the past foresight of committed citizens and civic leaders. All three facilities are within close proximity to each other. I speak of our medical center, health and rehab center, and our new educational facility. Do we recognize how fortunate we are to have these quality facilities in our own back yard? Have you given thought to what life would be in Cherokee County without them? These needed, critical services surely would be provided not with the current convenience and perhaps not with the proven excellence. Next time you're in town be aware of Cherokee County Health and Rehabilitation Center, Cherokee Medical Center and Gadsden State Community College. Yes, we are extremely fortunate. Just think, these services are right in the palm of your hand! Dave Rogers Cedar Bluff May 25, 2009 I know how he felt I am a resident of Cedar Bluff, and recently heard about a 16-year-old young man from here who took his own life. Many people want to know why would a young man, in today's time, take his own life? I can't tell you, exactly, but I can give you some insight on where he was mentally and emotionally. I don't know about you but when I was 16 my life sucked! I'm not saying everyone's life sucks at 16, just that 16 isn't easy -- wasn't easy 20 years ago and it isn't any easier today. The pressure you get from everyone in your life can be immeasurable. I only know these things because when I was 16, I too tried to end my life. I was in a dark and lonely place, a place where nightmares are made, where your worst fear is your only friend. It's a place that few people come back from. If you have never considered ending your own life, then you are lucky and blessed. But you will also never be able to understand the darkness or hollowness that this young man may have felt. I know that feeling. With tragedies such as this we look for someone to blame, but there is no one to blame -- yet, we all deserve the blame. I hope my letter reaches the parents of the young man, in the hope that they will know they are not alone and that their son was not alone. I wrote the following poem last November; it took years to put my feelings into words. Now, I dedicate my poem to the young man from Cedar Bluff. Blanche Pettry Not Alone Hundreds of people surround me, Yet I am still alone. People keep talking aloud, Yet I hear utter silence. There is plenty of room, But I'm trapped in bonds. My heart is life of happiness, But sadness strolls down my face. I can see the light ahead, But darkness is all around me. I tell myself, "One step at a time." Yet I want to run like the wind. Loneliness, please leave me, If only to be alone. BP May 11, 2009 Unfair to doctors In response to a recent letter about doctors in Centre (“What's up docs?”, April 27 issue), I think we have wonderful physicians in our community who provide excellent care to their patients. At one time or another in years past, I have worked with almost all the local doctors. Each of the physicians in Centre have heavy patient loads with appointments made well in advance. A new patient means a lengthy appointment wherein a detailed history is obtained by the nursing staff and physician, numerous paperwork is filled out, etc. It is unrealistic to expect that when you suddenly awake with a health need, that a busy office can drop everything to work you in as a new patient. Secondly, doctors' offices are inundated with requests from those persons who are “drug seekers”. Therefore, patients are often screened as to their patient history and current medication usage. Thirdly, a medical practice is now a very specialized field. Patients often have health concerns that require a specialized field of medicine. Therefore, a family practitioner often refers patients on to specialists in varying fields. For instance, a patient with chronic pain issues would be referred to a pain management clinic that could better manage their health issues. A screening obtains the information needed for the physician to make a qualified decision on his ability to care for the patient's needs. And lastly, a physicians practice is a business. It has to be run in an efficient manner as one would manage any business. Society has a misconception that the doctor is rich and he should see everyone, no matter if they pay or not. The reality is that it is very expensive to manage a medical practice. Questions have to be asked of each new patient regarding their insurance because physicians have contracts with certain insurance companies. If the physician does not have a contract with your insurance company, you, the patient, will pay at a higher “out-of-network” cost. All of the offices in Centre accept private-pay patients, but most expect payment at time services are rendered. The physician's office is a costly business to run. A well-staffed office must be paid adequate wages for their services. There are numerous medical supplies and office supplies to purchase weekly for an office to run efficiently. The equipment you see in physicians offices is very costly -- from the computer systems, radiology equipment, down to the blood pressure cuffs. The physician's office has numerous licenses and dues to pay yearly. Everyone would be astonished at the fees physicians pay for medical malpractice insurance. The physician is required to have continuing education yearly in order to maintain his license. These educational courses are expensive. We've just ended tax season, but the doctor has taxes he pays every at every turn. And our local physicians are very supportive of local fund-raising efforts, especially our schools. They give back to our community regularly. I am glad that Ms. Jones found a physician to assist in her healthcare crisis, but I feel that she had unrealistic expectations and was unfair the medical community in Centre. Dianne Ledbetter Gnatville community Powerful thanks Tuesday, April 28 was a day that had a little excitement associated with it. A tractor-trailer driver inadvertently snagged an old cable TV line as he was backing up to turn around on County Road 707. Soon, a pole that held a transformer snapped and the transformer and the top half of the pole came down. Every residence on the entire road was powerless, I am told. For fixing the damage, my thanks go out to all the following: Cherokee Electric Cooperative, particularly Lee's crew (I think that's right) and the main office and switchboard; Northeast Alabama Water; TDS Telecom; Cedar Bluff Volunteer Fire Department; the Cherokee County Sheriff's Department; Alabama State Patrol; and the Alabama Forestry Commission. If I missed anyone or any outfit, I apologize. I did not make it down to the main area of action. But I know the response time was first-rate. And the attitude and work ethic were beyond reproach and extremely professional. This small road has not seen that much excitement in years! There were approximately 15 total vehicles at the onset and they all stayed there until the situation dictated that they could leave. (That was far from overkill, as they knew not what to expect until they arrived.) With power lines and transformers down things could have been much worse if a fire had erupted. Regardless, lines were down in at least four areas, blocking driveways and over the road and across yards. Mine was one of them. Thank you to each and every one of you. Johnnie Stone Cedar Bluff May 4, 2009 Please help I was not sure where to take this information so I decided to relay it to my favorite newspaper. I have lived in Centre all my life and I love my town and the people in it. However, my sanity has been pushed to a breaking point. We have a slight dog problem in my neighborhood. Our next-door neighbor has seen fit to raise and sell for profit mini Dobermans and Chihuahuas. The problem with this is there are too many dogs for anyone to tend with. She does not, to my knowledge, have a license to sell anything, let alone live animals. Considering that my mother was turned down by the city when she asked for a license to do floral work in our suburban paradise, I would be shocked and appalled if a permit was issued next door for selling anything. We have no peace in Northwood anymore. You can't have a leaf blow in the night without absolute havoc. To make matters that much worse, we have a neighbor behind our house who raises hunting dogs. The smell from the pin is god-awful, to say the least. Also, until very recently they allowed a vicious dog of theirs to roam the streets. This dog chased me in my own yard and has tried to bite the back of my legs on several occasions. I am an animal lover, but these are issues the city needs to look into for the safety and well-being of the community. On top of all that, we still have other dogs roaming our neighborhood. I'm not willing to wait on a small child or one of our elderly neighbors to be attacked to address this issue. Will someone please help a community in need? Dan Deems Centre April 27, 2009 Thanks so much We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the community members who have helped us during this difficult time. To the emergency responders who were on the scene at our house near the Centre airport on April 4, we would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation for your quick and thorough response. We cannot begin to express our thanks to all those who have given of themselves to see that our family is taken care of and will continue to be taken care of in the coming weeks. We also wish to extend our gratitude to our friends and neighbors who have volunteered their assistance in helping us repair the damage to our home. It is extremely humbling to have such a gracious network of friends and family to depend on during hard times. We ask that everyone continue to pray for and support the McGatha family during their bereavement. Again, our most sincere thanks to everyone. Brian and Keila Burleson Centre What's up, docs? I'm a 41-year-old female who has been very healthy, for the most part. Last week, however, I awoke with an extreme case of skin rash over my entire body due to allergies. I went to a local pharmacy and they told me to see a doctor right away. That's when my nightmare began. In extreme distress, I began phoning physicians in Centre. I called four doctor's offices and each told me I had to be “approved” to see a doctor. Approved? Are you kidding me? I wasn't trying to take out a bank loan, just see a doctor. I will be kind and not call the doctors' offices by name, but they know who they are, and SHAME on you! Did you not take an oath to heal the sick? It seems the almighty dollar has taken the place of simple healthcare. If I'm calling a doctor, then he or she can rest assured that I NEED a doctor. I have no insurance but I have cash, and from now on it spends elsewhere. My mom suggested a doctor in Leesburg so I went straight to her office. If I was going to get turned down again, they were going to tell me to my face. Instead, I found a doctor who cared. She and her staff quickly got me in and were kind, compassionate, thorough and worth their weight in gold. I deeply appreciate how they treated me and am now doing much better. I realize doctors are having to deal with “fruit loop” HMOs these days, but come on, people. It's time to take a stand and stand for what's right. Toni Jones Centre April 13, 2009 Opening day I would like to commend the City of Centre and Dixie Youth Baseball on this year's opening day. It did not seem like we would be able to play games on April 4 due to the many days of rain. The league has historically had more games on opening day than any other day of the season, and this year was to be no different. I coach a team and was aware of how wet the fields were last week. But Friday morning, city employees were at work trying to prepare the fields. Mayor Tony Wilkie was present and very concerned about seeing that everything that could be done was being done to save opening day. By Friday afternoon, the league was satisfied that the field would be safe and suitable for Saturday. When we arrived Saturday morning, there were still some soggy places on the field but evidence of the hard work and preparation was everywhere. The field conditions were as good as they could have been, considering the circumstances. Before our game started even the mayor was spreading “diamond-dry” and raking the wet ground. Again, thank you to the mayor, the city employees and the Dixie Youth League for all the work it took to make opening day a success. Kevin Grimes Centre A sincere thank you Thank you for not only placing my post seeking employment in "Tough Times" but for placing it on the front page, as well. If one can be floored with elation, I was. I am going to Anniston for a drug screen to clear the way for a part-time position that starts this (past) weekend. I have no idea if The Post had a role in this phenomenal stroke of good luck that came about at a much needed point in my long stretch of unemployment but I will inquire after I actually start. Regardless, you have my heart-felt gratitude and thanks as everything sort of fell into place at about the same time as the front page rendition of my job wanted listing was put into circulation, and for that I am eternally grateful. As corny as it sounds, the front page deal absolutely instilled a ray of hope and sparked enthusiasm that I have not truly felt in a long while. Hopefully, your willingness to help your readers out in this manner will continue to do for them that which it has done for me. Johnnie Stone Cedar Bluff April 6, 2009 Illegitimate births A local TV station recently reported that four of every 10 children born in Alabama are born to unmarried mothers (see www.abc3340.com for information). What started the immorality in this once very moral nation? As I understand it, after World War II, the federal government started the welfare system. I don't know how many unmarried women benefited from this program, but it was just a few, mostly black women. In the early 1960s along came the hippies, flower children, and free love, and the white women joined in having illegitimate children. Then in the 1990s Congress passed the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act and women decided that they didn't need men for financial support anymore, so along came more illegitimate children. As a result of children not having fathers in the house, young men don't know what their roles are supposed to be. They grow up to produce more illegitimate children and get in trouble with the law and end up in prison. One judge in Alabama says that 90 percent of the men sent to prison are from fatherless homes. Those who know what the role of men is should take it on themselves to teach those fatherless boys that the role of fathers is to love and protect their daughters and to be role models to their sons. One way to teach them would be to turn off the TV so they won't see naked, unmarried men and women rolling around in bed together. Another good way is for fathers to be a Big Brother and teach these fatherless boys about fatherhood. When we add the number of illegitimate children to the number of aborted children in this country, it shows us what a sorry state we live in. So, please folks, let's all work to make a difference in our nation. Carol Hagan Jacksonville March 30, 2009 Support legalized pot I respectfully request that your newspaper support HB434 in the Alabama House of Representatives and any companion bill that is introduced in the Alabama Senate. This bill would change Alabama law to allow certain citizens described in the bill to use marijuana under the conditions prescribed in the bill to deal with their medical situations. In 1970, after 16-plus years in the military, I was medically discharged because of a physical condition that rendered me physically unfit for further service to our country. Before then, I underwent two invasive surgeries to try to correct a condition in my lower spine, neither of which brought relief for the pain I suffered. So, for half or more of my life, I've lived with chronic pain which has gotten worse over time. As a law-abiding citizen I have never used marijuana, even though I've read and heard that using it might give me some relief. If HB434 changes the law to make medical marijuana legal, at least I will have the opportunity to legally use it to see if it will ease my pain as it reportedly has for so many other people around our nation. Don Seibold Wetumpka Please donate blood As I look out my window from work, I see trees blooming and flowers sprouting and I know that it is springtime. It's a time of new beginnings. So many people have rough days ahead of them, whether it is due to the economic situation of the day, or because they are experiencing health issues; for each of these groups of people, I hope that springtime will encourage and uplift their spirits. I would ask that as you encounter the experience of new life that comes with spring; that you also remember to help out those who are in need of new life -- new life through blood donations! Everyday Blood Assurance requires 400 people to donate blood to keep the hospitals in this area and the entire service area of Blood Assurance (31 counties in Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina) supplied with blood - the true substance of life. As the weather changes to spring and new life is popping up all around us, consider giving the “Gift of Life” at your local Blood Assurance location. It is a great way to celebrate springtime. Linda D. Hisey, Vice President Blood Assurance, Inc. Chattanooga, Tenn. March 3, 2009 Help us keep Weiss Lake beautiful Concerned Citizens for Weiss Lake is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping keep Weiss Lake clean and safe for ourselves, our children, and the environment. The lake is overseen by Alabama Power Co., and they are to be congratulated for doing an outstanding job. But no one can be expected to maintain such a vast body of water as Weiss Lake without some help. It is up to each of us to do our part to keep Weiss Lake clean. There are no dues required to join Concerned Citizens for Weiss Lake, just a desire to lend a helping hand. Won't you take that first step forward? Just go down to the bank of Weiss Lake sometime for a few hours. Find a nice, quiet place and just sit down and relax for a few minutes. Watch all the different kinds of fish and fowl; see how they sustain each other. Close your eyes and try to picture the Native Americans who once lived on the banks of the mighty Coosa River, who never envisioned a 30,000-acre lake, with all its attached benefits, like the one that now sits in our backyard. It is a body of water that should give our children -- and someday their children -- a clean, safe habitat to swim, fish, boat and frolic without the worries associated with fish and birds being killed by waste and trash dumped into our beautiful lake. Won't you please help us as we help each other make sure these things don't happen? We have no desire to conflict with any of the other excellent lake preservation groups in the area. But if you know of anyone who is polluting or contaminating Weiss Lake or any of its tributary rivers and streams in any way, we hope that you will call us and report them so that we can make sure the proper local authorities are notified immediately. You do not have to leave your name if you don't want to, just give us the information and we will take it from there. Our numbers are 256-557-5291, 256-557-5558 and 256-927-6879. Help us keep Weiss Lake beautiful for generations to come. We pledge to do whatever we can to stop pollution in Weiss Lake. Wayne Ingram Cedar Bluff Jan. 12, 2009 Communicate this The cable TV service provided locally by Charter has never been very good and lately it has gotten worse. There are always some channels that are louder than others and service disruptions happen quite often -- without a cloud in the sky. Charter won't tell their subscribers the truth about channel 10 (ABC) and channel 3 (CBS), but they are having trouble purchasing some of the network programming. Yet they are still increasing our cable bills by $4 a month -- another $4 a month for crappie cable TV service. Are you kidding me? I am a frequent caller to the Charter Communications customer service line (yes, they know me well). I am always reporting problems, and after my complaints they always ask if I am interested in purchasing other services they offer. If they can't keep my cable TV working correctly why on earth would I want to order another of their problem-plagued services? To quote Charlie Brown: "Good grief!" Charter, either get it right or we're gone as customers. Good luck recruiting new customers, too. Your company would make a great promotional poster for Dish Network or DirecTV. Toni Jones Centre Take care of your car With gas prices at a four-year low, now is the perfect time to invest that savings into preventative maintenance and repairs to extend the life of your vehicle. According to recently released statistics from the Energy Information Administration, the average retail price for gasoline dropped to $1.684 a gallon, the lowest price since February 2004. Gas prices are down more than 55 percent from the $4.11 peak. Because most analysts are predicting oil and gas price increases in the spring, this is the opportune time to invest those short-term gas-pump savings into a long-term vehicle investment. Keeping your vehicle in safe working order makes financial sense, adding years of reliable life and saving the cost of new car payments and higher insurance. In fact, over a four-year period, the cost difference between keeping a car and buying a new one is nearly $10,894, according to Runzheimer International. To help you drive smart and save money, check out our popular Car Care Guide at www.carcare.org. Rich White Executive Director Car Care Council |
|
|