Letters to the Editor, 7-31-13 edition
Dear Editor,
I suppose many people are deeply disappointed with Ryan Braun and the rest of the MLB players caught up in this latest scandal. With the money they make, sports figures should be above all that. But really, what you see happening in sports is only mirroring what is happening in the rest of the country, only on a larger dollar scale. Could it be that America and its citizens have lost their moral compass?
Considering the Wall Street scandals, the political scandals, the increase in very violent, heinous crimes, the infiltration of illegal drugs into even the smallest of communities, and even down to the cheating going on in college entrance exams, it appears the answer is yet. Could there be a correlation between our slide into immorality and greed, and the removal of God and the Ten Commandments from every aspect of our lives? Didn’t this downward slide begin in the 1960s, corresponding with the advent of the “me generation” and the gradual forced removal of all things religious from our government and schools?
This country’s beginnings were based upon Christian principles. I know all the founders were perhaps not Christian, but I’ll bet my bottom dollar they were all raised on Christian principles. I would bet many American citizens were never taught these famous quotes by our founders and those that followed them:
James Madison: “We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future… upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to sustain ourselves, according to the Ten Commandments of God.”
John Adams: “Our Constitution was made only for a religious and moral people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other.”
Benjamin Franklin: “Man will ultimately be governed by God or by tyrants.”
Andrew Jackson: “The Bible is the rock on which our Republic rests.”
Daniel Webster: “If we abide by the principles taught in the Bible, our country will go on prospering.”
Alexis De Toqueville: Upon visiting America in the early 19th Century, this French historian observed: America is great because America is good. If America ever ceases to be good it will cease to be great.”
There is an individual aspect to virtue, and the virtue of a nation as a whole. Unless we reverse the current course we’re on, there is little hope for the survival of the American Experience.
Tom Olson
Merrill
To the Editor:
Well in advance of July 17-21, 2013 signage appeared along East Main Street in Merrill as it customarily has, heralding an upcoming event. There were a few double takes as I realized the conspicuous absence of the green four leafed clovers and the bold 4-H in the former Lincoln County Free 4-H Fair signs. Newspaper advertisements and expensive gloss booklets announced the Lincoln County Fair.
What is in a name? Is this a misnomer? Has the Lincoln County Free 4-H Fair fallen victim to the abbreviated world we live in? Why not www.LC4HFair.com versus www.LincolnCoFair.com? What is in a name? Now you see it! Now you do not! Perhaps a slight of hand?
With all the wrangling over the grandstand and a proposed expo center I am dubious with the ease of how the heritage of the 4-H was both glaringly and obviously omitted.
Not prone to conspiracy theories myself, but would not a gated admission fairgrounds be an answer to my question? What is in a name? Does the Lincoln County Fair have something in store for our future?
So much of our history can be verbal, passed on from generation to generation. There was a story years ago that Lincoln County was gifted with the land for the Lincoln County Free 4-H Fair for all time. I do not possess knowledge if this is true, but maybe someone could enlighten myself and others as to “how the Lincoln County Free 4-H Fair” got started and “where the Lincoln County Fair thinks it is going.”
Patricia Karbowski
Merrill
Editor,
Since the George Zimmerman verdict was read, we’ve been hearing loud protests from the likes of Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Eric Holder, even President Obama. Most of the noise has been how the justice system is unfair, gun laws need tightening, etc, etc, etc!!
I have also seen and heard folks of color like Dr. Bill Cosby, Dr. Ben Carson, Lt. Col. Allen West saying there are much more serious problems in the black communities than what happened with the Zimmerman trial. Dr. Cosby has said for years that Black-American communities need to reintroduce family structure into the lives of their young people. With statistics showing that 72% of black-American babies are born to unwed mothers, it is apparent this would be a very good place to start. It is also a known fact that youngsters from single parent or broken homes no matter what color don’t fare as well in school as the same age kids from two parent families. Not only that, but the family income is better with two parents working than only one, even if both parents are working at McDonald’s, Wal-Mart, Target, or Burger King!!
Families working together seem to be far more successful all around than single or broken home families. Family structure would also reduce Black-American’s from shooting each other like they do regularly in cities like Chicago (over 200 since January), Philadelphia, Washington D.C. or Oakland, while Sharpton, Jackson, Holder, President Obama, and the main stream media overlook these happenings! Getting together and coming up with a plan to go to these trouble areas, work with the “good folks” in them to turn around the family situation, education plan, would start building pride in the community and the rest will take care of itself!! Thanks for your time.
Respectfully,
Chuck Bolder
Merrill