Letters to the editor for Aug. 26

Such violent acts have no place in any society

Recently there were protests and violence Charlottesville. As an Ahmadi Muslim in America, I have the benefit of cherishing the American values of acceptance, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and tolerance. I condemn actions that would try to take away from these rights and values. I condemn the murder of Heather Heyer as such a violent act has no place in American society, let alone any other society. The differences among people in this country, and in this world, should be welded together through discussion and compassion. I call on the leaders of the American government to be mindful of the power over society that they hold and to do what is morally right. We cannot appear to condone the acts of the people that seek division among us.

Both parties should have found new candidates

Instead of being raked over the coals for not calling the Ku Klux Klan, etc., the leading right wing hate groups the day after Charleston, (he did later), the president should be taken to task for not naming the major left wing hate groups. They are: (drum roll) the Democratic Party and (drum roll again) the Main Stream Media.

As much as the Republican Party was unhappy with Barack Obama, they never described him as Satan personified as the Democratic Party has done to Donald Trump. Obama, himself, blamed George W. Bush for all of the problems he (Obama) had in office even though the Democrats owned Congress throughout most of Bush’s time in office. And yes, most of the Democrats approved the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan – before they didn’t.

Don’t jump on me for defending Mr. Trump. I’m the guy who after the Democratic Convention of 2016 suggested that both parties find new presidential candidates.

The nonstop smear campaign

Campaign to wrestle the narrative away from Conservatives.

The liberal left tried to have its own radio and TV commentators with no success.

So the only thing they could do is to attack and smear right-leaning commentators; they were successful on Bill O’Reilly and Eric Bolling, but not on Sean Hannity.

Fox News channel still polls better than other news channels in prime time.

They hope the nonstop smear campaign, don’t you really wonder who is pulling the puppet strings? Does the Media Matters (George Soros) ring a bell?

He has the money to pay for protestors to come in and fight law and order. If you bleed you get more money according to an email found from one of his groups like CREW or Shareblue.

Nazis, Confederates deserve no place of honor in America

The argument of keeping Confederate statues to learn from history or as a source of familial pride is questionable, at best. We have all learned the horrors of the Holocaust without statues of Adolf Hitler and Josef Mengele. I doubt very much that anyone of German heritage hangs Nazi flags because they are proud of their ancestor’s service in the Third Reich. It is long past time to remove the statues from public grounds. They, and the rebel flag, should be a source of shame to anyone with a glimmer of conscience. Both represent the oppression of slaves and deserve no place of honor in this country.

Looking at the sun

What is it all about?

In year 1611, King James of England authorized the production of a new copy of the scriptures. Maybe his advisers told him that it would be a while before new settlers would be able to build places of worship and they would have to study the written words in their own homes.

Since most homes in America today have a copy of the scriptures, Americans have the freedom to read for themselves about the Sun of God, and no special glasses are needed.

Scripture says that even a child can understand the meaning of the words.

No Christian can in any way support Trump

I am horrified and ashamed by the president of the United States equivocating on the crucial issue of human rights and outright Nazism. The president’s inability to state clearly his outright opposition and reprehension of the white racists and separatists reminds me of Gov. George Wallace in 1964. I find the president’s statements so reprehensible and deplorable as to cause nausea. No Christian can in any way support this man. May his presidency be brief.

Where are you getting your information?

In response to the Aug. 14 Sound-off caller concerning military disability:

I’d like to know where the caller got his information and compare it to my personal experience.

The caller said 92 percent of those retiring from the military are declared by the Veterans Administration to suffer from some form of disability although very few have seen a shot fired or been in harm’s way. Disability compensation entitles them to benefits in addition to retired pay.

I suffered hearing loss while on active duty and developed arthritis in both knees. I applied for disability from the VA, but got none.

I concur that most military retirees never heard a shot fired or been in harm’s way. I served a year and a half in Vietnam and had close calls with bullets, rockets and mortar rounds. I have absolutely no recrimination about what I get for retired pay. I earned every red cent of it and then some! However, there were many who had a gravy train ride for 20 or 30 years and now draw two or three times more for retired pay than I do.

The caller said many of the “disabled” retire and go to work for civil service for additional compensation. I tried for five years to get into civil service and never did get into the system.

The caller said that we’re being exploited by many of the people we honor and support, but I don’t think what the caller said would very well apply to me. Instead, I think I was exploited and shunned.

Maybe crows will provide an answer

Well me and Mom cared less that the proper collective noun for crows was a “murder.” We laid down our hoes and marveled at the long Vs clattering and cawing high in the southwest sky that summer day. Farmers said they headed for the government ditches where they’re fed on spilled grain at the loading docks at Chester. On the ground they were wildly nervous and sharper than an axe.

It surely seemed the call of the wild as they raised a ruckus, early morning on that Atlas Powder ground. I thought I could out slick them. But they knew something was awry. They’d send out that high flyer. He’d send out the woeful danger caw, and they were gone like a cool breeze.

I don’t see them like that no more. But I did see a pair awakening the neighborhood in slingshot range in that liquid amber tree next door. We call them garbage can crows, seems guarding their next meal on the streets. Strange considering my told tales.

No doubt their habitat has changed. Even then it’s hard to imaging that many crows supporting themselves. Perhaps this pair should be considered survivors.

A lady wrote awhile back of the extreme effect climate has and will have on wildlife. Maybe this pair, way out of harmony, is telling us something of all wildlife?

This story was originally published August 25, 2017 at 12:00 PM with the headline "Letters to the editor for Aug. 26."