Letters to the editor for Sept. 9

Our president does not advocate Nazism

I just came across a letter that was submitted by the Rev. Canon Dale Coleman, of Belleville, Illinois, that appeared in the Aug. 26 BND, in which the “Reverend” claims that “no Christian can in any way support” President Donald Trump because the “Reverend” is horrified and ashamed by President Trump’s equivocating on the crucial issue of human rights and outright Nazism. My response to the “Reverend” is that he should advise Christians that they should not vote, favor or support any Democrat that advocates abortion. The “Reverend” should remember the Sixth Commandment “Thou Shalt Not Kill” (which includes aborting fetuses) and the Ninth Commandment “Thou Shalt Not Bare False Witness Against Thy Neighbor.” I am ashamed of the “Reverend” that claims to be a man of God. I would also like to tell the “Reverend” that his president does not advocate Nazism and that his president supports human rights as long as they do not interfere with those that are abusing the laws of America.

A clarification to the reverend’s letter

Thank you for publishing my letter (Aug. 26). I regret I was not as clear as I intended in my criticism of the president. My intent was to state I don’t know how a Christian could support the president in his muted response to the white supremacists in Charlottesville spewing their hatred. I would appreciate your publishing this clarification.

Ridiculous accusations about financial connections

Phil Henning must be on the Illinois cannabis registry if he thinks the Indivisible 12th is being funded by George Soros or whoever the hell “a Mr. Padilla” is. It’s true that the group recently registered as a 501(c)(4) and, as a result, has indeed reaped a windfall of $66 in T-shirt sales. So Phil, please let the Indivisible 12th know if Soros contacts you about funding.

The leadership team of the Indivisible 12th are political amateurs who have met around literal kitchen tables. They have zero access to national funding and if by “advice” you mean reading a 26-page manual on being an engaged citizen, then sure. Guilty as charged. But it’s laughable that people with no connection to the Indivisible 12th make ridiculous accusations about financial connections about an organization with the budget of a high-traffic lemonade stand.

Keep speaking truth to power, Phil.

‘Have you no sense of decency, sir?’

I believe it to be tragic and vindictive for Donald Trump to even contemplate ending the “Dreamers” program. There are 1 million children who were brought here illegally, as babies and very young children, but this is the only country they now know. Trump is considering ending this exception and returning the children to their native countries. How is that for cruelty defined?

Congressman Paul Ryan, as Speaker of the House, and other Congressional leaders have objected to such an action and rightly believe this decision should be a legislative one.

If one goes to Google and types in “is Trump a bully” they will have 1.28 million references listed. If one does the same for “narcissistic” you receive just 780,000 references. I would attribute this lower number to the fact that “narcissistic” is a bit harder to spell than “bully.” Mr. Joseph Welch, as general consul to the U.S. Army, asked appropriately of Sen. Joseph McCarthy in the McCarthy Hearings, the famous question: “Have you no sense of decency, sir?”

Unfortunately, the same can be asked of our current president.

Always be ready

Several of my family members just enjoyed viewing the total solar eclipse from my son’s front yard in Columbia, Illinois. Whether this was a sign from Heaven will be determined at a later date. Using software such as “Stellarium,” anyone can obtain a snapshot of how the sun, moon, stars and planets appear for any time at any planet Earth location. Hence, our family was prepared at around 1:17 p.m. Aug. 21 to view this awesome event.

Using this type of software, Bible student Scott Clarke has determined the Revelation 12 sign as written by the Apostle John will appear in the skies over Jerusalem Sept. 23, 2017. Clarke also agrees with Michael Svigel, an associate professor of theological studies at Dallas Theological Seminary that the male child of Revelation 12 is actually a corporate body, the Christian Church. Many well-known theologians of the past two centuries (John Darby, William Kelly, William Blackstone, Henry Ironside, and Chuck Missler) have marked this chapter as their primary basis for believing the Rapture of the Church must precede the seven-year Tribulation (as per Daniel 9: 24-27)

E.L. Martin should be credited with first proposing the Revelation 12 sign was fulfilled on Sept. 11, 3 BC. In 1991, he theorized that this was the birthdate of Jesus and was also Rosh Hashanah of that 3 BC year. Interestingly neither Clarke nor any other well-known theologian is making any “big event” predictions for the Sept. 23 date. Their advice: always be ready!

I wish them the best, but am realistic of the challenges

East St. Louis entering economical development projects is a good thing. I wish them the best, but am also realistic of the challenges it will bring. See, their message came shortly after I applied my small business into an economical development contest to help nine counties in Southwestern Illinois.

But I don’t feel threatened by their announcements or new hire. My homies know I’ve been trying to help that department since 2012. So what I would’ve done for them expands into multi-county ideas ... something Joseph’s Dream planned from start.

I’ll deal through Madison County’s port while staying hands-off my hometown’s. From there ghettos and rural lands will connect manufacturing and sustainable food solutions to the world. However, East St. Louis’ coding students will get that information technology/information systems temp service already included in the contest before the mayor’s proclamation.

Unless I mess myself up, only Madison County Democratic politicians can stop me. If they don’t and I network right, it will be the greatest honor to know the city of champions had two great job-making ideas that really did help all of us.

Keep those letters coming

After about a decade of reading Jim Walters’ letters, I’ve come to realize that perhaps Walters is a secret operative or a plant by the Republicans. By using his reverse psychology of disliking active duty, former and retired military, and all religions, he may be eliminating a major voting block for his party in St. Clair County. I don’t know if that’s his intention, but in the last few years Republicans have made inroads into recent elections in our county, and we have many great candidates poised in the upcoming election cycle. Mr. Walters, keep those letters coming! Perhaps it’s all a dream, but regardless, so far I’m enjoying it. Finally, I’m sure Walters would approve and to quote Bob Barker, “Be sure to spay and neuter your pets,” and be nice to them.

This story was originally published September 8, 2017 at 12:00 PM with the headline "Letters to the editor for Sept. 9."