Published: October 02, 2006 10:59 am            

10/01/06 Letters to the editor

JC Veterans Council endorses Edwards



Dear Editor:



As members of the Johnson County Veterans Council, we would like to take this opportunity for our endorsement for the re-election of Congressman Chet Edwards of the 17th Congressional District. The Johnson County Veterans Council membership is made up of peacetime and war veterans from World War II to present. We are a nonprofit organization that does not usually make these endorsements, but we feel compelled to take a stand behind the only candidate for Congress that truly honors and respects veterans, their service and sacrifice to our country.

The attacks made in recent issues of the local newspaper ads by supporters of the Van Taylor campaign are false and misleading.

Ask any blind veteran what it means to have the Waco VA Hospital kept from closing as proposed by the current administration. Ask the families what it will mean to have the largest new VA clinic in the United States located in Fort Worth so they no longer have to drive to Dallas for routine care. Ask a surviving spouse of a veteran buried in the new VA national cemetery what it meant to have the burden lifted off their shoulders. These are but a few of Edwards’ accomplishments over the last 15 years.

While every political candidate in America will say they support veterans, Chet has a proven record of being a leader on our issues and is one of the most respected and influential voices in the entire Congress for veterans

Edwards was recently honored by The Military Coalition with their highest award, the 2006 Award of Merit for his work in Congress to protect health care and survivor benefits for military families. The Military Coalition is an influential consortium of 36 military and veteran groups that represent 6 million members around the world, including active duty, National Guard, Reserve and retired members of seven uniformed services plus their families and survivors.

Edwards serves as a ranking member of the Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs subcommittee and a member of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee.

Residents of Johnson County and the rest of District 17 can take pride in going to the polls on Nov. 7 and casting their ballots for a native Texan who will work tirelessly for the veterans, Texans and all Americans. The Johnson County Veterans Council is proud to have such a patriot and dedicated leader in Chet Edwards.



Fred Cummings, president

Johnson County

Veterans Council





Is Edwards lying or is he misinformed?



Dear Editor:



Dealing with illegal immigration is a vast and complex problem. Therefore, we must have a consistent approach as each piece of legislation comes before Congress. One example of Chet Edwards’ inconsistency on this subject is his vote on an amendment to the FY 2006 Homeland Security Authorization for State and Local Law Enforcement Duties Act.

Edwards was one of 173 Democrats who voted against this. Yet there were 26 Democrats who had the courage to buck their party’s liberalism and vote for what will enable more officers to help stem this tide of illegals. We have already seen that federal agents alone aren’t enough, so why not let local officers who already know their communities use the opportunities they get to help with immigration enforcement?

Mexico, being the biggest source of illegals, possesses everything they need to have a modern, prosperous economy except for one thing. They have an abundance of intelligent, hardworking people and vast natural resources, but they don’t have a government rooted in integrity.

Yes, I know our government is not free of corruption, but most Americans expect honest dealings at all levels of our society. Mexico is shot through with corruption, and when our local law enforcement’s hands are tied in dealing with illegals, we create the impression that the same sort of thing is OK here.

We need more than lip service in dealing with one of our biggest problems.



Pat Linkenhoger

Cleburne





In agreement with Pope’s comments on Muslims



Dear Editor:



The Muslim world is in an uproar again. It seems like the Muslim world is in an uproar some days just because the sun comes up. This time it’s over a statement the Pope made that just happens to be true.

I agree with the Pope 100 percent, and if Muslims the world over can’t stand the truth, I could care less. I have said before that it’s not Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Hindus or Buddhists flying airplanes into buildings, beheading people, blowing themselves up in marketplaces, detonating bombs on trains or killing each other. It is, now get this, Muslims and no one else who are responsible for all these atrocities in the name of Allah.

So, for all the Muslims who don’t understand this, let me enlighten you, there are Muslim clerics who preach a religion that teaches nothing but a fanatical hatred of all things non-Muslim and who will not tolerate a peaceful co-existence with the rest of the 21st century world.

The so-called moderate Muslims say they don’t agree with this, but if so, why have we not heard them publicly condemn the terrorists and join in the hunt with men and money (the Saudis have billions in resources) to hunt these butchers down. I believe it is either A: They secretly agree with and support these animals, or B: Although they supposedly outnumber these fanatics, they are afraid of them. I’m leaning toward A.

We heard Kofi Annan and the majority of the so-called U.N. condemn the nation of Israel for not showing more restraint in defending itself against terrorist attacks and in the same breath try to give terrorist groups like Hezbollah and Hamas (whose No. 1 priority is the complete annihilation of the nation of Israel) a legitimate platform for their actions. I for one am in favor of moving the U.N. out of the United States to ... maybe Beirut or Mogadishu.

The liberals cry out that we must have dialogue with these killers. Sorry, dialogue doesn’t work with people who want to destroy you! The only thing these people understand and respect is strength, unfortunately our government is not showing that strength right now.

We have politicians from both sides of the aisle whining about the techniques used to interrogate terrorists (again, who cares, they’re being fed better and receiving much better health care than a good many elderly American citizens who live on Social Security with Medicare as the one health care they can afford).

Terrorists do not fall under the rules of the Geneva Convention regarding the treatment of prisoners of war, they are killers, nothing more, and as such deserve no special considerations or treatment (they certainly show none to their victims). If they have information that will prevent another attack on American soil, prevent the loss of one more American soldier or eradicate another nest of these vermin, then I say use any and all means necessary to extract that information.

The Human Rights Watch, the U.N. commission on human rights and the rest of you whining space cadets can all take a hike.

If our current elected officials do not have the resolve to stand united and stay the course, then step down and allow those who do have the strength and fortitude to protect our country, secure our borders, send 12 million illegal lawbreakers back where they came from and keep us safe!



Rikky D. Perkins





Disturbed by police officers’ behavior



Dear Editor:



I am writing in regards to the police’s behavior discussed in an article on the Stevie Johnson trial. I am not a resident of Cleburne but work here and love it because of the people. It’s still a small town atmosphere and I love the people.

I was very disturbed by the comments made by the policemen who were being taped at one point while Miss Johnson was in custody. This is a horrible situation to say the least, but out of that whole article, I came away wondering if I was the only one disturbed by the behavior of the policemen and if anything would be done about them?

I know the trial is not about them, but surely someone in authority would wonder about the way they talked to and handled someone in their custody. They appeared to be literally taunting the girl, and certainly were not showing any type of maturity or professionalism.

I can’t believe there wasn’t some embarrassment on the part of the Cleburne Police Department as this was shown in the courtroom and reported in the paper. Her guilt or innocence aside, something should be done about the way these two police officers handled themselves during the tape. If that is 1 1/2 hours of how they perform their duty, what is the rest of their workday like?



Cindy Rankin

Burleson





Prayer does work



Dear Editor:



On Jan. 17, 2006, Logan Winn, a resident of Cleburne, was rushed to Harris Methodist Walls Regional Hospital. Logan was transported by the Joshua Volunteer Fire Department due to a severe asthma attack. After several tests were run Logan was transported via Teddy Bear Express to Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth. Into the wee hours of the morning he was diagnosed with AML, a form of leukemia. Many of you may remember this child.

After many thankful prayers, donations, contributions and major support from Johnson County, Logan is a strong example of a living miracle. Logan has been able to start back to school full time. As starting middle linebacker for his football team he is a strong defensive team leader. Logan is to resume his baseball career, is active with his church youth group and runs and plays like a very normal 14-year-old boy.

The power of prayer in our community is tremendous. Matthew 17:20 states if you have faith as small as a mustard seed you shall move mountains and nothing shall be impossible to you. Logan is a living, breathing miracle due to the faith and prayer of this community.

As Logan’s mother, there are no words to express my gratitude for all the spiritual support we have received over the past eight months. From the bottom of our hearts and in the depths of our soul we are truly grateful to you all. Thank you.



Sherlyn Wesson

Cleburne







Thanks to Cleburne Public Library



Dear Editor:



I would like to express appreciation to the Cleburne Public Library for the wide array of resources they provide, as well as their helpful, courteous and just plain nice dispositions to the residents of Cleburne.

As many of you know, I spend a great deal of time on the road traveling between Cleburne and Dallas Baptist University. After 13 years of this marvelous commute to both DBU and the University of Texas at Arlington, it is starting to get more than a little boring. To help solve this problem, as well as to help keep me awake, I have discovered the books on CD the Cleburne Public Library has available for us to check out and listen to at no charge.

I cannot begin to tell you how much listening to these books on CD has improved my commute ... as well as helping to keep me awake on the highways.

Thank you to the Cleburne Public Library for providing these services and for doing it in such a gracious manner.

Sincerely,



Elaine Wilmore

Cleburne

        

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