Published: November 13, 2006 12:31 pm            

11/12/06 Letters to the editor

Thanks from Cleburne Area BPW



Dear Editor:



Cleburne Area Business and Professional Women would like to thank everyone who contributed and participated in our annual scholarship fundraiser. This event will allow Cleburne BPW to give scholarships to local area women who are pursuing their education.

A special thanks to Nancy Jackson, BPW/USA national president, and Larue Barnes, Cleburne Times-Review columnist, for speaking at the event. Both ladies were truly inspirational.

In addition to having such wonderful speakers, we also had a fabulous fashion show. The fashions were provided by Bealls Department Store, Suzy Q’s, Repeat Performance and Trend’s. Greg Way, my husband, emceed the event. The models were Carmen Cole, Pat Jacobs, Diane Lewis, Cathy Marchel, Dr. Stephanie Morton, Alli Brimer, Jade Channell, Payton Cox, Jillian Johnson, Madison Lawson, Bret Lynn McDaniel, Bry Anne McDaniel, Katrina Saucier, Darlene Moore, Shelly Johnson, Meagan Johnson, Staci Jarman, Michelle Singleton, Ashley Allen, Cassie Lamb, Haley Marshall, Monique Lawson, and Cherokee Dalby.

I would like to commend Carol Short, our fundraising chairperson, for an excellent job in organizing this event. She contributed many months of hard work in arranging all of the details. Cleburne BPW is honored to have her as a member who continuously gives back to the community. Her husband, Donald Short, also helped in making the event a success. Special recognition also goes to the following local BPW members for their contributions to making the event a success: Debbie Lockhart, Tina Pollock, Toni Moore, Rhonda Hammond, Kathy Holland, Charlotte Larkin, Janie Ledbetter, Esse Smith, Rita Cannon and Audra Lee.

The event would not have been possible without our sponsors: Sagentic Web Design, Johns Manville, Sunbelt Signs, Marti Enterprises, Cleburne Times-Review, Lisa Ard — Skin and Body Salon — Tina Pollock, registered massage therapist, Cleburne Chamber of Commerce, Crosier-Pearson Cleburne Funeral Home, Applebee’s of Cleburne, Avon — Mary Ann Parrish, Bennett Printing and Office Supply, Creative Memories — Esse Smith, Gotta Dance — Julie Villanueva, Home Depot, Java Lounge, Kathy’s Kitchen, Ruth Ledbetter, Dr. Charlotte Gorman, Leonard’s Florist, Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Mary Moore Jewelry Designs, Staples of Cleburne, Dr. Curtis Trent, Arbonne – Julie Benton, Body and Resolution, Green and Gorgeous — Kathy Holland, Judy Jessup, Lia Sophia Jewelry — Diana Hale, Lone Star Car Wash and Lube, James Moore — Texas Art, and Merle Norman.

Thank you,



Julie Way, president

Cleburne Area Business and Professional Women





Thanks to couple for keeping up cemetery



Dear Editor:



For many years I passed, almost daily, the Oakland Cemetery located approximately two miles from Farm-to-Market Road 4 west on FM 916.

On each passing I wondered, would the small cemetery be of beauty as in past years. The answer is yes. All courtesy of Vickey and Mike Rogers.

It is one of the most well-kept cemeteries in the area. Headstones stand erect, trees are trimmed and the grounds are very well kept. They have enclosed the cemetery property with a pipe fence and placed a nameplate over the gate entrance. Drive by and see for yourself.

Many thanks and much appreciation to Mr. and Mrs. Rogers.



Sue and Don Brown

Grandview







Don’t debate over vote



Dear Editor:



Did you vote? I did. But, sometimes I tell people I didn’t. Why? I should be proud that I voted, and I am. You see, I am not a political person but I am a proud American. Can’t I be both? I think I am an informed voter; I do my own research. I just don’t pay much attention to political advertisements because I figure they are just telling me the good stuff. I really do try to listen to debates but I can’t keep my concentration on what they are saying. Before I know it, I’m looking at what they are wearing, noticing how much better it would be if their hair was different, wondering what I will fix for supper tomorrow. I swear I try, but I am just politically challenged.

I don’t like to talk about politics; I don’t like to debate politics or about politicians. So the day after an election I really dread it when someone asks if I have voted. If I say “no” then I’m not a good American and am wasting my privileges. If I say “yes” the next question is, “Who did you vote for?”

Now, if I wanted everyone to know that why did I go hide behind a cardboard divider at the polls to fill in my little bubbles. Yes, I voted, and it’s my right. But, it is also my right not to have to tell you who I voted for so you can jump right in and roll your eyes and ask, “How could you vote for them?” Don’t you know they blah, blah, blah ...” Even if I tell them I don’t like discussing politics, they can’t resist trying to guess and invariably say, “Oh, you must have voted for (the loser).”

All I ask is that if you want to know if I voted, when I answer “yes,” just simply say, “that’s great.” If you want a debate go find someone else. Because if you try to debate me I’ll just be thinking how much better it would be if your hair was different, or wondering what you’re eating for supper...



Cindy Keele

Cleburne







Events and options, my two-bits worth



Dear Editor:



Events including the jailing of our Border Patrol agents for working hard, arrogance in sports, private versus public schools, and nonremoval of veils in court have given me a slight case of anxiety. To have a complete day I have the option to worry about these events or to ignore what’s happening in our blessed land. I try to be optimistic and positive, yet find it hard to ignore such things.

Have you kept up with the congressional members’ investigation of the indictment of two of our Hispanic Border Patrol officers who were brought to “the bar of justice” for pursuing, at a high rate of speed, a known Mexican marijuana smuggler and then apprehending him “with undue force?”

The known criminal was given immunity and freedom for his testimony against the lawmen who were arrested and relieved of duty. The rat was then turned loose to renew his operation. It seemed to me that the two officers of the law were doing their job, but the Hispanic federal assistant attorney in El Paso felt they were infringing on “the rights of the noncitizen lawbreaker.” I opt to believe that we have people in positions of power who have suspicious allegiances and are derelict in their sworn duties while reining in their own fiefdoms.

Personally, I am sick of the performance of many athletes, both amateur and professional, who are supposed to be products of good character-building as well as rule-abiding competitors in entertainment sports. As a Dallas Cowboys fan, I have nearly lost interest in their existence, not because of their failure to win, but due to their flagrant arrogance, hotshot showmanship, poor knowledge and use of the English language, disrespect for the coach and each other and juvenile attitudes.

The commentators and media dedicate more time to these spoiled brats than to the rest of the team. The animals in the zoo are much more fun to watch, and they do practice some discipline. What happened to teamwork and conduct on and off the field? Tom Landry seemed to have control of his team players and they loved him for the discipline that he demanded. I can opt to not watch the game, can’t I?

Did integration and equalization of students in public schools guarantee the popularity and success of private schools? Was the interference by state and federal handouts with accompanying stipulations the big factor that took classroom authority away from good teachers? Could public schools survive without these handouts? Are political views a big factor in the selection of book and teaching material? Too bad that many of you were never under the influence of an Emmett Brown assembly period prayer and the House System at Cleburne High.

Should I be upset by God getting the boot from many public schools? Are any of you happy and excited about bilinguists in school and everywhere else? In today’s atmosphere, there are strong points for requiring dress codes, hair codes, language codes, attitude codes and also for allowing the teachers to take whatever intelligent steps are necessary to ingrain usable learning into young persons’ minds.

I could opt to ignore all of this except for the fact that some of my grandkids are still students and one is a high school teacher. If private schools can achieve excellence, why can’t public schools do the same? What makes the difference?

The Muslim immigrant who brought her case to court but then refused to remove her veil while testifying on her own behalf was still trying to use the Muslim laws over the laws of the U.S.A. The judge who threw the case out as a result of her stand allowed that a judge or jury is entitled by law to focus on the face and words of testifiers to help determine truthful witness.

Makes good sense to me. Thank God for the right placement of that judge. May we be blessed with more of the same. Think real hard about where cultures and origin sympathies of candidates may lie when you vote for local, state and federal office seekers, including judges. What about appointees? I opt to be concerned that one, two or three generations may not be enough for these certain immigrant cultural beliefs to be diluted completely by our American ways, which have proven to be the optimal ways of this world. I also opt to believe that lobbyists and political correctness are basically very poor choices for me and my allegiant countrymen of all political parties.



Monte Swatzell

Cleburne

        

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