People helping people is best way
A comment to Doug Kearney’s letter of Oct. 17: Yes, there are so many people who step up to help their neighbor.
Just look at all of the volunteers who help at charitable organizations, the fire department, hospitals, etc. That is in addition to helping the person next door or someone seen struggling with a problem in the neighborhood or when traveling.
But those acts of kindness are decisions made by the one giving the time and talents. The decision is not made by someone else telling them to help their neighbor. That decision is made by each individual. No government can mandate compassion.
If the government takes over any aspect of health care, it puts the government in control and in a position to tell us what to do. By the government taking such control, it actually denies the individual of making his or her own decisions of helping another.
The government views us as a collective instead of as separate individuals. We are told that all of those currently without health insurance will be mandated to get it. Does that include those who are as yet unborn? How will they be fined if they do not get coverage?
Viewing people as members of a specific collective is either racist or socialistic, depending upon the makeup of the group.
The Oxford Essential Dictionary, American Edition defines socialism thusly: a “political and economic theory of social organization advocating state ownership and control of the means of production, distribution, and exchange.”
“To be a socialist is to submit the I to the thou; socialism is sacrificing the individual to the whole.” So said Joseph Goebbels, minister of propaganda, National Socialist German Workers’ (“Nazi”) Party.
You can find that quote on the Web site on collectivism vs individualism.
ó June Clancy
Salisbury
Get rid of pesky vermin humanely
Getting rid of squirrels and opossums is easier than you think.
For squirrels: Go to any health food store (like GNC in the Salisbury Mall) and purchase concentrated peppermint oil. Mix several drops in a spray bottle with water and spray your fruit trees and around your property.
Squirrels are highly allergic to peppermint and will not come around. Needs to be done periodically and after heavy rains. Our bottle of oil lasts two to three years. Cost $5.
For opossums: We put an empty large city trash can next to our porch and steps with a can of cat food in the bottom. The opossums climb the porch, get in to the trash can to get the cat food and cannot climb out. We lock the lid on the next morning and haul the opossum 5-8 miles away to a wooded, non-residential area so they will not find their way back.
ó Rebecca Cleveland
Salisbury
Vote Tuesday to send a message
I would like to ditto Kathryn Hall’s letter Sunday when she said we all have the right and privilege to vote, but I would like to add duty.
I understand the vote has been so low in the past that in the last city council election, some were elected by only 200 votes and only about 10 percent of the voters voted.
If you do not agree with the wasteful spending by the city officials like bricking Fisher Street when Monroe Street rides like a wash board and spending one and a half million for the lot at the corner of Bank and Main Streets, just to mention two, please go to the polls on Tuesday and vote for people who care about the average person and what is really needed in our town.
Also let the county officials know how you feel about additional taxation in these difficult economic times with so many out of work.
On the other hand, if you agree with all that is going on, just stay at home and don’t vote but don’t expect any changes if the same people are re-elected.Things might even get worse.
ó Barbara Earley
Salisbury
Nation losing sight of American values
“United we stand, divided we fall” has been the benchmark for our great nation since its founding. Recent events and decisions by our president and Congress seem to challenge the essence of the thinking of our founding fathers who set the course for less government while we grow closer to socialism while turning our backs on capitalism.
President Obama continues to appoint and rely on “czars” while utilizing his Cabinet and Congress less and less. The fiasco with his “green czar” didn’t seem to faze the president, but Americans were astonished to find that Van Jones has adhered to communist principles which have been shown to be factual by at least two of our most noteworthy news networks, just one of 20-plus czars who are in question.
The corruption of ACORN has led Congress to cut funding of this questionable organization which has been shown to waste millions of American taxpayers money, but the president refuses to recognize the failures not only of ACORN, but other questionable groups, such as Fannie Mae.
The conservative values that most Americans showed during the era of the “Greatest Generation” now seem so distant as we witness a newly elected president who was influenced at great length by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. The president has the expertise to divert the attention of journalists and reporters to his modern-day Camelot style and away from his weaknesses in leadership. While the focus is on the lifestyle of him and the First Lady, he continues to exercise the sellout of America to China, follow a misguided approach to health care and subject our CIA to world scrutiny. In addition, he laid the groundwork to close Gitmo with the possibility of those imprisoned to find a dwelling in many of our communities.
Let’s bring America back to truth and honesty. God bless America.
ó Wilma S. Waller
Salisbury
Praying for revival for community
For a number of years, I have been involved in foreign missions. Recently, God laid a burden on my heart for America.
It appears that we are on the brink of some significant changes. An increasing number of people are choosing not to attend church and are choosing to follow their own ways.
Many who do attend church would be considered casual Christians. The number of people who would be considered committed Christians is dwindling. Our nation is rapidly becoming an ungodly non-Christian nation.
We need God’s help in reversing this trend.
We need to remain a Christian-based society with the majority of its citizens seeking to do God’s will instead of seeking to fulfill their own desires.
Because of my burden for America, I initiated a communitywide, nondenominational prayer meeting which began July 19, 2007. We have been able to meet in Rowan Public Library in the Hurley Room or Stanback Auditorium at 201 W. Fisher St., Salisbury, from 12-1 p.m. each Thursday.
The purpose of the prayer meeting is to pray for revival in our community and in our nation.
We are praying for pastors and churches, national, state and local leaders, teachers and principals, students, colleges, para-church organizations, our prison officials and those in prison, our military personnel, ourselves and our families and acquaintances.
We are primarily praying for revival but also are praying for whatever the Lord lays on our hearts.
America needs this kind of revival and transformation. America needs God in our midst.
God has been gracious and merciful to America even as we have fallen away from Him.
Jonathan Edwards said, “no one knows when God’s grace ends and His wrath begins.”
We are praying for revival in America because we believe that time is short.
I hope to see you at the Hurley Room or Stanback Auditorium of Rowan Public Library 12-1 p.m. each Thursday.
ó Dr. David J. Steagall
In Focus Ministries