Honor Flight was a unique tribute
I want to thank the Salisbury Post (“WWII vets are young warriors again on honor flight,” Oct. 25) and all who helped to celebrate the life of my beloved brother, as part of the John Hanford Memorial Honor Flight. What inspiration and ideals John provided for his little 9-year-old sister, when he, like so many of our veterans on the trip, went “over there” to fight for the values we hold dear ó freedom, democracy and the security of our country. John’s strong leadership skills provided an extraordinary example for his little sister throughout his life. He was selected as one of the seven most outstanding student leaders on the Duke University campus, was an excellent member of the Boyden High debate team and was first-chair trumpet in the Boyden and Duke University bands.
On the Honor Flight, a colleague who served with John on the USS Windham Bay commented that “John was viewed as a great leader on the ship.” Another veteran and a college friend who was on the trip said, “John was my hero at Duke. We all looked up to him.” And I’m so proud that he and his talented wife, Bunny, grew our family business in Salisbury and Charlotte into the largest wholesale floral business in the Southeast, pioneering international trade in the gift and decorative accessories industry and developing a strong national reputation and product distribution. John served as state and national president of the Wholesale Florist Associations. But it was his strong character and his daily acts of love for family members, friends and people he would never meet that I admired most.
My thanks to those who helped pay this special tribute to John; the WWII veterans who accompanied us; their guardians; Rotary District 7680; the volunteers, and the talented people at the Salisbury Post.
It was a perfect day.
ó Elizabeth Dole
Salisbury native Elizabeth Dole is a former U.S. senator.Exams raise radiation issue
Regarding Kathleen Parker’s Nov. 20 column “A necessary debate on breast cancer,” the debate should be on use of ionizing radiation for non-emergency exams.
There is no harmless dose of ionizing radiation.
While most of us believe that the use of medical X-rays for diagnosis far outweigh the potential harm, the National Toxicology Program’s 11th Report On Carcinogens to Congress resulted in medical ionizing radiation finally being placed on the “known causes of human cancer” list in November 2007.
The debate should be whether or not to use ionizing radiation for anything other than emergencies or surgery.
Technology already exists to use non-ionizing radiation sources for medical diagnosis. I encouraged my wife to ask her doctor if she can be scheduled for an MRI or Ultrasound rather than a screening mammogram.
ó Steve Arey
Salisbury
Arey is a certified radiological equipment specialist.
The meaning of Merry Xmas
Is the X really taking Christ out of Christmas? Why the X, its meaning, where does it come from? Webster’s dictionary says, “Christ as in Xmas.” Now if someone wanted to take Christ out of Christmas, it would look like this ó “ex-mas,” as in ex-husband or ex-wife.
The X came from Scotland. The flag of Scotland has a blue field with a white X known as the cross of St. Andrew. Andrew was the first apostle of Christ. He preached and taught in the Asiatic nations. Andrew was crucified around 69 A.D. in Greece. Andrew persuaded his persecutors not to crucify him on a Latin cross but rather on an X-shaped cross because he believed he was not worthy to be crucified like Christ. He became a martyr for Christ. Andrew became the patron saint of Scotland. This is important because, according to the census, two-thirds of the Americans living in the 1860s were either of Scotch or Scotch-Irish descent. Many of them kept the cross of Andrew on their flags because the cross of St. Andrew is a symbol of the Christian faith and heritage of the Keltic race.
The Confederate battle flag is based on the flag of Scotland. Another name for the Confederate battle flag is the Southern cross. The Southern cross, St. Andrew’s cross, is also the Greek letter “Ch,” pronounced “key,” which has historically been used to represent Christ because “Ch” happens to be the first two letters of Christ. At that time, educated and uneducated people understood this, because even on legal documents the uneducated who could not write made their X in faith and recognition before God. He was giving an oath as he made his X that he would keep his word and do what he had signed.
ó Perry Miller
Salisbury
Still waiting for promised jobs
Where are all of those jobs the president said would be created? I haven’t seen anything but more shutdowns and unemployment, especially in Rowan County. Two businesses closed in one week. A third will close in March 2010. How many more?
Seems like unemployment tends to be harder on the over-50 workers. I’ve heard several laid-off workers older than 50 say that when they go to apply for a job, they are told, “you’re over-qualified.” Which actually means the applicant is too old, and the employers want younger employees. That sounds like job discrimination!
Evidently, employers don’t realize that most of those older workers have more on-the-job experience and are more stable. The majority of younger employees seem to flip from job to job or don’t want to work at all.
Recently, I was laid off from my job because of a shutdown. During my last eight years of employment, I saw a multitude of teenagers and 20-somethings come and go through the door. Most were afraid of a little hard work or getting dirty at cleanup time.
Yes, I agree restaurant work can be hard and very messy. But it’s better than being unemployed, living on the streets or depending on someone else to financially supply your necessities for living.
In closing, I would like to say to all vendors, customers and personnel at the Web Road flea market I’ll miss all of you. I wish each of you a blessed Thanksgiving, merry Christmas and a happy new year.
ó Ellie Mae Lambert
Salisbury
A handshake is all that’s needed
Did you see the picture of our president bowing to the Japanese Emperor Akihito? I don’t think that the president should bow to any dictator or king, curtsey for the Queen, or kiss the pope’s ring. A handshake would have been enough. At least he didn’t hold hands with the Saudi Arabian dictator like our last president.
The man he bowed to is the son of Hirohito. Hirohito’s Japan helped form the original “axis of evil” with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. And of course there was the attack on Pearl Harbor, the rape of Nanking, the Bataan Death march, etc.
No American president ó nor any American citizen ó should bow to any king, emperor, warlord or dictator.
ó Chuck Mann
Greensboro