Cheers & Jeers - Saturday, Dec. 12, 2009

Holiday Walk raises $4,000

Barbara Moss and Kay Roesener, chairmen of the 37th Holiday Walk, send this Cheer:

“The members of Psi Iota Xi would like to thank all the many persons who helped make this year’s 37th annual Holiday Walk a tremendous success. The sorority was able to earn about $4,000, which will be used for our charitable projects – mainly the summer preschool speech and hearing clinic housed at the First Congregational Church, and the annual scholarships awarded to Howard County graduating seniors who plan to major in the areas of speech and hearing, English/journalism, music, and the visual arts.

“Participating florists involved were Banner Flowers, Bowden Flowers, Jefferson House of Flowers and Brumbaugh’s Greenhouse and Flowers at Sharpsville. The designers worked tirelessly to prepare the homes for the upcoming holiday season.

“The homeowners featured in this year’s Walk were Mike and Kim LaFollette, Nikki and Greg Lockwood, Brian and Michelle Hayes, and Jerry and Debbie Tackett. The homes were a delight for all to see due to the outstanding efforts of the homeowners.

“Thanks also to those businesses that sold tickets prior to the Walk. The area Hallmark Shops, Kirk Daniels Investments, Markland and Park Fine Gifts, and Solutions Beauty Shop were all instrumental in making the tickets available.

“We would, last but not least, like to thank the people in our community who continue to support our charitable causes year after year.”

‘Merry Christmas to all’

Diana Swift of Kokomo sends this Cheer for Z92Five ... and a Jeer for the courthouse light display:

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank radio station Z92Five for allowing us the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful Christmas music during this holiday season. The sounds of Christmas play continually at my workplace, and I have heard several comment on their love of these traditional carols. It just makes you feel good.

“Respectfully, now to our government leaders, I am very disappointed in the lighting display around our local courthouse. During these days of uncertainty, we need a message of hope.

“Christmas is not about snakes and dragons, but about a God who loved us so much that he sent us his son. Thank you for the opportunity to speak my heart, and Merry Christmas to all.”

‘A wonderful place’ for breakfast

Terry Widner and family sends this Cheer for a local business:

“We would like to thank Mike of Mike’s Italian Pizza for his generosity to our community. Mike and staff, for one week, served free breakfasts in promotion of his new breakfast menu.

“The atmosphere is very pleasant, and the staff at Mike’s takes pride in their service and preparation of food. The staff are very friendly and very prompt. When you order a breakfast, the coffee is made fresh for every order.

“I am very pleased with Mike’s Italian Pizza, and I feel their breakfast is the best in town and the prices are very reasonable. I believe that if people would give it a try, they would feel the same way.

“So, again, thank you, Mike and staff, for a wonderful place to have breakfast.”

America is a republic

John Holman of Kokomo sends this Jeer for regular columnist Stephen Dick:

“Stephen Dick’s guest columnist rant, published Dec. 4 and titled ‘Hate is bursting all over,’ saddens me and demands a response. After reading this column, I asked, exactly what is his point, other than his own prejudiced opinion?

“He begins by denouncing a bumper sticker which apparently says ‘Pray for Obama, Psalm 109.’ He misapplies two verses of that Scripture passage in order to bolster his own bitter tirade against conservatives. Having then studied Psalm 109, I find the first six verses make it clear that King David was actually reciting the evils which those who hated him hoped that he would suffer. Not until the last third of the passage did David get around to asking the Lord, ‘May those curses become the Lord’s punishment for my accusers who speak evil of me’ (Psalms 109:20).

“The lesson I take from this chapter is that one should take care to avoid harboring wishes that harm should befall one’s leaders.

“Now, to get on with the secular rebuttal to Mr. Dick’s accusations. His overall rant is to equate being a hateful person with being a conservative. This is an example of those generalized slanders which do harm to members of some group, from which the writer or accuser wishes to separate and distinguish himself. His accusation is no more true than it would be to allege that all persons who receive government assistance are non-useful citizens.

“Further down the column, Mr. Dick says, ‘If society is under siege by lone crazies bent on some kind of revenge, that’s OK with the right.’ Come on, Mr. Dick, that statement has to be one of the most unreasonable expressions of hatred toward conservative thought that I have ever read!

“Toward the end of the piece, Mr. Dick dwells on the them, ‘A majority cannot take away rights simply because it disagrees with a minority.’ Then he closes with, ‘We can’t call ourselves a democracy if that can happen.’ Well, my friends, that is exactly what would happen, again and again, if the government of which we are citizens were a democracy. Perhaps some who studied high school American history did not comprehend the fact that our form of government, set up by the founders and authors of our U.S. Constitution, is a republic.

“A democratic republic to be sure, because the legislators are elected by the public, but still a republic, which checks and balances to prevent the usurpation of power.

“The designed function of the representatives from the various states is to represent the wishes of the people of their district. The burden intended for the senators of the various states is to rise above the frail season-to-season swings of public opinion, and to consider what they believe to be in the long-term best interests of our country, our republic.

“Think about this the next time you recite, ‘I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God ...’”

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