Blame Big Oil, not Congress

It is so amazing to me that some people just DO NOT GET IT! The letter from Mr. Scott Farris in the newspaper this week is indicative of a typical head-in-the-sand type of Neanderthal that supports the Big Oil position that has encouraged oil speculation and that drove the price of oil to $140 a barrel.

This crisis is not about a Democratically controlled Congress being out of control, but it is all about Big Oil being out of control. More oil is not the answer, and no good candidate is going to fix that by pandering to the ignorant mentality that just wants cheap gasoline for a junk 4X4. This is especially true because the drilling will not give any oil for at least 10 years.

Drilling for oil on the California coast that is owned now by Big Oil is just going to make Big Oil more money. The commercials on television will stop the money from going overseas all right, and the money will go right into the pockets of Big Oil, making them so rich and powerful that no congressman will get elected without their approval.

Rep. Brad Ellsworth is standing up to Big Oil and saying NO in a loud, clear, resounding voice. Unless we want Big Oil running America and shrubs without end in the White House and wars without end overseas, we had better do the same.

— John Garner

Terre Haute



Kids enthralled by ‘Alice’ performance

I am writing, first of all, to thank Susan Dehler for her thoughtful and insightful observations about the Crossroads Repertory Theatre’s production of “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.” I only want to add that I saw the production with five of my grandchildren, and they were completely captivated by it.

In fact, all of the children in attendance seemed to be entranced by the performers. One little boy even called out to Humpty Dumpty, as he sat on his wall, “Don’t fall off!”

I wonder if reviewer Ms. Wedding noticed the reactions of the children in the audience as she watched the performance?

— Linda Griffin

Terre Haute



Obama shows why he can win power, but Jackson can’t

Rev. Jesse Jackson, as a man of God, could you kindly explain to me how castrating the Democratic candidate would help make him a better man? Or, as you wish, make him more sensitive to the needs of the black community. Granted it might win him the eunuch vote or the transsexual vote, but I doubt if those constituencies are sufficient for a winning edge.

Furthermore, his relations with his wife might tend to make his outlook on life far less euphoric. Hardly a demeanor we would want saddled to a man given to the dream of making a better country and a better world. And don’t you think that fixing the man into a soprano after being a baritone might play a little havoc with his image as a forceful speaker?

As to what Jesus would do, I find nothing in the New Testament relating to testicular surgery as a condign punishment. Let me add that I have a feeling that the man who would be president may have more political smarts than you, Ralph Nader (a man I have admired as much as anyone for 40 years), and a lot of other lefties who are slamming Sen. Obama because he’s not up to your industrial strength agendas. What the hell good is all your fancy-smanshy political idealism if you don’t have the power to make a difference.

Obama I daresay is a more pragmatic, a more realistic politician than you guys because he and his advisers know bloody damn well what machiavels like Karl Rove they’re up against. Because of their sinister and cynical edge, they outsmarted the Dems not once but twice, bamboozled the voters, and put into power arguably the worst president in our history, judging by the damage he has done to our country at home and abroad.

Obama, an instinctive and fast-learning politician, appears more acutely aware of the difficulties of beating an entrenched and ruthless enemy than you pristine backbiters on the left in a hissy fit because he’s not toting your concerns. If the polls have any validity, Obama is only a few points ahead of McCain. Regarding the latter, much of the media and the Republican campaign machinery are bent on rebottling old wine as a new product. Two tragically wrongheaded elections by the voters over the last eight years clearly indicate that the Dems have got to fight harder for the red, independent, and “center” votes.

Clearly Obama is suffering heat for calibrating his position (“flip-flopping” is the charge). As if this is something worse than a venial sin by politicians. Suck it up! It’s what politicians do! It’s what politicians MUST do if they give a damn about winning. If you ain’t a winner, you ain’t got no power, and if you ain’t got no power, you’ve wasted your wind, your cahones, your time, and your sweat and you’ve betrayed all those who have kept the faith and supported you with the hope that things CAN change for the better.

Politicians are a breed apart. You’ve got to have the hide of a rhinoceros and know how to fight. Few men have proven tougher and more intrepid than McCain. But Obama is catching up in the political arena and has the courage to take hits for flexible strategies designed to win votes. The prize of power is not won by appeasing all assailants.

As for the charge that he’s talking white and abandoning the blacks, how do you square this with a non-affluent kid from a broken home who grew up without privilege, graduated from Harvard Law School, became editor of the law journal, and opted then to work with the underclass and blacks in his home state rather than advance himself very lucratively like Condi Rice in the corporate world.

Castratis may have made great singers in their heyday.

Presidents may need more testosterone.

— Saul Rosenthal

Terre Haute



12 Points attempts to document past

What do you remember about 12 Points?

The 12 Points shopping and business area is located along Lafayette Avenue on the north side of Terre Haute. If you do have memories about this area I need your help.

In particular I am asking for information that dates back before the 1970s. Perhaps as a teenager you worked at one of the two theaters, or one of the four drug stores, or two flower shops, the record/electronics store, the pool hall, as a Tribune paperboy at the north station (there were about 40 of us at any given time), hardware stores, bowling alley, etc. Who knows how many barber shops, banks, gas stations furniture stores, etc.?

As I searched for historical information and photos I found next to nothing. Mr. Tilford, who has operated Tilford’s Variety store for 40 years and is a member of the 12 Points Merchants Association, told me that they did have some recorded history but it was lost when his store burned.

So, therefore, this is a call-out to you. Your help and participation is needed in locating and sharing information and photos. As you know, this type information is only going to get more difficult to collect. Generations pass on, things get discarded and history is lost forever.

Would you be so generous as to check the attic, basement or shoe box for any photos of events and people? The events might be the carnival that the merchants put on in September or one of the parades or even just a photo that shows one of the businesses having a merchandise sale. The people could be a group of friends at West’s Drug Store or the bowling alley or theater. Photos of any of the merchants and/or employees. Names and other written information related to photos would be welcome and certainly provide more interest. All will become part of the historical files.

Please participate in this call-out to establish documentation about the 12 Points area. All material gathered will be put into the public domain making it available to all forever. Send or drop off any photos and information to: 12 Points History, Tilford’s Variety Store, 1279 Lafayette Ave., Terre Haute IN 47804.

— James Kane

Terre Haute



Follow Bible, and rest falls in place

While watching David Letterman recently, I was reminded of what someone once told me about the Bible. Letterman was interviewing Mark Meyers and during the interview Meyers said, “The Bible stands for Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth.” The audience applauded this statement and I reflected on June’s letters to the editor.

Prophecies are in the Bible to give us a heads-up to what the future holds so we can prepare appropriately and not miss out on God’s blessings.

To fully understand and accept these prophecies one needs to first come to the realization that there is one true God that is awesome enough to accomplish anything. Awesomeness such as coming to Earth as the Christ Child, born to a virgin in a stable in Bethlehem, and then growing up on Earth, to teach and inspire humankind, and finally dying by crucifixion to restore humans’ relationship with God.

These events were prophesied but many missed out because they did not know about and understand these prophecies.

There are many prophecies in the Bible that are being fulfilled within our generations since the beginning of World War I. These prophecies are in the Old Testament Book of Daniel and the New Testament Book of Revelation and are classified as end-time prophecies. I have had the opportunity and privilege to participate in studies created by Rev. Baxter of Endtime Ministries. My personal study and understanding of these prophecies have confirmed my faith and belief in the God and the Bible of the Jewish and Christian heritage.

What turns many humans away from God is other humans’ spin on God and what the religious hierarchy says you must do to please God. When it comes right down to it, the only thing you need to do to please God is to develop a personal relationship with God by talking with God privately and reading God’s Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth, and the rest will fall into place.

The rest is falling into place for me, at this time in my life, with the family of the believers at Kingshighway Family Worship Center, where Church is not a religious experience but a personal experience with the Spirit of God.

— Sue Ellen Keaton

Terre Haute



Take oil-gas crisis into our own hands

At a time of rising oil prices, a slowing economy, and an increasing unemployment rate, Congress should not only heed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s call to “Free Our Oil” from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve but should go a step further and follow President Bush’s lead and “turn the other key” to end the Congressional moratorium on offshore drilling that has been in effect for the past 27 years.

Doing so will allow us to tap into the 86 billion barrels of oil and the 420 trillion cubic feet of natural gas (both low estimates) currently just sitting untapped on our Outer Continental Shelf.

Such exploration — and subsequent drilling — will immediately decrease the price at the pump since the spot price of oil reflects both current and future demand. Moreover, as an additional benefit, such drilling will certainly create hundreds — if not thousands — of new high-paying jobs that could help those workers recently displaced from the manufacturing and auto sectors. To be sure, Congress should stop blaming the “evil” oil speculators (no matter how politically convenient it may be) for the cause of increasing oil prices and addresses the problem at hand: we do not produce enough oil domestically to satisfy our demand. The best way to do this is to end the moratorium on offshore drilling and bring untapped reserves to market.

— Travis Walker

Terre Haute