TERRE HAUTE — Irony abounds, but it’s really not funny



One had to be amused if not surprised that on the subject of immigration, the wing-nut wing of the party writing laws in Indianapolis, the same ones always waving the Constitution under our noses while whining over trivialities and minutiae, have now been found by the highest authority in the land themselves to be in broad and blatant violation of that hallowed, sacrosanct and inviolate document.

Tsk-tsk. If only there were a speck of irony to be found in this situation, we might all have ourselves a bit of a laugh.

Meanwhile, GOP gubernatorial candidate Mike Pence last week compared the Supreme Court ruling on The Affordable Health Care Act to the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Spoken like a true hystericon, Mr. Pence.

Is this indicative of the calm, reasoned approach to governance that Indiana deserves going forward?

If Mr. Pence’s handlers are unable to restrain him when he feels one of these episodes of extreme and ranting conservatism coming on, perhaps they should restrict his access to bath salts lest he inadvertently be allowed to eat some unfortunate homeless person’s face off. (Oh, dear. There, you see, now he’s got me doing it.)

— Clay Wilkinson

Terre Haute



Try to digest this bite of news



The federal government has determined that eating broccoli will reduce obesity and increase the overall health of all Americans. In a controversial vote, the Broccoli Act has been passed by Congress requiring all Americans and alien residents to eat broccoli at least once a week.

Anyone not eating broccoli as prescribed by law will be ticketed and fined $100 per incident, payable on the transgressors federal tax return. IRS agents will be given the authority to jail repeat offenders.

In a split decision, the Supreme Court upheld the contentious Broccoli Act with one justice having to recuse himself since his family owns a broccoli farm in the Midwest.

— Douglas Elia

Terre Haute



Fred Poore had a multitude of friends



Where do we begin? The outpouring of love that has been shown to us at the passing of Fred Poore has been amazing. Fred never had an easy life but you would never have known the trials he had been through when you met him on the street. Fred never met a stranger, but then to him there were no strangers. He welcomed everyone he met with a handshake and “Hi, my name is Fred. What is your name?” Then, Fred would remember your name whether he saw you again in a week or a year.

As the more than 200 people came to Mattox Ryan Funeral home for visitation, that was the common thread. Fred had such a pure innocence about him and he truly cared what was going on in your life. He made friends from all walks of life, because in his eyes we were all equal. We have found that even we, his family, did not know what all went on in his life. We would ask Fred and he would say his life was good and then quickly turn the conversation around to learn more about us.

He worked at two locations of McDonald’s Restaurants and made many acquaintances and friends. His routine included Cackleberries Restaurant, since they opened, and they truly became part of his family. The Coffee Grounds provided a place for Fred to sit back and listen to the Bible study group every Saturday morning. The Terre Haute city buses provided Freddie not only a means of transportation but another way to make lifelong friends. The drivers of the Terre Haute transportation became such good friends to Freddie and they kept a watchful eye on him on his many trips.

Many people around Terre Haute knew Fred but did not know his name. He just walked with a brisk, determined pace that it caught many a passerby’s eye.

Fred’s church family was also special in his eyes. He attended the Nazarene and Wesleyan churches and never missed a service. His God was a good God. So to all of you, thank you for helping Fred worship his God.

Anyone who knew Fred knew he was a creature of habit. To our dismay we believe that is what happened during the fatal fire. You see, Fred always exited his room and took a left to the elevators. We believe that is what happened the night of the fire. We think Fred exited his room and went left to the elevator and even though there was thick black smoke he walked into the heart of the fire. Had he only turned right he could have made it out through the stairway.

Although we are saddened at his passing, because of that we have learned how many friends Fred had, not only at Garfield Towers, but throughout the city of Terre Haute. So many residents helped people out of the building that night it will be months before all the stories are heard.

To Lisa Trigg and Mark Bennett, thank you for the outstanding articles you wrote regarding Fred. Thank you to the Terre Haute firefighters, Vigo County Sheriff’s Department, Terre Haute City Police, Vigo County School Corp., Red Cross, and many others who helped during this deadly fire.

Please think of Fred the next time you meet a stranger or see someone who looks a little lost. Stick out your hand and introduce yourself and get their name.  

Fred’s tombstone says, “He loved everyone he met and everyone loved him.”

Thank you for being part of Fred’s life and making his epitaph have true meaning.

— Pat Horner

West Terre Haute



Cable system has local stronghold



In reply to the Susan Corenflos letter of June 18, I fully agree with her points on television channel availability in this area. Time-Warner has a stronghold on Terre Haute via a franchise fee paid to the city (which you never hear much about), making it impossible for true American business competition to bring the customers a more varied selection of television. Susan, I found a solution for my case. I have Time-Warner Basic mostly for the Internet offered. If they don’t come up with a solution for the modem overheating, somebody else will be providing my Internet.

In the past I religiously watched Channel 2 for the news and weather until I decided there was just too much advertising being shoved in our ears every day. Some quit biased. According to my stopwatch, the typical Channel 2 evening news consists of 11 minutes of news, weather, and sports, and 19 minutes of advertising. Lately, Channel 10 has been offering a much- improved version of the news, and less advertising. I sincerely believe the “news” is only for holding a viewers’ attention between advertisements.

Then a couple years ago the kids got us a Wii console, and we added NetFlix. I am free to watch a large selection of movies and television series, without the “most blessed” advertising. Ah! But the end is not yet. We bailed out one of our adult offspring of a two-year contract with Direct TV by assuming their contract and equipment. Direct installed the equipment, transferred the account, and gave us a free DVR. The DVR allows us to record, then fast-forward through the advertisements, so all I need now is a huge TV. Side note: How do you think Time-Warner Cable gets to Terre Haute? Go look behind the Hulman Mini-Speedway.

As far as writing Congress, I would be more likely to apply good old American business principles, to wit: “I am the customer — that makes me a god to you. Reject me, and you have nobody to buy your products, thus you have no jobs, and in due time you will cease to exist.”

— Van W. Cottom

Terre Haute



Beware of further erosion of rights



Am I a smoker? Yes. Am I advocating smoking? Definitely not! It is a dirty, filthy and dangerous habit. No one should ever develop the habit.

Questions:

Who would ever have thought that someday in the “Land of the Free” it would be against the law to have a cigarette before or after a meal?

Whatever happened to the right of personal property ownership? Who pays the  mortgages, inventory taxes, income taxes, employee’s unemployment, property taxes, utilities, etc.? Are these individuals with no monetary investment going to take over such responsibilities? I don’t think so.

Initially, these establishments were told there had to be a smoking section and then it changed to a section blocked off. Eventually the section had to be outside the business, and then off the property. Now it has been suggested we should have smokeless cars and homes. How far will these invasions go — all the way into our bathrooms?

Seat belts: First they were made available; then it was suggested we use them. Now it is the law that a fine is imposed if we choose not to wear the seatbelts. I wonder how many people have died in wrecks because they had them on and couldn’t leave the vehicle.

Our food and water have been chemically changed for years. Anyone interested in the long range effect? These remind me of the “frog in cold water” syndrome — gradually increase the heat and the frog is cooked before it realizes it. If this same process had been used during prohibition, by now we could easily have a dry country.

While the smoking bans are going on, there are so many things taking place behind the “smoke screen” that I feel are much more dangerous to our individual freedoms than whether or not we smoke.

Example:

In the past 40 years we have murdered close to 84 million of our own “unborn citizens.” Anyone care about their lungs? It’s a shame it’s unlawful to kill a bat in this country, but it’s lawful to murder our own unborn human beings. Maybe we should put human beings in the endangered species category.

Someday will we tell people they can’t wear perfume, scented deodorants, hair sprays, etc.? After all, don’t we have individuals with asthma, allergies, emphysema, and other breathing problems? Maybe we should go after those companies and eventually put bans on anything that is scented.

While we are concentrating on smoking, our liberties throughout this once great “republic” are slowly and consistently being threatened. Most people don’t have a clue, and I wonder if they even care.

Conclusion:

Some need to realize that if and when our liberties are ultimately dissolved, will smoking even be an issue? I doubt it.

Protecting the rights of our unborn, individual property rights, freedom to make our own choices (including patronizing businesses where smoking is allowed), or watching our liberties melt away are much more important. Although I’ve stated my concerns, I can understand why some people have taken a pack of cigarettes and made it their priority, but I also wonder at what point the “tail will stop wagging the dog” in this country.

— Carolyn Dix

Brazil



Liberties keep melting away



I would like to make a correction to a mistake made by the Tribune-Star in my last letter of May 23, about Brown and Evans.

You described Carrie Evans and Kandice Brown as misters. Believe me, Kandice Brown and Carrie Evans are not misters, far from it.

The fact is the only one I described as a mister was Harvey.

The sentence read like this: Mr. Harvey, Brown, Dunkin, and Evans, get used to it. The letter was talking about tobacco products.

Speaking of Kandice Brown, I don’t know whether this woman a crusader against tobacco or a singer-actress. From what I have read, she’s a little bit of everything.

In other subjects, I would like to compliment letter writers James Stephens, M.D., and Reba Hadley-Morley responding to a letter or letters by liberal Shirley Thomas putting down a resident for his yard display about Obama, and Morley for telling like it is about the First Amendment giving everyone the right to voice their opinion and not just Shirley Thomas.

I would also like to compliment Carolyn Dix of Brazil for her letter to the Brazil Times expressing the need for equal rights for everyone including smokers.

Seems like the only thing that takes priority over everything else in this country is the smoking ban.

There are a lot of other things that are far more important like people who drive while talking on a cell phone. We should be cracking down on that. They need to be concentrating on their driving.

Maybe one of these days they will ban booze ads and take them off TV, newspapers, billboards, radio, magazine and the Internet just like they did tobacco.

Meanwhile, our liberties are slowing melting away.

Nobody seems to care about that, including rich Mitch, the new Purdue president. He wouldn’t make a good dog catcher.

— John Weddle

Brazil



Oh, the terrible injustice of it all



Hey, Protestants, listen up!

Time to sue the Supreme Court!

There are no Protestants on the bench!

That’s got to be a conspiracy!

There are laws against conspiracies. Also laws against discrimination in the workplace.

Clearly the three Jews and six Catholics are the co-conspirators.

There are also no Hindus, Sikhs, Zoroastrians, Seventh Day Adventists, Muslims, Mormons, Buddhists, etc., so why not a class-action lawsuit?

The highest court in the land and guardian of our democracy should be democratic!

A religious rainbow!

Wake up, America!

In China’s next annual critique of America, this scandal could head the list.

Protestants, et al., spread the alarm!

The time to act is now!

— Saul Rosenthal

Terre Haute



Check it out, find the proof



In reference to the article printed on May 28 titled “All Bibles agree on ‘Golden Rule.’”

I would like to express my gratitude for Susan Baker’s comments and add “good job” in doing what the Bible says to do on any subject. In First Thessalonians 5:21 it says “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” As she took the scriptures to prove the origin of the principle, “Golden Rule” she challenged us to cement our minds to this scripture also and to “prove all things.” As I, among many others, have been raised in a religion which gives no proof of its origin yet makes us fear to ever check them out and prove what they say in their origin and we are just to do whatever they say and fear them and respect them without question, I say check it out. It’s simple to do.

Why do we get offended when we are confronted with truth? Because we were raised to believe in it and in our souls (mind, will and emotions). Just about every denomination thinks the other is wrong somehow. But with so many denominations, which is correct? Why should someone believe yours is the correct doctrine? Why should someone believe you? Is your denomination the correct one? I have two simple answers. I’m not correct and neither are you concerning denominations. But Jesus Christ, our creator, is.

According to the scriptures “For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him: And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.” Colossians 1:16-17

Jesus said; Matthew 4:4 “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” and Jesus said: “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him; the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in that last day.” John 12:48

John 15:3 “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.”

I say, check it out from what Jesus said, in the Bible. Ask your church leaders to prove it in the Bible. Many people don’t use the Bible but other books and yet say they believe Matthew 4:4

I told the pastor who led me to the Lord on Jan. 30, 1978, about 7 p.m., “I don’t want your denomination or your religion, and don’t try to brainwash me, buddy. All I can trust is this Bible, and I don’t even know if it’s true.” He said, “Well, Dan, it’s true, but you’d have to find that out for yourself, wouldn’t you? So I obeyed Romans 10:13 acknowledging Romans 3:10 and 23 and seriously asking Jesus to prove Himself to me in obedience to the scriptures to myself and having God back them up just like He said he would.

Since then I have been helping others prove the scriptures in relationships between all family situations and marriages, and finance, and character transformations to heal the wounded hearted, the abused and the abusers. Many have done just what I did. Prove it all.

Thanks, Susan Baker, for your article which challenged us all. You deserve a smiley face from God. Yeah, I know, smiley face is not in the Bible, or is it?

— Daniel Helms

Terre Haute



Amendment blazed path to Obamacare



The framers of the U.S. Constitution in Article 1 Section 3 deliberately did not have U.S. senators elected to the U.S. Senate by popular vote. They designed into the U.S. Constitution to have U.S. senators deliberately elected by their state legislatures. Why was this very important to them to have U.S. senators elected by state legislatures? It formed a convenient link between the two systems (i.e. the states and the federal government). The 17th amendment broke this link and gave over power to the federal government, diminishing states’ rights.

This amendment granted to our federal government senatorspowers they would never have had. Now, years after the passage of the 17th Amendment, the federal government’s senate actions and through the Supreme Court’s favorable ruling of Obamacare, all Americans are forced to buy health insurance or be penalized with a tax.

In the future, through this precedent, the federal government will be able to tell us we have to buy an automobile or be taxed, buy cigarettes, or a house, or a motorcycle, or a battery-powered lawn mower, or U.S. government savings bonds, etc., etc., etc., or be taxed. The list goes on. This is just the beginning.

The passage of the 17th Amendment gave over power to Congress and this made possible even considering such legislation as Obamacare. Had the 17th Amendment never been passed, Obamacare would never have been considered by the federal government. Considering such legislation would have been outside the legitimate legislative boundaries.

— Charles Bean

Terre Haute



Let’s now ban that sugary lemonade!



Recently, I spotted two children selling lemonade.

Sugar, as you know, leads to obesity as well as tooth decay.

We must begin to wean ourselves of this deadly menace, starting with our youth.

Penalties for miscreants must be severe.

I am now calling upon the Indiana legislature to impose a sweeping ban on this seemingly innocent, yet dangerous activity.

Hey, Bloomberg, top this one!

— Mark Burns

Terre Haute