Letters to the Editor for Monday, Nov. 2, 2009
Published: November 2, 2009
Note to students: Voting is serious
I think Daniel Thompson’s Oct. 23 letter to the editor is an excellent example of why so many people are wary of non-resident college students voting in local elections, not just Liberty University, but any college.
Mr. Thompson’s letter screamed “me, me, me” without any reference to personal responsibility and civic obligation. I doubt he learned that at home or LU. Voting is a right, but not one without responsibilities. Going out to buy something and paying sales or meals tax in the process is on the lowest rung of the responsibility ladder; it’s unfortunate he believes otherwise.
With that standard, any say 2-year-old child able to hand a clerk money is an informed voter. LU has been good economicaly for Lynchburg, no doubt, but not without financial cost and unwanted controversy for many local citizens. LU’s needs have in no way been ignored. The fact that LU or any local institution for that matter is not embraced by 100 percent of the community is, in fact, a good thing. We call it freedom of thought and expression!
“Fair and balanced,” you might say.
In 1971, 18-year-olds were given the right to vote by an almost unanimous vote in Congress and signed by President Nixon, sending the 26th Amendment to the states for ratification.
The age change was in response to 18-year-olds being eligible for the draft in the Vietnam war but not able to vote. Fifty thousand military personnel died in the Vietnam war many under the age of 21. Unfortunately, the voting age change seems to be one of the few positive things that came from that national tragedy; don’t diminish it.
Politics is a game; voting is not. Vote responsibly.
WALTER DANIELS
Lynchburg
Comrade Joe
The D-Day memorial is certainly not the place to erect a bust of Josef Stalin, a dictator! To those who say he is part of it, baloney.
The D-Day memorial is to honor those living and dead who participated in the Normandy invasion. No Russians were there.
Germany was defeated and close to surrender when the Russians and American met at the Yalta River.
Then the politicians decided to hold the allies back and let Russia take Berlin.
Bad mistake! Yes, it saved allied lives but then Berlin was divided, Berlin blockaded and the Cold War started.
If the bust of Stalin is erected at the D-Day memorial they will probably see fewer visitors.
We fought for freedom and to protect our country. We didn’t fight for a dictator!
JOHN A. HUDSON Jr.
Lynchburg
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No I don’t believe they did.
Johnfi, do you seriously believe that religious leaders (not to mention the royal and military ones) throughout the ages did not “pick and choose” and leave in or out what suited them? That defies credibility as well as the devious nature of man IMO.
Thanks John! I did like that source.
That’s why I come here. I learn something new every day.
Keeps us young, right Fred? 
Clare this source might interest you.
http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1203759048595&pagename=Zone-English-Discover_Islam/DIELayout
Fred: They had to swipe a donkey because they couldn’t hot wire the Prius.
I am not familiar enough with the specific text, but here’s what I understand of the story: A follower challenges Muhammad on faith, asking if he should tie up his donkey (some texts say camel) when he comes to prayers or whether he should rely on God. Muhammad’s response is “You should always trust Allah…AND you should tie up your donkey.“
I truly didn’t know the source until last week, but I think it’s something more of us should follow.
Pearls of wisdom come in many sources.
If all were honest, they would admit that all Biblical interpretation involves critical thought. Those too unwilling or too lazy to be honest with interpretation that actually withstands critical thought will pull up phrases like “God said it, I believe it, that settles it” (which is highly problematic), attacking those who disagree with comments like “You can’t have cafeteria-style faith” (which, in reality, is fairly universally practiced) or they taunt those who disagree with misguided phrases like “If you don’t like what the Bible teaches just ignore it,“ which actually illustrates that the taunter misses the point all together.
So you would follow Deuteronomy 21:18-21, huh?
“If someone has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey his father and mother, who does not heed them when they discipline him, then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his town at the gate of that place. They shall say to the elders of his town, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a glutton and a drunkard.’ Then all the men of the town shall stone him to death.“
Do you actually do that, or explain it away in order not to do that?
And, since it’s in the Bible, do you also enforce the displayed evidence of virginity as laid out Deuteronomy 22:13-21?
Do you stone adulterers (both of them) as deliberately prescribed in Deuteronomy 22:22?
Do you check to make sure no uhmmm ... damaged ... male is unscrupulously admitted to attend religious assemblies as pointed out in Deuteronomy 23:1?
Do you actually obey the 10 commandments, such as the one about the Sabbath, or do you explain your way out of that one using some “theologized” reason to avoid the plain meaning of the commandment?
I’ll bet your church will systematically dismiss each of them, even perhaps as irrelevant since they are in the OT, even though they are addressed in different ways in the NT as well, while they will adhere to certain other statements from Deuteronomy as valid and binding.
Clare,
Being a great Bible scholar as you know, I always thought the saying referred to the fact that before entering Jerusalem Jesus had his acolytes steal a couple of donkeys.
Didn’t the Prophets say He was going to enter Jerusalem on a donkey and He had to fetch one somehow!
But I will admit I am not inerrant.
Well, Johnfl, I recently found out that the source of one of my favorite religious quotes is actually from the Quran - “Always put your faith in God AND tie up your donkey.“
Take that for what it’s worth.
Well said Clair with your approach you can pick and choose whatever suits your whim. Your bible study will be a really cool book club. You can even change the meaning from day to day. Just think of the freedom. If you don’t like what the bible teaches just ignore it.
Some national political writers are indicating that even if there is a GOP victory Tuesday, it won’t erase the party’s problems.
For example:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091102/ap_on_el_ge/us_election_rdp
One of the problems being that there are those who claim that some Republicans are not Republicans, they’re RINOs. Who determines who is a Republican? Is that a Big Tent that invites participation or a High Security Interrogation Facility that examines who’s in and who’s out? Things that make you go hmmmm ....
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