Letters to the Editor for Saturday, October 17, 2009

Americans for Prosperity? Not for me
Americans for Prosperity, financed by the fattest of the fat cats on the Republican far right, was warmly welcomed at Liberty University on Wednesday to insist that the government keep “Hands Off My Healthcare,” a slogan plainly inapplicable to the 47 million people without health care.

Similar arguments were made in 1965 when reaching age 65 was becoming a pre-existing condition and America put their hands on the problem by enacting Medicare.

Not to waste an opportunity, the group also is blasting global warming as a hoax.

Recently, an Americans for Prosperity group was caught on camera cheering loudly when it was announced America and Chicago lost our Olympic bid; when the cheering died down, the announcer added that we were the first of the remaining contestants eliminated, and cheering erupted still one more time.

“Americans” for Prosperity?

As this group of patriots was wrapping up, The News & Advance reported Thursday, Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. showed up to say that the issues addressed “are important to us, our students and their future. We are just thankful that somebody has taken the time and effort to stop these crazy people.” Accurate for sure, but didn’t anyone think to tell Mr. Falwell that these crazy wing nuts were his invited guests?
V. JEAN GREGORY
Forest

Jury duty explained
A client recently asked me why he had been contacted again about serving jury duty when he had served only seven months ago and the roll of eligible jurors has been significantly increased by the many Liberty University students who had registered to vote in the past year.

Although the law exempts jurors from return service for two years, prospective jurors are randomly drawn from the list of registered voters.

Questionnaires are then mailed to everyone whose name is randomly drawn. According to the Lynchburg Circuit Court Clerk, many questionnaires mailed to students on the LU campus are returned because those students’ mailing addresses are often incorrect.

Election Day rules may help resolve this. If a voter’s address on Election Day does not match the registrar’s records, that voter must fill-out a sworn statement identifying their current address. In doing so, honest students will update the registrar’s records. That will increase their odds of being located for jury duty.

Some students may not want to be located for jury duty. Jury duty can disrupt a student’s academic routine. It may cause them to miss classes, tests or exams. It may force them to make-up exams or assignments during their holidays. Students can postpone jury service until their summer vacation but that might hurt their summer employment and income.

Jury duty is one of many responsibilities of citizenship. By voting, each truthful college student will increase their odds of being called to share this duty known to most long-time residents. We hope these new voters will honestly accept the responsibilities that correspond with their franchise right.
JOHN RANDOLPH NELSON, Esq.
Lynchburg