GOP behavior embarrassing, uncalled for
As a consistent conservative, Republican voter for most of my life, I was dismayed and embarrassed by the behavior of the Republican leadership during the presidential speech to the Congress on Wednesday night.
Click to sendThe verbal outburst from the “gentleman” from South Carolina was uncalled for, as was the obviously orchestrated waving of draft proposals by Republican congressmen. Rep. John Boehner and his nearby colleagues were slumped in their seats, looking like petulant schoolboys. Such a display of uncivilized, immature grandstanding among students would have resulted in swift disciplinary action when I was in high school. It certainly makes one less confident in the intellect and the capabilities of the Republican leadership and does not bode well for the future of the party if this is the best example of leadership that the party can offer.
Has our nation become so uncivilized that our elected representatives cannot exchange and debate ideas in a restrained and orderly fashion?
Has the Grand Old Party become so desperate that it must play to the least intelligent among us, not with coherent argument, but by public displays of rudeness?
Have basic respect and courtesy disappeared from the political scene in our country?
If what I saw last night is any indication, the answer to all these is “yes.” One can only hope that upcoming elections will see our Republican Party with leadership that is more representative of a nation of educated, intelligent people.
HOWARD BRYAN
Lynchburg
Honor the heroes
Today is the eighth anniversary of one of our country’s worst tragedies. We all watched in shock and horror as 19 terrorists hijacked commercial airliners and hit the two World Trade Center towers in New York City, the Pentagon Building in Arlington and a failed attack on our Capitol building that ended in a remote field in Shanksville, Pa.
On that fateful day, 3,000 innocent victims’ lives were lost, and 343 New York City firemen made the ultimate sacrifice for their fellow countrymen and women. Every year as Sept. 11 rolls around, we watch again the TV news footage and look again at the pictures of the fires and crumbling buildings. The day was filled with extraordinary acts of heroism, as valiant firefighters, policemen, first responders and countless others fought so bravely to save the lives of their fellow Americans. The memory of those men and women reminds us once again why America will forever be defined as the home of the brave.
Today is now known as Patriot Day. As we pay tribute to all who died that day, let]s also take time to honor and thank our hometown patriots, the members of the Lynchburg City Fire Department, along with the men and women of our local volunteer fire departments. We hold these men and women in great admiration and respect for their faithful work in our communities. Their public service is honorable and noble.
The residents of Lynchburg and its surrounding towns and counties know we can depend on them to be there at any time of the day or night. In honor of that kind of dedication and commitment to our communities, we say thank you.
May God bless America, and may God bless and protect our firemen.
MARY LOU SPIGGLE
Secretary, Appomattox Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary
Member, American Legion Post 104 Auxiliary
Appomattox
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