A First Lady of Accomplishments
Dear Editor,
I write regarding your comments regarding Melania Trump’s “Be Best” campaign and how it makes no sense. In the same article, you mentioned that she had no doubt become leery of trusting some of the dubious speechwriters since being accused of plagiarizing lines from a Michelle Obama speech.
You only need to understand that she is Slovenian, and like Russian and some other Slavic languages, the use of the definite article, “the”, in Slovenian is often if not usually omitted. In Slovenian, “Be the Best” is rendered “Biti Najboljši” or literally “Be Best,” and considering English is not her second language, or even her third or fourth but her fifth, I think that the minor omission of the definite article is not problematic if she still has any distrust of speechwriters in the White House.
I am constantly amused by the criticisms of her accent and sometimes halting English speech, when many of these critics appear to have an uncertain command of their own native English. When I hear some native English speakers say things like “Me and him had went to the store,” I wonder how anyone can find fault with an attractive and accomplished first lady with impeccable taste in everything from clothing to state dinners.
Dan Post
Lincoln’s Guidelines
Dear Editor,
Please excuse the writing. I am 76 years old with arthritis in my hands.
I sent this to The High Point Enterprise twice and they didn’t publish it. I think it tells what a true conservative believes – not hatred for anyone, not telling people how to live their lives.
If you feel fit to put it in your paper (the Rhino Times, which I really like) I’d appreciate it.
My Source: Heart Blessings, copyright 1967, 1973 and 1976.
Abraham Lincoln’s 10 Guidelines:
1) You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
2) You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
3) You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
4) You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
5) You cannot help the poor man by destroying the rich.
6) You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
7) You cannot further brotherhood of many by inciting class hatred.
8) You cannot establish security on borrowed money.
9) You cannot build character and courage by taking away man’s initiative and independence.
10) You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.
Phyllis Melton
Exposure to Both Sides Worth Effort
Dear Editor,
Some time ago, a beeper said that he or she would no longer read anything written by Maureen Parker (that’s me) or Chuck Mann. I have been pondering about this and I want to respond, even though I realize that the caller probably will not read what I write.
What I want to say is that I think it is important for all of us to read lots of differing opinions, not only the ones we already agree with. This is a difficult thing to do. Like the caller, I prefer to read the opinions of people I already agree with. It pains me to read Charles Davenport, Ann Coulter, George Will and ultra-conservative voices in the Rhino Times, but I do it anyway because I am convinced that we need to hear the other side. If we don’t expose ourselves to alternative ideas, we can get stuck, pridefully thinking we already know all the answers.
I can’t deny that after reading a super-conservative or reactionary opinion, I usually come away disheartened. But (and here is the important part) every so often, an idea catches me by surprise, and I think, “Oh! He (or she) has a good point. I must add this particular idea to my own pot of ideas and stir it around. This helps bridge the gap. It helps us reach across the aisle. It keeps our minds open and our hearts honest and it prevents us from throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Nobody is all right or all wrong.
I hope that everyone will make it a point to read and listen to the ideas of people who have viewpoints different from their own. We are all Americans. Most of us mean well. We must try to love, respect, honor and learn from one other. Eventually, we might even reach out, pat each other on the shoulder and shake hands.
Maureen Parker
Respect the Position
Dear Editor,
Once a nation rises to as much prominence and wealth as ours has there will always be a sense of complacency. At this point, bad ideas sound good and good sounding ideas suddenly become self-destructive.
This reality has been with us for some time now. In fact, the compromised decisions made by our politicians, prior to Trump have been far more unworkable than his have been.
When Trump was elected, the left couldn’t imagine anything worse, but guess what? There was. Theirs. And with a biased media lacking common sense of the real world to lead us.
Also, from the right, there was mistake after mistake too, and on the far right, we had a party that was without a large base that seemed destined for extinction, but saved by a person they did not prefer. It’s a prescription for chaos and failure unless the elected leader rises above the crowd and does what the people elected him to do, and he seems hell-bent on doing just that.
In the military, one plan from one man was usually better than a composite plan made by many. And just maybe, we have arrived at that point.
China has elected their president for life and for the first time in my life it is beginning to make sense for us here. Our party politicians have been dividing us while an honest leader has an opportunity of uniting us.
Also, we saluted our leaders in the military, not because we liked them but because we respected the position they held. And anytime we lose respect for our leaders, we will be on the threshold of losing our freedom. But finally, who might be better than Trump to negotiate a deal than the master of the art of the deal himself?
Ray Hylton
FBI/DOJ Abuse
Dear Editor,
Herr Von Mueller’s “investigation” has hit a small snag. In the words of the defense attorney, he’s trying to indict the proverbial ham sandwich.
In his zeal to try to nail the president and give the appearance of having found the non-existent crime of Russian collusion, he indicted three supposedly Russian companies. One small problem though – one of the companies didn’t even exist during the time he claims. And I believe another is supposed to be an American company with Russian investors. As for the third, it sounds as if it is Russian owned. One out of three isn’t bad, I guess.
The real ticking time bomb though is the revelation that the FBI may have had a spy in the Trump campaign. In addition, it may be that the Department of Justice colluded with the FBI on keeping this hidden from congressional investigators. Add this to the DNC and the Hildabeast campaign (which was one in the same as we found out) colluding with an ex-British MI6 agent, who worked with Russian sources to put together a bogus dossier, and high ranking persons in the FBI and DOJ colluding to hide all this and appearing to be working on bringing down an elected president. It seems there was a lot of colluding was going on, but the person being investigated for it wasn’t doing it.
Of course, the DOJ and the FBI are slow walking and stalling on giving anything to congressional investigators, and in addition to the “classified” excuse, they’ve fallen back on their last line of defense, that being, “if this gets out, people’s lives could be in danger.” On this point, I would have to agree with them. When the American people find out the truth, they are going to want to string up those responsible for sedition.
This whole fiasco has gone far enough and our tax dollars have paid for every minute of it. It’s beginning to look more and more like kabuki theater. One thing that has come out of it is that the American people can now see the dangerous power that we have allowed these unelected organizations to not only have with little to no supervision or proper oversight, but to abuse with no fear of consequences.
Wake up, sheeple. Remember the old adage of the frog in the pot of water on the stove
Go Galt and save the republic.
Alan Marshall
Not Every Teacher has Drunk Kool-Aid
Dear Editor,
Just wanted to write to get it out there that there are teachers who chose not to go to Raleigh on the protest day. The media won’t talk about these teachers, but we’re out there.
In fact, I tried to sub at a system that was open that day, but the bureaucracy and red tape got in my way. I feel, on principle, that jobs such as ours, police, prison officials, etc., don’t have the luxury to strike (that’s what this is) due to the consequences to the public.
I notice that when Bev Purdue and the Dems were in charge, laying teachers off, freezing their pay and furloughing days, there were no mass protests. But now, when the GOP runs the General Assembly, all hell must break loose. Bev ran me out of this state for two years with her policies until GOP reinvestment in public education brought me back.
I know a lot of shade is thrown at teachers, with their getting out around 3, 10 months, etc. There are good teachers, albeit in declining numbers, that work after school prepping lessons, making copies, calling parents, updating websites, analyzing stats, coaching sports (for almost no pay), et al, well beyond school dismissal, on weekends, etc. These kinds of teachers often do school related work over the summer for no pay, except for renewal credits on their license.
Just wanted to let you know we don’t all drink the NEA/NCAE Kool-Aid.
Anonymous
True Day of Infamy?
Dear Editor,
This week’s news of the Donny: The day he was elected will go down as the worst single day in the history of the United States, far worse than Pearl Harbor and 9/11 combined. His record to date has only confirmed what was obvious even back in November 2016.
Based on his own actions and words, he no longer deserves the presumption that he is telling the truth. He should be presumed to be lying unless and until it is proven beyond a reasonable doubt that he is telling the truth. Good luck on that one.
Some people tell the truth simply because it is the truth. Some people tell the truth based solely on whether they think you might catch them if they lie. Donny doesn’t tell the truth whether he thinks you might catch him lying or not. The truth simply does not matter to him. It’s a concept with which he is totally unfamiliar and seems to even despise most of the time. When caught in an obvious lie, he simply doubles or triples down on the lie, insisting you are at fault for not believing whatever preposterous lie he is telling at the moment.
Anonymous
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