Letters to the editor: 12/21/00

A Christmas/ election poem

To the Editor:

Twas the night before Christmas,
when all through the White House,
Not a creature was stirring,
except George Bush and Al.
The election results were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that a new President would soon be there.
The voters were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of pregnant chads danced in their heads.
And Lieberman in his yarmulke, and Cheney in his cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon shining over Washington, D.C.'s, new fallen snow
Gave luster of midday to objects below,
When what to my wondering eyes should appear
But the Electoral College and a vote very near,
With a hard fought decision made not very quick
I knew at the moment it must be a trick.
More rapid than bald eagles the nation's fate came,
and he whistled and shouted and called them by name:
Now Palm Beach, now Broward, now Miami Dade!
On Seminole, on Volusia, the votes have been made!
To the top of the Capitol, to the top of the wall!
Now vote you electors, now vote one and all!
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
We had no more obstacles mounting to the sky,
So up to the capital the coursers they flew,
with a box full of votes and a new President too.
And then in a twinkling I heard on the floor
The cheering and booing when they told us the score.
As I drew in my head and was turning around,
On came the TV with a loud booming sound.
He was dressed like a commentator from his head to his shoes,
as he proceeded to tell us the long awaited news.
A bundle of editorials he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes, how crooked! His dimples how phony!
His news was like roses, his comments bologna.
His big loud mouth was drawn up like a bow,
and I thought once again "Oh no, here we go!"
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke just a few words as he gave us the news
Finally at last Al Gore was going to lose.
Now Bush was just tickled all down to his toes,
The official vote was in and a new era arose.
Bush sprang to his limo and to his Secret Service gave a whistle,
Away to the White House they flew like a down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim as they drove out of sight:
"I'm President at last, and to all a good night."

J.R. Collins

Seventh-grader

Fairview School

Editorial disappoints reader

To the Editor:

I am disappointed that The Sylva Herald chose not to honor Vice President Gorešs call for reconciliation with last weekšs editorial.

However, since it is spreading misinformation, I feel compelled to respond. The only votes not counted in Florida were absentee ballots, primarily military, thrown out after a Democratic Party lawyer sent a five page memo on how to throw out absentee ballots to Democrat poll workers. The rest of the votes were counted not once but twice under the rules and conditions agreed to by both parties prior to the election.

In spite of their sound bite, "We want all the votes counted," the Gore campaign only wanted to further recount certain votes in the most highly Democrat counties. They were quite willing to disenfranchise 94 percent of the counties and 75 percent of the Florida voters.

The idea that it is OK to go to the Florida Supreme Court to get this special treatment after the lower courts have denied it twice, but not okay for the Bush campaign to go to the next higher court to stop it is ridiculous.

To regret that our Constitution still provides for the Electoral College and Gore lost because of it is a reasonable frustration. To suggest Bush won because the votes were not counted is both divisive and dishonest.

Herald Stockton

Sylva

Chorus instructor deserves praise

To the Editor:

The letter written in regards to Smoky Mountain High School's music program (Dec. 14) was so off cue. I do agree that our children are struggling with low self-esteem, but the music programs instructor is one of the instructors who in fact helps to raise self-esteem and self-confidence.

The music program instructor has helped many students bring their singing talent to the surface. This has aided several students in choosing their college majors and also helped them learn to appreciate all types of music. In fact, Mr. Bob Reid has genuinely guided both of my daughters through some very rough times in their lives, and without his aid they may have in fact chose other ways to battle their problems.

For all the kindness, professionalism, and generosity he has given to so many students at Smoky Mountain High School, he should be praised for the achievements he has helped these students accomplish. I hope to see Mr. Reid in this position for a long time to come.

Both of my daughters (one graduated in 1999 and the other one will graduate this year with very high grade point averages) had Mr. Reid for a chorus instructor for over the past eight years. I would personally like to extend my sincere appreciation for a job well done and for taking the time to assist the students with all the after school chorus programs and for helping with other tasks, which had nothing to do with the music department, but he was glad to assist on his own time and at his own expense.

Thank you, Mr. Reid, for sharing in both of my daughters' high school years and for helping to make it a more enjoyable time for both of them. And thank you for your sincere generosity and for the kindness you have shown to all of the students you have taught. If anything should be done in regards to the Winter Concert, Mr. Reid should be given a standing ovation.

Julia Maney and daughters

Kelly Queen

Jennifer Queen

Whittier

Land transfer tax will hurt young, old

To the Editor:

The so-called transfer tax now being requested by the free-spending Jackson County Commission and other politically-elected officials demonstrates the lack of consideration and business abilities of the above.

Every citizen I know in Jackson County would like to live beyond their means and be able to spend money they cannot afford to spend or do not have to spend. School boards, politicians and attorneys are notorious over spenders because they are spending someone else's income.

Credit card bankruptcies are at their highest level in years. This is where our commissioners want to keep us. Will we continue to let them act as leeches at our Social Security living level?

This attempt to gouge people wishing to buy a house or property is simple. Young couples will not be able to afford to buy a house if the price is automatically increased 1 percent. Retired people are normally trying to stretch their social security money so they can live comfortably. Many people on Social Security at this time cannot afford to eat and buy their medicines.

Each tax increase means their living standard, which is now inside the poverty level, will be lowered again down to the bottom of the poverty level. That means another tax increase to give added food stamps to the current poverty level people.

Where do we stop? The present Jackson County management and "good-ole boy" ruling methods only allow their Social Security recipients and old people one escape - death. Thank you,

Frank Young

Cullowhee

New property tax levels penalize natives

To the Editor:

As citizens and natives of Jackson County, we wish to vent our emotions concerning the exorbitant tax revaluation imposed on us. Some of our taxes not only doubled, but tripled.

When confronted for an explanation, a county employee stated two reasons for the increase: 1) there were state guidelines to be met, and 2) that wealthy outsiders moving in and purchasing property caused the value of the land to escalate.

Why should we natives and senior citizens be penalized because of this? We realize after a period of 10 years, given the rate of inflation, an increase was inevitable, but not to this extent.

Our advice in the future is for all voters to wake up and take more interest in the election process and the selection of candidates they chose to serve, represent and govern our county.

Respectfully submitted,

Mrs. Frank Massie

Clarine Higdon

Gyspy Deitz

Joe Henry

Reid dedicated to SMHS students

To the Editor:

I am the parent of a senior at Smoky Mountain High School. My daughter has been a student and friend of Mr. Bob Reid for a number of years.

I was made aware that "Bohemian Rhapsody" was to be a selection at the winter concert a number of months age. When I questioned my daughter concerning this matter, I was very impressed with what I learned.

I encourage the superintendent of Jackson County Schools, the school board and (school principal) Mr. Ken Nicholson to closely investigate the education and discussion related to the alternatives to violence, drugs, suicide, etc. that went into the presentation of the piece of music. I feel Mr. Reid has already gotten started assisting our teens in realizing that this is the real life and that they should avoid getting "caught in a landslide, no escape from reality."

I would like to thank Mr. Reid for all the dedication, caring, concern and energy he has given to the teenagers of SMHS.

Sincerely,

Donna P. Connor

Sylva

Criticism was an over-reaction

To the Editor:

I just finished reading the letter to the editor regarding the choice of music by the Smoky Mountain High School chorus. The writer harshly criticized the violent lyrics of Queen's song "Bohemian Rhapsody."

I think Mr. Mallory is over reacting to call for "formal disciplinary actions," which is not to say that I disagree that music (and other forms of art) do have an influence on us. In general, I think we all tend to romanticize the music we hear when we are young and look with a very judgmental eye on the music of the next generation.

What about the Beatles "Maxwell's Silver Hammer?" In the first verse Maxwell kills a classmate, the second verse he kills his teacher and in the third verse he kills the judge!

And look at what a giant ruckus sprang from Ice T's "Cop Killer," when 20 years before Eric Clapton "Shot the Sheriff" (but he did not shoot the deputy).

I'm not trying to be obnoxious; I'm just saying that we should have a little more faith in our kids' teachers and the decisions they make. They work with those kids every day and are probably pretty familiar with their pressures and needs for expression.

So please cast my vote (do I get two votes since I have two kids in high school?) that the high school music programs have the freedom to select whatever music they feel best connects to the students. And by the way, how about shifting a little of that athletic budget over to fund the music programs a little more.

Sincerely,

Diana Jurss

Sylva

Another opinion of song's meaning

To the Editor:

As a junior at Smoky Mountain High School who has taken some form of chorus at least once a year for three years, I feel a deeper appreciation for music.

"Bohemian Rhapsody" is a classic Queen song that everyone has heard. In my opinion, it isn't about death and suicide, it's about a man who made a wrong choice and shot a guy. Now he's facing the consequences. He knows that he's going to be incarcerated and wishes that he hadn't shot the guy and ruined his life.

This song has nothing to do with the teenagers losing themselves in hopelessness and meaninglessness. It is about doing the wrong thing and realizing that you have to "face the truth." It is about real life and the problems some people face in their lifetime, like people killing other people and depression.

This was Queen's way of saying that everything will work out in the end and not to worry about what's going on around you. "It doesn't really matter" which way the wind blows, does it?

I realize that music is open to interpretation and that my interpretation may not be the same as other people's, but my mother raised me to respect other people's opinions and tastes, even though they differed from mine. People should be able to sit through one song without feeling the need to criticize the lyrics and psychoanalyze what the songwriters meant when they wrote the song.

We live in a free country where people are entitled to have their own opinions and not be put down for them. What ever happened to the first amendment? Why criticize "bad" lyrics when you could criticize... say... Christian Christmas carols being allowed in public school?

Sincerely,

April Payne

Sylva

Our country deserves better

To the Editor:

The Herald's editorial last week regarding the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Bush vs. Gore voiced my feelings much more honestly than all the recent well-intentioned media talk of "coming together for the good of America." But I am still left deeply saddened and disillusioned.

If some Middle East dictator threatened this nation's oil supply, our government would respond with aircraft carriers, and if necessary, cruise missiles. No such threat to our "national security" would be tolerated. If another third world dictator began massacring a segment of his country's population, our nation would lead the United Nations peacekeepers who would be sent to stop the genocide. We pride ourselves on being the leaders of the free world, the model of democracy, and the most powerful nation on Earth.

And yet, when it becomes clear that the most fundamental exercise of our own democratic freedom, our election of the nation's leader, has fallen victim to technical problems, outdated machinery, some human errors, confusion, and perhaps some outright mischief, we appear to be helpless to find any reasonable solution. For some reason beyond my comprehension we can't allow ourselves to simply say "Yes, we seem to have made some mistakes, perhaps especially in Florida. Let's try this over and do it right!"

Christiane Amanpour, international correspondent for CNN, was asked how the world viewed our election after the Supreme Court ruling. Her answer was much the same as the Herald's editorial last week. She said that in England they don't understand why we couldn't just ask people to make a mark on a piece of paper by the name of their candidate and collect such ballots by hand? Get rid of "dimpled chads," "hanging chads," and ballots rejected by machines and left uncounted.

Apparently there is no such allowance for simple common sense left within our democracy. The Supreme Court could imagine no way to fairly count votes, and so ruled that we should accept a count we know for certain to be flawed and unfair. Our nation appears trapped by the rituals of an obsolete Electoral College process and a very questionable Supreme Court ruling into accepting a leader who certainly did not get the popular vote of the nation and whom quite possibly didn't really even get the popular vote in Florida, which just barely allowed him the electoral votes to win.

I find myself unable, in good conscience, to truly support my new president-elect, and I am not convinced that my patriotic duty now lies in blindly supporting this democratic tragedy. With Veteran's Day recently past, I am reminded of how many people have given their lives fighting for the ideals of democracy, where every voice and every vote counts equally.

Yet now, I just stand by feeling helpless, watching as democracy is trampled upon. I wish I could find some comfort in blaming the Supreme Court or the Palm Beach "butterfly ballot" or some other entity for my frustration. But even though I was raised here in the United States of America, where we are all taught to be willing to fight and even die for our freedom, I am ashamed to say I have no idea where to begin, I am unable to identify a clear enemy to fight.

The week before last I watched American astronauts attach half an acre of solar panels on a space station 220 miles above the Earth's surface. Then last week I'm asked by the U.S. Supreme Court to accept that there is no fair way to count the votes for president in Florida so that we can all know the truth.

I'm sorry, but I have to try to believe that America deserves better than this.

Robert Franz

Whittier

Letters to the editor: 12/21/00

A Christmas/ election poem

To the Editor:

Editorial disappoints reader

To the Editor:

Chorus instructor deserves praise

To the Editor:

Land transfer tax will hurt young, old

To the Editor:

New property tax levels penalize natives

To the Editor:

Reid dedicated to SMHS students

To the Editor:

Criticism was an over-reaction

To the Editor:

Another opinion of song's meaning

To the Editor:

Our country deserves better

To the Editor:

Back to Archive: 12/21/00.