Where did the pesticide come from? The children didn’t drink it, but they ingested it from the sprays used in their homes or their schools. This is just one of the ways we are poisoning ourselves and our families.

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is a serious condition for many of us. We can’t go to concerts, take classes, go to the theater, ride in the car with some of our friends, attend meetings or visit in the homes of people we know because these places often reek with the “air fresheners” carpet deodorants, chemical fragranced candles or perfume.

We can’t shop in most stores today because the air we have to breathe is polluted with “fragrance” in air fresheners or potpourri that burns our nostrils, makes us cough, brings on asthma attacks and in some cases causes respiratory arrest. Even hospitals where we are supposed to be healed, are dangerous due to cleaning products and personnel who wear perfume around patients. Cigarette smoking is banned but the indoor air pollution is often just as dangerous.

As our environment is bombarded with synthetic chemicals , most made with petroleum, it becomes more and more dangerous for children and older people whose immune systems are not as strong as the average  middle aged adults.

Numerous websites and articles can be found online telling the stories of Americans who suffer from these chemicals and methods used to protect ourselves as well as we can. http://www.ourlittleplace.com/nontoxic.html is one of the places that gives us reasons to stop using the fragrances and ways we can live healthier and safer without those products.

Read the articles and learn why I and many others have stopped using the chemicals advertised to women in this country. We don’t have to buy products that contain cancer-causing chemicals. We have safe alternatives.

Please  search MCS online and learn valuable information that could save the health of children and older adults in this country..

Glenda C. Beall

(Glenda Beall is a writer and advocate for safe, clean indoor air)

nightwriter0302@yahoo.com

glendabeall@msn.com

Evidence of the the writer’s not-so-middle-of-the-road bias is found early on in the language she used.  The columnist states that Mr. Fitzgerald “blasted” the conservatives.  The writer could have used the word “criticized”, but  chose to use the  emotionally charged term “blasted”.

I’m sure that the writer realizes that certain “hot button” words – those words that automatically cause an emotional impact  -  are used to appeal to a listener’s or readers emotions.  This is done attempt by a writer to have  a reader’s emotions replace contemplation and reason.

A writer’s choice of words should tip off a reader as to whether the writer is attempting to explain and convince or whether instead he or she is attempting to manipulate.  Readers would be well advised to be alert for the presence of “hot button” words and be cautious.  These words are signals that the author wants to manipulate you.

This particular columnists continues by saying that limited government does not mean no government at all.  This implies that Mr. Fitzgerald believes that conservatives are anarchists.  I don’t think that Mr. Fitzgerald has ever implied that conservatives want “no government at all”.

Mr. Fitzgerald’s columns provide a useful counterpoint to the conservative views that often find expression in the local media and on certain radio talk shows and TV channels.  Therefore, Mr. Fitzgerald is providing a useful and necessary service to the community.  When the public  only reads or hears one side of the story, perspective suffers, and that is not in the best interests of the community.

Giving the public a balance in the expression of political thought is a good thing.  I hope that your readers will continue to read all three columnists and consider what they have to say and how they say it.

Jim Bentley

My concern is about voter turnout for this election. Clay County was among the top six counties in the state in percentage of voters who went to the polls in the May Primary.

All registered Democrats, Unaffiliated voters who voted a Democrat ballot in the primary or Unaffiliated voters who did not vote in the May primary are eligible to vote in the run-off election Early voting continues from 8:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. on weekdays and ends on Saturday, June 19, at 1:00 P.M.

Please exercise your right to vote. With such an important election at stake, it is a shame for the winner to be decided by a small number of voters.

Betty D. Anderson

Clay County Democratic Party Chair ]]> http://wncsentinel.net/2010/06/15/letter-to-the-editor-15/feed/ 0 http://wncsentinel.net/2010/06/15/letter-to-the-editor-14/ http://wncsentinel.net/2010/06/15/letter-to-the-editor-14/#comments Tue, 15 Jun 2010 18:04:28 +0000 admin http://wncsentinel.net/?p=3774 Traditional Memorial Day is May 30^th each year.  In 1968, the government changed this to the last Monday of May to allow its employees to have the convenience of a three day weekend.  Unfortunately this move allowed the real meaning of the Day to be overshadowed by vacations and cookouts.

It would be wonderful to honor our war dead on the traditional Memorial Day, May 30^th.  This year May 30^th 2010 was on a Sunday, how many people would have given up their day of worship, which was made possible because of these veterans who gave up their lives, to attend the Ceremony.  What would happen if May 30^th was on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or a Friday, how many people would be able to give up a day of work to attend, remember May 30^th is not an official federal holiday and it would cost a days income for the majority of the working persons.

Therefore as a concerned Veteran I believe that having the Memorial Day Ceremony on a Saturday allows the entire community to participate in this solemn program.

“It is the Veteran, not the preacher, who has given us the Freedom of Religion;

It is The Veteran, not the reporter, who has given us The Freedom of The Press;

It is The Veteran, not the poet, who has given us the Freedom of Speech;

It is The Veteran, not the campus organizer, who has given us the Freedom To Assemble;

It is the Veteran, not the lawyer, who has given us The Right To A Fair Trial;

It is the Veteran, not the politician, who has given us The Right To Vote;

It is The Veteran, who salutes The Flag;

It is The Veteran who serves Under The Flag;

It is The Veteran who gives His or Her life for The Flag;

Please Grant them Eternal Rest, O Lord, And let Perpetual Light Shine Upon Them”

George R. Leduc

Vietnam Combat Veteran

Evidence of the the writer’s not-so-middle-of-the-road bias is found early on in the language she used.  The columnist states that Mr. Fitzgerald “blasted” the conservatives.  The writer could have used the word “criticized”, but  chose to use the  emotionally charged term “blasted”.

I’m sure that the writer realizes that certain “hot button” words – those words that automatically cause an emotional impact  -  are used to appeal to a listener’s or readers emotions.  This is done attempt by a writer to have  a reader’s emotions replace contemplation and reason.

A writer’s choice of words should tip off a reader as to whether the writer is attempting to explain and convince or whether instead he or she is attempting to manipulate.  Readers would be well advised to be alert for the presence of “hot button” words and be cautious.  These words are signals that the author wants to manipulate you.

This particular columnists continues by saying that limited government does not mean no government at all.  This implies that Mr. Fitzgerald believes that conservatives are anarchists.  I don’t think that Mr. Fitzgerald has ever implied that conservatives want “no government at all”.

Mr. Fitzgerald’s columns provide a useful counterpoint to the conservative views that often find expression in the local media and on certain radio talk shows and TV channels.  Therefore, Mr. Fitzgerald is providing a useful and necessary service to the community.  When the public  only reads or hears one side of the story, perspective suffers, and that is not in the best interests of the community.

Giving the public a balance in the expression of political thought is a good thing.  I hope that your readers will continue to read all three columnists and consider what they have to say and how they say it.

Jim Bentley

It is disheartening to read in the column labeled “Reclining Right” that the columnist has reclined so far that he has fallen off the edge of his flat earth. James F. Davis has torturously revised history so completely that in his mind Communism equals Nazism equals socialism equals liberalism.

The label “National Socialist German Workers Party” was a deliberate attempt at camouflage, much like the “Peoples Republic of China,” the “Union of Soviet Socialist Republics,” the “German Democratic Republic”. None of these countries were democracies or republics and the Nazis weren’t (and aren’t) socialists, leftists, or liberals

He states that the unions were among the Nazi’s strongest supporters, but fails to point out that the Nazi Party (when it took power) abolished labor unions and raided their treasuries.

Like any other group, the Nazis had left, center & right elements of their organization. In this case the rightist Nazi Party were taken over by their ultra right wing which led to World War II. Fascism (once in power) attacks communism, conservatism, and liberalism. It attracts support primarily from the “far right” or “extreme right.”

The biggest error Davis makes is not knowing the difference between totalitarian dictatorship (Nazism and Soviet Communism) and democratic socialism. Today, many modern democracies have socialistic societies because “the government derives its power from individuals.”

Mr. Davis ascribes 40 million dead in the Soviet Union to socialism when it should be rightly blamed on tyranny.

Let me quote James F. Davis, President of Accuracy in Academia, a right-wing nonprofit organization, “Know your history and do not get hoodwinked.”

ss:// Jack Burrie

On the evening of May15 I had the opportunity to attend Safari Night Dinner, Dance and Silent Auction benefiting Logan’s Run Rescue. I was recruited to join forces with other individuals to assist with this worthwhile cause by a friend who is a strong advocate for Spay/Neuter programs. The location for “All 4 the Paws” was the Ridges Country Club with live music by Chuck Barry & Never Too Late Band.  The outstanding dinner was catered by Pam Roman owner of Mountain Elegance.  Many extraordinary contributions were donated for the Silent Auction and Raffle and eight incredible cakes were baked for the Live Cake Auction. All together these generous gifts earned much needed funds for this dedicated group to continue their invaluable efforts to stop over population and curtail animal abuse and neglect.

This organization was started in 2009 by a group of friends who had all worked in shelters. These members rescue, provide Spay/Neutering, Medical Care & Temperament Training while seeking homes for the abandoned and abused.  Veterinarian Dr. J. Hilty H. Burr was recognized for his endless Medical Services with the gift of a beautiful stained glass creation to adorn the wall of Lake Chatuge Animal Hospital.

I have never observed a more devoted group of volunteers unselfishly donating their time and energy toward improving the lives of these neglected pets rescued from North Georgia, Western North Carolina and Tennessee.

Recently on a morning TV show one Black Lab named, Stricker appeared.  This lab was rescued from Murphy, N.C. by Logan’s Run Rescue and was adopted by one of the producers of the show before the program ended.  Recently a video of Stricker frolicking on the beach arrived here showing how well he has adjusted to his new life.  A later announcement indicated that all the animals from this group shown that day were adopted by individuals who are willing to open their homes and hearts to rescues.

I think the group who started this organization and all those who keep the wheels of Logan’s Run Rescue in motion deserve a heart felt thank-you from the citizens of these three states.  The efforts of these individuals to eradicate animal over-population and eliminate the practice of animal abuse in our community often go unnoticed.  I feel it is time these volunteers are given credit for their outstanding volunteer efforts.

What an enjoyable night for all the participants. If you would like to assist this organization with donations or volunteer your hours you can contact Jeanne Schick at: (828) 837-1382.               Website is:  www.LogansRunRescue.com

Carolyn Krueger

Hummingbird Hollow

Thomas Jefferson once wrote, “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free . . . it expects what never was and never will be”

It’s time to take our heads out of the sand about the agenda of President Obama and his insider supporters.  Having passed legislation that will give government bureaucrats the power over who gets medical care and who doesn’t, he has now set his sights on taking control over who gets money and who doesn’t – of every person in the USA through the alleged “Financial Reform Bill.”

In effect, if this Trojan horse legislation passes in its present form, the President will have control over every citizen’s savings and every enterprise’s finances.  It amounts to the nationalization of our financial and private economy.

It would give control over the economy to the Federal Reserve, the FDIC and the Treasury Secretary, the same regulators who were a large part of the cause of the financial crisis we presently find ourselves. If you Google “James F. Davis, The Cause of the 2008 Financial Crisis” you will find the details on who caused the economic problems we now face.

This bill gives the president’s political appointee, the Treasury Secretary, virtual dictatorial powers without any meaningful judicial review or restraint.  It gives him the power to seize any financial institution that he arbitrarily thinks is ‘too big to fail,’ replace the management and wipeout the legal stockholders equity and debt holders, i.e., your pension fund and/or savings!

The President already did this to General Motors bond and stockholders. He got the activist courts to disregard the law and essentially gave the company to the unions that were critical in getting him elected.

This “Financial Reform Bill” establishes an innocuously sounding “Consumer Financial Protection Agency.” This agency will have the power to approve or reject any kind of loan (including your home mortgage) by any company in the USA. It will create a huge bureaucratic bottleneck which will further hurt the economy, cost more jobs, increase costs, and slow consumer spending.

This bill gives an incentive for big banks to be irresponsible. It sets up $50 billion fund for bailouts for banks deemed ‘too big to fail.’

It also encourages more corruption as we have seen in such government controlled allegedly private companies such as FANNIE MAE.  They have already cost US Taxpayers over $800 Billion.

Further, this legislation, sponsored by Senate Democrat Banking Committee Chairman Dodd, will create an “Office of Financial Research.” This will enable government bureaucrats to use their knowledge of market conditions and individuals private finances to benefit themselves.

This agency will be able to pay its selected employees over $200,000 a year. They will enable them to hire as many of their politically connected friends as they want without restriction. And they would not be required to answer directly to any elected officials.

If you know your history, this blatant an economic power grab by a democratically elected leader has not been seen since Mussolini in Italy, Hitler in Germany, and later Peron in Argentina. All three of those government directed economies ended in disaster.  It didn’t work then and it will not work in this country.

If this bill passes it will codify the creation of an economic Fascist dictatorship in the USA. Fascist like Mussolini and Hitler’s National Socialist Party (NAZI) were socialist (Socialists in the USA now call themselves Liberals.) who were elected by promising economic improvements and security. Once elected, they were given powers to direct the economy similar to what is in this Financial Reform Bill.

Do your homework and check out the results of those governments’ directed economies. Those that do not know their history and continue to vote for charlatans are going to see a horrible repeat of something we have read about but never experienced personally.

All it takes (for a tyrant to take power) is for good people to do nothing. What are you doing to prevent this power grab?

James F. Davis

828 389 8971

Jim Davis’s column ” Next Supreme Court Justice?” ( Sentinel, April 21, 2010) contains a factual error. He asserts that Leah Ward Sears, former chief justice of the Georgia Supreme Court, ” is the first female chief justice in the United States…” In 1974, well before Chief Justice Sears’ time, Susie Sharp was elected chief justice of the Supreme Court of North Carolina.  There had been other chief justice of supreme courts in states that rotate the position among the sitting justices. North Carolina, with Susie Sharp’s tenure from 1975-1979, was the first state to have a female chief justice elected by the people.

Anna Hayes’s recent book, Without Precedent: The Life of Susie Marshall Sharp ( Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2008) , is an excellent account of Justice Sharp’s life and judicial career. I commend it to Mr. Davis and to the readers.

Willis P. Whichard

( Note: The writer served as a law clerk at the Supreme Court of North Carolina in 1965-1966, when Justice Sharp was an Associate Justice, and was himself as Associate Justice on the court from 1986-1998.)

Please accept our deepest thanks for your help in getting out the word about former HHS Glee Club member’s efforts to establish the Joyce D. McSwain Performing Arts Scholarship for interested students in Hayesville, Hiawassee and the surrounding area to participate in a semester of performance arts study at the Peacock Playhouse, which will be sponsored by the Lilith Lidseen Performing Arts Association.

Thank you also for printing the very long article (which grew and grew!) reflecting on some of the cultural history leading up to the formation of the Clay County Arts Council, the establishment of the Licklog Players and of Miss Lidseen’s desire to leave a gift of substance to this area which has growing potential to greatly contribute to the economic success of the community.

Thanks to all those who drove in from far and wide to attend the reception to join the local folks who attended.  We also thank Jane Hindsman for organizing the program, thank the HHS students who performed at the reception and thank Jim Saltz and his HHS computer class for putting together a wonderful pictorial slide show of past musicals and Glee Club gatherings.

We are grateful to have raised $2,100.00 toward this effort and the checks are still coming in!  This effort will provide the means to create a program which will benefit students whether they plan on an arts career or pursuit of other studies.  If any of your readers wish to help with this effort please mail your check payable to the Joyce D. McSwain Scholarship Fund to LLPAA, POBox 1426, Hayesville, NC 28904.

Sincerely yours,

Delilah Davenport Elsen

Teresa Ledford Burch

Anthony Satterfield