Losing track of who we are (07/10/07)

To the editor:

I have watched our dollar lose value almost every year of my life. When you are old enough to remember nickel ice cream cones, 25 cent haircuts, and $15 a month house rent, you have a distorted view of today's money problems.

Wages weren't much in those days. My first job for wages was $3 for a 12-hour day. Even in homes with large families, the mother stayed home with the children.

One dollar would buy several sacks of groceries.

Then in 1971 the nation went off the Gold Standard, and the dollar's buying power eroded until today a haircut costs more than a month's house rent did 60 years ago.

The idea of using solar and wind power and conserving energy and properly handling waste sounds good, but I know a little about water-saving toilets and shower heads. Those half-flush toilets cause sewer blockage and those low-flow shower heads don't produce enough water to float the hayseed out of your hair. How about waterless urinals? We had those on the farm when I was a kid: We called them the privy.

No matter which way we turn these days, we find our lives being controlled more by government. FDA regulating non-prescription items such as vitamins, supplements and alternative medicines and treatments. Insurance and pharmaceutical companies got together to give us healthcare. Environmental regulations and restrictions have caused loss of agriculture and industry in our country. Gun control is so out of control that citizens are not free to protect their homes and families without fear of felony charges.

You have to be licensed to hunt, fish, drive, marry, be a salesman, a babysitter or a contractor, etc. The last year has been identifying and regulating all animals in this country. That isn't going to work. We can't even keep track of the illegal aliens coming and going; how are we going to keep track of all animals owned and cared for by our citizens.

Our government refuses to seriously secure our borders and yet supports amnesty to those invading this country illegally. On the other hand, you and I are subject to extreme scrutiny when we travel within the borders of our own country.

I hear often, there needs to be a law for this or that. No more laws, please. New laws make criminals out of otherwise honest citizens. We have lost focus and understanding that WE are the government. The government is not here to control us, but we are meant to control it. Thieves, drug users and murderers are no longer considered bad guys, but are simply products of mistreated and misguided upbringings.

We cannot exist FREE if we expect government to take care and provide for us. You can't have your cake and eat it too.

Who is to blame for all this confusion and for the power struggles we suffer? We are. There are a lot of good people and strong Christians in this country; they are the silent ones.

Our country is in debt, our families are in debt, and we are all greedy.

In our fast world, we've lost appreciation for finer things, not material things. We live in a throwaway society. Life has lost its value, and so have many other things. We lack appreciation of our possessions because we simply have too much and when we use it up we get another. Children aren't the only ones with too many toys.

So what has happened? We live for ourselves. We have lost perspective and we let the school board ram an un-needed gym down our throat.

When was the day that people didn't need health insurance, didn't need permission to protect our homes, or plant a garden in our back yard - when we were independent and free?

Because we lack contentment, we lost the simple life and we lost freedom. It's simple. Our love affair for the want of riches, self-gratification and power has enslaved us. We rely on others and on government. Our government is big and powerful, but it is reckless and causes much grief to those it is there to serve. We fail to understand that what we do not do and what we do not say enslaves us.

If we are to blame, than the cure most assuredly falls in our hands as well.

Sincerely,

Fred Conkling

Portland

At peace

To the editor:

My brother's death on July 18, 2003 has changed me forever. All of the controversy that surrounds his death is crazy. I wish everyone could understand that he was the best, most big-hearted brother anyone could have.

Also that I understand that my brother broke the law, but policies are to protect those young individuals that choose to make bad choices.

I'm not one to blame others, there's only one man to give judgment. So I am at rest with my brother's death and it could have been prevented by him not illegally being on that motorcycle.

I will be re-enlisting in the Army, and leaving overseas in 2008. I pray that this case is over on my return and I can focus on serving this wonderful country that gave me the chance to give back.

"Justice will arrive swift to those who bargain, and liberty rings her beautifull bell."

Sincerely,

P.F.C. Christopher R. Hilbert[[In-content Ad]]