Letters to the Editor

Help From Above Should Guide Our Leader

Thanks for your informative newspaper. I am writing in regards to the extremely negative letter of Bob Franken, in the January 12-18 issue. I do not know much about our president-elect, but I do know he was not elected by some national quirk as he stated.

If you want to know why Donald Trump was elected, read Romans, Chapter 13. The first verse explains it clearly. We need to support our leaders and pray for them. They need help from above to govern this county, as without that they wouldn’t so much as lift their little finger.

John Y. Esh

Charlotte Court House, VA

Editor’s Response: It is very seldom that I can say I totally agree with a letter to the editor or an opinion article; however, in this case I do. In fact, I almost always totally disagree with Mr. Franken. The reason we print his column is most people never read anything that opposes their opinions. Most people never have a discussion with anyone from an opposing point of view. 

This is why there are “letters to the Editor.”  We publish your letters, unedited, just as you send them.  You have the opportunity to write as you did and challenge his opinions.

Giving Trump an A for Effort

A Charlotte C.H. residence has displayed on the front lawn a “Not My President” sign — inappropriately in red, white and blue. I assume the homeowner was a Hillary Clinton supporter.

As I recall, then candidate, Donald Trump honestly responded to a question about accepting the election results that he would (to paraphrase) ‘decide after the votes were counted’. This answer elicited an immediate declaration by Mrs. Clinton that the statement was appalling and any questioning of the election results would be unpatriotic and irresponsible. On cue, the liberal media and Democrat politicians echoed the cry that Mr. Trump’s comment, in itself, should disqualify him from holding the highest office in the land.

Fast forward to November. Post-election the left trotted out one excuse after another for Mrs. Clinton’s defeat. Some of these were openly supported by the Clinton campaign apparatus, such as Mrs. Stein’s recount ploy.

As the left finally settled on the “Russian hacking” excuse, demands by politicians and the media to “get to the bottom” of Russian involvement reached a fever pitch. The biggest complaint, in my opinion, is that the double-dealing and back-stabbing activities of the DNC and the Clinton campaign were revealed.

Perhaps the Russians were emboldened by President Obama’s hot mike comment to Russian President Medvedev that he (Obama) would have  “more flexibility“ in his second term. In any case, if Mrs. Clinton had won, does anyone think “Russian hacking” would be an issue?

It would be good for all citizens to remember that military personnel, those who may be called on to sacrifice their life in the nation’s defense, do not have the luxury of declaring: “not my president”. In fact, many of those individuals were denied their own basic rights (particularly religious freedom) by the previous administration.

All other things being equal, if President Trump is successful in only one area, his tenure will be a success. That is the effort to return at least some of the power and political control now concentrated in Washington DC, to state and local governments. He will be opposed by both political parties, the bureaucracy, and the lobbying industry. As long as he continues that effort he will have my support.   

Sincerely,

Kurtis R. Jones

Charlotte Court House, Va.

Print More Happy Stories

It’s time again to renew our subscription to The Southside Messenger. Specifically, we started our subscription to read and learn about the news around Charlotte County about five years ago.

However, after buying a subscription to your newspaper for $28.00 I started to become disenchanted with the news that you are choosing to report. It’s shameful.

For example, last week you had a front page article about a woman who allegedly broke into the homes of residents of Charlotte County and stole items. Again, you chose a negative story about our citizens. You also publish DWI arrests/DUI arrests and other negative articles about Charlotte County, our home.

My point is, why don’t you have front page articles about positive, consistent workers, like the three men I’ve gotten to know who work at the Keysville dump. Their names are Thomas, Van and Jerry (Lee). I’ve been sick this past year, after contracting a blood disease. Consequently, I couldn’t carry my garbage bags to the dump. After I had my wife put the bags of garbage in the trunk of my car, and I brought the bags to the Keysville dump, I noticed that either Thomas, Van or Jerry Lee were all trusting and kind. Each week for the past year, one of those three men would ask me to “push the button” on my trunk at the back of my car. The trunk would open and they would take the (five or six) full bags of garbage and throw it in the large garbage box. Done!

Nice story?

Why don’t you print positive stories like above so that buying and reading your Southside Messenger will (at times) be an optimistic experience, instead of a shameful one?

Sincerely

Jim Kohat

Keysville, Va.

Editor’s Response: Each week we strive to have a selection of articles for our readers. Regarding the bad news, almost half of our readers want to know what is happening especially when it is bad.  If we had 5000 subscribers who only wanted good news we could consider changing. 

Regarding the woman convicted of theft. This was not an alleged offense. She was charged, pled guilty and was sentenced to 100 years.  Our articles on her crime spree warned readers a serial thief was at work.  In fact, it was in part due to our publication of her crimes that she was apprehended. 

I agree that the workers at the Keysville Convenience Center do an outstanding job, as do the ones in Charlotte Court House. (I can’t comment on the others since I haven’t met them.)  However, this would be a difficult article to write. The workers at the other centers who may be equally deserving of praise would be upset.

Your letter gives them the positive recognition they deserve.

Thanks for writing.

“Give a Little, Get a Lot”

Earlier this weekend I was honored by receiving the “Citizen of the Year” award from the Lunenburg Chamber of Commerce.  Having been in youth sports and other civic organizations, I know there are people out there that are equally deserving of this recognition.  Other than the title of “Deddy”(yes, that is spelled correctly), I will covet this honor and I am most humbled by this award.  We as volunteers and public servants often wonder if what we do is worthwhile.  I often think of the scene in the movie “Saving Private Ryan” when the older Ryan asks his wife if he has been a good man.  She looks at him bewildered. But I identify with his thought process.  We often wonder if what we do helps someone along the way.  As men and women, greatness only exists in our own mind if we don’t have others who benefit from our struggle.  It is the people behind the man or woman who give them strength, who gives them the ability to make things happen.  Without family, extended family, friends who will role up their sleeves and get down in the trenches with you, your struggles are too great to bear or accomplish.  We need people behind the scenes that allow us the time and opportunity to be all of these places.  We all need people in the community to believe in each other.  It gives us strength.  A man with a dream and a cause is alone if he tries to complete the task by himself, but with a group of people who are behind him in a unified cause, he has an army!!!  Thank you Lunenburg for always being behind me and continuing to support me and the things that I believe in.  And believe me, I feel the army behind me, we all do, lest we would get nothing accomplished in this world.  Be there for one another when a hand is needed, because sooner or later you will need that help. My family is living proof. What goes around comes around.  Give a little, get a lot-words to live by.  Thank you again.

Humbled by Your Words and Actions

Tony Matthews