Dear Editor; “When good men (and women) do nothing, evil prevails.” It is time for us, “the silent majority,” to speak up in defense of our way of life. In these trying times, when enemies of freedom are attempting to destroy our Nation, it is okay, and proper, and urgent, that your voice be heard. Those who would overthrow our Democracy are in a minority, but they are getting all the attention. Defend your freedom and your Democracy, or you may lose it! Richard G. Bird Frost Dear Editor; Robert F. Hickson, of Cass, must have been facing a mirror when he wrote the insulting term “Dim Bulb.” He seems to feel Ms. Strauss denies Mayor Felton’s right of free speech while at the same time criticizing her right to speak out. And then, as so often critics like him do, he rambles on (and on) with half-right and half-baked super pat propaganda. Hitler’s Fascists were Socialist in name only. We did not defeat the communists in Korea, (it was a tie), anymore than we did in my old stomping grounds of Nam. I think Mr. Hickson should dust off his own Bible. He insults – in a rather cowardly fashion – someone who was willing to pay for her letter to be published. Was he held to a 600 word limit? Let us hope Mr. Hickson improves his attitude toward those who don’t share his particular views. And, let us hope he doesn’t imply I am a communist. Wolf Knight Marlinton Dear Editor; I am writing this letter in response to a topic in recent Times. It is axiomatic that We the People should make decisions for the future of our country based on reality and not on misconceptions, regardless of how pervasive those misconceptions may be. I am alluding to the topic of socialism, which has received a lot of attention in the social media and elsewhere. It should come as no surprise that the U. S. has been a highly socialist nation for many years. After all, socialism is merely a fulfillment of the mandate in the Preamble to the Constitution to “promote the general welfare.” Many countries have found socialism to be not just morally rewarding, but economically rewarding, as well. There are 18 countries ahead of the U. S. in standard of living, and all are more socialist than we are. (See https://amp.businessinsider.com/19-countries-with-the-highest-standard-of-life-according-to-the-social-progress-report-2016-6.) All of these countries are democratic and capitalistic and have a high level of freedom. Yet, some people still confuse socialism with communism. Communist countries, such as Russia, China, North Korea and Venezuela, have low standards of living, are totalitarian and not democratic, have little capitalism, and have much lower levels of freedoms. Socialism and communism are at opposite ends of the economic and political spectra. Why is this? Perhaps it is because some people prefer to hang on to Karl Marx’s 1844 definition of socialism instead of examining the realities of socialist countries in the modern age. Perhaps it is because they believe the U. S. S. R. was socialist simply because the name of the country implied it consisted of “Socialist Republics.” There is no reason in this age when we have almost infinite knowledge at our fingertips to make such a huge judgment error. Roy David Arrington Marlinton Editor: Is anyone else offended that the President uses the name “Pocahontas” as an insult? Gibbs Kinderman Union
