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Letters to the editor

By Staff | Dec 12, 2001

USA vs. terrorism

To the editor:

Remember 9-11? That’s when Americans came together. How things have changed since.

The Democrats are attacking John Ashcroft for rounding up suspected terrorists. They want to protect them so their civil rights are not violated. What about the civil rights of all the thousands of people they murdered? Whose side are they on? What about the civil rights of the military when their votes were thrown out in the last election? Let’s not forget the Democratic administration put all Japanese-Americans in detention camps after Pearl Harbor. They were not concerned about civil rights then. These people were our citizens. The suspected terrorists are not our citizens.

For the last eight years, the Pentagon was put on vacation by the Clinton administration. After the Gulf War, there were 915,000 service personnel. Now, the number is 3,778,000.

No action was taken after the first bombing of the World Trade Center, the USS Cole incident, Somolia, except a couple of missles shot off that destroyed a tent and killed a camel.

I’d like to see this done: Have an up and down vote by Congress to see who is for trying the terrorists by a military tribunal and see who wins. I believe the American people will continue to support the president in this matter. This war on terrorism is not only about us. It’s for our children and grandchildren, to make sure they live safe and free lives.

Dave Taylor,

Tonganoxie.

To the editor:

Greetings from Payette, Idaho. My daughters, Sandra Lopez and Pam Anglin, and I drove to your town for Thanksgiving with another daughter, Marla Lopez, and her family, Cindy Foster, Jessica, Nikki and J.

Thanksgiving dinner was at the home of Bonnie and Dennis and their family, and another sister, Belinda, who flew in from California.

A very special 24-hour visit was spent with my granddaughter, Jackie Johnston of Lawrence. And we met Jacob, her friend.

I just wanted to say how valuable it was to spend time with this family and see your country. And believe me, we got the grand tour both of Tonganoxie and Lawrence.

And the chimes rang 10 feet from us as Jackie drove me through the University of Kansas grounds!

The weather was beautiful, and it was just an all-around perfect four days.

Arvada Wilson,

Payette, Idaho.

Editor’s note:

N. Jean Lenahan submitted the following letter to the editor Mondayh morning. After consulting with her family, The Mirror staff decided it would be appropriate to publish her last letter to the editor. Jean Lenahan died Monday night.

The true meaning of Christmas

To the editor:

The spirit of Christmas is that “warm fuzzy” feeling found in the hearts of those who give unselfishly. And I know that the Fourth Street merchants have just earned the “warm fuzzy” award of the year.

I invite every person who reads this letter to think about and be grateful for the dedicated services the Good Shepherd Thrift Shop and Pantry bestows upon our community. Administered by Dorothy Korb, Shirley Sheaffer, 14 board members and countless volunteers, the Good Shepherd is a thriving business that is fueled by your donations. Anyone and everyone is invited and encouraged to shop the Good Shepherd. And I hope you will remember them when you clean out your closets, basement, attic and garage each spring and fall.

At this time of year, there are many families that come to the Good Shepherd asking for assistance. This year, there were 28 families that would have faced Christmas morning without gifts or food to make it a meaningful occasion. The Good Shepherd heard their cries for help and passed their plight on to the community. The response from student groups, church and civic organizations, clubs and other caring people has been overwhelming.

Joining the spirit of giving this year is a new group: the Fourth Street merchants. Our downtown businesses have joined together and have donated more than $1,000 to be used as their “gift of Christmas” to those experiencing hard times.

Our merchants are called upon to support many community needs and projects throughout the year. That is especially true this year as the national tragedy trickled down and impacted our local economy. The need for monetary help grew after the Sept. 11 tragedy. Despite the national financial uncertainty and numerous layoffs, local support of the Good Shepherd “adopt a family” has grown and will help provide Christmas gifts and dinners for over 28 families.

May each of you who have helped the Good Shepherd in their “adopt a family” program carry that “warm fuzzy” feeling of Christmas in your hearts all year long. You have earned it and you deserve it. As Tiny Tim would have said, “God Bless us all.”

N. Jean Lenahan,

Vice president,

Good Shepherd Thrift Shop and Pantry.