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The four weeks before Christmas are called Advent, the time to prayerfully await and prepare for Jesus to be reborn in our hearts and minds, not the frantic mad dash to stores, though that’s what occurs in America.
In my family, we put up our Christmas tree on Dec. 6, St. Nicholas’ Day, and took it down on Jan. 6, Epiphany, when the wise men are celebrated as adoring Jesus and bringing gifts. Many places in Europe give gifts both on Dec. 6 and Jan. 6 and keep Dec. 25 as a holy day, not the day for gifts.
After Dec. 25 are the 12 days of Christmas. Unfortunately, in America, that’s when gifts are returned, trees and decorations are taken down and removed; the halls are all undecorated as if Christmas had never come.
Christmas has become secular, and in many ways it fulfills a purpose of bringing to all a season of joy, regardless of its sacred meaning. I’m also glad that Americans have incorporated into it the many customs of the many different countries in our “melting pot.” In addition, we’ve begun to realize the importance of giving equal time to the celebrations of other faiths and other cultures. However, I wish we could disentangle ourselves from the commercialism.
JAN SHAFFER Fort Wayne
The proposal to increase the mayoral salary by 8 percent requires scrutiny.
Job performance should always be a factor in a pay raise. Since the new mayor isn’t in office yet, it would be impossible to rate his performance.
When assessing the mayoral salary, the only fair and accurate way to do this would be to compare it to the salaries of mayors in other cities the size of Fort Wayne. We already know that the current Fort Wayne mayor’s salary is more than Bart Peterson’s, and Peterson is the mayor of Indianapolis, which has a population 3 1/2 times that of Fort Wayne. The Fort Wayne mayor makes more than Gov. Mitch Daniels, who is responsible for the entire state with a population of more than 6 million.
As with any employer, raises are also based on the profitability of the business in the previous year. With the huge property tax increases, high gas prices, stagnant wages, little job development, increasing utility bills and insurance costs, not to mention the overall economy of the country, the profitability of Fort Wayne residents, who are the ones responsible for paying the mayor’s salary, is not good.
As for attracting good candidates, that hasn’t kept good candidates from running for governor or other offices in the past.
LAURA J. SMYSER Fort Wayne
Mark Souder’s recent flier about “Washington Wants to Raise your Taxes” is misleading.
Only some Americans will be paying more in taxes if Bush’s tax cuts are allowed to expire. The Democrats do not propose a new tax hike. According to FactCheck.org, “The budget resolution recommends extending ‘middle-income tax relief.’ ” The $1,000-per-child tax credit would be permanent; the 10 percent tax bracket for the lowest-income families would remain.
The non-partisan Tax Policy Center has calculated that extending these and some other “middle-income” provisions would be worth $700 billion over 10 years to taxpayers. About two-thirds of this money would go to those with incomes less than $100,000. That would be money in the pockets of the voting American working family.
The budget would increase taxes on those in the upper-income group that has benefited the most from the Bush years. It’s time for middle-income families to have their turn at tax relief. We are tired, as voting Americans, to be constantly threatened by the Republican Party. We are also tired of being “swift-boated” by a congressman who sends out fliers with only half-truths in it.
KATHY HARBAUGH Bristol
Regarding the letter, “City needs law about loud trains” (Nov. 8):
I find it amusing that just a few years ago Robert Shaw moved from a quiet northeast Fort Wayne neighborhood to the West Central area one block from the railroad tracks.
Now he is complaining of train noise and wants the City Council to step in and help him.
I believe the trains were there before he moved to the neighborhood.
It is like people moving to areas near the airport and then complaining of airplane noise. Duh!
MAX ROBISON Fort Wayne
