Help schools put Veterans Day in context
Virginia Reiter’s July 4 letter expressed dismay about Fort Wayne Community Schools electing to hold school on Veterans Day.
Our schools are between the proverbial rock and a hard place in meeting the dictates of our state government on school attendance.
Secondly, just because children are not in attendance at school on Veterans Day doesn’t mean they will be given the opportunity to honor our veterans. How many families actually spend the day or any part of it teaching our children about honoring our veterans?
If we really want our community’s children to grow up with a knowledge of the sacrifices our servicemen and -women have made over the years, we need to join forces with FWCS and make that day a meaningful experience teaching about and celebrating our veterans. What better place to do that than at school?
If every concerned adult chose one school to work with and organize a day honoring our vets, our children could learn far more than being at home that day. As a teacher, I have seen some of the best education about Veterans Day come from the mouths and hearts of those who have lived those experiences and are able talk firsthand with our children. What they can share is beyond measure.
Don’t criticize – volunteer to help organize a meaningful Veterans Day Celebration.
MARIANNE DARR NORMAN Fort Wayne
Methodist verdict gives reason for hope
On June 20, you printed the story, “Methodists put pastor on trial.” I have been looking for a story of the verdict of that trial.
Had she been defrocked, which was a possibility, I’m sure you would have thought that was newsworthy. Instead, the jury of her peers chose reparative instead of punitive. She got 20 days suspension for spiritual discernment, and she – along with her bishop and other conference leaders – are to write a procedure to be used when others break the clergy covenant. As your story pointed out, there will be others.
The verdict ignited hope in this United Methodist laity for our church.
MARLENE R. CROWDER Fort Wayne
Obama’s misquoting Constitution instructive
The oath every president takes includes the phrase “to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” We all agree, I am sure, that that responsibility is key in understanding the duties of any president we elect.
Sadly, the current protector and defender does not know enough about the document in question. On multiple occasions President Obama has misquoted a key part in the opening lines of our most important protection from tyranny. His reading is “...all men are created equal and endowed with certain inalienable rights...”
If you are unclear on the difference between his “inalienable” and the proper word “unalienable,” consult a good dictionary.
The obvious and repeated omission of “by their creator” as the source of our unalienable rights is obviously intentional because the teleprompter scripter would have found and corrected the error by now.
If our creator is not the source of our rights, who or what then is? Certainly not this or any other government.
Imagine the shock and awe the media would have experienced had the last president so erred.
RANDALL RUSK SR. Fort Wayne
