Visit church before
misfortune strikes
’Tis the season or is it the reason for
the season?
Do your children know the reason?
Do they think it is because of Santa
Claus that we celebrate Christmas?
In times of trouble, people always
turn to the church.
We can always count on the “good”
people who attend church to help others.
Churches have a network of people
to turn to in times of trouble. Don’t
wait to be in trouble.
Please take the time to help your
children learn the true meaning of
Christmas. Find out the times your local
churches have services, and plan to
attend. Being a part of church means
fellowship and faith for you and your
family.
Let’s celebrate Jesus’ birth together.
Theresa Gifford
West Winfield
Gifford writes on behalf of the outreach
board at the Federated Church,
West Winfield.
Public displays
violate Constitution
Flo Foley of Stamford tells us (Dec.
8) that “Christmas means peace, love,
joy and hope” — reason enough, in
her view, for Christmas decorations to
be exhibited “in all public buildings,
public parks, public schools …”
Whatever the holiday means to Ms.
Foley, it is a profoundly religious celebration
commemorating the birth of
the core figure in Christian worship.
Actually, Dec. 25 was the birth of the
Persian god of light, Mithras, who had
many adherents around the Roman
Empire and whose teachings were often
similar to those of Christianity. The
early Christian fathers hoped to win
these Mithraic adherents as Christian
converts by adopting Mithras’ birth
date. No matter: the celebration is today
unique to the Christian religion.
To display “trimmings” indelibly
tied to that holiday on public buildings,
therefore, is something that all
Americans — of any religion or none
— can and should argue with, because
it commits public space (and public
money) to a particular religion, and
that is, of course, anathema to our constitutional
requirement for the separation
of church and state.
The fact is that, at this time of year,
people throughout the northern hemisphere
like to brighten the long darkness
of winter — whatever their tradition
or faith. So Ms. Foley’s disdain
for holiday wishes that don’t mention
Christ seems both misplaced and
churlish. Indeed, in what is supposed
to be a season of love, peace, joy and
hope, Ms. Foley’s resentment of heathens,
pagans and the ACLU sounds
unloving, rancorous, unhappy and
dispiriting — not the ingredients of a
merry Christmas.
Susanna Margolis
Fleischmanns
Closed minds? Just
look at Tom Sears
This letter is a response to Gail
Lebenick’s Dec. 1, letter about my
criticism of columnist Tom Sears. I am
originally from the Oneonta area, and
attended Hartwick College, which is
where I first encountered Sears.
I cannot help myself from continuing
to read his columns because I have
long hoped, as you stated in your letter,
to see some shred of truth in them,
or even a researched fact. I have yet to
find any. My mind, I can assure you, Ms.
Lebenick, is wide open. All I see in his
columns is the status quo _ and look
where that has gotten us! I agree with
other people who have commented
that it would really benefit The Daily
Star to have a columnist who actually
gives a thoughtful, articulate conservative
response to events, in place of
one who just quotes right-wing media
and blames all the evils of the world
on Democrats and environmentalists.
I find it ironic that you would implore
readers of his column to open
their minds when Sears’ is so closed.
I am sure the editor could find one if
he really looked. Until then, I will continue
to check in and see if Sears has
learned anything.
Tim Vatovec
Lexington, Ky.
Letters to the Editor
December 23, 2008
Letters for December 23, 2008
- Letters to the Editor
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Letters to the Editor: February 11, 2012
NetSummary
Continued ... -
Letters to the Editor: February 10, 2012
NetSummary
Continued ... - Letters to the Editor: February 9, 2012
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Letters to the Editor: February 8, 2012
NetSummary
Continued ... - Letters to the Editor: February 7, 2012
- Monday, February 6, 2012
- Letters to the Editor: February 6, 2012
- Saturday, February 4, 2012
- Letters to the Editor: February 4, 2012
- Friday, February 3, 2012
- Letters to the Editor: February 3, 2012
- Thursday, February 2, 2012
- Letters to the Editor: February 2, 2012
- Wednesday, February 1, 2012
- Letters to the editor: Feb. 1, 2012
- Tuesday, January 31, 2012
- Letters to the Editor: January 31, 2012
- Monday, January 30, 2012
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- Saturday, January 28, 2012
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- Letters to the Editor: January 25, 2012
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- Letters to the Editor: January 24, 2012
- Monday, January 23, 2012
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Letters to the Editor: January 23, 2012
Whenever I see a smart car, it has special meaning for me because I see in it a major part of the environmental movement's character.
Continued ... - Saturday, January 21, 2012
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Letters to the Editor: January 21, 2012
NetSummary
Continued ... - Friday, January 20, 2012
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Letters to the Editor: January 20, 2012
Contrary to a story in The Daily Star, the financial difficulties of Norse Energy Corp. and resulting job cuts have little to do with "repeated delays" in permitting horizontal drilling of Marcellus Shale, but instead results from their failure to profit from drilling of Herkimer Sandstone.
Continued ...
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Letters to the Editor: February 11, 2012
