Letters to the editor
Christianity Needs No Defending
Editor, Times-Dispatch: Regarding Leonard Pitts' recent column on Christianity: Christianity doesn't need defending. It really doesn't fit any of the definitions for religion in Webster's. It is a relationship based on the belief that a Creator God created each of us as unique individuals with the free will to accept or reject Him. Because of free will, we do a lot of rejecting (sin), so because God loves us and wants an intimate relationship with us, He sent Jesus Christ to redeem us and forgive our sins.
Yes, we gather together for worship and fellowship. Churches have many ways of worship and many unique and fallen people. The church has been reprehended since its beginning for things it has done and not done. Paul and Christ did this. But there is always forgiveness for repentance.
I believe that those Pitts spoke of as exceptions were Christians inspired by God to accept the leading of the Holy Spirit and responded. Since Pitts is a Christian, I assume he may perhaps know about John Newton, who was a sea captain and slave trader for many years. He was changed by the Holy Spirit, became a priest, wrote "Amazing Grace," and worked with William Wilberforce for years to have slavery outlawed in England.
The truth is that a Christian is someone who professes to believe Jesus is the son of God and is God, and seeks to live in Christ. We also believe we are fallen creatures in need of redemption and forgiveness because of free will. The church is full of us fallen creatures who will continue to act in our own self-interest and occasionally stand up for the truth and will also be criticized by the world for that.
Jon A. Roach.
Midlothian.
Shockoe Ballpark Costs Too Much for This Fan
Editor, Times-Dispatch: I think I've got this all down: As a good citizen and a baseball fan, I will park in a lot two or three blocks from the stadium. I guess this will cost between $5 and $7. In order for the bonds to be covered, I will buy a general admission ticket for $9 and pay a 7 percent ticket tax. I will eat about $12 of delicious stadium food -- is the food tax 6 percent? I will buy $34 worth of AA minor league souvenirs -- that sales tax is 5 percent. Out-of-pocket costs for me to watch this game come to about $70.
Because of the absolute necessity to generate tax revenues, there will not be any free hats given away -- the same goes for T-shirts. And since I could not afford to bring the family, I'll have to spend my souvenir money on stuff to take home to the kids.
This is nuts! Spend several million, fix up The Diamond, and quit being stupid about this. If some guys want to gamble that they can get today's XBoxers and Wii'ers out of the house and down to a stadium, then let them put the chips down. This is too much out-of-pocket for me to be a Shockoe baseball fan -- and I have watched baseball in Richmond since 1960.
Bart Maham.
Mechanicsville.
Liberty = State Police; Dem Club = Chaplains
Editor, Times-Dispatch: As Herman Thomas, my economics professor at the University of Richmond, was fond of saying, "Politics depends on whose ox is being gored." Oh, the hue and the cry and the sky-is-falling mentality over a decision by a private university to revoke the recognition of the campus Democratic Club on moral grounds.
What Liberty University does or does not do is its business. As it is a private organization people voluntarily attend, why the bleating and moaning? Where were these civil libertarians when the heavy-handed State Senate Courts of Justice Committee -- aided and abetted by the now-chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Gov. Tim Kaine -- decided State Police chaplains could not pray "in Jesus' name"?
It is of much more import and concern when the government at any level engages in religious censorship than when a private entity enforces its own standards.
Wertenbaker Turner.
Charlottesville.
Why Do Americans Act So Fearful?
Editor, Times-Dispatch: Somehow we have allowed the fear-mongers to articulate the issue involving the prisoners at Guantanamo as: Where do we incarcerate them if Guantanamo is closed? That has, in turn, prompted a number of politicians -- almost hysterically -- to say, "Don't send them to any prison in my state!"
Come on. These prisoners are not supermen who require kryptonite cells on the moon. I find it silly that anyone can suggest these terrorists cannot be securely incarcerated in a maximum-security prison within the continental United States. Yet that emotional prattle is what this debate seems to be about.
Just as I was disappointed with the emotional fear that too many Americans displayed after 9/11, I am disappointed now that we waste our time worrying again about bogeymen rather than displaying some backbone and determination to eliminate our enemies while at the same time not compromising our Constitution and other principles.
George Bush exploited this predilection to shiver and shake when he ran for election in 2004 -- remember all of the terrorist alerts that were issued prior to the election and then the lack thereof afterward?
Our enemies must enjoy reading how the relocation of some prisoners strikes terror in the hearts of Americans.
Frankly, I am tired of being seen as a nation of bleating sheep. Send us those terrorists and put them in one of our maximum security prisons. If one of them were to escape, I cannot imagine a more hostile environment for him to be running loose in.
Robert T. Adams.
Richmond.
Big-Tent People Ruin the Party
Editor, Times-Dispatch: They came to the party uninvited and without the proper attire. They took over the conversation and assumed it was OK. They brought their friends, who were even more shabbily dressed than they.
They watered down the wine. They weakened the soup. They were so proud of themselves, and talked as if they were the majority.
They wondered why many started to leave early. They just couldn't see that they are the problem and not the solution.
Not everybody wants to go along to get along. That's dangerous.
Simple-minded degenerates think everything is OK. Moderates don't realize how vulgar and stupid they really are. Some of us care where we spend our time and money, and don't relish standing in the middle of the road with a bunch of noisy, dopey liberals.
Big-tent people are not amusing. They ruined the party.
Ronald C. Uehara.
Petersburg.
Reader Reactions
Here I was thinking it was about spiking the kool-aid with the Obama juice that I hear about so much. You people have filthy minds.
I enjoy a good joke and a good huff as much as the next chap.
You certainly seemed to have worked yourself up into a huff over Mr. Uehera’s letter.
“Way to uphold your own standards,RTD not that anyone expects much of this rag.“
And then finished with the old burlesque joke about p—ing in the punch.
A bit of a double “standard” wouldn’t you say?
Anyway no rage here faux or otherwise.
No injured sensibilities.
Just commenting on your comments.
I do prefer Monthy Python to Benny Hill though.
Be nice to Greta. Her and I rarely agree but she seems like a nice person, and is always respectful, and there have been times when she, I am sure, has held back her frustrations. The comments she remarked on were a bit over the top.
Oh, the humanity! Greta, either you have the most delicate sensibilities in the world, zero sense of humor, or you’re working on your faux-outrage.
You certainly do enjoy getting yourself in a huff. It’s okay, though. At least you gave me a little chuckle, however unintentional.
Mr. Uehara’s letter certainly was rude and juvenile.
But the “punch line” reached the level of vulgarity.
I’m right there with you Mr. Maham. Richmond just can’t seem to help looking to other markets and turning ideas that worked there into gimmicks that only cost Richmonder’s more in taxes and leave us with unused venues here, 6th Street Market Place, The Coliseum, The non-existent Performing Arts Center (that we still are paying taxes on), The Convention Center, and now a huge Ballpark Complex for a team that doesn’t exist yet in a city that didn’t support a AAA team. More mana for contractors. It makes me wonder about Councils involvement and how they will benefit from this. Something for the RTD to look into, oh, sorry, I forgot, the RTD is nothing more than an empty shell that shills for local business interests rather than reporting all the facts to it’s readers.
“Please avoid offensive, vulgar, or hateful language.
Respect others.“
Yet, the Times Dispatch editors deem this letter by Mr. Uehara, the main intention of which seems to be leveling insults, to be appropriate content.
Let’s see: moderates are simple-minded degenerates, vulgar, stupid, noisy, and dopey.
Way to uphold your own standards, RTD, not that anyone expects much of this rag.
P.S. Mr. Uehara, sounds like you’ve had a little too much of the punch. You don’t even want to know what we did to that.
If those who share Mr. Uehara’s beliefs continue to shred the party by alienating everyone but wingnuts, they won’t have to worry about a big tent—they’ll comfortably fit into a phone booth.
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