Letters from our readers-September

LETTERS: A book can not promote someone into homosexuality

Monday at commissioners court I had the honor to meet a fine young man. We discussed out different views as calmly and politely as could be expected, considering how far apart our beliefs and experiences separate us. Mark Cadwallader and I spoke at Commissioners court from opposite sides of the book removal hearing. Mark is an exceptionally able, honest and sincere person. Both sides of the issue have honorable people. That is why the issue is so difficult.
As a father of a fine young gay man, my wife and I were forced to study when Jimmy came out to us. We have learned so much in the seven years since. One of the first things we learned is that you don't choose or become homosexual, you are born that way. After thinking about if, common sense told us no one would choose to be something that would cause you to be rejected by your friends, peers, parents, church, and cause you to face harassment, bullying, physical abuse, higher suicide rate and possibly even brutally be murdered as Matthew Shepherd was simply for being gay. We then learned that the entire scientific community backed us up. Doctors, Psychologist, and research scientist. It is not a choice, one is born that way.
Mark, in his letter to The Bulletin (Homosexual Lifestyle contributes to delinquency, ISSUE 39 by Mark Cadwallander) makes the basis of his argument that the books to be banned "promote" homosexuality in children. The flaw in his position is that it is impossible to promote you into something you are born into. It can't be done. It is like saying that a book can "promote" one to be left-handed.
Mark stated in his letter that "plenty of misinformation has been presented as legitimate," That is true. You can not "promote" someone into being homosexual.

Bill Taylor
Kingwood (property owner April Sound)

LETTERS: Is this Montgomery County or Afghanistan?

I am writing to express my dismay and outrage regarding Judge Alan B. Sadler's desire to ban a library book. Banning books, any books, is a practice employed by the Nazis and the Taliban. A hallmark of a free society is that it encourages diversity of thought and freedom of expression. There is not one and only one way to believe or to think or to act. Encouraging pluralism and diversity is not liberalism or conservatism. This is the American way. These are sentiments specifically addressed in the Constitution and The Bill of Rights. Each family can decide for itself whether it wants its members to read a specific book. None of us should be bound by the dictates and beliefs of certain segments of our society. Family values, such as the right of parents to decide what their children should or should not read, are the cornerstone of this society. I am neither a liberal nor a conservative. Just an American.
Please e-mail Judge Sadler and the other commissioners to convey your outrage at their attempt to corrupt our American way of life. Their e-mails are as follows:
Judge Alan B. Sandler -
cojudge@co.montgomery.tx.us
Commissioner Chance -
echance@co.montgomery.tx.us
Commissioner Craig Doyal -

aparsley@co.montgomery.tx.us
Commissioner Ed Rinehart -
commis4@co.montgomery.tx.us
Commissioner Mike Meador -
japuckett@co.montgomery.tx.us

Faye Schwimmer
The Woodlands, TX

LETTERS: Libraries Are For All of Us

As I am a strong supporter of the Bond Issue for library expansion, I am upset that the subject of book banning reared its head at this time. Is this simply a ploy to build opposition to the Bond Issue?
Let's keep our focus on the real problem, "An Inadequate Montgomery County Library System"
All six libraries in Montgomery County are overcrowded. The county population has grown 73% in the last eleven years with no new library or expansion of the six existing units. Children have been turned away from Summer Story Time for lack of space.
Public meeting room space is insufficient or nonexistent. Computer facilities do not meet the growing demand.
These are the problems. The solution is additional space that can be provided by the Bond funds. Passage of the Library Bonds will be a major step toward building a state of the art Library System in Montgomery County.

Maurice P. Bellis
The Woodlands

LETTERS: Excellent Coverage

Again, another "Body Drop", slam fest of rock and roll writing! Excellent coverage of these bands, and my fav's such as Too Bad Mice. The ongoing Joe Spann saga reads like a Star Wars pre-quel.
The Open Mike controversy shows that Music is pushing the envelope in the area.
Very interesting reading, you make the reader feel like he's there, live with the Band's talking about it over a beer. You're a great journalist. Keep it up! Big fan!!

Mike Mattox
Houston

LETTERS: You make it interesting>

Mark....Just letting you know that I really enjoy reading your articles. The ones about "Three Blind Mice"...haha...I mean "Too Bad Mice"...are great! Although I've never heard them, you make it interesting enough for people to want to check them out.
Keep up the great work.

Michele S.
Houston

LETTERS: Invading Iraq?

Let me get this straight. The Saudi, Osma bin Laden appears to be the culprit in murder and destruction in NYC, the Pentagon, and Pennsylvania. He has not been caught, presumed dead, and is still a threat. But, George Bush and his war cabinet want to invade Iraq.
When I recently read in the newspapers that Teamsters Union Bosses are endorsing GOP candidates, I thought to myself: `It's really true; birds of the same feather really do flock together'.

Denise Reilly
The Woodlands, TX

LETTERS: It's Freedom of Speech, plain & simple

To The Editor:
"Where they have burned books, they will end in burning human beings." Heinrich Heine
The first amendment of the constitution states, "Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech." This was enshrined in the bill of rights because the framers of our constitution realized that control of communication is what allows a totalitarian regime to exist. Propaganda can be every bit as powerful as truth, if there is no opposing information to counter the falsehoods. The fundamental principle of freedom of speech differentiates the democratic society that exists in the United States from the totalitarian regimes that currently oppose us. This is true not just now, but in the past as well. In Germany during the 1920's and '30's as the Nazi's began to seize power, one of the techniques they used to stir up the masses was book banning and burnings. This was done to allow the leadership to focus the attention of their followers on their own base instinct of intolerance and not on the leadership's goals, which many would have found unpalatable. Millions of people died in the process of expunging this horrific blight from the earth.
It is unfortunate that we have in Montgomery County a group who evidently feel, like the Nazis, that freedom of speech is only for them and that they should be able to choose what is available for the rest of us to read. This group refers to themselves as "Godly Men", a very poor choice of words and shamelessly uses the same techniques of misinformation and misdirection that the Nazis used for their own political ends. This group is called The Republican Leadership Council. The group was originally formed to espouse conservative viewpoints, a very laudable goal. The RLC has unfortunately been taken over by Jim Jenkins and some of his ilk. Like the Nazis of 1930's Germany, the leaders of the RLC have used the base instincts of intolerance and prejudice to forward their own personal goals.
The goal of Mr. Jenkins and his cronies is that of defeating the library bonds; NOT as they would have you believe that of ridding the library of what they view as objectionable books. The book that Jenkins wants to ban has been in the library since 1995. Only now, when the county is trying to issue bonds to build a new library has this issue been raised. Mr. Jenkins evidently believes that the people of Montgomery County are as easily fooled as those of Nazi Germany. Tell the people that it is because there is "pornography in the library", when in reality it is because Jenkins does not want to pay for libraries, even though he uses the buildings for his RLC meetings. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
As one of the book banners at Commissioners Court said, "This is being influenced by liberal socialist fags." This blanket condemnation by epithets and misleading accusations is almost sin-qua-nom for Jenkins and the RLC. This is eerily similar to the Nazi prodrome against "Jews and Homosexuals". Their current target is Ms. Williams, our Librarian. The poet Heine must have had a premonition about Montgomery County and the RLC when he said, "Where they have burned books, they will end in burning human beings." They accuse her of being part and parcel to putting pornography in the hands of children. One person went so far as to equate Ms. Williams' job performance with child abuse. This is a classic move, for these "Godly men"; to point at innocent people screaming they need to be fired. I am pleased that the God I was taught to believe in is opposed to persecuting the innocent. It obviously does not matter to Mr. Jenkins that he and his minions are stirring up hate against innocent people just as the Nazis did.
It would do the people of our county well to consider why Jenkins would do things like this. Why go after someone as innocuous as a librarian? It is because he is seeking political power for himself. One national right wing organization recommends obtaining political power by shouting, "Pornography in the library." The library is an easy target. Who is going to organize and defend a librarian? Realities are that we all should. The librarians, more so than most people, because of their unique position understand that one person's pornography is another's art. One person's naked statue is another's Michelangelo's David. The right of freedom of speech is not just for the few it is for the many. Obviously it matters very little to the RLC that they are trampling the constitution that many people have fought and died for. This group has every right to regulate what they want to read and what they want their children to read. They do not have the right to tell the rest of us what we will read.
The issue that is facing this county and is making us a laughing stock is not whether a certain book, approved by the National Library Association, should be available in our libraries. The issue is whether we let Jim Jenkins and the leaders of the RLC decide who gets to enjoy first amendment rights.
The warriors of World War 2 are aging. The people who defeated Hitler's Nazi Germany and its propaganda machine are answering God's roll call. As the poet Heine said, "As the heroes leave the stage, the clowns come on." SIEG HEIL, Jim Jenkins.

Sterling Huff
The Woodlands, TX

LETTERS: No immorality in MY library

We are grateful to you for the opportunity to let our voice be heard concerning how we want our tax dollars to be spent in our Montgomery County public libraries. Our "community standard" upholds a high moral standard and recently the media has depicted our community as being evenly divided (EDITOR'S NOTE: Actually, according to an exclusive Bulletin survey, only 30% of respondents wanted certain books banned from the library.) on the issues of abortion and homosexuality that is taught in books in our library system, "It's Perfectly Normal and It's So Amazing". - let our voice be heard to remove these books and others like them!!!!! We want to protect our children's minds from immorality at our public library sound biblical doctrine teaches against homosexuality
national studies show that homosexuality can lead to death - we do not want to pay for these values to be taught to our children as if it is perfectly normal libraries do not have the liberty to indoctrinate our children into an immoral lifestyle unless we allow them to and we do not . We applaud the brave families for taking a stand to uphold morality in this community.
Sincerely,

Mr. & Mrs. John Whitt
Montgomery County

LETTERS: Homosexual lifestyle contributes to delinquency

In the media reports regarding the library controversy in Montgomery County, plenty of misinformation has been presented as legitimate. The invocation of the First Amendment in favor of keeping the harmful children's books, twists the issue upside down. As does this quotation from the American Library Association published in the Houston Chronicle, "From our perspective, the notion of a library is to protect access to books".
1) The books are being challenged because they are obscene and pornographic, and promote in children lifestyles which lead to delinquency, sickness and death. The Supreme Court has ruled that obscene material is un-protected by the First Amendment. To say that it is protected completely demeans and misuses the First Amendment and the Constitution, and fails to understand the law of the land. And to say that the books are not obscene to children is to completely misunderstand most children, who have a strong sense of modesty.
Furthermore, the laws of our nation and of the State of Texas prohibit endangering and contributing to the delinquency of a child. The fact is that homosexual lifestyles correlate strongly and positively to all kinds of health problems and high risk delinquent behavior. For public institutions to promote such lifestyles to children actually makes them liable for the endangerment of our children
2) The American Library Association does not "protect access to books" except those that fit its socially liberal and politically correct agenda. Books which expose the truth about homosexuality; how it is an addictive, compulsive, learned behavior; and books with guidance, testimony, and helps, both secular and religious, for people to extricate themselves from the addiction, are not promoted by the Association. The Association does not "protect" access to books. It actually and hypocritically "prevents" access to books. And as a responsible public service, the Association is arguably also liable for endangering and contributing to the delinquency of children.

Mark Cadwallader
Conroe, Tx

LETTERS: Catholics have been around for years

I read this phrase from a letter to the editor in the online edition of your paper, Aug. 29, 2002:
"It is not whether we are Christian, Catholic, Atheist or whatever, this is the land of the free and we believe and pursue what we decide for ourselves."
You know, we Catholics ARE Christians. We've been that way for more than 2000 years. In fact, Catholics have been Christian longer than most Christian denominations since all other Christian denominations were spun off from the Catholic faith. This is a common misperception and I just wanted to make the clarification for your readers.

Danielle Schaaf
Kingwood

LETTERS: The abortion pill

This is probably the saddest time, in the history of the world, to be a physician. I am a Family Physician. My physician peers are killing 1.5 million unborn children every year. I went into Medicine for the classical reasons: To help those who are ill and protect human life. The majority of physicians and their organizations in the US have lost this focus.
Physicians are led by national academies that provide positions statements and practice recommendations. Examples are the American Medical Association (AMA), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG), and for me the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).
The AAP has been on record as supporting the access of minors to the right to obtain an abortion without parental consent.
The ACOG is vehemently pro-abortion, and recently has taken up new initiatives to force their residents to learn how to do abortion. ACOG also promotes the dangerous abortion pill, RU-486 as "safe" even though deaths have been reported as well as serious complications. The AMA has gone on record supporting abortion on demand and supporting minor abortions without parental consent.
I have been a member of the AAFP for my entire career. They have been able to stay neutral in the abortion debate until now. In the Jul 2001 issue of our monthly journal, the Academy placed an advertisement for the abortion pill. In the Ad, an attractive woman poses, with the heading, "At last, An early option for women." I was stunned and insulted. The abortion industry had now invaded my specialty! I wrote and called the Academy extensively and obtained no reasonable explanation for their behavior.
I have ended my membership with the Academy and must now go it alone. It is a very sad time to be a physician.

Thomas Messe, MD
Groton, CT

LETTERS: More Bulletin kudos

The best thing about The Bulletin is that its FREE, and is upfront easy to find. Like if i wanted one while i was driving down the road I could stop anywhere and there it is, and when I read it there is a thousand items that I want to buy there is nothing not worth looking at while your reading The Bulletin and I am only 20 so I will continue to read The Bulletin for several more years to come.

Chris Giles
Cleveland, TX

LETTERS: International law is good, not "evil"

On December 7th, 1941, the Empire of Japan launched an unprovoked, surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. The justification for this sneak attack was "preemptive self-defense," the very same twisted logic used by George W. Bush for his planned attack against Iraq.
Japan had become very arrogant after its many military successes in Asia and felt it was above any international law. America in 2002 has the same level of arrogance and has even rejected the world war crimes tribunal because Americans now feel they can do whatever they want. Might makes right and only Jews and Christians matter to Washington military planners.
Under international law it is clearly illegal to attack another country unless you are attacked first. Iraq has never attacked the United States and was so polite it even asked the permission of the USA before it attacked Kuwait in its past bid to regain that territory. Iraq thought it had our permission to invade Kuwait, a mistake that cost the career of a now infamous empty headed American diplomat stationed in Baghdad. Iraq has never been a supporter of world wide terrorism and there is no reason to believe that Iraq would ever attack the USA with nuclear weapons.
America goes wrong when America breaks international law. International law says that Israel should return to the borders it had before Israel launched the 1967 surprise attack on Egypt, destroying Egypt's air force on the ground. Nothing good came from the 1967 war and nothing good will come from Bush's new war on the Iraqi people, who have suffered unjustly for many years under American economic sanctions. If Americans stood up for Palestinian rights, instead of standing up for Israel's illegal occupation of land Israel stole, then "terrorism" would subside and Americans would have a foreign policy they could be proud of.

Christopher Calder
Eugene, Oregon

SPEAK UP:
The Bulletin wants to know how you feel about freedom of speech. Who do you think has the right to say what's good and what's bad. Send your comments to...

editor@thebulletin.com
or fax to 936-539-9110

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