To the Editor:
Second Opinion.
I’ll only take issue here with three items in last week’s Editorial:
(1) Sadly, Rep. Louis Gohmert (R-TX) was not joking, Martin. See the video on YouTube; his query was during the course of a Natural Resources Committee hearing. Moreover, Louie doesn’t have the intellectual bandwidth to concoct a joke. You, however, do have such wherewithal.
(2) So, I was disappointed at your niggle of Pete Buttigieg’s name at an attempt at humor. I get that you don’t like his politics or whatever, but to make recurring coarse fun of his name is, I think, beneath you.
(3) I agree that all information, including videos, cell phone records, and interviews, surrounding the riot should be investigated, and the courts are beginning to release additional information, much of which appears to further implicate some Republican legislators. Their Big Lie version of the attempt to prevent our democratic elections process on the floor of the Capitol is dismissed as fun-loving tourists with with flagpoles, cannisters, and bear spray, a noose on the lawn, threats to our VP, and people dead. But in was an "innocent frolic" because no guns or knives. Info: anything can be a weapon, depending upon how it is used, and not all weapons go "boom."
A new national holiday, Juneteenth, was approved on a bipartisan vote (though the Repos continue to legislate to deny the vote in many states). It commemorates June 19, 1867, when the slaves in TX (Galveston) finally learned that they had actually been free since January, 1865, This holiday is a reminder of the joy and human thirst for freedom, and the economic debt this country owes to slavery in financing and sustaining our break with England. We have all benefited from it, but at such cost to the slaves and their descendants.
President Biden returned from a European visit and G-7 meeting where there was no shoving other world leaders aside to get to the front of the line. Biden and Putin had a business-like meeting in Geneva as both are well-acquainted with the language of diplomacy and world affairs. This time, there were no smiles from our president looking anxious for an "atta boy," or Putin looking like the cat just finishing up lunch. No statement that our president trusts Putin's word over the US intelligence community. Putin did not look happy in his solo presser, and he danced around every subject he could. A steely-eyed Fred Astaire "Putin on the Ritz." (*apologies to cartoonist John Deering, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 2021)
Kelly Scoles,
Fillmore

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To the Editor:
As a longtime resident of Fillmore, I’m concerned about our City Council’s recent meeting & Agenda. On June 8, the Council voted unanimously in favor of making a Proclamation to “Honor& Recognize the Month of June as LGBTQIA+ Pride Month”. The Council then ok’d the use of Central Park Plaza (Sunday, 6/27, 4-7pm) for the ‘LGBTQAI+ Pride Resource Fair’. And just today, I received a notice in the mail, from City Council offices, asking me to… ‘Learn how to create welcoming spaces for LGBTQ+ & Communities.’ Apparently the City Councilis advising me to take an Education Class called ‘LGBTQ+ 101’, then I’m to follow it up with ‘LGBTQ+ ‘BestPractices’. What I find annoying is that there is no explanation as to what any of the above means. What will be the content of the Classes? I know what LGBTQ means, but I’d like to know what ‘I’, ‘A’, means, and I’m particularly curious about what the ‘+’ stands for. [Are they just going to keep adding more acronyms of sexual practices?]
While I wholeheartedly support our Constitution’s 1st Amendment of Free Speech, I hesitate to think that minor children could be present for the ‘LGBTQIA+ Pride Resource Fair’ planned for a Sunday afternoon in the town square. Even Hollywood gives us ‘Content Ratings’ for movies, videos & TV shows so that parents can guide their Children’s viewing habits. I question what ‘rating’ Hollywood would give this event?
In addition, I disapprove of this type of content becoming part of the Curriculum in our local public schools, as it most surely is. I hope that parents know that that they can ‘opt-out’ of this (un-tested & un-proven) social-engineering subject. Is it really beneficial for our students (as young as age 4) to be taught that there are more than (2) genders? And that they can look forward to choosing to be a ‘boy’ or choosing to be a ‘girl’, or choosing to be ‘non-binary’.
I contend that it is the parents Constitutional right to teach their children about human sexuality in a way that aligns with their own conscience, their own religious beliefs &family values. In fact, the supreme court agrees, that “The right belongs to the parents to make decisions concerning care, custody & control of their children.” (case: ‘2000’, Troxel vs Granville, 530.57)
Lastly, I will reminisce about the qualities of our wonderful small town, a town that is friendly, safe, honest & respectful. I’m not against change. But I want change for the better. We all know that our Constitution guarantees a Govt that is ‘For the People and by the People’. [It does not say ‘For the People by the Govt.’] So why are we letting City Government encroach on that right?
I’m reminded of the inscription on the wall in City Council Chambers, ‘In God We Trust’. That means something to me. I know it means something to you. My question is, ‘Will we?”
Annette Sula,
Fillmore