Letters to the Editor
The legislation expressly protects free speech and religious freedom.
One such passage states that "nothing in this division shall be construed to allow prosecution based solely upon an individual's expression of racial, religious, political, or other beliefs or solely upon an individual's membership in a group advocating or espousing such beliefs." The law also specifically states that it does not diminish any free speech right under the First Amendment.
To me the most important part of the law states that "the Constitution of the United States does not protect speech, conduct or activities consisting of planning for, conspiring to commit, or committing an act of violence," so unless you advocate or encourage violence against a LGBT person, you can say the Bible says homosexuality is an abomination without any fear that your freedom of speech is being limited.
Earl G. Bley Jr.
Aurora
We don't believe GM should have been able to arbitrarily end our franchise, without at least giving Gjovik (as well as the hundreds of other dealers) an opportunity to appeal the decision to some neutral third-party arbitrator. That just doesn't seem fair. And we definitely don't want GM to be able to put another dealer into this territory without Gjovik at least having the first shot at regaining their franchise.
As I pointed out in my last letter to the editor, if GM does not reconsider their decision, Sandwich will lose roughly $300,000 annually in sales tax revenue. And, to make matters worse, GM's actions will also cost the county roughly $80,000 each year in lost sales tax revenue. So that means the city of Sandwich and the county will either have to cut some of their services or increase our taxes. Can the taxpayers really afford this kind of lost revenue, year after year?
Please continue with your letters of support, and don't forget to stop by the dealership to sign our petition to General Motors to reconsider their decision.
Jim Frolik
Sandwich
Our thanks to everyone who helped make this Walk a success: our major sponsor, The Hartford, who supported us financially, formed teams and supplied volunteers for the Walk.
Other sponsors included Whitt Law, RRI Energy, Inner Harmony Acupuncture, Back to Bed, McAdams & McAdams, and Oberweis Dairy. In addition, both financial and in-kind sponsorships were received from Shaw, Jacobs & Associates, Fred Morelli, Kiwanis Club of Aurora, Yorkville Junior Women's Club, Batavia Women's Club, A. Charles Williams & Associates, AlphaGraphics (Aurora), Colonial Café (Aurora), FC Enterprises, Jake's Bagels, Mercyfest '09, RE/MAX, Smokey's, Dunkin Donuts (Naperville) and McDonald's (Plainfield). Special thanks to all the volunteers at the Walk.
Recognition went to the top fundraisers: Jessica Freelund, top individual; Team Kari, top team; Kendall County Opportunity School, top school; Team Johnson, top family and The People, top organization.
Mutual Ground (www.mutualgroundinc.org) provides free services of safety, healing and prevention for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Anyone interested in corporate sponsorship or team recruitment for Walk 2010 is asked to contact Judy Jacobson, Mutual Ground's director of development, at 630-897-0084.
The Walk for Hope Committee members are Felicia Williams, Heather Fennig, Jo Ryland, Mavis Bates, Gina Eanes, Andi Danis, Michelle Curry and Kristin Good.
Judy Jacobson
Director of development
Mutual Ground, Inc.
Aurora
Nowadays, some of us say, "Whenever I hear about our 'Christian values' I have to wonder: whose values: Baptists' values, Congregationalists' values, Lutherans' values, Catholics' values, Evangelicals' values?"
In a letter dated Sept. 7, 1774, John Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail, telling her that when the Continental Congress first met, someone suggested it be opened with a prayer. An argument commenced immediately as to who should lead the prayer, due to the various denominations of those present.
John's cousin, Samuel Adams, stood up and said " ... that he was no bigot, and could hear a Prayer from any gentleman of Piety and virtue, who was at the same time a friend of his Country ... " Having been thusly reprimanded by simple common sense, " ... the next morning (the Rev. Mr. Duche) appeared" and delivered that prayer, which, as Adams related, " ... had an excellent effect upon everybody there."
Would we have done the same if we, not they, had met to establish this country? Based on what I see and hear today, I have little doubt we'd have had the same argument, but lacking their common sense, I have no reason to believe that we'd have settled it. Think I'm wrong? Then what are we arguing right here and now, 200-plus years after the fact?
Some among us also say, "We are not a Christian nation! We are a nation of law, established on two secular documents, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution."
Odd, then, isn't it, that we can find this in the 1892 Supreme Court decision (Church of the Holy Trinity vs. United States): " ... These, and many other matters which might be noticed, add a volume of unofficial declarations to the mass of organic utterances that this is a Christian nation ... "
Odd, too, how one of those "secular" documents ends with this: "And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the Protection of divine Providence ... "
As to the Constitution itself, one can only call it secular if the arguments, the pleas, the speeches and every other aspect of its creation were secular in nature. To do so speaks of an abject ignorance of our founding history and/or an intent to deceive.
John Babush
Big Rock
