Letters to the editor

United we stand

Dear editor:

With election season upon us and much being said on all sides of any issue or politician, I feel it important to be reminded, and to remind all, that united we stand, divided we fall.

Governing involves leadership. Leadership involves problem solving — coming to the table with solutions to problems and communicating among all parties, even those you don’t like or agree with. Saying “what can we do to deal with. … ” not automatically saying “no” as loud as you can.

Integrity and credibility are other traits that are involved with leadership. Being able to present an issue or a problem without exaggerating or outright misleading others. Respect, now that is something you don’t see very often. Today you may be on the same side of an issue and next week opposite sides of another issue. Let us all please treat each other with respect, take the time to talk with and listen to the other person. This country has big problems that need real leaders to solve them and we all need to be a part of the solution. Sharon Parrett Hot Springs

Partial truths

Dear editor:

Today’s (Sept. 20) The Sentinel-Record carries a letter from Pat Darnell about our president and the birther fiasco.

Her letter is a good example of an attempt to shape thinking by the publication of partial truths or the compression of proof texts into “irrefutable verities.”

Pat Darnell writes that we can “see the image of his bio on the fly of his first book” and read that he “was born in Kenya.”

I would love to see that “fly.” I have been unable to locate it. What I have seen is an admission by Miriam Goderich of Acton and Dystel, who printed a promotional booklet for advancing the sales of the Obama book (“Journeys in Black and White”), that this was an error born of a lack of fact checking. She said that it was a “simple mistake and nothing more.” I am looking at an image from that booklet, with Mr. Obama’s picture on it, and the “born in Kenya” statement which she corrects. It is in that booklet, and only in that booklet, as far as I can tell, and it is not on the cover or flyleaf of his book.

I agree that honesty in government is to be desired. And it would be refreshing to find accuracy and honesty in what is written for public consumption. C.G. Smith Hot Springs