Letters to the editor
Honoring the flag means getting rid of the pledge and the anthem
We are the property of the Creator and not of the political state, making the pledge to the flag and the national anthem acts of idolatry. Make no mistake, standing with hand over heart for the national anthem is nothing more than an extension of the pledge. Both the pledge and the anthem constitute nationalism [ deification of the political state and its leaders ]. Did we not have enough of that with Hitler and the Nazi flag wavers ? Patriotism [ love of country ] means that we give our sole allegiance to our Creator and the Creator’s will [ the golden rule - treat every human being as you would want to be treated ] as opposed to a flag that gives the green light to abortion, the death penalty, punishment, torture, assassinations, war, and other action contrary to the will of the Creator.
Jefferson and Gandhi regarded Paul as the major corrupter of the understanding of Jesus. It is Paul who sets the stage for the flag pledge that is rejected by Jesus. Jefferson and Gandhi also rejected the Bible as the word of God as did Jesus. A radical statement, but radically correct.
— Ray Kalainikas, Manalapan
Lack of Recycling
For the last 8 recycling pickups I have been home. For 6 of the 8 the recycling pick ups the trash and recycling have been mixed together. I have spoken to truck employees, Hughes office and the MCIA. I have been told: we are short of trucks & employees so we take everything to the landfill; there is a new recycling processing facility that can sort everything out or we will look into it and get back to you (Which did not happen). I wash tin, glass, plastic before I put out with paper. Why bother when it gets mixed with trash anyway? In the past four months there has been recycling only 25 per cent of the time. — Stewart Zitzner, Hamilton
Couldn’t be bothered
There was an excellent article by Sulaiman regarding the 4th District Congressional Race on Sunday. However, when I got to the statement regarding the 38-year incumbent, Smith, it was a let down. Apparently Congressman Smith couldn’t take time out of his busy day in Virginia to make his own comments for the article. We instead heard from spokesperson, Mary McDermott Noonan. Of course he has constituent services and legislation passed. He is, after all, a U.S. Congressman since 1981. Unless you have that job you can’t do those things.
The problem is only a couple of laws that passed actually help District 4. With the exception of the money he gets occasionally to insure he continues to get the vote of the veterans, what else? He votes against legislation that he knows has but hides food assistance or Medicaid in it so seniors, disabled, and constituents needing assistance for their children won’t know. He only votes against things unpopular here if he knows it will still pass without his vote. He hasn’t held a Town Hall in Hamilton in years. Does he have ESP? Why don’t people understand that he just doesn’t care what we need or think in District 4? It is time for Smith to be retired for his lack of interest in what the “middle class, working class, and working poor” here in his old home town need. Let’s give that job to someone who will fight for us. It is time for “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” to retire to his home since 1983 in Virginia.
— JoAnne Bruno, Hamilton