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Show A10 Wednesday, March 21, 2007 Vernal Express a S)DDrDD(Q)rQ II Public Forum Letters to the Editor What is your opinion? The Vernal Express welcomes letters from its readers concerning any subject sub-ject pertinent to the Uintah Basin. There are no restrictions on contents, if not libelous, vindictive and in good taste. The letters need to be a reasonable length, two typewritten double spaced pages. Letters must be submitted exclusively to the Vernal Express and bear the writer's full name, signature, signa-ture, phone number and address. Letters for the sole purpose of expressing thanks to individuals or groups will not be printed in the forum. Letters may be mailed to P.O. Box 1000, Vernal, Utah 84078, faxed at 789-8690 or through email at editorvernal.com. The name or names of the persons submitting sub-mitting letters must appear on all published letters. All letters are subject to condensation. Letters express the opinion of the writer and are not necessarily the opinion of the Vernal Express Editor. Congratulate the school board Dear Editor-Vernal Editor-Vernal educational community: commu-nity: As a retired 35 year teacher teach-er rather recently retired to this area, I have been vocally quite critical of policies of our school board and administration. I do not believe their decisions have reflected a genuine concern for student needs of this area, and I strongly believe that addressing address-ing student needs should be the primary focus of all educational decisions and policies at all levels. lev-els. Having said this, I believe someone should publicly congratulate con-gratulate the school board and the new superintendent for some recent significant policy changes. Scott Ruppe has probably prob-ably engineered most of these changes, but the other board members have had to show some character and guts to reverse re-verse themselves on a couple of key votes. They all deserve the community's applause, and many of us should thank them for considering student needs first! I hope they will address a couple of other issues with the same value-oriented criteria as they recently demonstrated. Bruce Wilkinson 789-1025 Still Serving America: American Legion Proclamation In honor of 88 years of the American Legion's public service, the following fol-lowing proclamation was presented by Dan Price, Vernal's American Legion Post No. 11, at the Wednesday, Wednes-day, March 7, Vernal City Council and signed by Mayor Allan Mashburn. The Proclamation states: Whereas, The American Legion was formed in 1919, shortly after he termination termina-tion of World War I hostilities hos-tilities and is an organization organiza-tion of wartime veterans united a common bond of continued service to God and country; and . Whereas, the American Ameri-can Legion will observe the 88th anniversary of its founding, March 11-17, 2007, as an organization comprised of nearly 3 million mil-lion men and women who have served their country with honor during one the wars since the 20th century; centu-ry; and Whereas, By giving meaningful service in conjunction con-junction with the theme "Still Serving America," Legionnaires have made significant contributions to America thought and deed; and Whereas, Endeavors of the America Legion, which strengthen our free and perpetuate our free institutions characterize this gigantic fraternity of service as one of the great bulwarks of the American way of life; and Spring Cleaning Dear Editor, Ask not what your community commu-nity can do for you, ask what you can do for community. I'm asking for help to clean up our roads, especially , the US Highway High-way 40 between Roosevelt and Vernal. I don't know when it's ever looked this bad. It has become be-come so bad that it is literally going to take a community of people to clean it up. And that's why I'm asking for anyone who is as embarrassed by it as I am, to come out on Saturday morning morn-ing April 14 and help clean it up. We will be provided with bags and vests. We cannot have anyone under the age of 11 help because of state regulations. There are some organizations that have adopted a 2-mile-stretch of highway, and I'm hoping hop-ing that they will contact me to work with us to get it done. If you and your family, or group or club is willing to put a little time and effort into your community, please call me at 435.722.4215. If I don't answer, leave your Animal Cruelty Dear Editor, It is outrageous that a few legislators, even according to KSL Radio's Nightshade anchors an-chors who witnessed the end of the Session, sabotaged the Animal Ani-mal Cruelty Offenses bill. How else could this sensible bill that most Utahns have supported for 12 years, have passed the House and Senate, but still die on a technicality, at midnight "as. it did? - They voted for unpopular issues like toxic waste and extravagant ex-travagant soccer stadiums, yet defied the people on SB190, and in so doing sent a message that in Utah, it's okay to torture companion animals. We thank most Legislators who supported SB190. Only a few did not, but got their way. If yours ignored your input, remember it next election day. Whereas. The American Ameri-can Legion has achieved its position of high esteem through programs of service ser-vice to community, state and nation; and Whereas, Such programs have become an integral part of Vernal, Utah. Now, Therefore, be it resolved that Allan Mashburn, Mash-burn, Mayor of the City of Vernal, together with the members of the City Council, Coun-cil, do hereby call upon all citizens, companies and organizations to join with us in commending the good works of this organization, organi-zation, as ah expression of appreciation for the wartime war-time and peacetime services ser-vices of our Legionnaires. They are truly "Still Serving Serv-ing America," In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of Vernal Ver-nal City to be affixed this 7th day of March, 2007. Signed, Mayor Allan Mashburn and Attested, Ken Bassett, City recorder. American Legion Posts from Vernal (A.L. Post No. 11) and Jensen (A.L. Post No. 124) will select four boys each, all soon to be high school seniors, to participate in Boys State this summer at a cost of $350 a participant. These young men will learn the workings of government, electing their own officials including a mayor, council-men council-men and other officials. name and phone number and the number of people you will bring. I need an idea of how many people we are going to get, so I can organize the effort into sections. Depending upon the response, re-sponse, I would like to start at the Ioka turn and go all the way to Vernal. Most of this are is Uintah County, and I'm hoping hop-ing that the people of Vernal will come out and support us. I would like to see businesses and organizations, and even, civic leaders represented along with church groups. Imagine what we could do, if every Boy Scout and youth group helped that day? The more people involved, the quicker we can get it done. If by some chance, you haven't noticed the trash, start . looking around. Take a look on your next trip over to Wal-Mart. Something has to be done! We are not trashy people in the basin. ba-sin. We don't want people coming com-ing through our town to think we are just what they see. This is a great place to live and raise a family. Let's make it look like the great place that it is. Terry Rohrer 722-4215 Bill Some representatives (notably in Utah County) dismiss the seriousness of the torturing animals, yet are astounded at Utah's escalating domestic violence vio-lence incidents. With passively defeating SB190, they ignore those without voices (defenseless (defense-less children and animals). They are representing us who know better: animal torture is ..(a crime of depraved, violence that should be punished accordingly. accord-ingly. We implore Governor Huntsman: Hunts-man: call a special session to pass SB190 at long last. The people, and indeed the majority of the House and Senate, have spoken. Cheryl Smith Executive Director Utah Animal Adoption Center Cen-ter Open letter to all the American electorate Dear beloved Americans: This letter has no intention to offend every intelligent and considerate reader. However, I feel that it is high time to minimize mini-mize religious persecution, which is not in compliance with our constitution that declares freedom of religion. That is why the name of this great nation is United States of America. Meaning, we must be united in establishing justice, insuring domestic tranquility, providing for the common defense, de-fense, promoting the general welfare, and securing the blessings bless-ings of liberty for ourselves and our prosperity. Since the U.S. is now, without with-out any dqubt, a global leader in most respects, these basic American liberties should be a long standing model for other countries, who strive for democracy democ-racy for the whole world. Isn't it wonderful to be a promising model nation or government gov-ernment in the circle of member mem-ber nations of the U.N., its non-member non-member nations, as well as a few Arab monarch states? We all know that the main reason for all the conflicts and wars in the world, especially in the Middle East, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Kashmir, Indonesia, the Philip pines, Sudan, Somalia, North Korea, and other diverse places in the Pacific, South America, Europe and Western Africa, are all attributable to competing religious beliefs. 'We are better .than the rest of world' attitude. We cannot always blame the Islamic Is-lamic militants fighting for the right reason. However, America should be a shining example of how people, government and re- a me-" from Pink dinosaur Congratulations Dear Editor, Wow! The print quality on ligion can go hand-in-hand with unconditional harmony. So how credible is the U.S. as the global leader in international interna-tional relations? Please think of republican Presidential candidate can-didate Gov. Mitt Romney. Hopefully, Hope-fully, history may repeat itself as proven by President John E Kennedy, who was a Catholic. What is wrong, if America is led by a more God-fearing people who happens to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Will it do more harm than good? Election time is very challenging chal-lenging for all American wise and conscientious voters .regardless .re-gardless of color, income and religion. But we can always be united in all sorts of patriotic acts after all considerations are in place, disregarding the religion reli-gion of Romney. I cannot say more about the record breaking yolunteerism and humanitarian acts of love and service of Church members from Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada, Colorado, California, Louisiana, New Orleans, Florida, Flori-da, and other states. Kindly understand that the Church's humbleness remained steady, no matter how many times common critic and seep- tics always called the Church a cult, or non-Christian. The name of the Church is bearing bear-ing the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the savior of the Pi VVJSH YCv I WAS 6R) ' the paper of March 14, 2007 was great! Best print quality I've seen printed on the local press. Congratulations to the D0NT EVEN THINK 9 world, especially for non-Chris-tians. I am strongly determined that the God of the universe who created all of us will reveal re-veal to all the world at the final judgement day that there will be one faith, government and eternal reward for the faithful from all walks of life. So, there is no reason to create in this world dislike among others because be-cause of their religious conviction, convic-tion, especially when it comes to electing public officials. I am not saying that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are the most honest, God-fearing people on the face of the earth, but before people criticize the Church, they must think of the feelings and shortcomings or enduring burdens of the membership in general. We can do away with those unnecessary unending misjudgments of the Church by considering the Golden Rule. As simple as that. We are deliberately deliber-ately inviting the forces of evil in this world to win the great battle of humanity. We, having hav-ing both a body and spirit will never be defeated by the devil who is only a spirit. The main reason why men become bad is that when he allows the influence influ-ence of evil to rule his life and his posterity. The U.S. Constitution guarantees guar-antees the securement of the blessings of liberty of our peo- print crew and the lead printer (Tyrell Thomas) for that day's paper. G.Mark Thomas Vernal ABOUT IT; ple, especially our future young and little ones who will lead us too in righteousness. I do not think God will not lead America's Ameri-ca's future to destruction, if we always practice a ready attitude everyday to invite peace, harmony, har-mony, patriotic support to each other; rather than being less appreciative of the talents and contributions of both ordinary American and deserving leaders lead-ers of our community, society and the nation as a whole. The world just needs a very simple appreciation to all people who are willing to sacrifice to make a difference. After all, we are all universal sons and daughters of God. If the next president of the U.S. is another religious person like all other past presidents, I can assure every intelligent American electorates, parents and general leaders in all respects, re-spects, that our nation will enjoy en-joy the full guidance of a loving creator of the entire universe, free from any forms of hypocrisy hypoc-risy and abuses of freedom and basic human rights for the sake of our families, dreams, and continuing prosperity. Long live the self-respect we all mean for others (non-Americans or Americans) for the sake of global glob-al peace to endure forever! ; Respectfully, I Pedro De Los Santos Jr. ; Vernal : |