Letters to the editor for the week of May 21

Staff reports
Published: May 21, 2008

Where credit is due

This letter is in regards to the article printed on May 15 entitled Elon team completes Girls on the Run.
As a parent of a participant from Central Elementary, once again your paper has committed a huge injustice to the school and the students.
First of all Elon was not the only team from Amherst County that completed the 5K run.
There is one small mention made about the fact that Central Elementary also had a team of 22 girls. It was the first time many of these girls tried running. Our girls and coaches worked as hard as any of the other teams. I know that they deserve more than one line buried in an article about another team.
How do think our girls feel knowing that another team got front-page coverage and they barely received any recognition? Why isn’t their participation and completion of the 5K as important as those from Elon?
I believe your paper is supposed to cover all newsworthy events throughout the county and not just the ones in particular school zones.
Please give the 22 hard working girls and the four dedicated coaches from Central Elementary the credit they deserve.

Tracy Slaughter
Monroe

Official language needed

I was watching TV a few weeks ago when a National Guard commercial came on.
What I heard next really appalled me — the commercial was in Spanish. What is wrong with this country?
I do not want people in my country’s military who cannot speak or understand the most spoken language in this country — English.
You cannot have people in that type of government department who can’t understand orders. English being the main language (though not official language) in this country, any person entering the military must be able to understand and carry out orders given to them.
If they can’t understand the language then we would have chaos in the military.
We depend on these people to protect us and our country. How can they do that if they can’t understand orders? This is a perfect argument for a national language being established by our government.
I don’t know many countries that don’t have a national language. It should also be a requirement for citizenship.
I have no problem with people speaking their own language in their community but why should we have to cater to them.
They should have to adapt to us rather than we adapt to them. If the national government won’t establish a national language then perhaps Virginia should do so within the state.

Paul Zentmyer
Madison Heights

Nash is back

I have finally graduated from college after 12 long years, so it’s back to letter writing. 
There seems to be some people upset with California’s decision to lift the ban on gay marriage. What gives some people the right to dictate to others how to live? 
Everyone is created equal, or should be and they are free to live as they see fit. 
People should remember if God does not like it, he will handle it in his own way in due time. 
That should give those who are worried some comfort. 
Many cannot control their own lives, much less someone else’s. So people should live their own lives and leave others alone.
I was raised in church from an infant to a young person, but I do not go now because of the way many churches put people down in the name of God.
I went to church to be taught from the Bible and not someone’s personal opinion. 
Not everyone interprets the Bible the same. I can talk to God right here at home, thank you very much, and I don’t have to rub shoulders with hypocrites who go to church just to be seen, and go back to stabbing people in the back the minute church is over. 
And believe me, I know some. There are some among the faithful. It’s not the gays who will hasten Gods return; it’s the people and their treatment of each other.
Moving on, what’s up with McCain?
Regardless of what party you are in, this thing about staying in Iraq until 2013 is absurd. 
How many kids does he think there are in the U.S. that are still alive and able to serve? Where is he going to get them?
Those left sure aren’t going to enlist and sign their death warrant, unless they are brainwashed.
We are not in Iraq to defend this country. Now, if they come over here, that’s a whole different ballgame. 
Five more years of being involved in a war that we can never win will wipe out every young man in this country.
So if it happens, the old folks had better bone up on their survival skills, because they will be serving next.
The only way this country will be able to survive is to keep our money here and take care of our own. 
The economy is not going to improve the way it is going now. 
Better hope things change after the election or we are all done for.

Wendy Nash
Amherst

After-Prom Party support

It is time again for the Amherst County High School Prom. The annual event will be held Saturday, May 24.
As we have for the past 12 years, the Amherst County Sheriff’s Office will host the after-Prom Party. 
We are only able to offer this alcohol free/secure event because of the generosity of the businesses and citizens of our county.
We are seeking support and assistance in two forms, financial donations and door prizes that enable the event to be offered to the students at no cost.
The after-prom party will be held from midnight following the prom until 3 a.m. at the Sweet Briar College gym. 
There will be games, laser tag, swimming, food, soft drinks and lots of door prizes. 
For those students attending the entire time (midnight to 3 a.m.), four names will be drawn for an opportunity to win a brand new 2008 Hyundai Elantra that is being offered in a region-wide drawing.
All Amherst County High School juniors and seniors are invited (whether or not they attend the Prom.)
If you are able to assist, please contact our Crime Prevention Unit at (434) 946-9301.
Thank you for your support, it takes all of us working together to ensure a safe community.

L J Ayers, III
Sheriff

Relay for Life a success

On behalf of this year’s American Cancer Society Relay for Life committee, I would like to thank the entire community for their generosity and support. 
$120,000 was raised in this year’s event because of the support of the entire community. Top team, Steel Hope, and top participant, Judy Dugan, helped us reach that amount.
Relay for Life is truly a community event and I want to applaud the survivors that kicked off the event by participating in the opening survivor recognition lap. They are the reason we continue to fight.
A special thanks to the many volunteers who worked to make this event a success.
The Relay for Life committee did an outstanding job of pulling the community together and we would not have been able to do it without them.
We also appreciate the generosity of this year’s major sponsors for their contributions and participation.
Again, thank you for supporting the American Cancer Society, and remember it’s not too early to become involved in next year’s Relay for Life.
To find our how, contact the American Cancer Society office at (434) 946-0973.

Sharon Shrader
Relay for Life