OPINION TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2014
THE ITEM
A9
To submit a letter to the editor, e-mail letters@theitem.com COMMENTARY
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Maybe Christie could use an Obama hug
W
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Intent is not to offend, but sometimes truth hurts This is in reference to The Item’s editorial on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2014, titled “Don’t be shy, join in the discussion.” I want to thank The Item staff for publishing every letter I have submitted to them. The editorial states “Some letters, which we discard, are notable for their reckless disregard of the truth; others are filled with rumors, hearsay, gossip and outright slander.” It’s wonderful to know that my letters don’t fit into those categories. The editorial also says that The Item does not accept unsigned letters and they don’t accept letters that state “Name withheld” or “anonymous.” The Item staff feels that if you want to share your opinion with their readers you must take responsibility for it by giving your name, address and telephone number for verification purposes only. I agree with their policy. Conversely, I feel that The Item staff should practice what they preach. If an Item staff member writes an editorial, especially one that includes the names of other citizens, he or she should have the courage to give their name. The writer should not hide behind any media policy that allows them to remain anonymous. In Sumter, The Item has the reputation of being a right-wing conservative newspaper. Therefore, for them to define me and Mr. Burns, while overlooking the many letters with racially coded words and implications by other white writers, is no surprise. However, the public is not fooled. They know that racism exists in Sumter County. To not mention it, deal with it or try to eliminate it is what actually divides us as one community. Again, I want to thank The Item staff for publishing my letters. It’s not my intent to offend anyone, only to express the truth and sometimes the truth hurts. EUGENE R. BATEN Sumter
| one of the great differences between white and black families is the value placed on education, knowing right from wrong and that all actions have consequences both good and bad. Most white children do not spend hours practicing any type of sport to the detriment of their school work and learning. Asian families seem to do these things the best. However, all families, regardless of race or skin color, need to do these things to give their children the best start in life. There is just no substitute for positive parental involvement. If people do not want this commitment, then do not have children. I don’t give a hoot what Hillary Clinton believes and says — a village can not raise a child with the proper education and tools to be successful in life. That is just a cop-out for justifying absentee parents. The real kicker is and is always the truth: You have control over your life, stop blaming others, and if you are unhappy and are not where you want to be ... well, change something in your life! You are in control. DAVID LePAGE Sumter
‘Soap opera’ discourse in letters needs to stop Here it is not yet two weeks into the new year, and the mud, slander, race pundits are at it again. Guess who slung the first handful of prejudicial crap? Well all you have to do is read this column. I say stop it and get down to some supportive and constructive discourse. This whole “soap opera” can be discontinued easily. What you all need to do is find a nice shady spot and sit around and have a beer together and have a frank respectful discussion of your issues and feelings, and before you know it you are all friends, and the letters to the editor will have nothing to print except niceties and warm fuzzy feeling articles. Now wouldn’t that be a nice thing to have!
Education, parental involvement are key to children’s success
J. M. (MIKE) EDWARDS Clyde, N.C. Former Sumter resident
Re: comments for Mr. Burns: Good thought about education rather than jail. However, college will not and does not make anyone smart. That has to begin. Since you are the president of the local NAACP, I am guessing that you are referring to the blacks being put “off the street.” What needs to happen is for black families to step up to the plate and teach their children: 1) right from wrong; 2) their actions have consequences ... both good and bad; 3) that education is the key to get knowledge to help “stop making stupid decisions;” 4) to know where their children are at night; 5) to stop practicing sports as a way out and to start practicing education as the real way out. I agree that blacks are over represented as a percentage of our population in prisons and jails. The solution is very easy: Stop breaking the law. Again, being taught by their parents that their actions have consequences. These steps also apply to any parent. Seemingly,
Lengthy benefits give no incentive to find work As we enter the new year, many members of congress want to extend unemployment benefits yet again. I personally know a man who was on unemployment for 2 years and when it ran out, he found a job within a couple of weeks. There seems to be no incentive to find a job until the well runs dry, so to speak. What if we allowed people two years of unemployment with their first check being 50 percent of their last paycheck and tapered the amount off from there? By the end of one year, they’d be down to 25 percent, and their last unemployment check would be for about a nickel. Eventually they’d get hungry enough somewhere along the way instead of waiting until the end to find a job. WES JOHNSTON Dalzell
ASHINGTON — In tial feature of this controthe days since rev- versy is an emerging narraelations surfaced tive that, barring the unabout New Jersey Gov. Chris foreseen, could shift focus Christie’s office orchestratfrom Christie’s administraing the now-infamous tion to the greater villain — George Washington Bridge the media. Judging from my lane closings, I’ve had at overflowing inbox, there’s a least four different reactions. growing sense on the right Listed in chronological that Christie is being unorder, they were: He’s dead; fairly battered by a media maybe not so bad if he all too eager to help defrock didn’t know anything; OMG, the Republican front-runan elderly woman died! He’s ner. gone. Latest and hardly Needless to say, one bad least, Christie may emerge deed (Obama’s falsehoods) relatively unscathed as the does not excuse another media displace him as vil(misusing power to punish lains. a political foe). The bridge To stipulate, we recognize scandal is compelling prethat Florida Sen. Marco cisely because it fits the Rubio made the sanest obwell-documented bullying servation when asked image of Christie, notwithThursday to comment. “I standing his denials during think the right approach is the news conference. “I am to be a bit prudent not a bully,” he said, here and not jump to reminding us mostly conclusions,” Rubio of “I am not a said. “I don’t know witch.” Or “I am not anything about this. a crook.” So for me to comChristie’s style ment beyond that was always going to would just not be, be problematic for you know, appropri- Kathleen him in the primaPARKER ate.” ries, especially in the Ahem, well, fine. polite South. But There you have the differnow he also can be viewed ence between a senator in as a victim not only of maline to replace Christie as lignant, malicious and the leading Republican mind-bendingly stupid presidential candidate and staffers but also of a two— everybody else. faced, pro-Democratic On the train from New media. York to Washington on The media are not Thursday, two words conmonolithic, as we like to retinuously rose above the mind people. But we do din: Chris Christie. The best have a tendency to focus on summation of how the the latest scandal. And it scandal is playing political- does seem that we tend to ly came from two high-pro- treat Republican scandals file consultants who hapas more delicious than othpened to be on the same ers. This is owing less to the train — Republican Mary sins committed than to the Matalin and Democrat greater sin of hypocrisy. James Carville. The higher the bar, the “BFD,” said Matalin when harder they fall. I asked her thoughts. But Christie isn’t a strong “May I quote you?” exhibit in the mean-media “Yes.” argument. More than a ReCarville, somewhat less publican, he is a colorful, concise, said he gave Chris- larger-than-life character tie a C-minus on his twowho speaks loudly and carhour news conference, ries a big stick. Cameras down from an initial B-plus. will always find the most The lower grade followed interesting landscape, and further consideration that Christie has that turf covrevealed contradictions and ered. More to the salient fuzzy details that didn’t add point, as the leading Republican presidential canup, he said. As just one exdidate, he can hardly be igample, also notably mennored. Coverage of this fiastioned by Rush Limbaugh, Christie said he hadn’t slept co isn’t disproportionate to the man, even if it may be for a couple of days, but he to the event. had just found out about If, indeed, Christie had his staff’s involvement the no knowledge of the lane day before. closings and if, in fact, he Slip of the tongue, or was betrayed by idiots — vagueness in the service of even though he hired and subterfuge? Perhaps more trusted those idiots — then to the point of Christie’s fuhe could survive. ture, Carville noted that Those are big ifs. What is Limbaugh and other highcertain is that the only thing profile conservatives aren’t the Republican base hates defending the governor. more than a liar and a bully Even so, many Republiis a bullying media. Once cans in the Matalin camp that common enemy is essee this as much ado about tablished, the perceived viclittle, especially compared tim often becomes the victo, for instance, President tor. Obama’s repeated falsehoods about people keeping Kathleen Parker’s email the health insurance they address is kathleenparker@ like under the Affordable washpost.com. Care Act. Democrats see this as the inevitable ruin of © 2014, Washington Post a bully run amok. Writers Group But another consequen-
HUBERT D. OSTEEN JR. | EDITOR AND CHAIRMAN
Founded October 15, 1894 20 N. Magnolia St. Sumter, SC 29150
N.G. OSTEEN 1843-1936 The Watchman and Southron
H.G. OSTEEN 1870-1955 Founder, The Item
H.D. OSTEEN 1904-1987 The Item
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