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With lawsuits by 47 institutions of the Catholic church, the ungodly use of the altar for political use, the disrespect for President Obama by Republicans and of Gov. Haley by Democrats, we've become a nation of politics rather than of God.

It's no wonder there's a new increase of scandals for church and state. God grows angry with the ignorance, arrogance and falseness of mankind, with the using of Him to condone such hate and immaturity.

I can't help but wonder how do priests feel they are being less a priest of Christ in favor of being priest of politics, in their being in the pockets of parishioners of politics over God.

It's apparent that the wings of the far right and left are broken. It's the country and church but most of all God who is being wounded with the erratic flapping of these wings, while others stand silent in the shadows of their ivory tower.

The politics of both parties does not belong on the altar and should never be attached with hate and violence in the square. We see America as being the greatest country in the world, yet we have become a nation addicted to hate and politics, too unwilling to stand up against our third world ways.

Catholics, non-Catholics, although after reading Christ's words, have cast aside the words and teachings of Christ, such as: "He who is sinless, cast the first stone." There are many stones being cast with hate in the name of God, for God has become just a symbol for political use, rather than being truly followed.

The great history of South Carolina is being stained with the shamefulness of hate and politics, with the disrespect being given to Obama and Haley.

Many are standing proud, yet lacking God.

]]> Mon, 28 May 2012 00:12:54 GMT Opinions http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052812-vincent-letter-christ--4023755 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052712-thumbs-up-down--4025242
To the ultimate sacrifice -- This Memorial Day weekend, let us not forget the reason for it -- to honor the sacrifice the men and women in the armed forces gave for our country and our freedom.

To educational opportunities --Plans were announced for a new K-12 private school to open in 2013. Additional educational options for our youth are always welcome news.

To Hall of Famers -- Former USC Aiken golf teammates Scott Brown and Dane Burkhart are the two inductees in the Pacer 2012 Hall of Fame class. The pair were part of USCA's three golf national titles.

To Downtown improvements -- St. Mary is moving forward with a beautiful new addition to Downtown, continuing the enhancement of the Union Street corridor.

Thumbs down:

To literally bashing the governor -- Donna Dewitt, the president of the South Carolina AFL-CIO was seen in a YouTube video smashing a pinata with Gov. Nikki Haley's face on it. Haley and unions don't get along, but this is a childish and inappropriate way to behave.

To the governor's response -- While the video was vile, the governor stayed in the mud after the video went public by sending out a fundraiser e-mail asking for between $50 and $250 "show big labor we will not stand for their bullying."

To stealing from kids ¬­-- Someone broke in to storage trailers and stole about $16,000 word of band equipment from North Augusta High. Stealing is low enough. Stealing kids' band equipment? Goes even lower. ]]> Mon, 28 May 2012 00:12:51 GMT Opinions http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052712-thumbs-up-down--4025242 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052812-byars-letter-anti-choice--4025684
State Senators may be patting themselves on the back about this "compromise" that was reached, but I am not. And neither are the women in this state.

This proposal is every bit as extreme now as it was prior to a compromise that caused Sen. Lee Bright to threaten a filibuster. This bill would completely ban women from getting an abortion, unless she is literally on her death bed.

Under this proposal, a woman who is a victim of sexual assault would be forced to carry her rapist's spawn for 266 days to term, making her a rape victim for a second time - with the state government being the perpetrators this time.

There has not been a clean budget passed in either Columbia or Washington, D.C., since 1975 at the latest. This "compromise" may be a win-win for politicians in Columbia, but it is a lose-lose for women.

]]> Mon, 28 May 2012 00:08:34 GMT Opinions http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052812-byars-letter-anti-choice--4025684 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052812-ledo-letter-racism--4029064
People who are not racists do not have to explain why they are not racists. Whenever I see a long and exhausting letter to the editor claiming they are not racist, I think: racist.

If you say you oppose President Obama because he is a socialist, "YOU LIE!" Obama is not a socialist. Someone who believes in heavy government regulation and private ownership is a capitalist. The Affordable Care Act proves Obama is a capitalist and not a socialist.

My assumption is that the authors of such letters know the difference between capitalism and socialism and simply are not repeating the words of their racist representatives or Fox News. I can only draw one conclusion: They oppose Obama because they are racist.

]]> Mon, 28 May 2012 00:05:23 GMT Opinions http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052812-ledo-letter-racism--4029064 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052412-mims-letter-topliff-response--4018021
In Monday's Aiken Standard, Gregory Topliff submitted another one of his exaggerated letters to the editor. Mr. Topliff complained about Mr. Obama's oratorical skill as though that is a bad trait to have. Personally, I want to listen to a president who inspires me to think positive about our country. The positive thoughts that Mr. Obama passes on to his audience are not misstatements. The country is on a path to better days as compared to what he inherited from the previous administration. There have been 25 consecutive months of job growth since the turn around began, and during the month of April, the unemployment rate decreased in 37 states, including South Carolina.

Gregory and his cohorts like to blame the president for the increase in gas prices. It is true that gas prices have risen quite a bit in the past three years, but the cost increase is due to a simple economic factor - supply and demand. Due to the world wide recession that was being experienced at the end of 2008, there was a reduced demand for oil, and when the demand is low for any product or service, the cost is correspondingly low. Increased economic activity, along with greed and speculative commodity trading, has caused gas prices to go up.

Gregory mistakenly said that Mr. Obama had added $5 trillion to the deficit, but the addition was to the national debt. Poor policy decisions by the previous administration account for most of the increase. By comparison, Mr. Bush doubled the national debt, and the hero of the Republican Party, Ronald Reagan, presided over a national debt that increased by 183 percent.

Finally, Gregory's diatribe on comparing Mr. Obama to Adolph Hitler is probably the most ridiculous and delusional characterization that I have ever read.

]]> Fri, 25 May 2012 14:12:29 GMT Opinions http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052412-mims-letter-topliff-response--4018021 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052512-editorial-other-views-college-debt--4023827
Newsday on college graduates and the financial burden of student loans.

May 18

It's graduation season, and newly minted college alumni are heading out into a tough economy with an unprecedented burden of debt.

America can't keep graduating students who owe so much. Student indebtedness has reached $1 trillion, and a recent Federal Reserve report found that, excluding borrowers with deferrals, 27 percent had past-due balances. Aside from the danger of mass default, heavy debt makes it harder for students to pursue further education, start a business or buy a house.

The Obama administration has already let 1.6 million borrowers cap their student loan payments at 10 percent of income, with loan forgiveness after 20 years. Millions of additional borrowers will probably need help down the road.

But in this graduation season, it's worth focusing on how to protect future grads from a future blighted by debt. Although there are few quick fixes, the broad outlines of a remedy are clear.

First, colleges have to become more efficient so students needn't borrow so much in the first place. This will mean greater use of technology to reach more students and teach them better at lower cost. Internet-based courses, for instance, can generate tons of data showing whether students are learning and what material is most troublesome.

Students can push colleges to get more efficient by making shrewder choices. Students are also going to have to get smarter about what they choose to study and how much effort they invest. More than anything, our economy needs more graduates in science, technology, engineering and math -- the "STEM" fields. Granted these are hard subjects, and they aren't the best fit for some students. But college graduates often regret borrowing thousands to get a degree that has little marketplace value. Better information on earnings prospects and the monthly cost of student loans might help; if students are going to major in semiotics -- or coast through school taking gut courses -- they should at least do so with their eyes open.

Finally, there's the role of government. Public funding for higher education has plunged all over the country, leading colleges to shift more of the burden onto students, who end up borrowing more.

Federal student loans, moreover, are aimed at increasing access to higher education, but they've had the effect of subsidizing soaring college costs -- encouraging yet more borrowing. In January, President Obama offered some useful proposals linking funding to campus cost control, but predictably, they went nowhere in Congress.

Reversing the tide of student borrowing will require colleges, students and lawmakers to change. It's time all parties graduated from the bad habits that got us into this mess.

------

http://www.newsday.com ]]> Fri, 25 May 2012 10:33:16 GMT Opinions http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052512-editorial-other-views-college-debt--4023827 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052boan-letter-little-league--4022660
More than likely you have been to a little league baseball game in your lifetime. There are great moments and sour moments, especially when it relates to sportsmanship. If you like competitiveness, the fact that trophies are often passed out like Halloween treats might bother you.

On the other extreme you may want equal playing time for everyone and care less about keeping score. There are a lot of different coaching styles, and though I always love the competitiveness of the game, it is great to see a coaching staff that can bring so much fun too winning and make the most of losing.

Our coaches did just that this year at Citizens Park. They turned around our Athletics' season and got us into the championship game. We played hard, but the other team beat us. Although individual trophies were not given, our coach received a huge second place tournament trophy.

Our magic moment did not happen on the field, but when we had our banquet dinner it was truly special. Our coach gave a speech and a certificate with parting shots at each player about something humorous they had said, done, etc. Then it happened. He gave each of them a piece of the trophy that had been awarded to him. It was great for us parents to see these kids enjoy a season so much and win something more important than the game; a piece of their coaches' hearts. Thanks Coach Samaha, Josh and Matt.

Stephen Boan

Aiken, South Carolina ]]> Fri, 25 May 2012 10:12:11 GMT Opinions http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052boan-letter-little-league--4022660 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052512-ledo-letter-deficit--4020243
It is easy to bloviate about the need to reduce the debt, but unless someone comes up with a plan both parties can agree upon, the point is moot. The reduction must happen by both a cut in spending and increasing revenues. When the President proposed a 10 year plan to cut $4 trillion while eliminating $400 billion in tax loopholes, the GOP rejected the plan. Enacting his plan is the first thing we should do.

¬· Eliminate $20 billion in pre-depression era farm subsidies. Why does Obese Nation subsidize sugar?

¬· Make Wall Street and bankers pay for the $19 billion dollars it takes to regulate them.

¬· Eliminate $4 billion in oil subsidies. Does anyone seriously still think they need it?

¬· Phase out mortgage tax deductions. It does nothing to encourage home ownership. It only encourages people to buy bigger homes than they can afford. $120 billion

¬· Allow the tax cuts to expire. $423 billion

¬· Raise the capital gains tax from 15% to 25%. $21 Billion

¬· Pull out of Afghanistan. $170 billion

¬· Combine the Army and Marines into one ground force. Eliminate the Air Force altogether and expand Naval and ground air. Estimated savings $30 billion.

¬· Raise the minimum wage to $10.55 /hr over the next 3 years. This will reduce government food/welfare programs. It will stimulate spending and increase revenue at local, state, and federal levels. Hopefully it will generate inflation. Currently corporations are sitting on $2 trillion dollars, some of which is in bonds drawing negative interest. Inflation will cause money to flow from low interest bonds into areas that will stimulate the economy. Eliminate the inane lower "tipping wage." The increase in unemployment would be minimal as most companies have already downsized and it would be offset by increases in consumer spending .

Added up, that is an annual deficit reduction of over $1.2 trillion. Budget is balanced. It's that simple, Jack.

Michael Ledo

Windsor ]]> Fri, 25 May 2012 10:12:08 GMT Opinions http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052512-ledo-letter-deficit--4020243 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052512-KINLAW-Letter--3998984
May 13 marked a significant point in South Carolina's history. In 1862, Robert Smalls freed himself and his family by commandeering the Confederate transport ship the Planter in Charleston Harbor and sailing to freedom.

Smalls and seven of the eight enslaved crewmen decided to make a run for the Union vessels that formed the blockade.

What is missed in this acountis that Smalls became a ship's pilot, sea captain and eventually a politician. Smalls served in the S.C. legislature and the U.S. House. One of Smalls' crowning achievements was authoring legislation that gave our state the first free and compulsory public school system in the U.S., and he was one of the founders of the state Republican Party.

Smalls was elected a member in the House of Representative in 1865 and 1870, the Senate in 1871 and 1874. He was elected to the U.S. House where he represented the 5th congressional district and the 7th congressional district. He was a member of the 44th, 45th, and 47th through 49th U.S Congresses.

Smalls identified with the Republican Party, saying it was, "The party of Lincoln which unshackled the necks of four million human beings." Later in life he recalled, "I can never lose sight of the fact that had it not been for the Republican Party, I would have never been an office-holder of any kind, from 1862 to present."

On April 9, 1866 the "radical" Republicans who controlled Congress overrode President Johnson's (Democrat) vetoes and passed the first Civil Rights Act, along with ratifying the 14th Amendment extending citizenship to all Americans regardless of their color.

In 2004, the U.S. named a ship for Robert Smalls. It is a LSV-8, a Logistic Support Vessel operated by the U.S. Army. It is the first Army ship named after an African American.

Ben Kinlaw

Barnwell ]]> Fri, 25 May 2012 10:12:04 GMT Opinions http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052512-KINLAW-Letter--3998984 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052512-cox-letter-gasoline-prices--4018827
I would like to respond to an article in today's letter section about gas prices:

My response is as follows: Gasoline has fallen to $3.24? If the price had gone up you would have blamed Bush. Obama has stopped the keystone pipeline, the drilling in the gulf as well as other areas of the country, and is putting a stop to coal fired electricity plants (watch that bill). Re-elect him; Somebody has been drinking the Kool-Aid.

Gary Cox

Aiken ]]> Fri, 25 May 2012 10:12:00 GMT Opinions http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052512-cox-letter-gasoline-prices--4018827 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052412-cal-thomas-column--4020257
In the Aesop Fable "The Grasshopper and the Ant," there are moral, economic and political lessons for our time, or any other.

As the story goes, the lazy grasshopper wiles away his summer days singing and hopping and having an all-around good time while industrious ants work and march and struggle to carry kernels of corn to their anthills, storing up for the winter to come.

As you would imagine, the inevitable happens. Come winter, the ants have plenty of food to see them through the cold, fallow months. The fun-loving grasshopper has nothing. The grasshopper begs the hardworking ants to share their bounty, but they refuse.

Let's begin with the political lesson. Government, the grasshopper in this little morality tale, is constantly trying to get its citizens, the ants, to cough up more and more of what they've earned by the sweat of their brows so that it might pay for its own needs.

The latest of many recent examples occurred last week in Maryland where the majority Democratic legislature passed another tax increase on "the rich."

Democratic Governor Martin O'Malley and the legislators have lowered the definition of "rich" from the arbitrary $250,000 established by President Obama, to $100,000 for individuals and $150,000 for couples filing jointly. Maryland residents will now be slapped with a new tax on top of already high state and local taxes, tying the state's new state-local tax bracket, according to the Washington Post, with that of "...the District's for fourth-highest in the nation." Especially in the expensive Maryland suburb of Washington, D.C., incomes of $100,000 and $150,000 are barely middle class.

The tax hike caused the Democratic comptroller, Peter Franchot, to protest. Franchot told Washington radio station WMAL his fellow Maryland Democrats "try to be loyal and want to be supportive of their party, but they're becoming very frustrated with this long list of almost indiscriminate tax increases that we're faced with on an annual basis."

Only if the tax-and-spend "grasshoppers" start feeling the heat from the taxpaying "ants" are they likely to reverse course. Some of that heat may soon be coming from people who are fed up enough to act. There are reports of wealthy individuals and some businesses from states with high taxes, including Maryland and certainly California, moving to states with a lower state tax, or no state tax at all.

The economic lesson is this: Human nature has demonstrated that if government can squeeze more money out of its citizens without having to cut wasteful spending, it will; and if citizens can get other people's money without having to earn it, they will become addicted to government and come to regard the sustenance as an entitlement.

Compare the huge number of ineffective and wasteful government programs with The Marshall Plan of 1948, which established the Economic Cooperation Administration, the intent of which was to provide $13.3 billion in U.S. aid to Western European countries to rebuild industry and put people back to work after World War II. Much of Europe is in crisis today because it has become a victim of its own welfare state. Instead of industry, there is indolence. Economies are in trouble because government, not the individual, has become supreme. France just elected a socialist president, rejecting necessary austerity. The European gravy train has derailed.

In America, too, many of our domestic programs merely sustain people in poverty rather than help them to become self-sufficient. Liberal politicians, especially, think this is perfectly fine because addiction to government means addiction to them and to the perpetuation of their liberal agenda.

The moral lesson is this: When government takes money from people who earn it, government has a responsibility to spend it wisely and in ways that achieve the ends set down in our founding documents. Chief among these is that noble sentiment found in the Preamble to the Constitution about promoting "the general welfare." By "spreading the wealth around," rather than teaching and encouraging individuals to build wealth for themselves, government robs people of the joy produced by human initiative; indeed it takes from them one of the building blocks that makes us unique among living things: the dignity and reward of work.

The moral, political and economic lessons of the past are in fables and reality to teach the present and ensure a better future. By ignoring them, Europe and America risk repeating costly mistakes and suffering the consequences.

Readers may e-mail Cal Thomas at tmseditors@tribune.com. ]]> Thu, 24 May 2012 10:44:18 GMT Opinions http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052412-cal-thomas-column--4020257 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/MARTONE-Letter--4020223
John P Morgan recently lost $2 billion of company money, not taxpayer money, by making a bad investment. Banks, as well as other independent companies invest and many times make bad choices and the company loses money. Do it too often, however, and the person responsible for that bad choice will get fired or he or she "retires" early. Bad investment choices are part of the game and they are expected. When a loss as great as the loss at JP Morgan hits the newspapers and the media, many uninformed readers may think the loss may somehow be taxpayer money, especially when the President and Congress get involved in the media story and feast upon it! Bad investments okayed or recommended by government officials, however, affect taxpayer money because taxpayer money was used in the loan! Take the situation involving Solyndra, a manufacturer of rooftop solar panels. In 2009 Solyndra became the Obama administration's first recipient of an energy loan guarantee to the tune of $535 million. It was meant to "help minimize the risk to venture capital firms" that were backing the solar start-up project. Unlike JP Morgan's situation which only affected stockholder and investors only, the Solyndra "mistake" directly affected taxpayers - us. Some JP Morgan personnel who were directly responsible for the losses at JP Morgan have left. Stockholder pressure, along with Washington's political campaigners, necessitated some JP Morgan personnel to take the blame and fall on their sword! Does anyone know how many Washington administrators involved in the Solyndra taxpayer loss resigned, retired or simply fell on their sword?

John Martone

Aiken ]]> Thu, 24 May 2012 10:32:13 GMT Opinions http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/MARTONE-Letter--4020223 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052412-bledsoe-letter-free-speech-end-times--3986010
I have been alive for more than 53 years. I have seen the Vietnam War, the war against Iraq in the last decade of the 1900s, the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and a few "police actions" like what the movie "Blackhawk Down" was based on.

Even though I have never served in the U.S. Armed Forces, I don't see myself, or any others who are against these wars, as being unpatriotic to the United States flag, The U.S. Constitution, or the United States as a whole country.

The U.S. Constitution guarantees the right of freedom of speech, but I have seen more negative police clampdowns on public demonstrations in this country than I have seen in all of the other countries' citizens combined. These real-time views make me wonder, "Does the current administration and the "ultra-conservative congress" even believe in the U.S. Constitution any more?"

The president, cabinet members and the U.S. Congress seem to be ignoring the Constitution when they allow - and probably agree - with the police when they break up the occupy movement demonstrators who are trying their absolute best to make all Americans understand the real problems that we face as a global community. If the occupy movement, and the overwhelming majority of U.S. citizens, are not successful in getting our honest and important message across to the government and the large minority of citizens, I truly believe that the teachings and the warnings of The Book of Revelations in The Holy Bible will come true.

I, as a Christian and a citizen, view the Book of Revelations as a guide and a warning to a possible ending of humanity, NOT AS WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF WE, AS A HUMANITY, DO NOT CHANGE !!

]]> Thu, 24 May 2012 10:32:10 GMT Opinions http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052412-bledsoe-letter-free-speech-end-times--3986010 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/0524-editorial-st-mary-plan--4020507
St. Mary Help of Christians Catholic Church has a longstanding history in Aiken and its plan for a new facility is welcomed in an area that desperately needs attention.

Plans were presented to the Design Review Board during a work session earlier this month and the church just received approval for height variances from the Board of Zoning and Appeals Tuesday evening that will allow the structure to be taller than what's recommended in the city's zoning ordinance.

Thus far, the response to the concept plan has been positive from city officials.

DRB chair Philip Merry described the plan as "monumental" and that's a pretty accurate adjective to describe it. This is one of the most significant endeavors seen in downtown Aiken in quite a while.

The concept plan shows the proposed 14,700-square-foot traditional Roman Catholic church that will be constructed of limestone and stucco with a seam-metal roof that will be the shade of green similar to oxidized copper. The interior hasn't been designed yet but from what we've seen of the outside, it's obvious that a lot of thought has gone into this plan, and this church could be a beautiful asset to downtown Aiken.

The new church will hopefully act as a catalyst for the Union Street Plan that was approved by Aiken City Council earlier this year. The site, located between Fairfield and Union streets just north of Sea Street, is within the area the plan covers. This is a part of downtown Aiken that needs a burst of life. The reconstructed railroad depot has helped liven up the area and this church may help attract the attention of potential developers or entrepreneurs, which is the goal of the Union Street Plan.

The development of this 1.43 acres of land will also be a vast improvement of what's there now. Two warehouses sit on the mostly vacant piece of property, and a third warehouse was torn down in 2007.

The church has to take several more steps to get the approval from the city to go ahead with these plans and it hopes to break ground next spring. Hopefully, the approval process continues to go smoothly and we'll soon see the impressive concept drawings go from paper to a physical structure. ]]> Thu, 24 May 2012 10:32:05 GMT Opinions http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/0524-editorial-st-mary-plan--4020507 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052312-editorial-other-views--4018864
The House is to be commended for refusing to let the perfect become the enemy of the good, and approving a less-than-perfect plan to let gubernatorial candidates pick their running mates.

It would be nice if the change could take place in 2014 instead of waiting until 2018, as the Senate insisted. But putting that question on the November ballot clears a major psychological hurdle in the two-decade-old attempt to give governors in our state a little bit of the power their counterparts take for granted in the rest of the country.

Now lawmakers must similarly resist the quest for perfection and approve legislation with far broader implications: the plan to dismantle the anachronistic Budget and Control Board and give the governor most of its responsibility for handling the central administrative duties of our government.

The massive agency, which is controlled by a like-named board composed of the governor, comptroller general, treasurer and chairmen of the Legislature's budget-writing committees, not only dilutes gubernatorial authority. It blurs the line between executive and legislative in a way that offends the constitution and makes it nearly impossible for either to do its job well.

The plan adopted earlier this month by the House gives more power to the governor than does the Senate plan, creates fewer new agencies to handle the responsibilities not given to the governor and favors elected over appointed officials for handling those non-gubernatorial duties. Those differences make the House package an improvement over the Senate package.

Of course, neither plan is perfect. For instance, rather than creating a special panel to approve large purchases as the Senate does, or simply giving that power to the governor's new Department of Administration as the House plan does, we'd prefer adding legislative review to the House plan - not approval, but review; that way we could maintain the transparency that a board provides without diluting gubernatorial power.

But adding any new elements to the legislation at this point would require a two-thirds vote rather than a simple majority in both houses. And doing anything to endanger this legislation would be reckless, because the happy fact is that both plans are a huge improvement over the status quo.

Both bills allow the governor to act like a governor - with the tools to control central administrative functions from property and fleet management to information technology. Both bills require the Legislature to act like a legislature - transforming its primary job from writing laws and passing a budget to providing oversight of the way executive agencies administer the laws it has passed, and making changes based on this new knowledge. Thus it gives greater power to both the governor and the Legislature - and makes it more difficult for both to shift blame to others or shirk their responsibilities.

We hope House and Senate negotiators will adopt the strongest parts of each plan, but frankly, they could take the worst parts of each plan and still move our state forward by decades. In fact, the only way our state loses is if House or Senate negotiators refuse to negotiate in good faith and insist on provisions that they know will doom the bill in the other body. They must not let that happen.

A perfect bill is of no use to anyone if it dies with the Legislature's rapidly approaching June 7 adjournment. ]]> Wed, 23 May 2012 10:16:36 GMT Opinions http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052312-editorial-other-views--4018864 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052312-quick-letter-lions-luncheon--4015113
The Aiken Mid-Day Lions Club held the 17th annual Fashion Show Luncheon honoring Administrative Professionals on Wednesday, April 25. Despite having several other events happening in the community that day, the event was very successful and well attended. Funds raised support the Aiken Mid-Day Lions contributions to organizations such as the Leader Dog program, the South Carolina Lions Charitable Services organization and Storm Eye Institute. Locally, the club assists needy individuals in obtaining prescriptive glasses, eye exams and hearing aids. Since July 1, 2011, the Aiken Mid-Day Lions have helped nearly 70 residents in Aiken alone. We also partner with local organizations like the Salvation Army and Helping Hands to assist and mentor.

The fashion show would not have been possible without the help of key sponsors like: Aiken Regional Medical Centers, Aiken Ophthalmology, Nichols Automotive, Regents Security, ASCO Valve Manufacturing Inc, Bridgestone Americas, Cumberland Village, Triangle Dodge Chrysler Jeep and URS.

The support from the staff of Aiken's First Baptist Church and the donation of dessert from Diana Tourno along with a fabulous meal from the team of Outback Steakhouse made our 'Garden Party' theme a true celebration on a beautiful spring day. Fashionable looks, presented by Belk of Aiken, brought color and excitement to the room, and shoes from Shoetopia provided the finishing touches for our volunteer models.

In a time when every charitable organization struggles to meet the increasing demand for services in their community, the Aiken Mid-Day Lions Club members can look back with pride on their efforts that day. We would like to say thank you to everyone who attended and/or supported us in this event. Monies raised will help those in need for many months to come.

]]> Wed, 23 May 2012 10:01:32 GMT Opinions http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052312-quick-letter-lions-luncheon--4015113 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052312-foster-letter-veterans--4016350
I don't know your name, rank or serial number. With few exceptions, I've never seen you, spoken to you or heard your voice. I don't know your address, your hometown, or your favorite hangout.

We've never shared ideas, or common goals, or how we feel about life. And still, you fought for me.

I've never had you tell me how you feel about America, and still, I know...

I know that you loved our country, and the people in it, including me, enough to fight and die for it. I know you left your hometown, that favorite hangout, maybe a girlfriend or fiance` or wife and children, to fight and die for me because I'm part of America.

You laid down your life on a bloodied path of duty, dedication and honor so that my generation could stand upon your sacrifice in our "pursuit of happiness." "Pursuit of happiness..." It sounds so frivilous after what you and your comrades suffered on that path! And yet, that is what you suffered and died for - that each of us would have the freedom to choose our paths. Thank you that you chose your path and, by doing so, secured my right to choose mine.

I do not take it lightly or without due reverence! Though I cannot, in any way, repay you, I honor you! All of you! My country's heroes! You are not forgotten.

Your sacrifice lives on - in the flutter of "Old Glory," in the measured steps of the marching thousands of your comrades, in the power of "Our Country 'Tis of Thee," and in the freedom of every American!

Thank you!

Edgar N. Foster, Sr.

Pastor

Grace Covenant Church of God

New Ellenton

]]> Wed, 23 May 2012 10:01:28 GMT Opinions http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052312-foster-letter-veterans--4016350 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052312-DIDIMAMOFF-Letter-obama--4015069
Fans of Obama are quick to call all those opposed to his reelection racists. That is ridiculous, since he was elected in 2008 by 60 percent of the white vote and 98 percent of the black vote (guess who were the racists in 2008). Just recently, the president formed "African Americans for Obama." Now tell me that's not racist! In fact, most of us who are not fans of Obama are oblivious to his color - just look at how Herman Cain soared prior to the media blitz accusing him of adultery. We are opposed to Obama because of his inexperience, his incompetence and his propensity to depart from the truth.

Granted, the country was not on a sound footing when he assumed office. Contrary to his grandiose campaign promises, to fix our problems, his programs and policies have not improved the condition of our nation. They have only made matters worse.

The following are some of the reasons we are opposed to Obama: the national debt, continued national deficits due to excessive spending on matters not delegated to the federal government by our Constitution, Obamacare, unsuccessful stimulus packages, Solyndra et al, czars who haven't been vetted by the Senate and whose positions duplicate those of Cabinet secretaries, a Cabinet full of tax cheats, selective enforcement of the law by the Attorney General, gun sales to Mexican drug cartels, crony capitalism, corporate bailouts, opposition to the Keystone pipeline, exorbitant gasoline prices, ineffective dealings with both allies and enemies, endorsement of gay marriage and the decreasing moral fiber and economic welfare of our nation due to his policies.

No, we are not against this President because of his color; our opposition is based on so many more substantive issues. Our opposition is based on his ignorance, incompetence, inexperience and his insistence on destroying America.

]]> Wed, 23 May 2012 10:01:24 GMT Opinions http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052312-DIDIMAMOFF-Letter-obama--4015069 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052212-sundt-letter-gas-prices--4015110
Have you noticed that the price of gasoline has fallen to $3.24? Let's hear it for President Obama! Let's re-elect him in November and see if he can bring it down even lower!

Jerry Sundt

Aiken ]]> Tue, 22 May 2012 01:29:02 GMT Opinions http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052212-sundt-letter-gas-prices--4015110 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052212-pitts-column-mandatory-minimums--4015097
So the people got sick of it, all those criminals being coddled by all those bleeding heart liberal judges with all their soft-headed concern for rights and rehabilitation. And a wave swept this country in the Reagan years, a wave ridden by pundits and politicians seeking power, a wave that said, no mercy, no more.

From now on, judges would be severely limited in the sentences they could hand down for certain crimes, required to impose certain punishments whether or not they thought those punishments fit the circumstances at hand. From now on, there was a new mantra in American justice. From now on, we would be "tough on crime."

We got tough on Jerry DeWayne Williams, a small-time criminal who stole a slice of pizza from a group of children. He got 25 years.

We got tough on Duane Silva, a guy with an IQ of 71 who stole a VCR and a coin collection. He got 30 to life.

We got tough on Dixie Shanahan, who shot and killed the husband who had beaten her for three days straight, punching her in the face, pounding her in the stomach, dragging her by the hair, because she refused to have an abortion. She got 50 years.

We got tough on Jeff Berryhill, who got drunk one night, kicked in an apartment door and punched a guy who was inside with Berryhill's girlfriend. He got 25 years.

Now, we have gotten tough on Marissa Alexander. She is the Jacksonville woman who said her husband flew into a violent rage and tried to strangle her when he found text messages to her first husband on her phone. She said she fled to her car, but in her haste, forgot her keys. She took a pistol from the garage and returned to the house for them. When her husband came after her again, she fired -- into the ceiling. The warning shot made him back off. No one was hurt.

Like Shanahan before her, Alexander was offered a plea bargain. Like Shanahan, she declined, reasoning that no one would convict her under the circumstances. Like Shanahan, she was wrong.

Earlier this month, Alexander got 20 years for aggravated assault. And like Shanahan, like Berryhill, Williams, Silva and Lord only knows how many others, she received that outlandish sentence not because the judge had a heart like Simon LeGree's, but because he was constrained by so-called "mandatory-minimum" sentencing guidelines that tie judges' hands, allow them no leeway for consideration, compassion, context or common sense. In other words, they prohibit judges from judging.

Charles Smith, the judge who sent Shanahan away, put it best. He said the sentence he was required to impose "may be legal, but it is wrong." Amen.

The Eighth Amendment prohibits "cruel and unusual punishment." In a nation where we execute people based on no evidence save eyewitness testimony, it is hard to imagine what meaning that prohibition still holds. But assuming it means anything, surely it means you can't draw a 20-year sentence for shooting a ceiling.

Except that Alexander just did. In restricting judges from judging, we have instituted a one-size-fits-all version of justice that bears little resemblance to the real thing. It proceeds from the same misguided thinking that produced the absurd "zero tolerance" school drug policies that get children suspended for bringing aspirin and Midol to class. In both cases, there is this silly idea that by requiring robotic adherence to inflexible rules we will produce desirable results.

By now, it should be obvious how wrongheaded and costly that reasoning was -- and how urgently we need to roll back the wave that swept over us in the Reagan years. It is understandable that the nation wanted to get tough on crime.

But we have been rather hard on justice, too.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/05/19/2806380/some-harsh-sentences-prove-unjust.html#storylink=cpy ]]> Tue, 22 May 2012 01:28:58 GMT Opinions http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052212-pitts-column-mandatory-minimums--4015097 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052212-MEYER-Letter--4007344
No, we are not happy with the direction in which the Department of Energy is going. They offered an early retirement package to me, and many others, to reduce the workforce.

The carrot was medical coverage. Now they are turning their backs on us. Regarding Joe Wilson's comments: Joe, "You Lie!" Our other representatives in Congress are letting us down and need to be fired.

Stewart Meyer

Aiken

]]> Tue, 22 May 2012 01:28:53 GMT Opinions http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052212-MEYER-Letter--4007344 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052212-MCLENDON-Letter--4002268
I first met Don Wells when he became a small-business owner on Park Avenue in Aiken. I found him to be knowledgeable, a good listener and willing to help!

These are good, solid values that have made him successful in business and City Council and will serve him well in representing "all of the citizens of House District 81 in Columbia!"

Don is a small-business person and will support economic development. He is also aware of the impact regulations can have on our business community.

He's a natural leader that listens to people and will work to help find common sense solutions.

Please join me in supporting Don Wells for House Seat 81.

Leighton McLendon

Aiken

]]> Tue, 22 May 2012 01:28:49 GMT Opinions http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052212-MCLENDON-Letter--4002268 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052212-letter-Pecoraro-filing--3999606
Recently there have been many questions concerning filing for state and county candidates in the June 12 primary. Candidates filed their declaration with party officials and paid their filing fee but did not include a statement of economic interest following up instead to file it online, as the Ethics Commission website requires that all SEI "forms must be filed electronically."

However, state code requires a candidate must file an SEI at the same time as his declaration of candidacy, and an authorized officer may not accept a declaration without an SEI. Also, it exempts incumbent public officials with a current SEI on file pursuant to Sections 8-13-1110 and 8-13-1140. 8-13-1140 requires the current SEI be filed by April 15. Apparently the April 15 deadline is sometimes taken loosely, as there is a five-day grace period after which only a modest fine is levied. However, while the grace period and fine absolve a sitting office holder for his office, they are not mentioned in 8-13-1140 and have nothing to do with the candidacy requirement.

So, in summary, current office holders running for re-election or election to a new office are required to file their SEI by April 15, and challengers are required to do so at the same time they declare candidacy - March 30 in the current race.

The Ethics Commission website lists when candidates filed and indicates several incumbent candidates from both parties and numerous counties filed SEIs after April 15, including House Speaker Bobby Harrell and local House candidate Don Wells.

Why are some incumbent candidates certified for the ballot although they did not follow the April 15 law? Why did officials accept candidate petitions without SEIs when it was unlawful? These questions must be resolved in order to have a fair election.

Marianne Pecoraro

Aiken

]]> Tue, 22 May 2012 01:28:45 GMT Opinions http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052212-letter-Pecoraro-filing--3999606 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052212-kirk-letter-busbee--4015108
Hooray for Busbee Elementary School in Wagener for achieving Palmetto Gold status, a prestigious state award that reflects positive gains in academics.

Last week, I had the privilege of being squired around this school by Amy Margaret MacDougall, the assistant principal. She graciously and enthusiastically took me to several classrooms from 4K through 6th grade to show me what teachers are doing to institute the new Common Core standards and the literacy models for teaching reading, writing and critical thinking. Believe me, I was impressed. Each classroom was inviting, not overcrowded and boasted wonderful materials for learning. The students were engaged, and, as I perused some of their work, I could tell they had also learned the daunting tasks of reading and writing.

I visit several schools each year and ask questions of the administrators so I can get a feel for what is happening at the elementary level in Aiken County. Considering the number of communities with major challenges in their student population, I conclude that our teachers and staff are doing an effective job teaching the basics, at the very least. Busbee has two speech pathologists, an occupational therapy program and special education classes. It has a large computer room for students to take their state tests in. In fact, when Common Core standards become fully implemented, every child K-12 will have to take his test on a computer.

And we wonder why education costs so much. It is little wonder that the School Board will ask for a reasonable millage rate hike.

Pat Kirk

Aiken ]]> Tue, 22 May 2012 01:28:42 GMT Opinions http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052212-kirk-letter-busbee--4015108 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052212-ENO-Letter--3999663
The hot topic these days seems to be gay marriage, thanks to the flip-flop of President Obama. While it may be cool to think of it as acceptable, I cannot agree.

My King James Bible teaches me that being gay is sinful, and that settles it. So it doesn't matter to me what kind of spin Hollywood or anyone else puts on it. It's still wrong.

God has not changed His mind on this subject to suit these times, like so many people have. If that makes me "homophobic," that's OK; I'll stand with the Lord.

Gabrielle Eno

Aiken

]]> Tue, 22 May 2012 01:28:38 GMT Opinions http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052212-ENO-Letter--3999663