To the Editor:
    With all due respect, after reading Celia Murray’s column “I Disagree” last week, it’s clear that she completely missed the whole point of my letter. I want to clarify several things. There was no retaliation toward her on her position of a woman’s right to choose, whether she stated her position or not. It wasn’t about whether or not she supports abortion or whether she is pro-choice. It dealt with the implications that, in her opinion, the death of an abortionist was “not the act of one crazed fanatic, but the end result of the indoctrination of Scott Roeder into religious and right wing fanaticism.” She was, seemingly, in her opinion, placing the blame on Republicans and religious leaders. So many people were outraged about the death of an abortionist but did not seem concerned about the 60,000 babies he killed. And yes, I know abortion is legal, but in my opinion, it’s murder. People have different opinions about when life begins, and I believe life begins at conception. I don’t know what Ms. Murray believes or if she considers abortion murder as I do. She is entitled to her beliefs and I didn’t question them, nor do I judge her in her opinions. As to how many children I’ve taken in and raised, that’s a typical comeback from people like her, trying to put a guilt trip on people who oppose abortion. I commend Ms. Murray for the children she took in and nurtured and raised. Maybe if adoption wasn’t so expensive many people wanting a child would be able to adopt. 

To the Editor:
 
With all the reaction and response to the latest property tax assessments in our county (strangely enough, mine remained the same), my only question is...why one of our largest expenditures of the year has to be paid in full, in cash, at the end of the year?
All our other major debts...mortgage, home/car insurance, credit cards, utilities, car loans etc., can be paid in monthly installments. So why not our property tax?
For most middle class families and especially those on fixed incomes, living paycheck to paycheck, it is difficult to come up with a lump sum of thousands of dollars on any given date.
For the lack of a couple of hundred dollars in the end...you lose your home on the courthouse steps.
Just food for thought...
 
Ernest DeVane Jr.
Morgan County
Via e-mail

To the Editor:
    With reference to the two letters published in the Morgan County Citizen last week pertaining to the views of Dave Belton I feel compelled to respond. Both letters disturbed me very much. In my opinion the letters attacked Mr. Belton personally and not his views. The tactics displayed in these letters were used by Hitler's Nazi brown shirts in 1933. It seems as though in this country today, that anyone who has a different opinion of the current governing administration should be ostracized, discredited and shouted down.
    Instead of the personal attacks on Mr. Belton's distinguished military career, perhaps the two individuals who are pontificating about Mr. Belton's intelligence, etc. should take a long look at their values as Americans. I served in the military and am very proud of it. I wonder if either of these individuals have served their country? It is people such as these that are tearing this country apart. As an American I value the right of dissent.
    I value the words of our Constitution and the rights as free men that this document provides us.
I no longer am associated with either major political party of this Nation. Nor am I a so called "21st century progressive."
    I do my own research and then vote the way my conscience, heart, and research tell me. I would hope that most voters would do this rather than voting the way campaign workers who knock on doors handing out T-shirts to vote for a certain individual tell you.
    Perhaps in the coming 2010 election, there can be some spirited debate about the issues and the candidates rather than personal attacks on private citizens.
Lance Pailer
Buckhead
Via e-mail

To the Editor:
    Recently, I, like many other citizens of Morgan County received my property tax assessment.
    Imagine my surprise when the value of my home went up $12,000 in the last year without any renovations, additions, new landscaping, or improvements of any kind.
    Is my foundation made of gold bricks? I was wondering because gold seems to be the only thing going up in value lately.
    Or maybe it’s the media lying to us, telling us that the housing bubble had burst and property values are in the dumps.
    Maybe all those speculators out there that are saying home values between 100k and 200k are down an average of $10,000.
    Maybe all these people that are losing their homes because their interest rate went up and they owe more than their home is worth are just pulling some sort of scam.
    And just maybe the professional appraiser that charged me a nice sum of money was off a couple of years ago when he appraised my home at $11,000 less than what the tax assessors office is appraising it for now in a time when property values were up. I am no economic genius and maybe there is something that I am misunderstanding or just don’t know, but how can the tax assessors office say the value of homes all over the county have gone up when realtors, appraisers, lenders, and even the government says they are down?
    My piddley 12k is minor when compared to some other people I have talked to who have seen their assessments jump as much as $30,000.
    Again I am no expert in the matter, but could this be a way for the county to collect more in taxes without actually raising them?

To the Editor:
    Webster described gratitude as “the quality or feeling of being grateful or thankful!"
    In our Sunday School lesson on Sunday we talked about recognizing true authority. The gist of the lesson is that God chose Moses to speak for the people Israel to ask Pharaoh to let the people go. He came up with all kinds of excuses as to why he was not the best choice. When Moses spoke to Pharaoh and the situation of the people was made more difficult, there was a lot  of moaning, groaning and complaining.
    I equate this to my volunteer experience over the past weekend.  This past weekend, I was asked to volunteer with the Action, Inc., for their commodity distribution. Growing up in Madison, I knew quite a few of the people that were serviced through the commodity distribution. I have to say that it hurt my heart after hearing some of the comments made about such a gesture of kindness. On Saturday, I was stopped by someone to complain about standing in line for over two hours. I informed the person that I had been told that the distribution would not start until 10 a.m. I asked if she had been told the same time. This was only the first of many complaints. After working on Saturday, I told my church on Sunday morning about the gesture and many of them expressed that they wished that such an event could be sponsored here in Newton County. My Sunday School class is a group of ladies ranging in age from 19 to 55 and they and my church as a whole all felt that this was an ultimate act of kindness in times such as these. 
    Let me say that there were many who were very grateful and appreciative and they verbalized their gratitude!

To the Editor:
    In her rebuttal to Democratic columnist Celia Murray’s June 11 words about the terrorism of hate crimes, and more specifically, the murder of a physician who legally supported women’s decisions concerning their own bodies, Brenda Thompson of Rutledge espoused an ideal that Democrats hold so dear – being “thankful for the freedom to express” our views.
    We are all more alike than you think, Brenda.
    Another rebuttal author, Pat Gillespie, might want to actually read Celia Murray’s other columns before she uses such language against her. It is a shame that a visitor from a distant county would listen unquestioningly to her like-minded friends here and then publicly bash a resident of what she calls “beautiful Historic Madison.” Celia Murray recognizes another Democratic principal at play here – the inclusion of varied views, their debate, and the respect of those who differ.
    She has “always advocated a CIVIL dialogue about controversial topics, believing this to be the cornerstone of a democracy.” 
    The Morgan County Democratic Committee could not be more proud of the fine Democratic model that Celia Murray renders in her superbly researched and well-articulated columns. We are all sincerely appreciative of her works and hope that Brenda and Pat will continue to read them. 
Patsy Harris
Chairman,
Morgan County Democratic Committee
Via e-mail