Saturday Letters to the Editor

• Movie shows how creationists are silenced

I was not too surprised at the bad review that the movie “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed” received from Roger Moore of the Orlando Sentinel in the Weekend section April 18.

I was surprised and found ironic his venom and foaming of the mouth at the thought that someone would have the audacity to produce a movie that questions evolution and the academic freedom scientists have to investigate truth. The movie’s premise that anyone who dissents by questioning this sacred cow is uttering a cry of blasphemy is apparently beyond discussion and an accepted fact by all “real” scientists and movie reviewers alike.

As for hard evidence, the Web sites of Answers in Genesis and Institute for Creation Research have plenty to provide, to name just a few organizations with real scientists.

If you want to continue to be spoon-fed what academia and the public schools want you to know, don’t go see this movie. If you find, as I do, that faith and science don’t have to be enemies, then go see it.

If evolution is such a watertight theory, then science and academia shouldn’t mind the scrutiny.

BIRGIT McDADE

Columbia

• Knotts not yes man; he’s our man

Sen. Jakie Knotts is good for our country. He supports the working class. He supports the people, not the party or our governor, because he was elected by them, not the party or the governor.

Jakie grew up hard and got where he is by hard work. No one gave him anything; he earned it. He supports right, not wrong. Never a “yes” man if it is not right.

Gov. Mark Sanford does not like this. So he supports Katrina Shealy — someone to say yes to everything he wants.

Thank heavens for Jakie. Mrs. Shealy’s vision is not mine.

R.C. LEVER

West Columbia

• Show some courtesy while saving planet

All of us are concerned about our planet, going green and recycling.

Yet some continue to leave trash for others to pick up — food containers, drink cups, etc., especially at our malls and all over our city.

Who do they think will pick up behind them? This issue is right up there with good manners and respect for our world. This is right up there with “eye contact” and “thank you” and common courtesy taught in kindergarten (at least in the 1950s).

Have we come so far in technology that we can’t live in the moment and feel responsible for our actions? I hope not.

Problem-solving for simple tasks now involves a cell call to others for solutions. Good or bad, I’m not sure.

Cells are perfect for emergencies, but day-to-day problems used to be solved using one’s own brain.

D.L. MAHAN

Columbia

• Rudeness won’t win converts to your side

As a retired U.S. veteran from South Carolina and a Civil War re-enactor, I journeyed to Columbia on Saturday to participate in the annual Confederate Memorial Day services at the Confederate monument at the State House.

During the ceremony, when the names of the South Carolinians who died in the war were being read, a white motorist passing by the ceremony on Gervais Street yelled, “You lost — get over it!” Another honked his horn and made obscene gestures.

It is a sad day in America when a people cannot remember their war dead in peace.

I wonder if these individuals would do the same if they were in Mexico City or Tokyo when they honor their war dead?

Such disrespectful displays prohibit positive dialog on controversial issues, create hard feelings and never win converts.

Arnold M. Huskins, M.D.

Major, USAF, Retired

Grovetown, Georgia

• Customer service might boost profits

I feel sad when I notice little shops in our area closing shortly after they open business. I am truly worried about the economy. We read that people are not spending their money, and the economy is in trouble.

I have a suggestion. One word: service

Recently I shopped in the lingerie department of one of the larger department stores at Columbiana Mall. It took me about 20 minutes to search through the too-full racks with sizes all mixed up to locate the items I needed.

I walked across the store to the Customer Service Desk to inform someone that I would like to try on the items. There was no one there. I went to the adjoining departments, and no one was there, either.

So I decided after investing so much time, I would just try them on, and then try to find someone if I decided to purchase. All of the fitting rooms were locked. I went back out to see if someone had shown up. Nope.

I put the articles back and left the store.

Shopping can be exhausting. I remember the days when you tried on something and if the size was wrong, a clerk would bring another for you. Now you have to redress and go back out to find another size. Sometimes when you come back, your dressing room has been taken. That’s a bummer!

I hope the stores will take a hard look at their need for more help or better-organized help, especially during the work week. I know they have to watch their budgets, but I believe if they would go back to the old way of providing service, the end result would be to their advantage. It would also help the job market.

LEE ZOBEL

Prosperity

• Ministers shouldn’t get tax-free housing

A member of my Sunday school class says that “hell will be full of preachers.” He may be on to something.

Let’s review. Within just the last two years, we’ve had one blame people’s behavior for the occurrence of a natural disaster; another caught purchasing the services of gay escorts; another ranting racist and other offensive statements; and, most recently, a preacher convicted of incest for molesting his daughter. And that’s on top of the ever-present cast of nationally recognized camera hogs and cable TV shakedown artists.

We can’t stop preachers from saying and doing boneheaded things, but we can stop federal taxes from assisting them. Specifically, ordained ministers serving in the ministry of their ordination are allowed a tax-free housing allowance. This allowance is broadly written to include most costs of housing. It is really generous.

As reported during the Rev. Jeremiah Wright incident, his church has taken a reported $1.6 million mortgage to build his retirement house, along with a $10 million line of credit.

The days of preachers working in poverty were over in the 1980s. Its time for preachers to cowboy up, act like the rest of us and pay taxes on their housing allowances.

JAMES M. HOLLOWAY JR.

Columbia

• Richland deserves better press

I am an orchestra teacher at Lower Richland High School and Hopkins Middle School. This is my 12th year and my 13th year in the Lower Richland Cluster of Richland District 1.

During this time, my students and I have often discussed the disparity in the news reports on the happenings at our school. There are many great activities at our school and in our community, but to hear the reporters on the television and to read most articles in the newspaper, one would think that there is nothing positive going on at our school.

Sunday, I attended the second evening performance of the musical “The Wiz” at our auditorium. The students and staff worked extremely hard to prepare for this event during after-school and evening hours. The acting, singing, dancing, props, costumes and directing were fabulous. The majority of the seats were filled with students, faculty, staff and community members, but strangely enough, the news media were absent.

Perhaps this wasn’t as titillating a story as the one that was blasted all day throughout all of South Carolina, but it meant a lot to the members of the Lower Richland community.

It would be wonderful if all the many facets of our school and community were presented to the public through impartial eyes; then others could make a fair judgment of our school based on all of the facts, not just a few.

They would see that Lower Richland is home to not only scholastic achievers, performing artists and outstanding athletes but also award-winning teachers, dedicated staff members and a principal whose leadership is second to none!

As our principal, Marvin Byers, stated at the start of his tenure at Lower Richland High School, “Great things come from Lower Richland!” Don’t believe him? Check it out for yourself.

CHRISTI L. LEWIS

Columbia