Support American family, ‘true’ values

To The Editor:

As a response to (Sean Oakley’s) commentary on the protesters of America’s new war, I believe you have adopted the wrong cause. In your introduction, you quote your father as saying, “Family will always be your family” and go on to say that “your first and foremost allegiance is to your own blood.”
This seems to imply that this “family” in not all-encompassing. Would “the family” include immigrants, naturalized citizens (from the present and past), or those “brothers and sisters” who are “cowardly traitors,” or even Americans such as Timothy McVeigh?
Your article contains the sort of prejudice which discredits the same American solidarity that you are trying so hard to project. Your argument for solidarity needs to be amended with more objective and substantive information.
If you really want to support the American family, you would do so by shunning prejudice and advocating equality of the entire human race. Exceptionalism expressed through sentiments of American superiority naturally creates division and will only create animosity between the parties involved.
Your broad generalizations have many holes that reveal your passionate feelings are overwhelming your human reason and American duty to respect fellow Americans. True American values, such as freedom, justice, and democracy, which I believe you are trying to evoke, do not advocate ethnocentric prejudices.
Sincerely,
Stephen F. Barker,
Senator, Army ROTC Cadet,
Member-IRA
sb38541@cp.appstate.edu

‘Pam’s Picks’ provokes outrage

To The Editor:

I first learned of “Pam’s Picks” on the evening of the Oct. 9 election. My first reaction was amazement at the audacity and enormous ego of anyone who would abuse ASU E-mail privileges to give her “picks” for town council. After all, Pam and Jerry Williamson are not citizens of the Town of Boone and should not be selecting candidates for our town.
I haven’t read the attacks made on the incumbent candidates, with the exception of Council Member Clawson, but I have been told of the contents and I am outraged. Fortunately the desired results were not achieved, and it is my fondest hope that future Council decisions will be made in the interest of Boone and its citizens, not influenced by power hungry individuals who are not even residents of Boone. Personally, I am proud I was not one of “Pam’s Picks.”
Sincerely,
Velma Burnley
Mayor, Town of Boone
262-4530

Don’t disrespect ‘Haunted Church’

To The Editor:

I am writing about a rumor that seems to get worse some years, and better other years. Since it is the time of year in which other problems seem to swell, I am hoping to open some of your eyes about it.
For many years, a small, old wooden Episcopal church in Valle Crucis has been called “The Haunted Church.”
I’ll cut to the chase — it isn’t.
It belongs to those of us who worship at Holy Cross Episcopal Church as well as to the Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina.
The name of the church is St. John’s Episcopal Church. It has been in existence since the mid-1800s when it was established by Brother William West Skiles.
In past years, around Halloween the problem becomes worse. There has been extensive vandalism done in the graveyard and in the church. Most recently, a brand new monument—a 4-foot high cross on the founder of our parish’s grave—was knocked over by someone who must of thought it was a fun thing to do, or a way to make a point of some sort.
For those of you who think it is haunted, we ask that you check out the true history of the church (a phone call to the Church of the Holy Cross could take care of this for you—and there are some books available, also). Contrary to all of the rumors, no priest ever hung himself from the rafters in the 1800s (there are no rafters in the church, save one large beam that was placed there in the mid-1900s to save the building from caving in on itself—long after Brother Skiles supposedly hung himself). Brother Skiles did not even die near the property; he died of tuberculosis while staying with friends in Mitchell County. He was never charged with anything like child molestation (check the records, folks—Episcopalians are great at keeping histories!), and he is not buried upside down in the grave (with his feet at the grave marker end of his grave).
I am sure, if you’ll just take the time to think about it, you would not be happy if someone did this same sort of thing to your property where you worship. Most of you who have been out there would be most upset if someone came onto your church property’s land or in your church building and did these sorts of things. How would your minister/priest/rabbi/etc. feel if someone did the same to your church/synagogue/mosque/etc.?
One thing—this year, on Halloween if you decide to go out to the so-called “Haunted Church”—do not be too alarmed—you’ll hear music, people praying, you’ll even see people.
You see, we have decided that All Hallows Eve (the night before All Saints Day) is a perfect night for us to hold Evensong Services and an all night Prayer Vigil for All Saints Day, Nov. 1, at St. John’s. So join us if you’d like, but please don’t be disrespectful of our church property or our worshipers!
Dr. Nina-Jo Moore
Department of Communication
moorenj@appstate.edu

Play deserved more respect

To The Editor:

On the night of Oct. 4, our Freshman Seminar Class attended the play “A Lesson Before Dying.” We were very impressed with the portrayal of the characters and the performance as a whole.
The performance of the audience however, was appalling. We would like to apologize for their behavior and let you know that some of us greatly respected all the hard work that went into the play and the great performance that was resulted from it.
Sincerely,
Freshman Seminar
Class 1150-143