The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Dear Editor:
An Open Letter to All Farmers
Last night, September 16, a thoughtless farmer in the Carman area nearly caused the probable death of my wife, our three small children and myself.
While enroute to Burlington to attend a birthday celebration, we barely avoided colliding into the back of a farm tractor.
The time was about 8:00 p.m. and the place was on the Carman blacktop, a quarter of a mile or so north of the Carman intersection. The tractor had no flashers, no lights, no SMV emblems or reflectors (if it had reflectors, they must have been covered with dirt).
We were traveling at the speed limit, and were within 100 to 150 feet of the farm vehicle before we saw it.
Luckily, I had a quick enough response time to swerve into the oncoming lane to avoid smashing directly into the rear of the tractor. Still, we just missed it by a couple of feet.
Since there was no room to stop, and had there been oncoming traffic, there would have been a tragedy last night.
I have driven millions of miles in my lifetime with 500,000 being at night.
I consider myself to be an excellent driver and have never been involved in an accident or even hit a deer. Last night was eye opening and disturbing.
How could anybody act so foolishly as to be on a busy public highway, fully in the traffic lane without having at least minimal lighting and warning devices.
Farmers, Please, Please, Please. As we go into the harvest season, if you've got to be on the road at night, make sure that the traffic knows that you are there.
Please know for sure that what you're driving has working flashers, lights and SMV emblems.
Don't take the chance on that "short run to the house" without proper lights, it's not worth it.
Thank you,
Ed Lionberger\
(a fellow farmer)
Dallas City
Dear Editor:
It's What's Inside That Counts
While wondering if Reef's all time world record has been broken yet, I would like to continue solving world problems (remember no one is forcing you to read this!)
One of the things which would seem to be appropriate would be for the city of Macomb to adopt a nuisance ordinance.
If skateboarders are not allowed on the sidewalks because they are a hindrance to downtown business, why are sign carriers allowed to also interfere day after day?
Many cities have loitering ordinances and this would seem to be a similar situation.
It is like having a judgmental, nosy neighbor who thinks he/she was put on this earth to evaluate others.
For example, some shallow people see an overweight person and think they must make a comment about it. Their extra weight is the only thing they see because that is all they want to see.
What is difficult to understand is if people do not like the way someone looks, acts or whatever, why do they insist on dwelling on it? (Which is what little kids and sign carriers do.)
People of substance realize that it is what's inside that counts. It is like eating a Dagwood sandwich. It doesn't really matter what kind of bread you use, but the meat and condiments are what really make the sandwich.
The honest, integrity and Christian character of a person is what really makes a human being.
Speaking of Christian values, if some intelligent action is not taken, before long there won't be any!
Of course it is necessary to have separation of church and state. God only knows that if our government controlled our schools, that is the last thing we would want.
However, when 99% of people in a community believe in prayer (such as praying for the safety of players at a football game) and 1% are atheists, using any common sense, whose beliefs should control the situation?
The same thing is true about the Ten Commandments in public offices.
Our founding fathers, who framed the Constitution, were devout Christians and are very likely turning over in their graves in seeing what is happening today.
I am proud to display two plaques of the Ten Commandments in my home. Is the next step to also have them removed?
It is like taking Christ out of Christmas and then having only X-mas, with an over-emphasis on the material things in life.
Fortunately, many people believe that it is what's inside that counts and without God, our nation would become nothing worthwhile.
Weyman George
Macomb
Dear Editor:
Cemetery thievery
This is addressed to the person or persons that took the little garden angel from a monument in the Biggsville cemetery sometime in the last couple of weeks. I cannot understand how anyone could "steal" anything that is not theirs, but to go into any cemetery and take things that a person has left there to honor their loved one, is just too much.
Even if another one just like it could be found, it would not mean the same thing to me, because it would not be the one that my loved one and I had shared together in the last months of his life.
It was placed there to be his guardian angel after his death as it was while he was still with us.
I'm sure that anyone that would stoop so low as to take things like this are probably too ignorant to even be able to read the paper and certainly not an editorial!
It says in the Bible that thou shalt not steal but I guess that does not apply to some people.
Finding that angel gone was almost like going through the whole grieving process again, so enjoy that angel as I know you will. I'm sure you do not have any conception of the sadness you have caused me.
June Galbraith
Gladstone, IL