ASHLAND — Many Muslims not for democracy

Where is it written in stone that America is required by law to spoon feed democracy to the Muslim countries around the world? Not one has an appetite for it, nor have they asked for it.

There’s an old saying, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink,” and they have proven that time after time they would rather die of thirst. So why don’t we just erect some headstones RIP along the banks of the stream and go quietly into the night.

Earl W. Stewart, Grayson



Reasons to vote against Obama

Committed Christians planning to vote for president have no choice but to vote not so much for Mitt Romney, but against Barack Obama.

When a man says he would not want his daughters “punished” with having to raise a child if they “accidentally” got pregnant, and that adding to the 54 million-plus murders of aborted babies is preferable, and when a man says he and his party are in favor of so-called “gay marriage,” undermining the very framework of humanity, I cannot vote for that man. And Obama is the man!

Oh, and did I mention we still have nearly 8.5 percent unemployment and the unfathomable federal debt we are piling up to leave our kids? And we think we will be able to fund Obamacare and “trust the government to take care of us?” No wonder Romney said what he did about the takers who’ll vote for Obama!

Ron Adkins, Flatwoods



Putting Romney quote in context

As I wachted TV, I kept seeing the campaign ad where the Democratic Party and Obama quote Mr Romney’s statement as not caring about the 47 percent who don’t pay taxes. This comment was taken out of context.

Mr. Romney was describing how his campaign would not try to appeal to “47 percent of the people” who will vote for Mr. Obama “no matter what.”  He says those people “pay no income tax,” and “so our message of low taxes doesn’t connect.” Mr. Romney adds: “My job is not to worry about those people. I’ll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.  My job is to win this election.”

 He doesn’t say he won’t care for these people, just that it’s NOT viable to seek their votes. There’ a huge difference and implication when this comment is parroted out of context, as in this political ad.

Don Cartmill, Flatwoods

  

Events to focus on homelessness

National Hunger and Homeless Awareness week is only a month away. 

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 15, Shelter of Hope, in collaboration with Ashland Community Kitchen, will host “Stand Down” at the Neighbors Helping Neighbors building. This event will bring several agencies together at one site at the same time for a single purpose — to provide direct services and resources to families who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless in this area. 

We are seeking agencies with a broad range of supportive resources to join us. This is an outreach opportunity for your agency to share resources that can improve, assist or rebuild lives. Those types of resources could be housing, medical, counseling, food, clothing, employment and more.

Also, Shelter of Hope will sponsor “Night Without a Home” on the streets of Ashland from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Nov. 16 (rain, shine, sleet or snow).

Although one night cannot simulate homelessness, this awareness-raising event will promote advocacy to the community through an experience that can be felt in the bones. 

This event is open to individuals and groups who are looking for a humbling experience focusing on the effects of homelessness. Participants are encouraged to seek sponsorship and/or collect toiletry items for our pantry. 

Join us on the vacant lot behind First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) at 1930 Winchester Ave., Ashland.

Candy Goldie, VISTA public relations coordinator, Shelter of Hope 



Where enough is never enough

In the early 1970s, our old incumbents in Congress and OPEC limited oil production in American. That deal planted the seeds of the latest anti-American demonstrations in the Middle East.

Where was the harm?  OPEC would supply America with cheaper oil, our old incumbents would make money, OPEC would make money, gasoline would be cheaper, and environmentalists would rejoice. It was a win-win for everybody but those nasty American oil companies with their overpriced oil and outragiously high 40-cents-per-gallon gasoline.

The win-win lasted just long enough for America to become addicted to OPEC oil.  U.S. meddling in the Middle East and long lines of cars waiting for gasoline were the first signs of the rip-off to come.

 Meanwhile, our old incumbents declared OPEC oil a national interest, never mind that America had and still has more oil reserves than all the OPEC nations combined.  That declaration headed the price of gasoline upward and it has not stopped climbing to this day.

Sadly, the new name for oil added the greatest increase to the per-gallon-cost of gasoline, which began its upward climb when an ambitious dictator, Saddam Hussein, threatened America's national interest, and that increase is still climbing to this day.

To date, 6,628 Americans killed, not counting the four brutal killings in Benghazi, 50,644 wounded, 3.7 trillion borrowed dollars wasted, and no end in sight; only a continuation of dishonest stupidity from our old incumbents who have been repeatedly permitted by the electorate to demonstrate an ancient truth on Capitol Hill nonstop.  For centuries, sages have warned humnkind that there is no ethically motivated end to unfettered greed.  Enough is never enough.

 Shafter Bailey, Lexington