The
art of bicycle riding has been lost in this country.
There is even confusion as to whether bicycles are
allowed on the roads.
The law in Alabama (and practically every other
state) recognizes that bicycles are vehicles and riders
are vehicle operators. Bicycles have the same rights to
the roads for their transportation needs as anyone else.
Along with those rights, come responsibilities.
Bicyclists need to follow the same rules of the road as
other vehicle operators. This includes traveling with
the flow of traffic, obeying stop signs and traffic
lights, and yielding the right of way when necessary.
When a cyclist rides on the sidewalk or way over on
the edge of the road, he is far less visible. Motorists
are looking for other vehicles in or near the travel
lanes, not against curbs or on sidewalks.
Some motorists will still honk and yell at bicyclists
for riding in the road, but they honk and yell at other
motorists as well. If this happens to you, just smile
and wave (all four fingers). At least when motorists are
yelling, you know that they have seen you.
Chances are that whoever taught you to ride a bike
probably left the task unfinished, so attend the free
bicycle safety class (for ages 14 and older), this
Saturday, at 8 a.m. at the YMCA, in downtown Anniston.
Dr. Charlton Jones,
League Cycling Instructor
#799KC
Anniston
Terry Johnson
I thoroughly enjoyed George
Smith’s recent article about Terry Johnson. In this
day of tragedy, war and just plain ol’ meanness it is
good to read about a man who has honored God, family and
community.
I was only nine when Uncle Buford died but I remember
how Aunt Louise raised that little family while working
at the Blue Mountain mill. They call it single
motherhood today; she just called it being there for her
family. I know this article was a joy for her to read.
Thanks for that.
I’m so glad Terry listened when God called him to
preach. Pleasant Valley is lucky. Thanks again for such
a heartwarming story.
Patsy Frost
Rabbittown
The Ten Commandments
As a Baptist for 52 years,
and a daily Bible reader, I believe it’s childish for
anyone to leave the impression they can’t read the Ten
Commandments all they want to. Christians should be more
concerned about the fact that most people don’t even
come close to living all of God’s commandments, instead
of spending time worried about what Roy Moore does.
We can read the Ten Commandments and acknowledge God
until we turn blue in the face if we want to.
As a daily Bible reader, I have never had any problem
reading the Bible all I want. I don’t live all of God’s
commandments either, which means I’m not perfect.
Cress Joiner
Talladega
Roy Moore
Roy Moore knew what he was doing was
wrong. He sneaked the hunk of stone into the judicial
building like a thief in the night.
He knew it violated the common law principles of
separation of church and state. A televangelist film
crew documented the event. He broke the vows he swore to
uphold in his oath of office.
A federal judge ordered him to remove the monument.
He refused this order of a judge who had dominion over
him. The courts had no choice but to remove him from
elected office just like every other political
lawbreaker. He should be barred from the legal
profession.
Moore is just another of the long line of political
opportunists a majority of Alabamians voted into office.
He will never need to practice law again. He can
probably make more money on the fundamentalist speaking
circuit.
The Ten Commandments contains very little that was
made it into law.
It is not against the law to dishonor your parents or
worship an idol. People can do what they want on the
Sabbath, which actually means Saturday, not Sunday.
That piece of granite has become the fundamentalist
idol.
Michael H. Anderson, Sr.
Ohatchee
Laws of God rebuttal
My wife was astonished by
the article, "Laws
of God." My wife, an emigrant from Germany (1953)
and a citizen since 1960 took great satisfaction and
pride in learning American history.
When she read the article stating Washington came
from England she was flabbergasted, which prompted me to
write this rebuttal. George Washington was born Feb. 22,
1732, in Virginia. Please note he could not have become
president if he was born abroad.
As far as the statement made that he (Washington)
solely set up our government, I would remind you he was
one of 39 that signed the Declaration of Independence.
In conclusion the Supreme justice rule on states
rights. I can only theorize you are referring to the Ten
Commandments removal.
Hopefully you know your Bible better than your U.S.
history or we may hear of sightings of Chief Justice
Moore walking on water.
M. Radke
Anniston
God Bless Roy Moore
Alabama, you should be very
proud to have a man like Roy Moore who believes in God
and His Commandments. Man’s laws are like Swiss cheese,
too many holes. Too easy to break or change to fit your
needs. God’s law is solid and is not under negotiation.
If more people would live by the only true law of God,
there wouldn’t be any crime, murder or hate in this
country. The people of Alabama should be the only ones
who have the final say over the firing of Roy Moore, not
anyone else. Take a stand, your country is behind you.
God bless Roy Moore.
Visia Sweat
Bartlesville, Okla.
No sympathy
There should be no sympathy for Roy
Moore concerning his current problems. We should hold
firm to our conservative principles that if you do the
crime, you should do the time.
The religious people will try to cloud the issue with
calls of compassion and forgiveness, but these things
are separate from our true conservative beliefs and
should be kept separate.
Terry Gilbreath
Suwanee, Ga.
Ten Commandments
Many of us, in fact about 70
percent of us according to some polls, feel that our
judges, both Federal and State, have done us an
egregious disservice in their handling of the Ten
Commandments issue.
It is axiomatic that the more seriously one takes
oneself, the more susceptible and the more sensitive
they are to ridicule.
It would seem to me that if someone took it upon
himself/herself to send each of the judges in question a
gift of 30 dimes or dollar coins with a note reading,
"For services rendered in the Ten Commandments issue,"
that the judges, after someone explained to them the
symbolism of the 30 pieces of silver, would get the idea
of the level of esteem in which they are held.
If they chose to return the money, they would bear
the cost of postage, but quite frankly, I wouldn’t send
the money if I couldn’t spare it.
Jim Warren
Prattville
War and propoganda
It’s heartbreaking to see the
president and his administration attempt to utilize that
which was used long ago in the last "politically
incorrect" war, World War II, employed then with
considerable success. It’s called "propaganda" and comes
under the military purview of Psychological Operations
("PSYOPS"); its purpose being to deny the enemy
privileged information that would provide encouragement
to the enemy, while even denying discouraging
information to the U.S. citizenry in critical times.
Obviously, the administration knows well that a
portion of its reports is propaganda. It has no choice.
The alternative would be to project a "losing" posture.
The administration also realizes, without shouting it to
the world, that we’ve become temporarily (hopefully)
"bogged down" in a "battle," as happens in all wars, but
a much different kind of battle. The terrorist enemy,
thanks to lessons learned from observing the Vietnam
War, have become experts in the use of PSYOPS,
terrorizing the minds of the U.S. citizenry.
In essence, to buy time, President Bush and his
administration are now having to use all known resources
toward "damage control" of a previous administration’s
failure to fight to prevent this war.
You and I, the American citizenry, not the president,
responding to the enemy war room via CNN TV will win or
lose this war.
Armond "Si" Simmons
Pell City
To the governor
Mr. Riley, I voted for you
during the last election and I supported your $1.2
billion tax plan with my "yes" vote on Sept. 9. I
thought it was too high but I decided to trust you as
you had asked. It was not until you made your comments
on television concerning the people of Alabama
immediately after the loss of the tax bill that I
realized that you may not understand nor care about the
people of Alabama, especially the elderly and this
state’s children.
Mr. Riley, your demeanor and remarks after your loss
of the tax bill appeared that you had contempt for the
voters of Alabama. The citizens believe that you are now
out for revenge against the citizens of this state.
Mr. Riley, you were wrong in thinking that the
citizens of this state wanted you to cut the services to
the elderly and to the helpless abused children of this
state. If you really knew the people of this state, you
would have known that they are an affectionate people
and care for the elderly and children. The voters said
no because they see waste in state government at
administrative levels, not so much at the working "poor
person level." Your cuts have mostly been the jobs of
the "working poor" state employees, employees that are
close to the poverty level.
If you were serious about cutting the real waste in
state government, you would cut the large salaries
and/or positions in the administrative levels of the
state government.
Mike Denton
Anniston
Road paving
I must say that this is the poorest
job of resurfacing a highway that I have ever seen. It
has taken two years to do the Quintard project, and it
seems that they just work part-time at it. The old
pavement should have been removed, because the pavement
is now about as high as the curbs in some places.
The project on 431 through Alexandria is a joke. They
only work part-time on this project also. This is a
classic example of taxpayers getting the rip-off.
Jerry Elser
Anniston
