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The People Speak

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor:

April is the National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Child abuse is failure to provide for a child’s basic needs; physical injury as a result of hitting, kicking, burning, shaking or otherwise harming a child; using a child for sexual gratification; or impairing a child’s emotional development or sense of selfworth; including constant criticism, threats or rejection.

Please wear a blue ribbon this month to support Child Abuse Prevention.
The Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) publishes child abuse statistics every year. There were 68 confirmed child abuse cases for 2006 in Upshur County. As a community, we can bring these statistics down by noticing the condition of children and doing small things to help parents.
For example, we can help families who are financially stressed by giving donations to organizations that work directly with families. We can participate in neighborhood watch programs, to make our communities safer. We can support centers where children are cared for after school, and centers that provide safe and healthy entertainment for children. We can be more tolerant of each other. We can be good role models. These are simple things to do.

By doing these small things, we are participating in strengthening families through building on the five protective factors for promoting healthy families, nurturing and attachment, knowledge of parenting and child and youth development, parental resilience, social connections and concrete support for parents.

Universal Child Abuse Prevention (UCAP) is a program funded by DFPS as part of the STAR Program to bring parenting education to the general public.

As UCAP coordinator, my outreach included reaching 7,213 people through distribution of printed materials, workshops, public service announcements and networking during the 2006 fiscal year in Upshur County.

Please support parenting education wherever it is available in your area.

Cathy Robinson, B.A., Longview
Caseworker III, Universal Child Abuse Prevention, Community HealthCORE

Dear Editor:

I don’t have much to say this time, so I will get right to the point.

I just want to remind everyone that this Iraqi debacle is now four years old. We have been in Iraq longer than we were in World War II.

I hope and pray that when this nightmare ends, if it ever ends, that we don’t have WWII-type casualties.

It is pretty obvious to me that we are not winning and we are not going to win. Therefore, we need to pull our troops out of there and bring them home, what’s left of them, immediately “as in right now.”

That’s all I have for now.

George Francis McLuckie III, Gilmer

Dear Editor:

On April 21 I attended the graveside service for a great teacher. Gerald Anderson taught English and coached football at Gilmer Jr. High and later at Ore City High School. Most of us have been positively affected by teachers, and few were better than Gerald Anderson.

He played college football, had been a boxer, appeared in off-Broadway plays, and had lived life to the fullest. He was prepared to teach and used his great skills, especially his acting and dramatic skills, to make English absolutely come to life. How often do junior high kids actually look forward to English class each day? I certainly did in the eighth grade in 1955 and 1956. He was large, strong, and very kind. I have been fortunate enough to have a number of very good English teachers, but Gerald Anderson excelled above all the others.

After boys played football for him in the 7th, 8th and 9th grades, they knew the fundamentals of football and were prepared for high school football. He was certainly an asset to Truett Rattan, the high school coach. But as for teaching English, both grammar and literature, none were ever better. I do not want his passing to go without public mention of the positive influence that Mr. Anderson had on so many Upshur County students for so many years. I have no doubt that I am speaking for many as I pause to pay respect to Mr. Anderson. I know that his family will miss him greatly. I will always be grateful for the many ways that he influenced me. So thanks again and good bye.

John Melvin Dodd, Gilmer

Dear Editor:

“Hearing — everyone can’t do it.” Most of us give little thought to our ears until we have a problem hearing. The sounds go into our ears and up to the brain and we hear. Unlike our eyes, our ears never close. We hear all day long and even through the night.

From the time the alarm clock goes off in the morning until we fall asleep at night, our days are filled with communication. We talk with our spouses. We answer our children’s questions. We discuss a business contract with our colleagues. We call the plumber. We have dinner with friends. And we go to sleep at night; secure in the knowledge that we will hear the smoke alarm, if a fire breaks out. Hearing is effortless.

But for almost 31 million Americans, hearing is not effortless. It’s not easy for them to hear what their spouses and colleagues are saying. They can’t enjoy dinner in a noisy restaurant. The smoke alarm will not awaken them. And far too many don’t know where to find the information and support they need to overcome the communication obstacles that hearing loss creates.

The Hearing Loss Association of America is dedicated to providing that information and support — and to enable people with hearing loss to live rich and productive lives. Hearing Loss Association of Longview will have a special night meeting, on Thursday, May 3, at 6:30 p.m. at the Longview Public Library Moschle Room. Hearing Loss in the Workplace — what employers and employees need to know, will be the topic.

Captioning will be provided. Everyone is welcome.

Robbie Huckaby, White Oak

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