STUTZMAN SLIP-SLIDES AWAY FROM SNYDER SHOW

Marlin went missing.  He was to appear by phone on the Gary Snyder show but failed to do so.  His appearance was touted on the blogs and on the Gary Snyder show line up; however, Mr. Stutzman simply was no where to be found.  After a few  minutes, the two hosts started chatting about “dead air” space.  And, as time drug on, they began tossing out invitations to various and sundry politicians to call in.  One of those invited to call in was Dr. Tom Hayhurst, the Democratic candidate for the Third District Congressional seat.

Dr. Hayhurst was listening, and opportunity knocked.  He responded to the invite and was provided with about 10 minutes of air time in which to express his opinions and answer questions from the hosts.  I can’t say I am surprised by Stutzman’s failure to appear (of course there could have been an emergency – in which case he would surely have called to explain to Mr. Snyder).  He seems to be in hiding these days and only attending functions where he is certain to receive strong support.

Perhaps he just wasn’t prepared to answer random questions from the listening audience.  Kind of makes you wonder if he is prepared to be our Third District Representative.  On the other hand, Dr. Hayhurst was prepared and stepped up to help the hosts out by chatting with them on a number of issues.

As Stutzman did his disappearing act, Dr. Hayhurst accepted the opportunity to again talk to the constituents of the Third District –  something he has done on a consistent basis throughout his lengthy career as a Third District resident.  And for one overriding reason – he truly cares about this district and what happens to its citizens and residents.

Dr. Hayhurst visiting AWS during its Open House

MINISTER? CALLS OFF INFLAMATORY BURNING OF QURAN

The minister has every right to burn the Quran – the First Amendment guarantees that option.  If you live in this great country, then this is something that must be accepted.  And, there are those who may believe they should have the right to burn the New Testament or the United States flag.

If Free Speech is to mean anything, it is to acknowledge that actions that make us cringe and shrink and recoil in horror are protected by our First Amendment.  Do I like the fact that someone may choose to burn, trample, or mutilate our American flag?   Absolutely not, but the United States Supreme Court has consistently supported unpopular expressions of free speech – primarily the burning of the American flag.

Just recently I purchased a new American flag for my front porch.  It had creases and wrinkles, so I laid the Flag on my dining room carpet and gently straightened out its folds.  As I walked around my dining room, I refused to step on the Flag or even come close to it – even though it meant walking extra steps around it.  To me, it was a sign of disrespect to even come close to touching the Flag.  And, tomorrow, it will fly – proudly, I might add – on my front porch.

I have several Bibles – although I know those of you who consider me a Godless Liberal may find this strange.  I will never set anything on top of one of my Bibles.  In my home, you do not place one paper, one book, one object on top of a Bible.  I have a precious 155-year-old family Bible, and it is almost untouchable.  It is fragile beyond compare.

But, there are those who would disrespect the Flag, and there are those who would disrespect the Bible, and there are those who would disrespect the holiness of other cultural publications such as the Quran.  Our objective should be to guide and instruct our citizens in the acceptance of new cultures.  But, perhaps, what is more important than anything else is to understand that we are an open society – no matter how painful – no matter how despicable.

And, we must accept the unjust and the unthinkable in order to keep the openness of our culture and to pass it on to our loved ones.  Let the minister burn the Quran – it only strengthens this country and its ideals.

Flag Burning

STUTZMAN: DESPERATE FOR VOLUNTEERS, CANDIDATE ATTEMPTS TO ENLIST FWCS-HUH?

Stutzman must be desperate for volunteers.  His latest effort to enlist help was to email FWCS teachers – who are probably members of that dreaded “U” word (union) that so many Republicans despise – to see if they might be amenable to allowing students to become involved in a campaign.

That would be Stutzman’s campaign, of course.  The really disingenuous part, though,  was to dangle the carrot of potential “extra credit” to entice the students into volunteering once a teacher had accepted the “invitation”:

The e-mail says if teachers wanted to assign extra credit for students who assist with the campaign, a campaign staffer would sign a document verifying that the student participated.

What student wouldn’t want extra credit?  Even if the student had no inkling of Marlin Stutzman or the office for which he is running.

I wonder if he dangled the same carrot in front of any of the other county school districts?   Or the districts in any of the other counties?

What was he thinking?  Or maybe he wasn’t thinking in his quest to round up more volunteers.

Calling all volunteers!