Love Letters/Hate Mail

Our Father

Dear Editor:

I thank God for President Obama's statement on fatherhood (Parade Magazine, June 21). He learned about fatherhood the hard way-through the absence of his father. Nothing hurts children more than an absent father. This leaves a void that can create life-long scars.

It is so important for fathers to be with their children, especially for their first five years, which are the most formative. Being physically present is not enough. As Obama writes, children can tell if we are preoccupied with other things, such as our jobs or money-worries.

Being a father is never easy. There will be struggles and heartaches, and fathers will need to pray for strength, wisdom and patience. But it is worth it. As the old Hassidic saying goes, "If we save one child, we save the whole world." Every child has come into this world for a special purpose, and each one needs our love and support to discover and fulfill his or her unique role. The future of our society depends on them.

Thank you, President Obama, for speaking out about the importance of fathers. With you, I want to recommit myself to fatherhood.

Sincerely,

Johann Christoph Arnold

Hunkey Dorey

Dear Editor:

The three wise men of our Okie Democratic party are gone.

Lawyer Gene Stipe of McAlester is disabled. Tulsa lawyers Finis Smith and Tomy Dee Frasier are dead.

Their great talent was to stick up for the small fry and protect the freedoms guaranteed each of us in the U. S Constitution.

They would never play politics with our freedoms like Gov. Brad Henry, Attorney General Drew Edmondson and Labor Commissioner Lloyd Fields did with tort reform.

Democrats Henry, Edmondson and Fields layed down and let the Republican Legislature strip us of our Seventh Amendment right to trial by jury.

The Seventh Amendment says: "In suits of common (civil) law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved and no fact tried by jury shall be. Otherwise re-examined by any court of the United States."

The tort reform bill approved by the Legislature and signed by Henry limits damages for pain and suffering to $400,000.

That is so hunkey dorey with the bosses that a chamber of commerce executive said it is the best pro-business law of the last decade.

What offends the bosses is they are held accountable by a jury of average citizens. The wealthy decline to serve on juries.

So, the big dogs convinced our governor, attorney general and labor commissioner that it's justice for the injured party to be paid a humble part of his or her damages.

Pish Posh. Horsefeathers. Hogwash.

Democrats steal money. Republicans steal the Constitution.

Love Always,

Virginia Blue Jeans Jenner

Wagoner, OK

True Heroes

Dear Editor:

I'm sitting at the desk in my hotel room after just completing an eight-hour Troopathon at the Reagan Library. I've gone over and over in my head trying to figure out why this year even though we had a better set, added celebrities to our line up and had better media coverage that our final funds raised to support the troops was half of last years efforts.

I turn on the TV and click through the channels trying to find coverage of our days event. I had heard earlier in the day that Michael Jackson and Farah Fawcett had both died. As I clicked through the channels I found every single channel had coverage of Michael Jackson's death, even Fox News was covering it.

As I am not an "Idol" worshipper it always amazes me how engulfed people can get in the lives of celebrities. I have an "ah hah" moment and realize that could be part of the reason our event was not as successful as we had hoped for. We had lost viewers to the "Breaking News."

Not one prone to want to listen for hours on end to all the hoopla of his death I opt to turn the TV off and lay my weary body to rest.

After arising the next day I turned the TV on and you guessed it almost every channel is still talking about Michael Jackson. The announcer is talking about all the crowds at the "Reagan" Memorial Hospital mourning his loss.

What a contrast, yesterday we were at the "Reagan" Library raising funds to support our troops and send care packages to the combat zone to let them know how much we appreciate and love them, and the rest of the world was focused on the news from Reagan Memorial Hospital that Michael Jackson was dead.

Our men and women are fighting selflessly to combat terrorism and defend our freedoms. These troops are willing to lay down their lives just like my son Marc Alan Lee did on Aug 2, 2006. These heroes aren't begging for the world's attention, they don't seek to be recognized, honored, or worshipped, but we do need to remember them.

I thought about the world's attention at the Reagan Memorial Hospital how engrossed they were in the death of Michael Jackson, my heart ached as I realized the priorities that most people have in life. How the media will dwell for weeks non-stop on Michael Jackson and his idiosyncrasies. My condolences go out to his family during this time of loss. I do understand the grief, the loss in losing someone you love so dearly.

This man may have entertained millions, but did he do anything for their freedoms? He wasn't willing to sacrifice his life for his buddies, for you or I as my son did, or as our troops, our true heroes are willing to if need be. Each one of our warriors who signed up to defend this nation have written a blank check to this nation and they are willing to pay what ever price is required for our freedoms including scarificing their life.

Why is the media not telling the stories of America's Mighty Warriors, our troops? Why were people afraid to part with their money yesterday to send care packages to our warriors dodging bullets, IED's and RPG's yet they had no problem buying flowers and gifts, piling them at Michael Jackson's home, at his Hollywood Star, the Reagan Hospital or other memorial sites around the world? Our priorities as a nation are so distorted.

Obviously since losing my son, Marc, not a day goes by that I don't think of him and how he lived his life to the fullest. I think of the words on his headstone "Loved deeply, deeply loved" which so describe Marc. His last letter home has changed peoples lives all over the world. If you haven't read that amazing letter you can read it in it's entirety at www.americasmightywarriors.org. If your moved by his letter please make a generous contribution by clicking on the donate button. He gave up his tomorrows so that you and I could have a today. Please be generous and do whatever you can for our troops, their families and the families of the fallen.

Marc wasn't the only one with that attitude, I have seen the same character in our other brave warriors fighting for you and I. I always remember and pray for our troops who sacrifice so much for me and for this nation. They are the true heroes, they deserve our loyalty, our praise, our attention, our media focus. They need to know that we have not forgotten them.

Please, America, check your priorities! We are a nation that was founded on God's principles and we need to stay focused on what those are. May God continue to strengthen us and bless us as we follow Him.

-Debbie Lee, President, America's Mighty Warriors

Editor's Note: The comments below came in response to stories at urbantulsa.com.

Old Timer

Dear Editor:

Comments on "Religon and State" issue: 1. There were NO athiest on the Mayflower. 2. Our country is based on a Judao-Christian DEMOCRACY! The Majority rules!

And has any one noticed that when the city has to make budget cuts that it always seem to hit the employee and not the "PET PROJECTS"?

-Ray R.

The Last Word

Dear Editor:

(In response to "The Museum District" in the June 18-24 issue of Urban Tulsa Weekly)

Good overview. I'm hopeful that maybe there can be a collective fund raising effort for all of these activities in the arts district that coincides with individual organizational efforts. Set up with a structure to allow corporate matching funds for a grassroots campaign that shares money and integrates resources.

Worker33

Feeling Gassy

Dear Edtor:

I have noticed how the price of gas for this summer has gone back up! Approx. $2.49 for the cheap stuff (regular)! I was wondering, does this translate to Q.T. stores planning on building yet another giant building or something to that effect? It does seem like we pay for a lot of things inside the price of gasoline. Smart Cars and Nano's... Gimme one of those lil puppies!

-Boskodude