Published: February 28, 2008 05:28 pm            

Letters to the editor - Friday, Feb. 29, 2008

Encourage children to read newspapers

Each year the Indiana State Reading Association (ISRA), the Hoosier State Press Association (HSPA), and the Indiana Department of Education work together to promote reading in our state by observing Newspaper in Education Week.

This year’s special observance will be March 3-7, 2008, and the theme will be “Rainbow of Reading: A Spectrum of Style and Content.” Activities around this theme will be organized in accordance with the Indiana Language Arts standard by grade clusters. There will also be suggestions as to how to use these activities at each grade level.

We know reading is fundamental to maintaining American democracy which relies on our cultivating an educated populace. The habit of reading the newspaper should be developed while children are young and nurtured as they move to adulthood. Our future depends on it.

We thank all of our partners – not only ISRA and HSPA – but teachers, parents, volunteers and friends who join with us in this important work. The contributions of each individual make this project a great success for now and far into the years to come.

Suellen Reed

Superintendent

of Public Instruction

What would Jesus say of immigration?

I’m going out on a limb here, but I feel at times we need to take a few steps back to see the big picture. So I am simply expressing my view of the “big picture.” Whether our views are formed from the news media, what we read, or values we were taught or what we’ve been told to believe, we need to understand that our opinions should be weighed by what almighty God would think/say.

Even as Christians, there are many prejudices we have if we would dare admit. And as Christians we seriously need to ask ourselves some tough questions with honest answers.

Like: Am I loving my neighbor? How would I feel if I were a foreigner wanting to start anew in America? Do I have a right to think I’m better than them? Who will stand up and defend, not condemn? Are we practicing compassion instead of them hearing us knock down, outcast and dislike everyone that is different?

We must be careful what we ask for, because we just might get it. I hear most if not all are saying our country should send all illegal immigrants back, keep them out of our country, they can’t even speak English. It sounds so mean and hateful when I hear people who have received so much from living here speak with no regard for others. They cannot imagine what their lives would have been like had they been born elsewhere.

Don’t shout me down here. I know there are many exceptions to every rule, but I’ve seen firsthand families who are here just to work and have provisions for their families. And I also feel the media has wrongly portrayed them as the blame for all our ills.

Most of the countries of the world speak more than one language, and that’s to their advantage. So why are we so intimidated by anyone who speaks a different language than us and would like to come here to better themselves and their families? Wouldn’t you also try to come to America any way you could?

There have been illegal immigrants in this country for many decades, if not centuries, doing honest, hard work that most of us would not want to do. If illegal immigrants were removed from our country, our cupboards would be bare and a lot of the labor being done in your favorite restaurant, landscaping, construction, etc., would halt.

As the saying goes, walk a mile in my shoes and, for Jesus’ sake, ask yourselves, how should I feel toward someone less fortunate that I? Our blessings can be taken from us in the blink of an eye, so be careful what you ask for.

Connie Quackenbush

        

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