Letter to the Editor

Once a Marine, always a Marine

Mr. Otwell:

Thank you for publishing your story regarding Sgt Justin Jensen in "A Red, White, and Blue Farewell" in the August 15 edition of the Cherokee Sentinel. Our Armed Forces can never receive enough recognition for their service to our country.

I would like to point out a few inaccuracies in your story. These are simply minor details.

In the tenth paragraph, you wrote:

"Elmer Colbert, a friend and ex- Marine, said of Sgt. Jenson, "He's outstanding. We're brothers. He's a good, young Marine."

Marines never refer to Marines who have retired or left active duty service or Reserve service as 'ex-Marines'. Marine Corps tradition holds that service as a Marine lasts well beyond the service contract; 'Marine' is not simply an occupation,

job', or livelihood that ends on the last official day on the job. 'Ex-Marine' would be akin to 'ex-wife' after a divorce where all bonds of marriage to a spouse are dissolved, and that is certainly not the case when a Marine ceases to serves his country in uniform.

When one becomes a Marine, it is for life. Being 'Marine' entails all of the traditions, history, culture, heritage, and accomplishments of those who have served as Marines, and that does not cease when the dress blue bravos come off for the last time.

For lack of better terminology with which to address those who once served in the Marine Corps, I would suggest 'former active-duty Marine...' or 'former Marine reservist...'. In the same vein, I would never recommend simply stating 'former Marine' as that would imply that "one had once been a Marine but is now no longer", which is definitely not the case.

Frederick Race, Sergeant United States Marine Corps Manassas, Virginia

The community supports Sgt. Jensen

Dear Editor:

We would like to thank everyone who took time to call, write a letter or come to the church last Wednesday to give encouragement and words of support to the family of Sgt. Justin Jensen who deploys this week to a second tour in Iraq, this time closer to front lines. The family has expressed to me their thanks many times over for everyone who showed them they were supported in prayers. They have now returned to Camp Lejuene.

I would like to thank the following businesses or individuals who helped us to carry out this task with their donations or support in just two days.

Mr. Oscar Valdez-VFW Veteran; Pat and Suzanne Crawford; Rev. Frank and Brenda Blount; Cherokee County Marine Corp League-Dan Miller; The Corner Candy Store-Marie Speigle; Dollar General Store in Peachtree; Pastor George and Nancy Yates (Julie)- First United Methodist Church-Fellowship Hall; Joe Brown Texaco; WKRK-AM1320; Town of Murphy Bill Hughes, Mayor; Murphy Police Department, Chief Justin Jacobs; Senator John Snow: The Cherokee Sentinel; The Cherokee Scout; VFW-Commander Vincent Grobbellel; American Legion and the DAV, and all the men who attended in uniform. I thank all the friends, family and residents for coming. Thanking also INGLES DELI AND BAKERY in Murphy for an outstanding job on the platters and the cakes. The chocolates from The Corner Candy Store was really enjoyed by all. Also thank you to the MPD officer on duty who escorted the family thru town.

This reception was a total success. THANK YOU!

Please keep Sgt. Jensen and family in your prayers.

Toni Lynn Butts and Sierra Butts-Scaife

A church covenant

Dear Editor,

I am writing to say that as long as I can remember, church covenants have hung on the walls of our area churches. As an ordained Baptist minister I cannot understand where anyone that is a member of our church community could vote for the sale of alcoholic beverages in our county or area towns. I here a copy of the church covenant that is hanging within the walls of many of our churches for those who haven't read it lately:

Having been led, as we believe, by the Spirit of God to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour, and on the profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, we do now in the presence of God and angels, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another, as one body in Christ.

We also engage to maintain family and secret devotion; to religiously educate our children; to seek the salvation of our kindred and aquaintances; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all tattling, backbiting and excessive anger; to abstain from the sale and use of intoxicating drink as a beverage; and to be zealous in our efforts to advance the kingdom of our Saviour.

Rev. Richard Mashburn

'How stupid can our county politicians be?'

How stupid can our county politicians be? Or is there a payoff? Or maybe they think we, the citizens, are that stupid? What are we paying our county attorney to do? Is it not his job to read every document and make sure the county is proctected before it gets signed? Is Mr. Swanson that much smarter than our county attorney - or is the attorney in on the payoff too? If so we need a new attorney!

We have a county manager and three county commissioners who should read every single word of every contract and talk to the attorney before signing any document that commits the county to anything. I have no doubt that Mr. Swanson was promised a lot more than we've heard about. Once things start getting uncovered, it just seems that there is more and more we, the citizens, don't know.

The "gossip" around town is that the county officials are getting richer by the day - and there is a good reason for this line of thinking.First - Ernest Jones personally told me that the land for the jail had to be in the city limits - a LIE. Second - The county paid at least three times the tax value - AFTER the last tax evaluation - a matter of public record. Third - Hiring Mr. Swanson to do all the dirt moving and grading [a lot, we hear, that was done prior to the purchase] - this just smells of "conflict of interest". Fourth - There was "no other land" available - another LIE. There was plenty of land on the market outside the city limits that would have been much cheaper, without all the strings and convenient to US Hwy 64 or 74.5th - The cost of running the sheriff's department has doubled since Mr. Lovin was elected sheriff - check the budget and actual expenses. Inflation is not running at 50% so what is our sheriff doing with all that money?

Did anyone read the Cherokee Sentinel this past week? There is an article that provides the full break down of the contract and the money that our county has spent so far on this "jail project". This certainly must be the major reason why our taxes are going through the roof.

There are more and more letters to the editors of our county newspapers that ask "what are we getting for our tax dollars?" And the answer is simple - nothing but screwed out of your money and later your home.

One other thing - and this really bugs me...if I purchase a piece of property, what rights do the former owners have to tell me what I can and cannot do with that property [unless there are covenants forbidding specific purposes]? So, what right do the Swansons have for demanding that Cherokee County citizens build a courthouse on property they no longer own? After all, they didn't donate it to the county for a specific purpose - the county purchased it [for more than a fair price] and should have the right to do with it as it needs to - which could even be building a new school complex!

Won't you think about joining our "grassroots" effort to organize Citizens for a better Cherokee County? E-mail me at kitbrown@ mindspring.com or call me at 837-0966. We must get ready for our next elections NOW if we want to have a more honest and citizen orientated government in this county.

Kit Brown Hanging Dog Community