Letters to the Editor - February 13, 2010

Every year now for several years starting in January, at Martin Luther King’s birthday and through Black History Month, there are many programs, specials, and segments on television on blacks and slaves in the United States.

Some years ago, I watched many of these, but less as years went by as many were repeats and redundant.

I would suggest many more would watch if the rest of the story was covered such as the following: Which group captured the black Africans, which became slaves?  Were they southerners?  Was it not that most of the black Africans were transported to America by the Dutch, the English, and the Yankees?  What percentage were southerners?

Was it not Yankees who met the slave ships and sold these people to southerners?

After the war between the states, what percentage of the freed slaves elected to return to Africa?

What did Lincoln think about the blacks in America?  Pull up the 1858 Lincoln- Douglas debates and find out. 

Did Lincoln free the slaves in 1863, two year after the war started with the Emancipation Proclamation?  Check out how many states did not cover it.  Nuff said. 

Wm O. Jones

Jay, Fla.

Jumping under the bus

This addresses the “Our View” editorial, “Throwing everyone under the bus,” in the February 3 Press Gazette. Clearly this is an attempt to exonerate School Board Superintendent Tim Wyrosdick regarding the litigation between the ACLU and the school board.  Actually, their facts are very accurate, however it is what was left out that is most telling.

It is true that this began under the previous superintendent, but it was finalized, signed, sealed, and delivered with Wyrosdick as superintendent.  So does this answer the Press Gazette’s question, “But was he in power to make a decision to contact them?”  The Press Gazette’s position is the same as Obama blaming Bush for everything he has done since becoming President.

And where is the public record of where Wyrosdick came out and spoke against the consent decree, between the time he took office, and when it was signed?  When has he stood up against the ACLU in support of the Constitutional rights of the teachers and students that work for him?  The answer is, he hasn’t!  In fact, in the recent testimony in Federal Court, he and the school board continued to speak loudly against the Constitutional rights of their employees and students, and in favor of keeping the Consent Decree!  Did Wyrosdick testify in court that he personally felt the consent decree was a bad decision, when he had a chance to?  Wyrosdick’s position, even today, against the teachers and students is a clear example of the famous saying about what happens when “good men do nothing.”

A good clear leader understands the principle of, “the buck stops here.” Mr. Wyrosdick is a good man, but has made a big mistake for his part in ignoring the Constitution of these great United States of America.  Come his re-election time, he will have a chance to refute any of these facts, and Santa Rosa citizens should welcome the debate.  I just feel they should be armed with ALL of the facts, not just some of them.

Wayne Riddlebaugh, President

American Heritage Ministry