Letters to the Editor

The price of freedom is high

I haven’t thought about this little story for a while now, funny how that works.

There was a secret in my house when I was growing up that no one was allowed to talk about. It was one of those things that brought on a “go play outside” or, “hey, get lost for a while.” Never mean or anything like that but as if “you know we don’t talk about that, stop it.” There were times that I thought I knew what the secret was but then it would get all tangled up in my young mind and race from one stupid idea to another.

One weekend night late something happened that brought the mysteries together. The screaming nightmares, always the same shout “No over there”, my father walking down the hall to the bathroom dripping with sweat. I still don’t know what that shout meant but I can imagine. What was it all about?

I solved the mystery when I got up from bed that night and found Dad at the kitchen table sitting with another man, whiskey bottle between them, both crying.

I hid in the living room behind an overstuffed chair set, quietly listening. I heard things I didn’t understand, talk about blood and screaming about sharp steel and red tide. Iwo Jima.

Dad stopped having the dream when I was about twelve. It was called shell shock at that time, PTSD nowadays but just as real.

Please this year let’s all get on our knees and thank God for the ones who gave us our freedom, the ones then and now.

Adrian Hill

Use of common sense in traffic control

My son-in-law was given a traffic citation last week by a motorcycle officer for failure to make a complete stop. He admits he was turning right at an arterial and rolled on slowly making a “California stop.” He is going to pay the $124 fine.

The thought which crossed my mind is how strict are the two new Sheriff’s motorcycles going to be about enforcing traffic laws? Am I going to get a ticket for touching 36 or 37 mph while going by the Saddle West in the 35 mph zone? Am I subject to a $100-plus fine for not using my turn signal when exiting my home driveway on a residential street? Are there going to be any verbal or warning tickets issued or is every minor infraction going to be a ticketable offense?

While I am highly supportive of motorcycle traffic control, there needs to be some unwritten common sense used. I daily see traffic law violations like speeding through school zones, failure to yield and just gross recklessness that if I were an officer I would certainly issue a citation.

However, issuing a $100-plus citation for driving with an unknown failed headlight might be better handled with a verbal notification. Every contact with law enforcement shouldn’t have to be a check writing experience unless it is clearly deserved.

Forrest Butler