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OPINIONS
Voice of the people
'Christmas Carol' is incredible show
My wife, Connie, and I highly recommend the 5th Avenue Theatre Company's production of Alan Menken's (music composer for Disney's "Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast" and many others) "A Christmas Carol, The Musical."
We saw Saturday night's performance. Clint McElroy is magnificent as Scrooge, and the entire cast of adults and children deliver a most professional performance. The children ensemble singers are so good at the end of the second act that you will think you are listening to a Broadway performance.
Tri-State theater fans, like Scrooge, you and your children have a second chance to have your hearts warmed; the show returns to the Jean C. Stephenson Auditorium in Huntington City Hall at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 7 and 8, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9. Don't allow yourselves to be visited by the ghosts of what might have been.
Danny Cantrell
Culloden
Citizens don't need high-powered guns
The Second Amendment of the United States' Constitution states: "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." Obviously, the need for a state militia has been replaced by the National Guard and Coast Guard, whereby trained military personnel are entrusted with the defense of this country against domestic enemies. Their weapons are tightly controlled and safeguarded.
The only two reasons for a citizen to own a firearm are for hunting and/or defense of the household from intruders. In either case, ownership of a handgun, shotgun or rifle is more than adequate to satisfy these purposes. There is absolutely no need for any United States civilian to own any weapon more powerful or sophisticated than these. Accordingly, all handguns, shotguns and rifles must be licensed and registered to the degree necessary to match weapon to owner at the click of a computer key.
Joe Bialek
Cleveland
Officials fail to respond to citizen
A while ago, state Sen. Evan Jenkins, D-Cabell, implored citizens to make their voices heard. He is one with whom you can sit down and discuss ideas. But on the regional level, there are those who advertise to get your vote, give their postal address for contributions and ignore your well-set-out suggestions. Not even a "received your letter" card. No money, no response?
A couple of years ago, I wrote to every senator (federal) and two congressmen/women from each state. Guess what -- out of 200 letters, five responses. One said "Your not from my state, so forget it!" Another said, "Sorry, the terrorists deserve their own country." Do we have country, state, county, city government of the people, by the people, for the people?
Oh, yes, the mayor (current) never answered a letter. My letters are not complaints; they address specific problems with specific suggestions for some solutions:
- Don't spend citizens' tax dollars on a collection attorney when city government has all the legal power necessary to force collection.
- An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Spend on law enforcement; save on cost of effects of crime.
- Stop giving taxpayers' money to those who are terrorists or to those who stab America in the back while personally enriching themselves. Stop using the premise of doing this for "diplomatic reasons" and "economic reasons." It doesn't work.
Stephen Gracey
Lavalette
