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OPINIONS
Voice of the people
World leaders lack the Olympic spirit
The Olympic Games back in the 8th century BCE were intended as a sort of ceasefire between the warring Greek city-states. And it worked while the games were played.
No longer.
The Russian Federation has invaded the Republic of Georgia under the flimsy pretext of protecting the ethnic Russians in South Ossetia. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, the true power behind the puppet president, Dmitry Medvedev, has revived Russia’s (dormant) imperial ambitions. Casualties numbered more than 1,000 after only four days of fighting. Brave Georgian soldiers defended their homeland and civilians, including women and children.
And our president spent the same four days in Beijing, feasting with Hu Jintao and the other Chinese apparatchiki of this totalitarian regime.
The Olympic spirit is not in these 2008 games. The flame has been snuffed. All the medals received by the athletes are forever tarnished.
The young men and women of the games who have worked so hard to compete, to achieve their childhood dreams, have been let down by their political leaders. All of them. A sorry chapter in the history of the Olympics.
Nicholas Freidin
Huntington
Field House is best site for new school
I was an employee of Cabell County Schools for 30 years as a teacher of elementary students who were identified as academically gifted.
I think that it would be beneficial for the city of Huntington, the Cabell County School Transportation Department, the parents and all students involved if the school board would seriously consider the Veterans Memorial Field House site for the new middle school:
It would give Huntington a second middle school in the city limits. This would offer new residents a second area to consider when purchasing a home.
It would decrease fuel cost, driving and bus riding time tremendously for parents, students and the school transportation system.
The location, so near Marshall University, affords close proximity to many resources.
Supervised classes could walk to Marshall for special programs, whether academic, arts, engineering, music, scientific, sports or visiting performers.
MU professors, graduate students, medical students, engineering students, John Marshall scholars, research experts, education majors and others could make students aware of the need for higher content learning in many fields. They could provide learning either at the new school or at MU. All students need to spend some time on the MU campus.
The location, just a few blocks from the Cabell County Board of Education office, would decrease travel time and expense for all work done by the Technology Department.
Thank you for your careful consideration of these benefits.
Julia R. Hampton
Huntington
Marshall should stay out of politics
As an alumnus of Marshall University (1946), I find it disheartening that the Herd has given a candidate for president a uniform shirt with the number 1; number 73 would have been more appropriate. The “1” sends the wrong message of seeming to back this man.
The university would be safer staying out of politics.
Jim Taylor
Billings, W.Va.
