Sweetwater Reporter (Sweetwater, Tex.), Vol. 113, No. 305, Ed. 1 Wednesday, November 9, 2011 Page: 4 of 12
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Viewpoints
Page 4 ■ Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Sweetwater Reporter
DEDICATED TO PROUDLYDEUVERIN® LOCAL NEWS SI NTH 1881
T—\ Sweetwatei A
Reporter
1EMBER
| * 1 2010
P.O. Box 750/112 W. Third
I
TEXAS PRESS
Sweetwater, Texas 79556
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EDITORIAL POLICY
The editorial section of the newspaper is a forum for
expression of a variety of viewpoints. All articles except
those labeled "Editorials" reflect the opinions of the writ-
ers and not those of the Sweetwater Reporter.
Bill
Tlnsley
REFLECTIONS
Life with Buddy
A couple years ago we adopted a dog. Well, I guess
"I" adopted a dog. Across the years we h id pets, mostly
mutts and strays that wandered into our ives. They
helped us raise our kids. After our kids left home, along
with their pets, the house was quiet. I guess it was a
little too quiet. I missed having a dog. Like the kids, I
had to convince my wife that I would
feed him and take care of him. She
finally gave in.
We found Buddy, a Corgi rescue who
was lost and starving on the streets of
Fort Worth. When we first saw him he
was skinny and sick, but we instantly
liked him. He soon won my wife over
and now he is "our" dog, healthy and
happy. That was two years ago. Buddy
and I have bonded. He goes with
me just about everywhere I go. And,
along the way, he is teaching me some
things.
Buddy is teaching me to trust.
Whenever I get in my truck he jumps
in and takes his place, ready to go. He
doesn't know where we are going or what we are going
to do. But he believes that if I am driving it is okay. I
need to be more like that with God. I I ways want to
know where we are going, when we are going to get
there and what we are going to do once we arrive. I
need to jump in the truck with God and give him control
of my life.
Buddy wants to be with me. He doesn't care if he is
at the lake running, splashing and rolling in the mud,
sitting in a chair next to me on the patio or in my study
lying at my feet. He just wants to be where I am. He
even follows me from room to room in the house. I
need to spend time with God like that. What made the
early disciples different was the fact that they lived with
Jesus (Acts 4:13).
Buddy follows me. Whenever we go for a walk in
an open field I let him run free. But he keeps an eye
on me. He has developed a radius of his own. about
thirty yards from wherever I am Within that radius he
feels comfortable exploring smells and marking trees.
Occasionally he gets out of eyesight. But, when I call
his name he comes running. Not real fast, but as fast as
he can. After all he is a Corgi. It reminds me of what
Jesus said to His disciples, "Come, follow me!" "My
sheep know my voice."
And, he is teaching me patience. He will wait on me
forever. If I am writing, he lies down, rests his head
on his paws, keeps one eye on me and waits. If we are
walking and I stop, he sits down with his tongue hang-
ing out and waits. If I go to the store, he waits in my
truck until I return. Buddy never complains about wait-
ing on me. He never gets in a hurry. Maybe I should be
more like that with respect to God and those I love.
Bill Tinstey has served as pastor and missions lead-
er in Texas, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Email bill@
mckinneytoday.net.
letter to the Editor
This grandma needs help from someone that can tell
her what to do next. Years ago we could discipline our
children with a slap on their behind if they didn't do
what was asked of them. They learned right away from
right and wrong, with very little arguing with us. Not so
today. Our granddaughter keeps taking off from home
and think it's not important to call about where she is or
when she will be home, sometimes two days. And that
is suppose to be okay. Her father is trying to keep her
in school so she can graduate and make a better life for
herself. Friday she took off again and today Monday she
didn't show up for school. Please now what do we do?
The big problem here is she is 17 years old and her
girl frier I is 20. Her father has contacted the police and
because it is two girls nothing will be done. If this 20
year old was a man don't you know he would have been
picked up and got for sexual harassment charge. Where
is the difference? When these two are gay or what every
they call themselves. We hold nothing against her for
her sex preference. It is just when this woman is in
tow n our granddaughter if a follower and her attitude
changes completely.
I am not sure how much more her father can take.
The police says when she is 18 she can do what every
she pleases. The woman keeps telling her she can now
at 17. This woman keep calling the father telling him
to lay off his daughter because she can take care of her
better than him.
Then what is the law, that we can discipline our chil-
dren?
Dorothy Stone
Sweetwater, Texas
C- FORCE
The Venom in Vaccinations
Q: Chuck, I keep hear-
ing conflicting reports
that certain vaccines are
dangerous and even can
cause autism in children.
What do you know? —
Cheryl M., Charlotte,
N.C.
A: According to the
Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention,
1 in 110 children have
autism spectrum dis-
orders, which is strik-
ingly more than just two
decades ago. (ASDs are a
group of developmental
usabilities that can cause
communication, behav-
ioral and social challeng-
es.) The National Autism
Association calls the 644
percent increase of ASDs
among U.S. children since
the early 1990s "a tragic
epidemic of autism."
Many attribute the
increase in the rate of
ASDs to children's being
exposed to significant
quantities of thi merosal,
a mercury-based com-
pound that has been used
since the 1930s as a pre-
servative in certain vac-
cines and pharmaceutical
products to prevent bac-
terial and fungal contam-
ination.
According to the CDC's
website, however, "to
date, the studies contin-
ue to show that vaccines
are not associated with
ASDs. ... The most recent
and rigorous scientific
research does not sup-
port the argument that
thimerosal-containing
vaccines are harmful. ...
Is thimerosal in vaccines
safe? Yes."
But PR Newswire
reported recently that the
Coalition for Mercury-
free Drugs exposed a
federal cover-up between
the CDC and vaccine
researchers. Despite the
fact that the CDC received
an email from CoMeD in
2002 that revealed a caus-
al relationship between
the removal of thime
rosal from vaccines and
a decline in the rate of
autism, the CDC encour-
aged the publication of a
study in Pediatrics that
ignored certaii data and
misled the medical com-
munity and public by
insinuating that thime-
GUEST COLUMN
rosal in vaccines does
not increase the risk of
autism.
Almost inconceiv-
ably, the study in
Pediatrics actu-
ally purported
that autism rates
increased after
thimerosal was
removed. And to
add insult to inju-
ry, PR Newswire
reported, "One
coauthor*
from Aarhus
University,
Denmark, was
aware of the
omission and
alerted CDC officials in
a 2002 email, stating
'Attached I send you the
short and long manu
script about Thimerosal
and autism in Denmark...
I need to tell you that the
figures do not include the
latest data from 2001 ...
but (SET BOLD) the inci-
dence and prevalence are
still decreasing in 2001
(END BOLD)' (emphasis
added)."
The deliberate avoid-
ance ind falsification
of medical data to sup-
port CDC bias is heinous
enough, but the fact
that such information is
manipulated to practice
medicine on our nation's
children is monstrous
malpractice and even pre-
meditated nalevolence.
I agree wholeheartedly
with Lisa Sykes, president
of CoMeD, who summa-
rized the CDC cover-up:
"This type of malfeasance
should not be tolerated by
those who are entrusted
with our children's health
and well-being."
But even e Institute
of Medicine, the nation's
bastion af authoritative
health advice, just cleared
vaccines as an autism cul-
prit in a recent report.
The truth is. as
the National Autism
Association reports on its
website, "there are over
1500 studies and papers
documenting the hypoal-
lergenicity and toxicity
of thimerosal (ethylmer-
cury) have existed for
decades," with recent
research revealing com-
monness of speech delays
and tics. The NAA adds,
Chuck
Noitis
"Recent studies have
confirmed the associa-
tion between the use of
thimerosal and autism
has moved from
'biologically plau-
sible' (in 2001) to
a 'biological cer-
tainty.'"
Hence, justifi-
cation for thime-
rosal's inclusion
in any product is
unwarranted at
best and danger-
ous at worst. The
NAA categori-
cally states in its
series of warnings
about thimeros; :
"Mercury is hazardous
to humans. The use of
a toxic poison as a pre-
servative is undesirable
unnecessary and should
be eliminated entirely."
That is why the United
Nations Environment
Programme is propos-
ing a global treat} ban
on mercury in vaccines,
something SafeMinds, a
parental advocacy group,
applauds based upon
the group's longevity in
trumpeting :he dangers
of thimerosal.
But according to anoth-
er recent PR Newswire
report, though thimerosal
is not used in vaccines
for measles, mumps,
oral polio, yellow fever
or tuberculosis, it still is
found in many diphthe-
ria, tetanus, pertussis,
hepatitis B and influenza
vaccines, especially in
developing countries.
Since 2001 in the U.S.,
no new vaccine licensed
by the Food and Drug
Administration for use
in children has contained
thimerosal, excepl for
ones to prevent influen-
za. Nevertheless, the CDC
continues to recommend
some routine vaccines
with "trace amounts of
thimerosal" for children
younger than 6.
The FDA has a iproved
many seasonal flu vac-
cines, which come in
both multi-dose vials and
single-dose units. Those
that are produced in large
quantities and are in
multi-dose vials contain
thimerosal, whereas the
single-dose units (includ-
ing nasal spray) do not
contain thimerosal,
because they are opened
immediately and used
only once. "(So if you or
yours insist on seasonal
nfluenza shots, ensure
they are single-dose.)
But do we really want to
swap the flu bug for thime-
rosal? And isr "Centers
for Disease Control and
Prevention" a total mis-
nomer when the agency
allows "trace amounts of
thimerosal" in our chil-
dren's soup of medicines?
Are we really going to
allow our children to be
mercury-laced vaccinated
guinea pigs? At the very
east, shouldn't we avoicl
all thimerosal-containing
products for precaution-
ary reasons?
Jose Dorea, professor
of nutritional sciences at
the University of Brasilia,
hit the health nail right
on the head when he
recently said: "The evi-
dence continues to mount
that mercury in vaccines
is not safe, that negative
effects happen even with
vaccine levels of expo-
sure. We must end the
use of thimerosal as soon
as possible. No pregnant
mother or child s ould
have to trade getting mer-
cury injected into them
for the prevention of an
infectious disease."
So let the buyer beware!
Or, should I say, let the
booster beware! Don't
check your brain in at
the door of your family's
health care. And don't
ever be afraid to ask the
hard questions of your
health practitioners — for
example, "What are the
exact ingredients in that
syringe?"
It is your health, and
they are your children,
entrusted to you by God,
so be bold irt ensuring
their safety anc welfare.
You still have the con-
stitutional right to refuse
any health care you deem
unnecessary.
To find out more
about Chuck Norris and
read features by other
Creators Syndicate writ-
ers and cartoonists, visit
the Creators Syndicate
Web page at www.cre-
ators.com.
Sexual harassment is serious business
Herman Cain has man
aged to say some silly and
outrageous things as a
GOP presidential candi-
date without losing any
support. In fact, he's been
gaining in the polls all the
while.
But new allegations of
sexual harassment by at
least three women who
worked for him when
he was president of the
National Restaurant
Association : 10w threaten
to unravel his candidacy.
He's handled the situation
badly, changing his side of
the story day-to-day and
refusing to answer simple
questions. But the whole
thing — at least what
details of the actual alle-
gat ins against him have
so far been revealed in
the press — seems wildly
blown out of proportion.
So far, few concrete
details of the alleged offen-
sive behavior have leaked.
According to people who
worked at the National
Restaurant Association
when Cain headed the
trade association, Cain
liked to socialize with
younger employees. He
sometimes made crude
remarks and suggestions
to female staff and may
have invited women to
go home with him. At
he time, Cain, who has
been married for decades,
was living in Washington
while his wife remained in
Atlanta.
His behavior sounds
more pathetic than harass-
ing.
For the sake of argu-
ment, let's say Cain did
invite female employees
up o his apartment or
made sexually suggestive
comments or gestures at
social events. Does this
really constitute sexual
harassment? In feminists'
and their legal allies' eyes,
it may, but should such
behavior be cause for civil
action?
I once defended Bill
Clinton against Paula
Jones' charges of sexual
harassmenl yy describing
the then-governor's behav-
ior as "gross and disgust-
ing" but short of sexual
harassment. And
Clinton's actions
were far more
egregious than
anything Cain is
alleged to have
done.
Sexual harass-
ment is a seri-
ous charge and
should, in my
view, consist of
the solicitation of
sexual favors in
return for mon-
etary or other
rewards; sexual
advances that
involve implied coercion;
or sexual attention that
is repeated and interferes
with the victim's ability to
do herjob.
If an employer — or even
a co-worker — engages
in this kind of unwanted
sexual behavior, I'm all
for throwing the book at
him (or her, if the sexual
predator happens to be
emale). But what if the
boss has had a few drinks
too many and invites one
of his female employees
up to his room? What if
he tries to kiss her? Or
says something sexually
provocative? Is that really
Linda
Chavez
sexual harassment?
It all depends on what
happens next. If the
woman rebuffs him and
the employer accepts her
refusal w ith no subsequent
retaliation, that shouldn't
constitute harassment.
If the boss keeps bother-
ing the same woman — or
bothers so many
different women
that female
employees begin
to be wary of ever
being around him
— then a harass-
ment charge
seems appropri-
ate.
The problem is
that in our hyper-
politically correct
and litigious sot ':
ety, we've turned
boorish behavior
into a matter that
can be resolved
only by lawyers. Not every
unwanted advance should
end up in a lawsuit or
result in a financial settle-
ment.
It may be that Herman
Cain's behavior was over-
t he-top — and if he truly
kept coming on to women
who had no interest and,
moreover, worked for
him, then he's probably
a bad bet for president.
What he's accused of indi-
cates a lack of judgment
and decorum, attri utes
we expect our leaders to
possess. Since he's mar-
ried, it also raises ques-
tions about his charac
ter. But let's lot pretend
that he's broken the law
just because he may have
behaved badly.
If these allegations end
up bringing down Herman
Cain's car lidaey. it will e
because he's been unwill-
ing to come clean. He
should have admitted
what happened as soon as
the issue was raised and
thrown himself on the
mercy of the voters.
There's no better story
in American politics than
a sinner who's found
redemption. Just ask Bill
Clinton.
Linda Chavez is the
author of "An Unlikely
Conservative: The
Transformation of an
Ex-Liberal." To find
out more about Linda
Chavez, visit the Creators
Syndicate Web page at
www.creators.com.
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Sweetwater Reporter (Sweetwater, Tex.), Vol. 113, No. 305, Ed. 1 Wednesday, November 9, 2011, newspaper, November 9, 2011; Sweetwater, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth229608/m1/4/: accessed April 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Sweetwater/Nolan County City-County Library.