Suggestions for the creed

Dear Editor,

The Oconee County Republican Party has recently opened a headquarters office on Townville Street in Seneca. Prominently displayed in the storefront window is a document titled “The Republican Creed.” It consists largely of a list of the writer’s choices of “rather thans” in conducting his affairs (opportunity rather than security; incentive rather than dole; fulfillment rather than utopia; freedom rather than beneficence, etc.).

The writer might consider a choice between two other alternatives: originality rather than plagiarism. The content of the “creed” is apparently lifted almost verbatim from a piece by Dean Alfange (or, going back further, maybe Thomas Paine).

We would all like to see the Republicans adopt a “creed” that includes such things as: their constructive participation, rather than overt obstructionism, in the conduct of our nation’s affairs; working toward increasing voter participation in elections, rather than the disenfranchisement of thousands through repressive and unnecessary voter identification requirements; working toward every American having health insurance, rather than refusing to allow hundreds of thousands of South Carolinians to have insurance that is readily available for them; working toward solutions to real problems, like our disintegrating infrastructure, rather than frittering away their time and effort on such foolishness as legislation to ban Sharia law in South Carolina.

My party’s Oconee County headquarters office is across the street from the Republican office. If the writer of “The Republican Creed” would like to participate in a sincere, constructive effort in dealing with the nation’s governance, he might consider joining us.

John Landers

Liberty

Someday you will fly

Dear Editor,

“Born in Hell, live in Hell, die and go to Hell.” These words were written on the wall of a local laundromat. I was 15 years old, and upon reading those words I never forgot them.

What we have here is a person who has given up on life, probably because they thought all life is like what they grew up around. I remember when I was growing up I caught a lot of flak and grief from those I grew up with. I kept telling myself that there was a better world somewhere and I would find it.

It gave me hope and helped me keep my sanity.

Two things that were my strength, no matter how rough it got, were my faith and my dreams.

Faith in a higher power — God, who takes His vengeance on our enemies. Truly he does. As for my dreams, I used to draw and paint. Never did make it as a cartoonist, but it kept me sane.

Any child or young person reading this, I want you not to give up. Smoking your brain cells out on marijuana or crawling in a liquior bottle to drown your sorrows only adds to the problem.

I left school the night of graduation, and after going to summer school left forever.

You can find your little bit of Heaven someday. Life does not end at 18. At least it didn’t for me. My best years came later, as I had believed. After leaving school, I lost my job and had to work in another town. I found I was right — that not everywhere is the same as where you grow up.

These people were rank strangers who took me in.

After a while, they became my friends, and shortly thereafter, they became family.

I worked in Walhalla for 32 years and lived there for two years in the late ‘70s.

I’ve since had to leave for another job in another place.

God has been good. I have always had good people to work with, as with the people at the new place I work at. It’s been 10 years, and I can’t complain. These people are family, too. So glad I didn’t give up like so many do. There is a better world out there. Don’t give up — your time to celebrate will come. Just stay straight and keep hoping. To give up hope is to be defeated.

Don’t ever give up — you will make it someday if you don’t ever give up. Someday, as the eagle, you, too, will spread your wings and fly.

Eddie Boggs

Westminster