Category Archives: Opinions
School board has authority
I read the story about the school board being sued for removing the book, “Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You.” I read the complaint 
filed by three parents, the NAACP and the ACLU. It is a weak case, and I hope the school board has the courage to stand by their decision.
Whether or not you agree with their decision to remove the book, the school board has the
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The tax man taketh
Benjamin Franklin said that “nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Franklin, a philosopher, newspaper publisher and 
inventor of the lightning rod and bifocals, had also laid the groundwork for the Constitution. However, this balding, paunchy, nerdy guy was adored by women and would get the ladies all “aflutter.”
Franklin entered into a common-law marriage with plain and plump Deborah Read, a childhood
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Are we dedicated to accomplish His will?
We might as well lay all the cards on the table and establish that it’s easier to go to church and put some money in the offering plate than to develop a consistent relationship with God.
Along with our genuine love for Him is to recognize the need for a fervent prayer life. Being religious without praying is popular. Why is this? Because we do not care enough to pray. Prayer meetings? Really? The first thing that comes to our mind is that we can pray at home. This is true, but if you already have a faithful prayer life, it seems you would want to be the first one to
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A time to remember and respect
This is a week when we honor those who died in battle for our country.
There was a time when society seemed to be more sensitive and compassionate about casualties of war, but today there are many distractions that cause the mind and conscience to skip over what is important. Another example is the neglect to teach young children about who God is. Nevertheless, some people might not realize there is a distinction between Memorial Day and Veterans Day.
Memorial Day commemorates the men and women who died while serving in the United States armed forces, particularly those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle. In other words, the purpose of Memorial Day is to memorialize the veterans who made the
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Putting my foot in my mouth
I have finally discovered something I am good at. No, not just good — I’m an expert. I’ve been doing it for years.
Whether attending conferences or cocktail parties, I am very skillful at putting my foot in my mouth. There is an old rhyme that says “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” That is not true. Hurtful words can sting, injure, bruise and cause you to lose confidence. Hurtful words hurt.
The expression “put your foot in it” surfaced in Britain in the 1800s and meant that you had
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School communication accolades and actions
I was thrilled to read in the Courier that the School District of Pickens County won 22 (!) awards from the South Carolina chapter of the National School Public Relations Association earlier this month.
Many congratulations to Liberty Primary, McKissick Academy of Science & Technology, R.C. Edwards Middle and the SDPC Work-based Learning Program, as well as SDPC employees Darian Byrd, Anna Esuary, Caroline Fowler, Thomas Preisig and Andrew Shipman for being
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Courier Letters to the Editor
Remember those who paid price
Dear Editor,
As Memorial Day rolls around this year, I want to take a moment and remember all of those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms. More than 1.5 million men and women have died to provide our freedoms in our Constitutional Republic of our United States of America. I will not forget these brave patriots who believed in and died for our “One Nation under God.”
Pickens County has a rich heritage of military honor and patriotism, and that makes me proud to call Pickens my hometown. We have more
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Miracle Man
Mark Holliday strode casually to the pulpit at Mount Tabor Baptist Church last Sunday, and, amazingly, it seemed as though he had never been gone.
You never would’ve known by looking at him that Mark, a deacon at Mount Tabor and a high school teacher who coaches wrestling and 
football, had been walking through the valley of the shadow of death for nearly four months.
You never would have guessed that he had “died” (the term used by a hospital chaplain) seven times in 40 days. How’s that for a feat of biblical proportions!
It’s no wonder that many of the thousands of people who’ve been praying for him are calling him a Miracle Man.
This was his triumphant return to church after all that.
Based on what I’d heard, I half expected that his wife would wheel him out there, prop him up and let him wheeze out a
Courier Letters to the Editor 5-24-23
Leveling the playing field
Dear Editor,
“Bad leadership” are the words used by the opposition party in reference to a president. Basically, it means they don’t think the person has the qualities required to be president, supposedly. It is only another way of saying they don’t like the opposition politics.
During an election cycle, which seems to never really end these years, it is more of the same old negative talk about the other party’s candidate. Which brings to mind that one side says mostly bad things about the opposition because they can’t say all that many good things about themselves. But that’s another topic. It is true that bad leadership in the nation’s government, both the presidency and the Congress, is
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Love your neighbor
It would be safer to write about the drama unfolding outside my house lately — a ferocious love triangle between three cardinals.
It’s a controversy that seems to have no easy resolution.
Likewise the hot-button issue that I will attempt to address here, although it’s not nearly as simple or safe to write about.
Gender dysphoria.
I suspect that in terms of the number of individuals who suffer from this condition, the issue is
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