School board elections

Dear Editor,

I read about the filing for local school board elections in Pickens County with some concern. School board trustees are to balance the wants of the school administration with the wants of the public.

In Clemson, Betty Bagley is a former superintendent and is running unopposed. I can’t see how a former administrator who didn’t have to spend any time talking with the people of Pickens County during the campaign will be anything but biased toward doing what the district administration wants.

The same in Easley, where Betty Garrison, a former principal, is running unopposed. Garrison has praised Judy Edwards, who ignored the public when she voted to close A.R. Lewis and Holly Springs schools, and just followed the district administration.

Add in Brian Swords, who is an administrator at Tri-County Tech and voted to close the schools, too.

Our only hope is Alex Saitta in the Pickens election, who showed he is independent-minded by voting against the closings and has the experience and grit to stand as a counterbalance to Bagley, Garrison and Swords, who will rubberstamp district administration plans.

Let’s not forget State Rep. Neal Collins of Easley wants to add a seventh seat to the school board, and it will be in his area of Easley. Sen. Larry Martin stopped it before, but Sen. Martin is no longer there to stop this.

District administrators and the Easley and Clemson crowd are trying to hijack the school board, and this is not good for our county.

Dennis Reinert

Easley

Reflecting on power

Dear Editor,

In the heat and anxiety of an election year such as I have never seen in my 84 years, we need to do some reflecting on what power really is.

We read and hear about the power of the parties and also of the presidential candidates. In light of this debate or struggle, let us look at real power and might.

Look to God, the author and creator of all things, then of man created in God’s own image, which is spiritual. Man was created to care for and rule over things on earth — to subdue control and replenish. With this responsibility, he had a condition to meet. He was to be obedient to God. God place Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, commanding them to do what they were told. He stipulated that they could take fruit from all trees, etc., except the tree of knowledge of good and evil. They could choose to be obedient or not. Enter Satan (the tempter and deceiver). They sinned (disobeyed God).

Thus sin entered into this world, and mankind was removed from the rulership he had and Satan took dominion over the power over the earth in the place of man. God is still supreme, but Satan is allowed for a season to tempt mankind and cause separation from God, due to we mortals having free will and a choice we can make.

Whom have you chosen? God or Satan? Each of us have to choose. It is a personal choice.

As to some of God’s power I spoke of versus man’s power, I would like you to take a short drive east of S.C. Highway 8 on Wilson Way and look at a tree on the right of the road in the pasture there. This tree about two weeks ago was alive and thriving. Approximately half-way up, it has been literally exploded. This happened as a bolt of lightning (created by God) blew the tree up.

Our home is about 100 yards from the tree. I watched it happen. The flash of light and the noise happened at the same time. Yes, it did shake our home, lit up the area and made a noise heard quite a distance awway. This was just one lightning bolt.

We need to revere God and allow him to again be the God of our nation and not the politicians as they make their ploy to be the next president. We need again to be one nation under God, instead of under man.

This is my prayer for our nation — a nation of the people, by the people and having God back in our nation as it was when our nation was founded. I see this as the only way our nation can survive.

The story of the lightning and the tree is just a reminder of just what an awesome and powerful God we serve as believers in Jesus Christ. I pray that you are, or will become, as I am. Not perfect, but forgiven through the blood of Christ, shed for all of mankind’s sin.

Max Wilson

Pickens