Not happy with cemetery maintenance
I have more family in Riverview Memory Gardens than here. My sons went to visit their dad's grave a couple of days ago, along with their grandfathers and aunts and uncles. They called me so upset -- the grass was very high, the monuments were falling apart, the marker for my brother's grave was so sunk in that it is turning sideways.
They went to the owner and one woman got very upset with them. I told them to go take pictures and I would take it from there. One picture is of the section with the veterans, and you can't even see the flags.
My sons even offered to mow it themselves. I thought maybe if you could just check it out see if you could get something done. It hurts to go up there and see that your family is not being taken care of.
Brenda Brooks
Dupont
Facts weren't disputed
I wonder where Nate Marroquin gets his "facts" from.
State and local tax revenues are down, and has been reported by every major news media. We have homes being sold at sheriff sales listed daily in The Crescent-News. We have seniors and the disabled not to get another COLA for almost 30 months. We have some in the school system that make twice what the people that work all the overtime they can get at GM. My mother makes less then $12,000 a year and just cannot afford another $100 plus to give to the schools.
I see that Marroquin did not dispute even one of my statements. How could he, they are all factual based.
As for the majority not agreeing with me, perhaps the 80 plus percent of the people in the school meetings saying no to a new tax just escapes Marroquin's radar? Does he care that the Ohio Constitution clearly states that the taxpayers only have to pay for teachers and buildings if needed, nothing more? Or that Defiance City Schools has been paying Bill Phillis a "tax" on each student for almost 18 years so he could sue the taxpayers, including Nate's parents and grandparents? Or that the advertisements for the levies were breaking Ohio State law when they were coming from the office three doors down from the superintendent's office on school property and using school equipment for free? Or the wearing of buttons by school employees on school functions or property or time endorsing the levies, yet another violation of state law?
My source? The Ohio Department of Education and the Ohio attorney general's office. So is it now okay for the law to be broken to pass a levy?
Yet again in The Crescent-News board notes we see three resignations and over 35 new contracts. Just how are we to pay for these? I, nor anyone else (except for DCS), can go to their employers and demand a raise or more money in their pay or retirement whenever they want it, so why are the schools doing it? And, just who is going to pay the bill if the tobacco companies refuse to pay any more money and demand money paid to be paid back because Ohio violated the national agreement?
Marroquin needs to remove the rose-colored glasses and join us in the real world as the bank is empty and there is no more money for these school pipe dreams. The sooner he and others like him realize this, the better. And, there is nothing stopping him or others like him to give more money to the schools if they wish to make up what the schools received and what they wanted. It's called "pay to play," and should have been enacted the second the economy started to tank. There are 30 percent less kids in the system now then when I graduated. So can Marroquin please explain why it is costing 1.5 times more to educate less kids?
Daniel Gray
Defiance
Christianity is being 'watered-down'
Christianity is being attacked worldwide. Non-Christian senators are against us. Even President Obama slammed America, saying "We're not a Christian nation."
Christianity is watered down for today's secular, feel-good generation. One example is Matthew 18:3. The KJV Bible says, "unless you change." While change and converted can bring the same end, look closer. Change is weak and unexpressive while converted is strong, picturesque, meaningful and commanding. Jesus used converted with power and authority.
Our secular, feel-good generation accepts the watered down of "Amazing Grace," the grandest, most powerful and most loved of all Christian hymns. I don't!
One new version is like something you might hear at a rock concert. It's for the feel-good generation, not those looking to be saved. Another new version has good meaning, but is also watered down. It's like the almost undetectable difference in Matthew 18:3.
All new versions of "Amazing Grace" substitute "someone" for "wretch." While insignificant to most, I see it as a major watering down of another element of our Christian faith. How much watering down will we accept?
The word "someone" says nothing while "wretch" creates a picture. You might be asking yourself if you are, or ever were, a wretch. Most aren't wretches day, but what about yesterday? Did you use drugs or alcohol, steal, commit adultery, have unmarried sex, abuse your spouse, cheat to advance or more?
A yes answer to those and others signifies being a wretch. How were you saved? Only by God's amazing grace, so why then accept watering down or removal of any Christian symbol?
A pastor once said that it's just a sign and doesn't matter. He and many others are wrongfully misguided. If they weren't brought up in the church, or are mid-50s or younger, they don't know.
They don't know they're depriving my senior generation of a major portion of our Christian praise foundation. Many think only contemporary music. Is there any connection between younger liberal pastors, contemporary music and Christianity failing?
Beware of pastors presenting only good feeling stuff and not preaching from the Bible about Hell. If that's your pastor, you could spend eternity where he isn't teaching about.
Don't allow Christianity to be destroyed. Get involved before it's too late. Picture Russia, China, Korea or Iran, and you'll see America without Christianity.
A life without Christ isn't living. Take Christianity from America and we're guaranteed to die. Do you want that for your grandkids?
Non-Christian nations continually go through power struggles. This will be us one day if we continue allowing non-Christians to chip away our Christian foundation.
Richard Mastin
rural Defiance