Letter to the Editor

Visit the youth fair

Dear Editor,

It was a great honor to be a part of the judging process at the Vernon County Youth Fair. This was my fourth time judging and each time I am always amazed at the talent of the young people in our community. I always look for the creative side of the person and how they incorporated themselves into their project as well as their workmanship. One young lady "saw something on TV" and was able to gather parts and pieces that she needed to create a lovely metal flower sculpture around a candle and she could describe in great detail to me all of the tools she used and how she had to shape and plan it out to make it hold its form. And then there are the young ladies, ages 9-15 that are making quilts and clothing as well as or better than this 40-plus-year-old quilt shop owner. I was impressed. And I was real thankful that I was not judging the woodworking category because there were some fine pieces coming out of the Schell City 4-H group. It would have been very hard to choose a champion winner. During a break I was wandering around and a young friend let me sample her fudge and carmel corn. I am only hoping that she remembers to send me her recipes. Both would be worthy of making for our church bazaar in the fall! As if I hadn't eaten enough, let me say a huge Thank You to those that prepared the meal for the judges. The pork sandwiches were totally awesome and I think I was the first judge to find the pie (thanks Cindy!) and then the mad rush to the pie was on from all of the judges! I know this takes a huge effort on the part of many to feed so many and I truly appreciated it as I came to judge right from work and I was hungry! Whoever made the cherry cheesecake ... it was perfect!

If you haven't been to the Fair before or if you were thinking you would skip it this year, rethink. You should go. Stay a little while. Stay a long time. Just go. Walk through the Home Ec building and see what the young people in our community are doing. Eat at the diner. Walk through the barns and see the animals (Kelly learned they are SWINE, not PIGS). I have had a great time at the Fair already, but I am going at least one more time before the week is over!

Erica Skouby

Nine Patch Quilt & Fabrics

129 E. Walnut

Nevada

Congress wasting time

Editor:

Once again, possible new "hate crimes" legislation is stirring up controversy. Congress should have better things to do, like bringing the troops home from Iraq and passing immigrant reform legislation, than to take up valuable time on the "hate crimes" issue.

It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that all crimes are hateful, and we already have laws against killing then. If a person kills someone, they are performing the ultimate act of hate. If someone steals from another, assaults another, verbally abuses another with profane language, or trespasses on another's property, they are committing acts of hate for which fines, jail sentences, and other types of punishment are already available.

More importantly, if we 80 percent of Americans who call ourselves Christians practiced what we preached and what was preached to us, there would be no need for "hate crimes" legislation. We need to remember that Jesus preached a message of love, tolerance, and acceptance during his ministry. Just a reading of the Four Gospels reveals this.

It is important that we love and accept everyone. We are all different and we are all God's creation. If someone is doing something immoral or wrong, like illegal immigrants, we need to pray for them, not lash out at them. If someone looks different from the way most of us look, we need to accept it and appreciate it, and understand that he or she was created by the same God who created us.

Some day, if we are saved, we are going to share Heaven with a lot of folks whom we may not care for while on this earth. So, let's get ready now and love and accept everyone. Then, there will be no room for hatred and no need for "hate crimes" legislation.

David Shipp