Viewpoints
August 28, 2002
THE NEWS-JOURNAL
Racford, N.C.
We Get Letters
‘Life Can Be Hard’
You know daily life can be hard at
times. But if you have the love of God
in you it can make difficult times so
much easier.
Do you draw closer to God when
life is good, or when troubles come
your way? People can really be heart
less and it is very hard to comprehend
at limes how people can be cold to one
another. God leaches us to love one
another. And I guess what is so hard
for me to understand is how much
something small could influence
someone down and out. Whether it be
sickness, financial problems, work
related issues, whatever! Why is it so
hard tor people to ask, “Mow are you
feeling today?"
"Are you doing alright?"
Or “I am here if you need someone
to listen!"
Just a quick phone call can give
someone that lift they may need. Of if
someone is sick or suffering in other
ways, a gift basket or just a card in the
mail. I try to grow spiritually by read
ing my Bible and reading "Our Daily
Bread.’ We all need to improve in
certain areas of our personality. But
t i rst we a 11 need to wor k on bei ng k i nd
and thoughtful of others. Smiles are
contagiousand nine tiniesoutof ten if
you smile someone will smile back!
Keep the Faith!
Susan P. Baker
No criticism shortage
To The Editor;
By the time you read this, all the
candidates’ forums will be history. I
commend the Woman's Club and
Chamber of Commerce for sponsor
ing these events. I ’ ve talked to four of
the five candidates for sheriff, and I
know where they stand and they know
what I will do when elected. I have
called the other candidate and he did
not return my call. Oh well. Three of
the candidates have also invited me to
campaign events and I do attend. I ’ve
been criticized for this and that’s okay.
There is no shortage of criticism in
Hoke County — some constructive,
some'hot."
In February I publicly said I would
go anywhere, any time to speak to
anyone who is concerned about how
our county is run
fwww.petecamp.com'l I will continue
to do that.
There are eight DemcKrats in the
primary race for commissioner. Al
though eight is not a record, it’s a strong
indication that a lot of people want
change. We certainly need it. Two of
these candidates had campaign events
on August 17th, and I stopped in at both
to wish them the best.
The primaries will soon be history
also. If we want change in our county,
we will have to vote for change. 1
believe we deserve county govern
ment that does the right thing, at the
right time, every time. If you want
county government that is small, effi
cient, accountable and responsive to
you, vote for me on November 5th.
That’s my political philosophy in a
nutshell. If you want business as usual,
well, just take your pick of the others.
I’m going to continue to stand up and
speak out, to all the people and all the
candidates, whatever criticism 1 get. I
look forward to meeting as many of
you as possible.
Pete Camp
Reelect Charles Daniels
To The Editor:
The 2(K)2 election of county com
missioners is very important to all
citizens of Hoke County. Some tax
payers have a problem paying their
•taxes.
• We must elect and reelect compe-
'tent people who will be sure our tax
•dollars are not stolen, but are spent
•wisely and every dollar accounted for
•to restore faith and trust in our county
government. This must be done.
When The News-Journal was de-
;nied aceess to public records from the
;county offices, any taxpayer with the
mentality of an idiot thought that
: something crooked was going on in
county government. We are now told
some records are missing. How con
venient!
We have two commissioners who
are first rate — Daniels and Wright.
Now let’s take a look at the other
three that control the board.
Out of four bids for the county to
. be audited, these three accepted the
highest bid. Why? And they accepted
travel pay of $500 per month. This
was recently reduced, but after all,
this is election year. Travel pay for
Sampson County, the second largest
county in the state is $250 per month.
Special meetings by commissioners
in Sampson County are $30. Don’t
Hoke Commissioners get $100 per
meeting? One county employee hired
by these three makes more in salary
than the governor of Arkansas, Ne
braska and Maine. Aren’t they just
brilliant at wasting the taxpayer’s
money!
Hunt and Leach voted to raise the
salary of the Register of Deeds
$15,0(K) per year. Any county em
ployee who is not satisfied with their
salary — resign and work some place
else. Moke County does not have a
million oil wells producing income.
Hunt and Leach do not understand
good sound county finances.
In closing, we have some good
candidates who are running for com
missioner. l.el’s reelect Daniels and
two new ones to put faith and trust
back in our county government. Vote!
Willard Page
In the dark, not stupid
To The Editor;
Who is Bernice MePhatter taking
the fall for? Who is she shielding?
Why is she so silent? Who is behind
this scam? With that much money
al legedly missing, why didn't she skip
town? Take a new identity? Who is
the big movement behind this so-
called embezzlement since 1*194?
Seven years and just uncovering/
discovering this shortage from this p-
o-o-r county ? Who else was not doing
their job? Give me a break!
We have been in the dark, it’s true,
but we are not all stupid. Why did this
come to a head right at election time?
Are they trying to convey a message
to one group of Hoke County not to
trust the other group running for of
fice? Ho! Ho! Ho! Uncle Tom still
exists in this day and time. People
pointing fingers have to answer to a
higher court one day, so they better
watch their ditch digging.
Lam.pjay.ing Ihat.my peiqplft,\«ill
.come to,tJheir senses and see.the hand
writing on the wall.
Peace Out.
Mother Evelyn C. Price
We can start anew
To the Editor:
I recommend one-stop voting because
I became aware I could vote now for
my choice of candidates at the Board
of Elections office instead of waiting
until September 10.1 could not sit still
and wait until September to cast my
vote at the primary race. 1 am very
glad to know 1 cast my vote that will
right the wrongs that I created back in
1998 when, unfortunately, 1 voted for
the Sheriff that is serving in Hoke
County today.
I also am glad to right a wrong
regarding a county commissioner who
has crushed my beliefs and trust in a
person, telling me that he promised
this and promised that. When he got
in as a county commissioner chair
man, he let me down to my knees and
beyond. I am referring to Commis
sion Chairman Tony Hunt. His lack
of leadership and qualifications leave
me a whole lot of room to choose
from more honest candidates in the
upcoming election, and I know who
his replacements ought to be.
Yesterday in Scotland County 45
people voted on one-stop voting; 30
voted in Moore; and it was very im
pressive that in Moke County 110
people voted. 1 proudly voted as# 153
voter on Friday. By these large num
bers in Hoke, it tells me as a commu
nity that we are definitely not satis
fied with the leadership of the eounly
—especially the leader we have placed
in the highest office — which is the
Sheriff of this county.
Most impressive for me was a man
who attended every single county
commissioners’ meeting, except for
one when a serious illness occurred in
his family. That commissioner is
Charles Daniels. My first markon the
ballot was cast for him because he
cares abirut this county. 1 know that it
took lots of guts and integrity to stand
up and blow the whistle on things that
needed to be exposed, and that person
is Charles Daniels — who deserves
the credit.
We can now start afresh and go
forward with rules, regulations and
guidelines in place that will not em
barrass us as a eounty like in the past
several years. I cast a vote for Charles
Daniels in the last election and did
also in this election as a one-stop
voter.
When Charles Daniels ’ hands w ere
tied by other members of the board
who would not cooperate to seek the
truth, he went to the most influential
persons and resources he knew to
bring to the attention of Hoke County
people improprieties that were going
on in the county's business. That
would be The News-Journal staff.
Without the newspaper's help and
their sticking their neck into a lawsuit
— that sometimes people say failed
— we would not have had anyone to
reveal to us the corruption that existed
in Hoke government. The News-Jour
nal staff did not fail. That lawsuit to
seek public records'information was
in.strumental because of people like
Pat Wilson and Victoriana Summers
and the work they do daily. Without
their truthful reporting, the local
government’s wrongs would never
have come out. People do not realize
the work that goes into daily reporting
at that newspaper. Sometimes they
(Wilson and Summers) do not have
any friends but their computer, but let
it be known when they print the truth
and facts, the people who read it will
always be their friends. I am referring
to the taxpayers of Hoke County who
were cheated by the alleged county
embezzlement and appreciate the
newspaper’s investigative reporting.
In closing, if you do not go vote
this time and you watch this county be
run into the ground again, do not
complain. Go whether you have one
vote and one vote alone. Cast that
vote. It could make a difference in this
election.
Charles Patterson
Many fought and died so we would have the right to vote
^♦T^TIRED OF ANTS?
We are too. Because of the severe ant problems this
year we have come up with a treatment that gives
immediate relief and lasts for 3 months.
Inside treatment for ants is $80 with free call back
for any problems with ants for 3 months.
Outside treatment for any ants including
FIRE ANTS is $140 with free call back for any ant
problem for 3 months.
Inside and Outside treatment for any ants including
FIRE ANTS is $175 for 3 months.
Call
Enviro Pest Control
at 875-8146 or cell at 904-3339
If we are not there just
leave a message
and we will get right
back to you.
To The Editor:
The greatest air-.sea battle of all
time — This Destroyer battle at
Okinawa began on March 26 and 27,
1945 when five destroyers fell victim
to Japanese kamikazes. The battle did
not end until July 28/ 29, 1945 when
four destroyers were crashed into di
rectly.
The battle took plaee 40 to 75
miles northwest of Okinawa on the
main flyway from Kyusu, Japan,
where the U. S. destroyers intercepted
Japane.se suicide pilots.
Day and night without rest or sleep
U. S. destroyer men faced this insan
ity — eye to eye. This is and probably
always will he the most harrowing
duty Navy fighting men have ever
faced. In groups of I to 3 destroyers
we stood alone. The destroyers be
came known as "The Sacrificial
Lambs " who fought like lions. One
hundred-forly-eight served on the
Okinawa Picket Line. One hundred-
twenty-two — 80 percent — fell vic
tim to k:imikazes and 43 were sunk,
scuttled or scrapped. Kamikazes did
not come over at even rate. They often
came in swarms — like bees. Blood
and gasoline mixed freely on our decks
and small harbors t|uickly filled with
destroyers that were battered beyond
recognition.
Young Americans stood face to
face with kamikaze pilots. Each ka
mikaze pilot faced death only once,
but young Americans faced their death
rrver and over for weeks, months,like
a recurring nightmare. "We looked
them in the eye to stand and die.” I
know because 1 was there.
My ship took her place on picket
station #15 on the evening of May 19,
1945 as we hid under the blanket of
smoke screen all night and at battle
stations we could feel the heat from
the planes flying over us. Most of the
men didn’t move all night scared to
death.
The planes came out of the sun
rise; scores of planes poured over the
horizon headed for my ship — the
USS Evans. For 73 minutes more
than 100 planes swarmed over my
ship. In a few minutes Evans gunners
had shot down a dozen planes, a total
of 23 planes shot down in 60 minutes.
Then four suicide planes penetrated
the fire from Evans’ guns. Violent
explosions rock the Evans as the planes
hit. In a few minutes she was dead in
water with one-tenth of her crew killed
and many wounded.
The Evans became the Champion
Kamikaze Killer of World War II.
Some crew members won many med
als plus the Presidential Unit Citation
for all crew members. We buried our
dead, took care of our wounded.
patched up and towed the Evans 8,(K)0
miles back home at 12 miles per hour.
While being repaired to fight again,
thank God they dropped the bomb.
Just imagine what it would be like if
we had not won World War II and
other wars since. There would not be
a Hoke County, home and family, as
we know it. You would not be al
lowed to complain about things you
know or think are not right.
The freedom and the measure of
peace we have known did not come
cheap. Next Veterans Day, thank all
our veterans and next Memorial Day
honor the ones who have paid the
price. One way you can honor them is
to get out and vote because that is one
of our freedoms that did not come
cheap.
By the way, I was discharged on
Christmas Day 1945.
Art Watson
Crew member and torpedo man
The USS Evans Destroyer #552.
Corrections
We have two corrections to make from last week’s issue.
First, we misquoted sheriff’s candidate Hubert Peterkin in a front
page story on the public forum. Peterkin did not say he was the only
candidate in the sheriff’s race with a law enforcement certification. He
said he was the only Democratic candidate with a law enforcement
certification.
Our apologies to candidate Peterkin for that mistake.
Also, a letter from Pete Camp that was printed on our Viewpoints
page was not the one he brought to us but a previously published letter.
We are not quite sure how that happened but apologize to him and our
readers for that mistake and any embarrassment it might have caused
him.
NOW IN PROGRESS!
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