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October 23, 2003 The Kings Mountain Herald Page 5A
From 1A ; LETTERS
inclusive, think about it. One squad year round gives about
18 girls an opportunity whereas two squads open up the
‘possibility of some other girls getting a chance. The cheer-
leaders do not have a fleet of buses at their disposal. They
travel on the mini bus during football and with the basket-
ball teams during that season. Also, consider the availability
of cheerleading uniforms. The school only has enough for a -
limited squad. Sure there may be one or two girls that did-
n't make the squad of their choice, but they did have the
opportunity to specify and work to make the squad of
choice.
I'm sorry if someone’s daughter didn’t make it because a
freshman took the slot. You need to look at the level of
coaches we have at the middle school up to varsity. These
girls are getting excellent training at middle school due to
Pat Regan putting in extra time and bringing in varsity girls
to help train them. When they get to high school, they are
ready. My daughter was good enough as a freshman to
cheer varsity but at that time it wasn’t allowed. I see noth-
ing wrong with that change; you wouldn't hold back an
outstanding football player because he was a freshman.
Crest sure didn’t when they used a freshman quarterback to
finish their season. You can’t hold someone back if they
deserve a chance.
As for the competition squad, that team is based strictly
on talent, grades and their willingness to put in extra time.
- When you put a squad like that together you want the best
you can get. If you don’t believe it come with us to the state
cheerleading competition in Winston-Salem.
And yes, believe it or not, they had a choice of where to
try out. Maybe you should look at this year’s Homecoming
Queen, Tiffany Williams. She is a fine young lady and an
excellent cheerleader. She could have been on any squad
she wanted but chose basketball and competition. Believe
me, it had nothing to do with racism or favoritism. She is
one of the best and one of my daughter's closest friends on
the squad.
The racism card needs to quit being used, especially
where this group is concerned. If you spend any time
around these girls at all you will see that they are concerned
about each other’s well being. When one of them was hurt
at practice last year and had to be taken to the ER, there was
a group of girls that waited at that hospital until she came
around and was ok. Notice I said a group of girls, not black
or white but a group of girls concerned about their friend
and the group was mixed. Anytime you put a group of
ladies together, there are going to be differences but it’s not
racial all the time. They're just girls. So if one parent wants -
to cry because their daughter didn’t make a particular
squad, find something besides the racism card. That's bull.
These girls spent a week preparing for tryouts and when
the time came, they were judged by people they didn’t
know and that didn’t know them. They were identified by
number, not name, so none of the judges knew whose girl
was whose. How can that be unfair? Everybody wants to be
a part of something and this is no different. Unfortunately,
sometimes we get beat by someone better than we are or
someone with more talent. That just means you have to try -
- ask yourself, did the council
harder or find something you are better at than someone
else.
Another issue you have to consider is these girls” academ-
“ic and behavioral records at school, and the image they
uphold. A student that gets sent to the alternative room or is
in trouble at school may not deserve a spot on the squad.
These girls are all fine upstanding young ladies who do
well in school. Coach Bell will bench and, if necessary dis-
miss any one of her girls that does not meet standards both
grade wise and conduct wise. Attend the sporting events
(not just homecoming) and get to know the students or take
part in some of their activities and find out what makes
them tick.
You mentioned that you couldn’t get answers to your
questions. Maybe some of your questions were so unfound-
ed they didn’t deserve answers. I have never had a problem
getting an answer to one of my questions at KM District
Schools. I may not have liked the answer, but I got one so I
don’t feel that Mr. Yarbro or Ms. Bell owe anyone any
apologies. Coach Bell has put in untold hours over the last
three years working with these squads.
In closing I would like to address everyone who attends
sporting events and school activities. I am as guilty as any-
one when it comes to expressing opinions about our various
sports programs. There have been some things that have
gone on with our football team behind the scenes and I for
* one would like to express my pride in the way these players
handled these situations. We all seem to get in the stands
and be armchair coaches (me included): Let's all try to"
remember that our athletes are school students, not profes-
sional athletes, and they want to win every game more than *.
we do. It doesn’t matter what sport it is and [ won't go on
to list them all because I would probably leave one out.
We have good kids in Kings Mountain. After all that’s
what this merger fight has been about. When I was substi-
tute teaching on a regular basis, I saw a sign in the
Bethware School gym. It said “If you had fun, you won.”
Let’s not take the fun out of it for our teams. Let's make
sure all our kids are winners.
Mark Blanton
Kings Mountain
A Too
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SKUTOWBRLD
630 Hampshire Drive, Gaffney, SC
Citizens calls
_ for clean house
This article is in reference
to our Kings Mountain
mayor and City Council. It
never ceases to amaze me at
the gall our present mayor
and City Councilmen have
toward the citizens of Kings
Mountain. They all
undoubtedly feel that we as
citizens are dumb and do
not understand anything.
Our mayor, Rick
Murphrey, called my house
last Saturday and asked me
to vote for him. He also
asked if our neighborhood
would meet with our coun-
cil representative Dean
Spears on matters we need-
ed to address.
The gall of Mr. Murphrey
to request this after our
whole City Council, with the
exception of Gene White,
voted against the citizens
who requested that the low
income apartments not be
built across from the new
Intermediate School. Mr.
Murphrey said on the phone
+ that the apartments were not
= a done deal, because water
and sewer lines had not
been approved. It has been
stated in the newspaper that
construction is to start in the
fall.
Mr. Spears, who is our
council representative, also
voted against his district
with a petition of 248 names
on it and a whole council
room full of people oppos-
ing this apartment complex.
I personally called Mr.
Rick Moore on the day the
- city council was to vote on
the apartment complex but
he voted against our wishes.
All of our city council
members were for the peo-
ple until they were elected
to office and then after they
are in office our voices do
~ not count and are not heard.
Also, about the water situ-
ation in the Country Club,
listen to public opinion? Mr.
Murphrey said this decision
was for economic reasons.
Let me ask Mr. Murphrey
this: Just how much added
revenue did this water dis-
count add to our economy
in Kings Mountain? We the
other citizens paid for this
with increased water rates.
We need to vote out all
present council members
and write in a candidate
such as Gene White for
mayor. We need representa-
tives that listen to the citi-
zens who voted them into
office, not ignore our opin-
ions until it is time for re-
election.
We need to elect a whole
new group of leaders for our
city.
Eddie Payne
Kings Mountain
Citizen unhappy
with Sunday sales
An element has invaded
KM elected officials, some
department heads and
downtown business owners
who have no concern or
respect for local community
traditions or church commu-
nity. This was apparent at
the Gateway Antique and
Art Festival when a down-
town event was scheduled
at the same time as the local
homecoming football game.
The game was booked for
over a year. Any person
who's native to KM knows
this is the largest community
school event that takes place
each year and where all of
the family is involved: par-
ents, children and grandpar-
ents. Where old friends that
attended local schools meet.
I was glad to see that the
KM paper did an article on
the downtown event being
scheduled on the same
Friday night as the home-
coming game. The KM pub-
lic relations director, who
scheduled the event, showed
no concern for local tradi-
tion and knew nothing of
community pride or school
events or didn’t bother to
check.
The Public Relations Dept.
was formed in 2001 and the
director hired by the cur-
rently elected administration
at the urging of downtown
people who are pushing for
liquor by the drink to help
make KM a tourist attrac-
tion. The director has used
several hundred thousand
dollars of city money hiring
bands and supposedly pro-
moting KM. The director
receives a salary of $47,127 a
year. He was hired by the
former city manager. Was
the job created for him? The
city will not release his edu-
cational and work qualifica-
tions.
The department and direc-
tor should be cut from the
city budget. All this city
money has disappeared with
the only tangible thing to
show for it is the director’s
$5,000 video camera and
new office furniture. A
detailed article by local
reporter showed the public
no other town in the area
(all larger than KM) has a
Public Relations Director.
Why do we need one? The
PR department is a rip off to
KM taxpayers. :
The event Saturday night
drew few people to the
gazebo for the musical
event. By 9:30 pm. the area
was almost empty with only
a few city employees and
the people in the band
around. Sunday morning
during church services was
when the real blight
appeared on KM. The
antique stores, Business
Association Office and ven-
dors were open for business.
At the last city council meet-
ing, Councilman Guyton
questioned the Public
Relations Director about
when did we start holding
events on Sunday during
church time. The Mayor, a
professional salesman,
quickly replied “Bluegrass
gospel music and a service
for vendors, people who
come into town need a place
to worship.” Did the mayor
forget there are Baptist and
Methodist churches down-
town, and a service is held
in the Joy Performance
Center. (Vendors were sell-
ing in front during their
services). I was disappointed
that no other council mem-
ber spoke up to support
Guyton when other coungil;:
members say they are
Christians and attend
church.
Actions speak louder than
words and this quote
entered my mind: “Wolves
in sheeps' clothing.” No
mention was made of stores
and vendors being open for
business during church serv-
ices. Less than 10 people sat
at the gazebo.
The events that were cen-
tered around the museum
on Saturday felt more com-
munity oriented. They
brought some history of the
area, local crafts for sale and
4th grade minuet was
- enjoyed by proud parents
and all.
During the three day
‘event the Public Relations
Director openly drove a
vehicle without a tag or
insurance. Ignorance of the
law is no excuse. If this man
has a degree that qualifies
him for his position, he
should be aware that you
don’t drive an uninsured
vehicle on city streets and
state highways, This man is
supposed to project as posi-
tive image of himself, He
showed a disrespect for the
law.
Sunday afternoon he was
forced by law enforcement
officers to park the vehicle
but was not given a citation
as other drivers would have
received.
The church community
should be alarmed that
elected officials allowed the
event to be open on Sunday
_morning, disrespecting the
Christian community and
using city funds to do so.
The event on the lower side
- of the railroad track was all
about making money.
Selling antiques will do
nothing to enrich the lives of
the children in the commu-
nity. Let the merchants pay
for their own events, keep
city funds out of it like the
. town of Shelby does.
KM has been a small oasis
in an area surrounded by
alcohol by the drink. When
the church community kept
+ alcohol by the drink out of
~ downtown, that was one
accomplishment the
Christians of KM can be
proud of. The new element
“to KM who support alcohol
pretend they can get thou-
sands of tourists into KM
with alcohol by the drink. A
Christian's duty is not only
to just his family but to help
the community. That
includes being aware of
what happens in the local
government, It's a
Christian's job to speak out
against bad leadership and
misuse of city funds for per-
sonal projects that don’t ben-
efit the whole community.
As a native resident I wel-
come all newcomers to KM
but please don't come into
town and try to take over,
ignoring local people and
their traditions. We
Southerners seem to sit back
and take the attitude that all
will work out, Time is run-
ning out in KM for the
Christian community. It’s up
to them to find out and stop
the unsavory element in KM
before it’s too late. KM has a
new city manager who
seems to respect the views
of the residents. Our elected
officials have failed the
Christian community. It's
time for a new beginning.
Jane Martin
Kings Mountain
Domestic violence
affects many people
After reading some of the
statements in the Kings
Mountain Herald dated
September 25, 2003 about
domestic violence, I became
very heavy hearted over
some of the information that
was shared with the public.
First of all, there was a
statement which read,
“Family violence is typically
associated with lower
income families.” This state-
ment is far from the truth.
The fact is domestic violence
is not typically associated
with any type of income.
Abusers can be lawyers,
doctors, politicians, police-
men, preachers, news cast-
ers, etc. Money has nothing
to do with tempers flaring
when associated with
domestic violence. Abuse is
a learned behavior. I have
had so many to say that I've
never experienced abuse in
my family. Take time to
review the types of televi-
sion programs children are
viewing today, and the
activities taking place in the
communities and schools.
All of these are the founda-
tion of learned behavior, I
am reminded of the scrip-
ture: Bring up a child in the
way it shall go, and it shall
not depart.
The 911 system is a bless-
ing to so many men, women
and children who are in the
midst of violence. It is true
that not all abusers will
change simply because they
have been arrested, but it
does mean that eyes are
beginning to open to the fact
that this behavior is not nor-
mal.
The information that was
given by Detective Proctor
needs to be updated. The
private shelter for battered
women has been closed
since the end of May. They
have combined the battered
women’s shelter with the
homeless shelter. The same
compassion for the women
has not changed. They have
excellent counseling to those
who want it. Just a reminder
- to everyone that the home-
less and abuse shelter is not
funded by the state so please
support them with prayers,
works, and deeds.
If by chance you wonder
who I am, I am one con-
cerned voice. I have worked
with domestic violence on a
part-time basis for four
years. I am a member of the
board of APC (Abuse
Prevention Council) and
Coalition for the Homeless.
Sincerely,
Gerald C. Wray
Kings Mountain
Hae 8 -
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