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Letters to the Editor for July 1

• Published July 01, 2009

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Plenty of resources available to parents

Robert Mitchell got one thing right in his op-ed piece against homeschooling: Parents DO need to carefully consider what they are committing themselves to.

Their first step is to get their information from people who really know what they’re talking about!

There are numerous reliable sources. Start with Web sites for the National Home Education Network (www.nhen.org) and the Washington Homeschool Organization (www.washhomeschool.org).

For research, check out the National Home Education Research Institute (www.nheri.org) which serves as a clearinghouse for homeschool-related research from around the world.

Want “direct contact” with real, live homeschoolers? Around 1,000 of Washington State’s 19,000+ homeschoolers are in Thurston County. Join the Lewis-ThurstonHSers Yahoo group.

While there, ask for information on local support groups Educating Diverse and Unique Children with All Teaching Styles, T.L.C, or Christian Homeschoolers of South Sound (www.chossfamilies.org).

Several local churches host large homeschooling populations, including Living Water, Faith Assembly and Westwood Baptist. We’re not that hard to find — and we’re the real experts on the ups and downs of homeschooling.

In the book “Home Educated and Now Adults,” which presents findings from research on the adult lives and attitudes of those who were homeschooled, there is one finding that may be of particular interest to Mitchell and those who share his misperceptions: The vast majority of those who have had Mitchell’s “irreversible injustice” inflicted on them plan to homeschool THEIR children!

So much for adverse effects, huh?

SUSAN AASEN, Olympia

More people speed environmental decay

Immigration, race, population growth, environmental decay, organized religions, socialism, unregulated super-capitalism, immaturity of a supposed democratic nation are some of the hot buttons for us to resolve.

Despite high tech’s rapid advances, folks stubbornly hole up in trenches of ignorance. Yes, education continues to be important, not merely to land jobs, but rather to shape us as knowledgeable, tax-paying citizens equipped to make rational decisions.

Past European immigrants often raised more children than their descendents. But immigrants, largely from Third World nations, were targeted as potential consumers. They continue to produce hordes of offspring, dangerously altering demographics in their guest country whose enlightenment inspired Constitution, penned in English, experience horrendous onslaughts headed toward unfulfilled intent.

More people speed environmental decay. Organized religions — hardly ever having tried core Christianity — cry foul on socialism, which actually was born out of biblical teachings. Christians laud unregulated super-capitalism governed by greed, the opposite of Christ.

Unfolding laws/rules intended to manage an immature populace are broken by the very ones for whom they were forged.

Which brings us back to education for all to become informed, tax-paying citizens, kind hearted, peace-loving human beings foremost — employees, second. Spiritual and practical survival resourcefulness need to be tapped into to take us over the hurdles.

HELGA TESKE, Olympia

We must defend liberty and freedom

Historically, our diverse political parties have come together as one nation to fight two world wars, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and now the war on terrorism. Let us not forget that millions have died, and are dying still, in the cause of liberty and freedom.

The underlying difference between our political parties was the role of government in the guidance of this once great nation.

The essence of liberty and freedom lies within the conscious awareness of each individual and how each individual interprets his or her own personal responsibility under liberty and freedom.

Do we give away our personal liberty and freedom to government to make our decisions for us (socialism or fascism), or do individuals retain for themselves the responsibility for his or her own actions under liberty and freedom and utilize government only minimally in carrying out our laws and safety, guided by our Constitution?

Has there ever been a more critical time in our recent history for each individual to ask, “How do we control our destiny as a nation?”

Do we come together as one nation and set aside personal politics in favor of preserving our free republic?

As it stands now our government is in the hands of a socialistic, fascist regime hell bent on destroying this once great free republic and its Constitution. Either we stand united and choose liberty and freedom now, or live shamefully in debt and slavery, ruled by an arrogant dictator.

MICHAEL W. MUNZ, Shelton

It’s time to work toward common goals

I’m tired of all the gotcha and partisan letters to the editor in recent months.

Can’t we move beyond this partisan divide and look toward a better society?

I hope we can have a health care program that can assist all of our citizens.

I would like to see our returning veterans receive the best care possible when they return from Iraq and Afghanistan.

I would like us to pull together to help the homeless in our area have a roof over their head and sufficient food and clothing.

I would like to return to the values of yesteryear when we treated everyone with respect and dignity.

Perhaps I am asking too much, but I always thought this was the greatest country on earth where all things good and doable was the goal.

In sum, I would recall the words of John F. Kennedy — let’s ask what we can do for our country.

TERRY BULLOCK, Tumwater