Saturday, December 26, 1998

Letters to the editor

A hunter speaks up

In response to Sterling Tucker and James Merrick about deer hunting: It is obvious they do not know what they are talking about.

There is probably no group in America that cares as much about the wildlife population as do hunters. The majority of hunters are ethical and care deeply about wildlife of all types.

Many hunters may not even take a deer during the season yet will spend hundreds of dollars that benefit local businesses and the wildlife population in their areas. Just ask some of the small towns in Texas where they and many of their landowners would be without the dollars being spent in their communities by the hunter.

More deer are killed by automobiles and loss of habitat than by deer hunters.

Hunting is nature's way to keep our deer herd healthy. Man has been a part of the ecosystem for thousands of years. The United States' deer population is estimated at 22 million. In the early 1900s the entire U.S. only had 500,000. Due to controlled hunting, good game management and dollars from sportsmen, our herd size has increased, as has the health of the animal.

I have been proud to call myself a deer hunter for 45 years. Some of the finest people I know are deer hunters, and no group has more respect for the deer than the one who hunts them.

Mr. Tucker and Mr. Merrick, I'm not asking you to become deer hunters; but if you don't want to help keep our wildlife healthy with time, effort and money, then I suggest you get on another soap box.

ED FOURTON

Abilene

Onto the GOP

Rep. Charles Stenholm showed he is a wolf in sheep's clothing -- a right-wing Republican and not a Democrat.

He and his fellow Republicans know the dirty politics involved in this. A lot of us have searched out the truth.

Gingrich vowed to investigate every Democrat in office. He, Sen. Helms and others formed a hate-Clinton campaign. They started in to destroy President Clinton, any friends and any Democrats they could.

Listen to people in Arkansas, and see how many innocent people suffered at the hands of this group. From information I've gotten, Starr may get his dues yet.

The Republicans have kept one stink after another going to defame the president. Since they couldn't prove anything, they butted into his personal life. They were as a bunch of vultures after their prey.

Trent Lott, Gingrich and buddies couldn't wait to put their trash on the air for the world to see. True, the president did wrong, but these people made us a laughingstock to the world by sending it out as they did. They put politics before honor of our country.

Say what you will about Larry Flynt for his investigation of Republicans. Is that any different than what the right-wing Republicans did? No. They hired women to come forward and claim an affair with Clinton. Paula Jones was paid well. They also tried to hire or force people to lie in the Whitewater case.

It's a disgrace to our nation that politicians have stooped so low. I pray God will stop this madness.

EDNA JOHNSON

Abilene

No help to Gore

Your recent editorials defending Clinton exemplify catching a prominent man committing a crime and then attacking the law for prosecuting him.

Boy!

Speak of "ad nauseum"!

You warn that replacing Clinton with Gore would give him an advantage in the next election as the incumbent.

I doubt seriously if Gerald Ford would agree.

WILLIAM CALHOUN

Comanche

Senate being tested

I agree with my friend, Toby Williams, that the vote along party lines for impeachment was an embarrassment and his prediction that the Senate will not convict may come to pass.

However, Christians are called to walk by faith and not be influenced by polls or the apparent outcome of the Senate vote. I believe God is testing Congress, and it would not be much of a test if the polls were to back up what their conscience told them was right. I believe most of the nation has temporarily been blinded, in order that Congress can be properly tested.

I also agree with Don Newbury in his assessment of Rep. Charles Stenholm. I believe Stenholm voted his conscience after much prayer and deliberation and that he and the House as a whole passed the test.

Even the advice of John Scott for Stenholm to become a Republican may have some merit. I am an Independent but, after viewing the performance of Democrats on the Judiciary Committee, perhaps a switch might be good. I would compare leaving the Democratic Party to Lot being led by the angels out of Sodom before the judgment that was sure to come.

I pray that each senator will vote his conscience and not be influenced by polls or the apparent outcome. However, the Senate vote should not be considered the end of the test. A question remains. If not convicted, will President Clinton's future actions reflect true repentance or not?

CHARLES LaSALLE

Abilene

Via e-mail

Give up, Charlie

It seems U.S. Rep. Charles Stenholm has completed his political evolution. He started out as a boll weevil, then a "blue dog" and finally a Judas.

He has cast his lot with the vindictive Republicans and betrayed his party and, worse, the constituents who have kept him in office for years.

He should consider retiring after this term to avoid the agony of defeat or, better yet, do the honorable thing, after misusing the trust of his supporters, and take an early retirement.

ROBERT FONNER

Abilene