Letters policy
Send e-mail to letters@gainesvilletimes.com (no attached files, please, which can contain viruses); fax to 770-532-0457; or mail to The Times, P.O. Box 838, Gainesville, GA 30503. Include full name, hometown and phone number for confirmation. They should be limited to one topic on issues of public interest and may be edited for content and length (limit of 500 words). Letters originating from other sources or those involving personal, business or legal disputes, poetry, expressions of faith or memorial tributes may be rejected. You may be limited to one letter per month, two on a single topic. Submitted items may be published in print, electronic or other forms. Letters, columns and cartoons express the opinions of the authors and not of The Times editorial board.
To find a form to send a letter, click here.
During this time when we are honoring our veterans for their brave support to our nation, we are unfortunately conscious of international discord and internal threats to this land.
Thinking of this has made me tremendously aware that these service personnel were and are our basic line of defense against monumental assaults aimed at our life principles. Forget the politicians and the diplomats; these patriots, who come from every walk of life, the ubiquitous "common people," are indeed in actuality our true and first line of defense.
The individuals being portrayed in the media today as heroes, as courageous sacrifice all persons of enormous statue, is justifiable and well-deserved. Certainly, our servicemen and women are all that and more. But, one wonders, from where does this patriotic fervor originate: the home, the school, the church, the community?
All of these commonplace entities associated with personal development are responsible. All the day-by-day acts of parents, teachers and the community leaders build citizens of strong faith and loyal commitment who will, and are able to stand fast when asked to give that "all."
It is amazing that since revolutionary times, patriots have put themselves in harm’s way over and over. I recently saw an article on 20 cemeteries in Europe where American troops are buried. There are 104,366 graves of those who gave their lives so that the horrors of war would not be inflicted upon the peoples of this nation.
Again, one has to wonder and marvel that the ordinary "common people" of this great land of ours are its strong and sustaining first line of defense. A salute is in order!
Meta Cronia
Gainesville