Dear Editor:

I am writing in response to the letter written by Jeff Cheek of Medford, Oregon and his disgust at the First national Flag of the Confederacy. I would like to address each issue he raised one by one.

#5 & 6. That you and your brothers fought in WWII and would have not risked your life for the Confederacy.

First let me say as a veteran I recognize all veterans who have served their country. My hat is off to all who have done their part. But to say that you would not risk your life for the Confederacy is a moot issue since that conflict was in 1861-1865 and today we live in a different century.

It is hard for us to imagine what life was like back in those days. People did not look at themselves as Americans but rather as Texans or Mississippians, etc. The state was your mother country and from it came the political rights and privileges' of the day. Those folks in their day did not look to Washington DC or a huge federal government. In fact they sought to control and limit the expansion of government. They feared it and its unchecked expansion. As the war dragged on it was clear that an uncontrollable federal empire was to be established as well as the suppression of individual liberties.

For example during the war the press in the north was absolutely suppressed. There was to be no mention of any criticism of the Lincoln administration. One by one hundreds of newspapers were shut down, publishers and editors arrested and like most of the Maryland legislature that voted for session, were imprisoned in far and away places without a trial.

Protesters were not tolerated in the north as well. Secretary of War Stanton and Lincoln both accounted for the arrest and imprisonment of approximately 43,000 Northerners who opposed the invasion in the South. Generally, the myth prevails that the entire northern population supported the war and eagerly wished to volunteer to claim back the Confederate States and free the slaves.

Such was not the case as entire US Army regiments were disbanded for disloyalty. New York City gives a revealing example as thousands of its citizens revolted against the draft after Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. Known as the "New York City Draft Riots of 1863", hundreds were killed and entire sections of the city were burned and destroyed. Finally Lincoln ordered the tired army from Gettysburg to New York to quell the riots.

Jefferson Davis on the other hand did not suppress Southern newspapers, or severely limit the civil liberties of his people. Davis did have to make some very hard decisions that caused him to become unpopular. The South starved, inflation was rampant and conscription was enforced. However, he never shut down newspapers or arrested and imprisoned his opponents or detractors. Many spies were arrested that is true, but Southerners were never incarcerated by the thousands for protesting the war.

He suffered much criticism and many of his own people blamed him for the South's loss. Even at the very end before his arrest, Davis worked overtime commuting death sentences for army deserters and granting presidential pardons.

Today, more than ever, the country needs the principles for which the South fought for in the late War. They have been distressingly eroded, and Americans alike feel as helpless as Southerners did during the occupation of Reconstruction. Our government is out of control and there is no end in sight. Taxes, unemployment, waste, corruption and worthless run away government programs have broken us. We have become an empire and must look to "Rome" for all of the answers.

As Sir Winston Churchill once said, "No nation can long survive without pride in its heritage and history, our enemies know this." We must, for the sake of our fathers' memory and our children's children, continue to learn and seek to study our true history, and rediscover our special heritage. It's time to stand up and be proud of who we are, where we come from, and why our forefathers fought. We should insist that real history be taught and that our point of view should be considered. If we don't then history revisionists will completely erase our story.

Jan K. Huffstetler

San Saba, Texas

Dear Parents,

We are revising and updating the parent involvement handbook. We will host a parent meeting on October 5th at 4:00pm in the high school cafeteria. We will discuss the district needs assessment and parental involvement handbook. San Saba ISD appreciates your input. If you are unable to attend the meeting and wish to provide input, please e-mail, call or send information to Michael Bohensky. The new parent handbook will be readable in Spanish and English.

Michael Bohensky,

Assistant Superintendent

Title I Coordinator

Estimados padres de familia

Estamos revisando y actualizando el manual de participación de los padres. Tendremos una reunión de padres el 5 de octubre a las 4:00 pm en la cafetería de la escuela secundaria. Vamos a discutir las necesidades del distrito y un manual de evaluación de participación de los padres. Distrito Escolar Independiente de San Saba agradece su entrada. Si no puede asistir a la reunión y desea hacer contribuciones, por favor, correo electrónico, llamar o enviar información a Michael Bohensky. El manual para los padres nuevos se podrá leer en Español e Inglés.

Michael Bohensky,

Asistente del Superintendente

Coordinador del Título I