Voice of the People - January 21, 2009
Comporium should have shown concert
Comporium has once again demonstrated backward thinking in unprecedented and historic times in our great United States of America. HBO broadcast the "Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial" on Sunday night, and in doing so, "invited its television service providers to make the concert available for free to all their customers."
When Comporium's customers attempted to tune in, it was not available. The denial of access to this historic event is a disgrace. I am outraged and also sad for the citizens of this service area. We have been denied an unforgettable opportunity because of a decision made by Comporium. Comporium is good to our community and involved in many ways. But they have made a huge mistake.
A well publicized rebroadcast of the event is not only appropriate, but expected. An apology would be proper.
Sally Herlong
Rock Hill
What would towers look like?
I was excited to read in a column by Andrew Dys that Rock Hill will soon have "bell towers" erected out along the interstate near the Galleria exit. As Christopher Walken would say, "Wowa!"
Then I got to thinking that I was not really sure what a belfry would look like just sitting out there with a bunch of tree stumps with no church underneath it, so I investigated bell towers on line. As it turns out, most of them are in churches, but sometimes someone pitches the construction of them to people like me as free-standing structures that may or may not actually contain bells. I don't know, maybe it is just me, but I think a bell tower without bells is like a pole dancer without a pole. Anyway, the Italians call them campaniles. There are as many different styles as the imagination can conjure up.
Then I realized that as a taxpayer and citizen of the community I have absolutely no knowledge of what these campaniles of ours will look like. Why is that? Is it like a secret so that I can be pleasantly surprised, like when I read that they were only costing $170,000? Then I reread Dys' column and saw that what he really wrote was they are to be "monuments" resembling bell towers. How does he know this stuff and I don't? I am now getting whiplash because all my initial excitement over anticipation of driving by the stumps and hearing the death knell of the bells will probably not happen. Then there is still that $170,000 and not even getting a peek at the structures. At least with a pole dancer you know right up front what your money is going for.
Bill Vannordstrand
Rock Hill
'Biracial' is more accurate term
Will the media ever refer to Barack Obama as the first biracial president? I doubt it. It's a shame that he doesn't take pride in his white heritage. If the media wants to report the facts, then get it right. Best of luck to President Obama.
Steve Stotts
Rock Hill
God should get credit
I know the pilot did a great job landing that plane in the Hudson River, and I think God for him. Glory be to God. That's who they owe their lives to. If It were not for God, that would have been impossible.
Shirley Caldwell
Chester
This story was originally published January 21, 2009 at 1:57 AM with the headline "Voice of the People - January 21, 2009."