Voice of the People - February 28, 2009
Many attended benefit for son
We would like to thank everyone for the countless hours of hard work put into making the benefit for our son Hudson, recently diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, such a success. There is no way we can put into words how appreciative we are for all of the love and support from everyone in the community. It has been amazing! Please visit the Web page we created for Hudson for a complete list of individuals and business that made the benefit possible: www.caringbridge.org/visit/hudsonmiller.
Thanks again for such an amazing event.
Josh, Elicia, and Hudson Miller
Rock Hill
Public art would pay off for city
I read Mr. Yearlus' recent letter and wondered what he wants our city to look like. From the letter, I get the impression that Mr. Yearlus thinks all public art and beautification is a waste of money and that no public funds should ever be spent on it. If we follow this idea to a logical conclusion, the only public art would be given to us by that kid with the spray can or the gangs with their spray-painted logos on the sides of buildings. Since Mr. Yearlus states that he enjoys seeing this, I suppose that would be fine with him.
Most of the rest of us like it when our city is attractive, however. We used to call it civic pride. A city that takes obvious pride in itself is attractive to business and tourists. It encourages a healthy economy. A town that looks like a slum says that we really don't care about our environment or anyone in it. In this regard, public art is money well spent.
The art slated for the water treatment plant would help beautify an otherwise unsightly building (No offense to the management or employees who provide us with a vital service). The sculpture would be outside the building where all could see, not inside as stated in the letter. I know a lot of people are justifiably worried about the economy. But this may make the beautification of Cherry Road that much more important. Rock Hill must compete with hundreds of other towns and cities for a shrinking number of businesses that may want to relocate. I doubt that letting ourselves go to pot is a good strategy.
We are lucky to have a group of professionals like Tom Stanley, Phil Moody and others among us. Most small towns don't have this kind of resource. We have local professors and artists who can produce quality public art right in our own backyard. We should use our advantage and allow them to do their work for us. It will pay off in the long run.
Curtis LeMay
Rock Hill
We are all created equal
I was born in the '50s, so I remember a lot of the hatred held by white people. I remember the other incidents that will never be brought up. And unlike Steve Coleman and Elwin Wilson, who may have received a ticket to the gates of heaven, some of their peers and family members maybe hell bound.
I remember going to some of the white people's homes my mother cleaned. They were nice but separated. On other occasions, I would wonder why people followed us around in the dime store or the A&P supermarket.
Then you had Chase on Main which was blacks best friends, so to speak. As I grew older, I would ask my grandmother on occasion to stop saying "yes ma'am" to people as young as I was while she held back from slapping the taste out of my mouth. I think she thought she had to.
But one thing I never forgot. My dad used to say a white man ain't got no more than I got. I never knew what or how he meant it, but what I learned from it was that they were never better than I was but, like a box of crayons, different colors. Although I hear a lot of black people saying we have came a long way but still have a long way to go, I say, no! We have proved that we are equal in society, but, yes, a heart can only be changed by God.
Juvenia L. White
Fort Mill
This story was originally published February 28, 2009 at 12:47 AM with the headline "Voice of the People - February 28, 2009."