Letters to the editor

Officers are the light when the world is dark

Even in darkness there is light. This is something that I have stated over and over throughout my life when challenged with tragedy. Like many of you, I am trying to make sense out of the death of York County Sheriff’s Detective Mike Doty. I knew Detective Doty from my time as a detective with Rock Hill Police Department. While I knew him on a professional level, I now regret that I did not know him on a personal level. The more I hear about his life, the more I am in awe.

When a person gives his life for a greater cause than himself it speaks volumes to what kind of person he is. At Detective Doty’s funeral, I sat in the second level of Calvary Church looking down on the congregation of law enforcement, family and friends. One thing stood out to me from my vantage point. Below me, I could see the glimmering shine of each and every badge that was worn. The badges reminded me of my saying: Even in darkness there is light. We may not always see it at first but it is there.

To the officers who continue to serve our community day in and day out, remember that it is you who are the light when the world turns dark. It is you who will continue to carry the torch and keep the wolves at bay. It is you who will make sure Doty’s death was not in vain.

To the civilians who cried beside our law enforcement; who are hurt at the loss of our protector; it is now up to you to continue this cohesion of our community. Together we will make York County stronger and together we will support our law enforcement. God bless.

Officers face danger daily

What happened in the senseless ambush and death of a fine police officer happens in Chicago and New York but not York County. But it did.

This ought to awaken every citizen of York County to the danger that every man and woman who put on their uniform face every time they do so.

I trust that you have joined be in praying daily for each of these brave officers and, yes, even the one who committed this tragic incident.

This tragedy has affected not only the officers involved and their families and friends, but every police officer in York County and surrounding counties. To each and every one of you, I want to give you Proverbs 18:24B which reads, “There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” In your time of sorrow, grief and anger, remember that God, by the presence of the Holy Spirit, is with you in these difficult days.

Majority of tax benefits go to the wealthy

In his letter to the editor Jan. 21, Paul Anderko makes claims regarding the Republican tax bill which he would have us believe show how wonderful it will be for all of us.

I have several problems with his claims. First, he cites a study which, it turns out, was done in December on an earlier form of the bill. Leaving the predicted huge deficits it will cause, the final bill Republicans passed and President Donald Trump signed into law was much different – and even worse.

Contrary to Mr. Anderko’s claims, the studies I’ve seen find that the huge majority of benefits go to the wealthiest among us and big corporations. Further, the claim is made that workers are already enjoying the largess of the big companies, such as Wal-Mart, Apple, Boeing and more. Looking more closely, however, it turns out that the bonuses and pay raises being trumpeted aren’t very extensive after all . Even now Wal-Mart has announced closings of many of their neighborhood markets, cutting jobs. Boeing is moving, seeking low wage workers.

It always comes down to the same old “trickle down” baloney. Give the rich guys so much money that some might fall out of their pockets for the rest of us. It’s never helped the regular guys, never will.

Outpouring of love and respect

I attended Mike Doty’s celebration of life on Jan. 22. I know Mike from the N.C. Law Enforcement Explorers Association. I have been in law enforcement 30 years and I have never seen the respect, outpouring of love, patriotism, pride that I witnessed at Mike’s funeral.

Residents, people, standing on the roadway, sidewalks, entering Rock Hill waving flags; a little boy who ran over to me and said, “Thank you for your service, sir;” a little girl I saw waving and holding her flag saying “We Love You, Mr.;” a man holding a sign that said, “ Thank You, Heroes” while holding his son. Many who just came up and said, “

We love you.”

The many patrons in the restaurant that come up to us and said “We love you and thank you” brought me to more tears. This was so overwhelming! It brings me to tears as I write this. I will never forget the fine people I met that day as long as I live! I was brought to tears many times as I was in the service and in that procession line I heard stretched for many miles!

I have almost 200 photos I took while in the procession and I have come to realize that law enforcement in Rock Hill and York County, S.C., is well loved and respected by the fine folks there. There was patriotism, pride, love and caring in that community that struck to the core of my soul that made me so humble.

Thank you for your support. What you did to made us feel at home, your love, caring for us for what we were all there for – Detective Mike Doty – our hero, your hero. He will always be remembered and his service to his community and others will always live!

Pray for justice in the deaths of heroes killed while on duty

Detective Mike Doty was killed while on duty with the York County Sheriff’s Office.

My heart goes out to his mother, siblings and friends. A parent never gets over this kind of hurt. It’s half of you. You had this child.

My son Brent was 23 years old. Mike was 37. So young.

Our children joined the sheriff’s department to help people. They joined the Family of Blue. They died heroes.

Please, if you are a young or old man or woman and you’re into bad things, do not pick up a weapon and hurt someone or kill them. You are destroying people and their whole families.

Mike Doty will never come back. And I pray his killer will be put away for life, or worse. And this man has destroyed his own family. Does he realize this?

Those of us who have lost a loved one will see them again one day. We just miss them now.

I have prayed for justice in the death of my son. I have yet to get it after 25 years. I pray Detective Doty’s family gets justice.

Laws need to change. Killing a cop does not mean swift justice, but it sure needs to. Maybe the killing would stop if the bad guy thought: I could die in three months if I do this.

Pray for justice for all our officers shot in the line of duty, and everyone else who is murdered.

Editor’s note: The writer’s son, York County Sheriff’s Deputy Brent McCants, was shot to death while on duty Sept. 25, 1992.

This story was originally published January 29, 2018 at 10:05 AM with the headline "Letters to the editor."