A memorial was set up at Murphy’s Chop House with 13 empty place settings to remember the U.S. troops lost in Afghanistan. Contributions were made to the memorial totaling $500, which was given to The Wounded Warriors organization.
13 U.S. troops aren’t forgotten
To honor our fallen service members, my daughter and I asked Murphy’s Chop House if they wouldn’t mind setting up 13 empty place settings for the soldiers we lost in Afghanistan.
Contributions were made so the table could be left this way for the entire day. Many people contributed to this and all the money, which was over $500, was given to the Wounded Warriors organization.
All over our great country, similar things were done to honor of our fallen. Rest in peace, and know you will never be forgotten.
Pray for the people left behind.
Patricia Eckhardt, Debbie Delevan, Murphy
Let’s make happy news
I am a recent subscriber to this newspaper and truly look forward to receiving it each week.
With that said, I find it really disheartening to see what is printed in this section sometimes. Where is the accountability when people share grossly misrepresented statistics or such hateful remarks?
We live in such divided times because many of us spend too much time listening to politicians whom at the end of the day really don’t care about any of us. The overwhelming majority of them love to put on a front about being so different from their counterpart across the aisle, when in reality most have the same few goals in mind: make money and further divide us so we’re completely caught up in hating someone from the other “side” that we’re not paying attention to what they’re really doing behind closed doors.
I’m not so naive as to think that everyone is going to like one another or always get along; however, we’re all human beings on this incredible planet for a very short time. Why would anyone want to spend that brief time arguing about things that we have no control over and trying to shove views down one another’s throat, when at the end of the day none of those viewpoints will ever culminate in changing the other person’s mind?
We owe it to ourselves, and to our community, to be so much more respectful, compassionate and empathetic. What if instead of being so attached to media (whether that’s mainstream news, social media or the latest YouTube conspiracy), we took a big collective breath and focused on the amazing beauty that surrounds us all here in Cherokee County?
Why not spend the time reconnecting with nature and one another instead of spending another hour doom scrolling on Facebook? Meet a friend for a walk and maybe pick up some litter along the route.
Happy news rarely ever actually makes the news, but what if we decided to change that for ourselves right here at home?
Sarah Wright, Murphy
Family says thanks to all
This note is to say “thank you” from Gene Clayton’s family, in case someone did not receive a card of thanks.
A special thanks to Good Shepherd, Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital emergency room, Little Brasstown Baptist Church and the groups who sent the book Lift Up Thine Eyes in memory of Gene.
It’s a beautiful book. They are United Community Bank, Turner Family Pharmacy, Edward Jones, Patterson Tire, Andrews Heating & Cooling, Old Town Brokers, Marble Veterinary Hospital, Townson-Rose Funeral Home chapel and thanks to each pallbearer.
God bless.
Clara Clayton and family, Murphy
Careful what you wish for
Ninety-five percent of Africa’s elephants are gone. Nearly all the larger animals there are on the endangered species list.
Two-thirds of America’s songbirds have disappeared in the last few decades. Ninety-five percent of monarch butterflies are also gone.
We are losing everything, big and little, on all the continents. By the year 2100, just a short time away, all the marvelous fairytale beings, from giraffes to orangutans to bird of paradise, will be gone forever.
The divine legacy we inherited we are quickly betraying. Our generation will become the curse of all those that follow, we who should have preserved these miracles.
Progressives talk about saving the planet, while the Amazon, African, Indonesian and Malaysian ecosystems are being obliterated. No American president has done anything at all about it.
We’re not saving anything. Electric cars and windmills are not the immediate challenge, though windmills do kill thousands of songbirds every year.
Some folks assert we are special children of God, though I fear He is very disappointed. Otherwise, He would not have built hell to house most of us.
When I get to heaven, as I will surely do, I will ask the Almighty why he didn’t make me president when there was still time.
In the meantime, Arlan is not a hard name to spell. Make me your write-in candidate.
Don’t forget your civic responsibility. Every voter will get an autographed elephant pin, though not one made out of ivory.
In the 1970s, scientists were concerned we are due for another long, frigid period, that our warming period is over. Only increasing carbon levels are saving us from that dire fate. Be careful what you wish for.
Oh – climate change fearmongers – why should I look forward to driving my spiffy electric car through a biological desert?
Arlan Edwards, Murphy
‘Ode to America’
Shredding sounds come from the trees falling nibs of sorn by local shuckers.
Cool winds slide down the hills, lapping waves on slippery rocks.
Mayflower boat is ready to dock ... friendly Natives bring food and such.
A hint of the first Thanksgiving brunch ... many more came overiding the land.
There were Brits, the Irish and their potatoes, Poles and slaves wearing Babushkas, Germans of viking descent, little Chinamen whose blood lay still.
Among the ties … ties that bind the long train rides ... Jews came with their Broadway music and women baking blintzes.
Alas, we forget all fought a great war and another and more ... to save their freedom of song and dance ... and their
traditions ...
To worship our God who made us all ... Oh, Lord, save our nation that she not fall ... how preciously we honored our flag and freedom ... how staunch we were to make our big country the greatest of all.
Some went North to Alaskan seas ... some South for tropical breeze ... others forged West to cultivate land, to dig for gold in desert sand. They came before the train ... Oh pioneer a long ride well spent.
Easterners stayed where they disembarked ... to build tall building for finance and
fun ... while factories spew forth shoes and belts, garments and tools. Would they know of what was to come. Miners would no longer be the bacon bringer free to raise up a family.
Great men came to invest and invent ... lights to see.
Bells to ring to speak to friends across the street. One day a bright silent light spreads slowly across the sky ... cover your eyes to not go blind.
Too late there’s nogoing back. Now on and on easy buttons to push, air polluted with ringy ding dings, computer chips and food aplenty there is another side to gaeity where grief and tears mingle in.
What a price to pay when on the ground Ten Commandmets lay. Here today a nation gripping its last breath. Soldiers and others try out death .... but wait, there’s more, one second more, to look up along the Eastern shore ... Right on time the horseman cometh.
Jennie Kram Neal, Nantahala
Color Guard not standing
On page 1A in the Sept. 15 edition of the Cherokee Scout, the article written by Abigail Hickman is not completely
correct.
- Only two of seven Color Guard members were standing at attention.
- The article goes on to say the Color Guard were standing at full attention during the entire ceremony. Not true.
- Fake and made-up news to me.
William Richardson, Murphy
Take care of one another
My vaccination protects me and others.
The Covid-19 virus continues to ravage Towns, Union, Clay and Cherokee counties. Data from covidactnow.org as of Sept. 20 show positivity rates of 9.8 percent, 24.6 percent, 24.3 percent and 19.7 percent, respectively, in our counties.
Rates above 5 percent are considered much too high. A higher percent positive rate suggests higher transmission and that there are likely more people with coronavirus in the community who haven’t been tested yet. The risk of getting Covid in these counties is very high, severe and extreme, respectively.
As an example, over the last week, Cherokee County has averaged 44 new confirmed cases per day. Vaccination is the answer or protection. However, our vaccination rates in our counties are 46.5, 42.9, 32.1 and 43.3 percent fully vaccinated. Very poor.
Over 660,000 deaths from Covid in our country to date. The highest single-day virus death toll in more than seven months was reported in the United States on Sept. 16.
Fully one-third of patients who recover from Covid are ‘’long-haul patients” with continuing symptoms. Long-lasting symptoms often include coughing, tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, headaches, muscle aches and diarrhea. But perhaps the most significant symptom that is being seen across the board in coronavirus long-haulers is fatigue.
Trust science. Vaccinate. Wear a mask everywhere indoors in public. Care for each other.
Jim Grazis, Young Harris, Ga.