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Country suffers from low values

To The Editor:
It is becoming more obvious each day that at some point in my life I went to sleep and woke up on another planet. The planet that I was born and raised on, most mothers maintained the home, gave guidance and love to the children, while most fathers worked to pay the bills and add security and love to the family. Getting an education was not an option and discipline was used in the guidance process. We also had a federal government that believed in the Constitution of the United States and governed accordingly.
On this planet, the president gave a State of the Union address and stated that anyone who thought this country was in decline was wrong. I realize the president is young and has extensive experience as a community organizer, but I feel he has a different definition for “decline” than I do. As an alien from my planet, I would say decline in this country is on steroids.
We are overlooking a very important issue. Our children are our future. Michael Reagan pointed out in The Messenger that there are 40 million children without a father in the home. In one ethnic group, 70 percent are one-parent families. If you study the results of this you will find that children raised under these conditions will have a much higher crime rate in numerous different areas.
I did many things in my  life which I am ashamed of and I paid a price for them, but in comparison with today’s values, it would be nothing.
Due to our low values today, our schools suffer and our country suffers. We have a military that is second to none but our schools are not. I don’t blame the good teachers or the good parents, but I do blame the administration, from Arne Duncan (U.S. Secretary of Education) down, and the arrant parents.
Too many children hate school when it should be a pleasant experience. We have others that are traumatized by bullies, even to the point of committing suicide. We have a few teachers that have had relationships with students and far too many students that are doing inverted pushups with the opposite gender.
What is the different between our military and our schools? Discipline and control. This will work, even on this planet.
Gary Spence
Troy
Fair treatment
sought for kids

To The Editor:
I am writing in regard to the Obion County Youth League.
I am a 58-year-old grandmother, own a business in Obion County and am raising my grandchildren.
My grandson signed up to play in the youth basketball league. We were called and told he had been placed on a team and they were starting practice on a Thursday. On Wednesday, they called and said they had more kids to sign up and they were going to put him on another team to make it full. I said, “OK.” Then, they called and wanted to know if I could coach this other team. I said I could not do this. The next call I get the man said they don’t have a coach for this new team and he would not be able to play this year. I said to put him back on the team they had him on. They said they could not do that because that would not be fair to the others. This happened two days before they were to play.
I want to know how this is fair: First, he’s on a team, then going to be put on another team, and now, not playing at all. Who is this one man who says who can and can’t play?
I thought this was a youth league and if you sign up on time and pay your money, these children get to play. I’m sorry, but if there are some that don’t get to play, then why are the others?
I do a lot of volunteer work. If I have a charity and cannot get anyone to help, guess who does it? Me — that’s how it works. I can’t just say sorry, no one would help. Mine was not the only child not getting to play.
Barb Sheppard
Union City

Published in The Messenger 2.15.12

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