Red Line (Nov 25)
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“Thank you, City of Madera,” began a woman’s call, “for the Crossroads Shopping Center. It is fabulous. Now, what about the trash houses and businesses across the street? Where are you, code enforcement?”
“I would hope, with the holiday season,” began a lady, “the calls to the Red Line become a little more positive. There are a lot of good things about living in Madera, yet all we see in the Red Line are negatives from people with no answers or solutions.”
“I don’t care what that lady says in the Red Line about your (columnist) Leon Emo,” said a woman. “I met him at the post office recently and he not only held the door open for me, both entering and leaving, but said good morning and tipped his hat like a gentleman out of the old west.”
A “Vietnam veteran and Marine” who “fought proudly for my country and love America” called about “Proposition 8 and Attorney General Jerry Brown urging the Supreme Court to consider if Proposition 8 is legal. I am just appalled that a few Supreme Court justices could have jurisdiction over the people. As far as I know it is the people that is running the government, not the government running the people. Then it becomes a dictatorship. We have voted against it. The gays seemed to be getting all the authority and all the attention.”
A gentleman called about the “auto industry wanting all the money to help them out. If I was running the country, I would help them just like they help Mr. Tucker.” (Note: Tucker was an automobile designer who produced the advanced Tucker Torpedo Sedan in 1948. Only 51 were made before the company folded early in 1949.)
“We didn’t win many games,” began a man’s call. “But the flag football league run by the Parks Department I hope returns next year. Me and my team had a great time playing on Saturday mornings.”
A man commented, “Now that one of the most miserable football seasons is over for Madera High I hope the school board and district is already searching for another coach. We can’t go anywhere but up if we get a new coach. We had a great freshman team this year, and they deserve better when they get to the varsity level.”
An Internet guest, self-identified as “Megg Lasswell,” responded to a defense of President George Bush that was printed in the Red Line on Nov. 18. She writes, “Let me tell you how many people have died on this war for oil, this horrid war that has made many an American ashamed of their country: over 4,000 Americans have died during this war (and) between 89,000 and 97,000 civilian deaths.”
Another person, “JP,” writes, “Look at it this way. If you are walking down the other side of the street with a gun holstered on your hip, and I come over and kick your butt just because you might use that gun against me, I’m guilty of assault and battery. When Bush does it to Iraq, it’s alright?”
An online reader, “Amused,” writes, “It amuses me how people can still defend President Bush even after seeing where we are now after his eight years as president. I wonder what fantasy world they live in.”
A Web site visitor, self-identified as “Hm …” writes, “It’s interesting how people who claim that groups of people —the Mormon Church and people that voted Yes on 8 — are bigots and Prop. 8 itself is bigotry, yet they turn around and do the same thing to these groups of people —mainly the Mormons— when they protest its passage.”
An Internet guest, self-identified as “Nicole,” writes on same-sex marriage, “For those of you using religion to back your arguments — do people who are not of your religion get married? … Most homosexuals, and an increasing number of people in general, don’t care if their marriage is sanctified or recognized by any church or religious group. What they want is equal footing …
“There is, simply put, no sound, logical, secular argument against gay marriage and in time, this nation will realize that.”
Another reader, self-identified as “No …” writes, “Proposition 8 was/is to restore the traditional definition of marriage, which has existed in this country since its creation. It is only an added fact that religious groups support it, too, because of their own beliefs.
“Also, according to all of the oppositions’ arguments, I should also be able to marry a horse, cow or any other animal. Going by what has been said… who is to define what love is?”
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Thank you for your calls. Remember, the Red Line is open for your messages 24 hours a day by calling 674-4478, or by visiting www.maderatribuneredline.com.



RE: The caller to the Redline that says houses and businesses across from the Crossroads shopping center are trash.
Just because you do not shop there/live there, like the businesses or like the people that live in those houses or run those businesses does not mean that they are trash. If you don’t like it, move or go shop somewhere else…. Easy solution.
Tuesday, Nov. 25, the following statement was in The Red Line, “There is, simply put, no sound, logical, secular argument against gay marriage and in time, this nation will realize that.”
Secular doctrines and practices reject godly morality. There is no sound, logical secular argument against gay marriage because the disagreement is between those for gay marriage and people of faith. People of faith are not secularists. People of faith choose the ways of God.
Secularism takes separation of church and state to an unrealistic extreme. I maintain that separation of church and state simply means our government cannot force any citizen to attend a state-run church. We are free to practice any religious faith, or not.
In reality, there is no way to separate church (God fearing thinkers) from state (all people under one government). If we, did there would be no need for prisons. Everyone would have a right to do whatever they want. Incarcerated people have broken a law of God that man had agreed was wrong, and made laws affecting secular living.
Our Declaration of Independence, first paragraph, acknowledges God. The second paragraph acknowledges Him as Creator. The dividing line of prophecy is becoming clearer with each passing day, that being, those who side with the God of the Holy Bible and those who do not.
There will be no meeting of the minds, no agreement with secularists by people of faith regarding gay marriage.
If the will of the people is once again denied by the courts in favor of gay marriage, the homosexuals will still not be winners. They will not have freedom; they will only have the right to do wrong.
The sacrifice of Jesus Christ gave us freedom to choose to do right, instead of remaining in bondage to doing that which is wrong.
There is, simply put, no sound, logical argument to deny God and His ways, and in time, the nations will realize that. Proof of God is His testimony as revealed in the Holy Bible, history, and archaeology.
We are heading into a one world political and economic system. The religious beast, Satan as Antichrist (instead of Christ; the false Messiah), will follow making his appearance on earth deceiving the unbelievers and unlearned.
The famine in the end times will not be for bread or water, but for hearing the words of the Lord. Unbelief and not having an appetite for God’s word is pure folly.
Katherine Atilano,
Madera