Letters to the editor

For the Jan. 10 issue

By:
Mercer County Baha’is

celebrate Dr. King
To the editor:
   
The Baha’is of Mercer County celebrate the vision of Dr. Martin Luther King and call upon all to help bring the dream into reality. Dr. King raised the consciousness of our nation when he helped us find the strength to peacefully battle the evils of prejudice and racism. We pray that America will continue to evolve, as if faces purifying tests and trials, to become a land of spiritual distinction and leadership, a champion of justice and unity among all peoples and nations.
   Racism is the most challenging issue confronting America. The oneness of humanity is the pivot of all the teachings of the Baha’i Faith. The oneness of humanity is a statement of principle and an assertion of the ultimate goal of human experience on the planet.
   As we start this new year, we should look back to see what progress we have made in our national goal of justice and equality. Speculate on the progress we will achieve in advancing a culture that celebrates the oneness of humankind.
   As a nation whose ancestry includes every people on earth, whose ideals of freedom have inspired millions throughout the world, we cannot continue to harbor prejudice or disrespect for any racial or ethnic group without betraying the very soul of our society. Racism is a disease that destroys society. Progress toward racial tolerance and mutual respect has been painfully slow. The resurgence of divisive racial attitudes, increased number of racial incidents, and the despair of minorities and the poor make the need for solutions to the racial and cultural divisions in this nation ever more pressing and urgent.
   Humanity is now approaching maturity, a stage that will witness a new age of unity and cooperation around the globe. However, the key block to peace, prosperity and happiness in American and throughout the world is racism. America is in a position, like no other nation, to make the dream of unity a reality. The United States is a microcosm of the diverse populations of the world. If each individual can acknowledge that racism exists and make it a personal goal to battle the evils of racism we can all make the dream of Dr. King a reality.
   The oneness of humanity is a spiritual truth abundantly confirmed by science. Recognition of this truth compels the abandonment of all prejudices of race, color, creed, nation, and class — of everything which enables people to consider themselves superior to others. The principle of the oneness of humankind is no mere shout of ignorant emotionalism or an expression of vague and reverent hope. It is a scientific fact that will lead to an organic change in the structure of present-day society that will bring the dream of Dr. King into reality.
   To receive a free copy of the Baha’i statement on race unity or join us in a local commemoration to honor the ideals of Dr. King on Jan. 20, call 888-1554. Additional information can be found at http//www.bahai.org or by calling 1-800-UNITE.
Scott McNear
Hamilton
Rescue squad hosted

dinner for seniors
To the editor:
   
On Dec. 22, the East Windsor Rescue Squad District II Inc., located on Twin Rivers Drive, hosted its annual holiday dinner for the community’s senior citizens. The members of the squad prepared a turkey dinner with all the trimmings which were so generously donated by local businesses such as Lee Turkey Farm, Prestige Diner, McCaffrey’s, Americana Diner, Chicken Holiday and Mediterranean Diner. While the senior citizens were being seated, they were entertained by a local Girl Scout Troop singing holiday songs. As the afternoon passed, Mayor Janice Mironov and Council Member Walter Daniels arrived to speak to the guests and join in the festivities. A visit from Santa was welcomed by all since he handed out the door prizes donated by Target and Shop-Rite and so beautifully wrapped by Pickwick Hallmark Cards and Gifts. All of the senior citizens received a package filled with items donated by Conair before they left to go home.
   The holiday dinner is just one of the many functions the East Windsor Rescue Squad District II Inc. performs. The squad consists of volunteers who are regular members, associate members, auxiliary members and cadets. Most people know the squad as the group who is called upon whenever there is a medical emergency, but they are more than that. The community of East Windsor located in the squad’s district received in the mail during December an envelope filled with important information concerning cancer detection and reminders to go for annual exams. The members also visit the local schools and discuss with the children how to react and what to do in case of a medical emergency.
   Another community service the squad did this year was to help people in need by providing a happier holiday season by delivering gifts generously donated by Tommy Hilfiger Foundation, Wal-Mart, Fooderama, TJ Maxx, Washington Street Family Dentistry, FedEx, Pressman Toys, Russ Berrie, Skechers, Foot Locker and Lord & Taylor. Also the squad, working with the community Blood Council of New Jersey, was able to help local hospitals by having a blood drive. More than 24 pints of blood were collected.
   The East Windsor Rescue Squad District II is always looking for new members who are willing to give of themselves for the good of the community. The squad will provide all the training necessary to become an active member. If you are interested, please call 448-8992 and leave your name and a telephone number along with time of day you may be contacted.
Cheryl Loeb-Cole
Auxiliary Member,
East Windsor Rescue Squad
District II
Coach thanks donors,

basketball team
To the editor:
   
On behalf of the Hightstown High School varsity girls basketball team, I would like to express my gratitude to the following people for supporting the team’s trip to Disney World. It was a tremendous educational and team development trip that I know will provide a lifetime of positive memories for each of the girls. Thank you to the parents for your positive emotional and financial support. Thank you to the East Windsor Board of Education for sanctioning the trip. Thank you to the East Windsor District Administration and Hightstown High School Principal Bill Roesch for your educational leadership and support of this trip.
   Thank you to the following for your generous donations that made this experience possible: Dr. Brian Shaffer of Mercerville Medical Associates; Hightstown Elks; Hightstown Apollo Lodge No. 41; Mr. Walt Daniels; Hightstown Athletic Hall of Fame; Mr. and Mrs. Robert Christie; personal contributors on behalf of individual players.
   Thank you to assistant coach Mary Brower for her dedication, professionalism and presence for and with the girls in Disney World.
   A final thank you and congratulations to the members of the Hightstown girls basketball team for their excellent behavior and responsibility and for serving as positive ambassadors for Hightstown High School. We are all very proud of you.
Gary Bushelli
Varsity Girls Basketball Coach
Home Depot criticism

is misplaced
To the editor:
   
I would like to respond to some of the arguments made against my letter to the editor on Dec 27, "Home Depot a welcome addition." I note that those who provided such arguments are not residents of East Windsor and I take particular exception to Mr. Cuddy’s insinuation ("Dollars spent locally stay in town," Jan. 3) that we should boycott an East Windsor establishment by shopping at a hardware store in Hightstown.
   The addition of Home Depot and other similar establishments in East Windsor will help ease the tax burden on both East Windsor and Hightstown residents. Property taxes paid by these establishments, which dwarf those paid by merchants like Shangle & Hunt, are used to fund state, county, municipal and school budgets. In my letter, I clearly argued that mom-and-pop establishments could coexist, suggesting the addition of a Home Depot will help build upon the existing tax base and not detract from it.
   It is interesting to note that despite the presence of Shangle & Hunt in Hightstown, the municipal tax rate in the borough has continued to rise while East Windsor’s has remained stable for years, benefiting from the addition of new businesses. Mr. Cuddy offers no suggestion as to how the land occupied by Home Depot in East Windsor should have been used. Should the land have remained idle, generating minimal property taxes, or worse, should it have been used for residential development, which clearly would have had a negative impact on property taxes in both East Windsor and Hightstown.
   In Mr. Sheridan’s "Local stores can compete with chains," Jan. 3, he suggests that Shangle & Hunt carries more than one type of two-by-four. I specifically called Shangle & Hunt to inquire about what kinds of two-by-four they carry. The answer was one type of two-by-four at $2.99 each. If, as Mr. Sheridan suggests, Shangle & Hunt carries more than one type of two-by-four, then the incorrect information given out by a Shangle & Hunt employee leads me to believe that I may have overstated their expertise relative to Home Depot. The specific two-by-four I referenced from Home Depot was kiln-dried spruce ($1.69), an acceptable material for construction use. By the way, renting one of Home Depot’s trucks for delivery costs only $19.
   Finally, Mr. Sheridan suggests Shangle & Hunt had little success when they tried to expand their hours on Thursday and Friday evenings. One would think they would have first tried to expand Saturday hours and open on Sunday. After all, where do I go for hardware on Sunday if Shangle & Hunt is closed, Hamilton?
Robert Lerman
East Windsor