LETTERS
To the Editor:

Thank you, Blairsville! Friends of Union County Library report that our Trash and Treasure Sale was an overwhelming success. Generous community donations of sale items, and the enthusiastic shoppers on May 2 and 3, enabled us to exceed our expectations for this fundraiser.

Donations were also received for our Books For Babies program and for the Union County Library Summer Reading program.

We would like to express our appreciation to all those who helped with or supported this event in any way. Particular recognition and gratitude is expressed to Road Way Sign Company and United Community Bank for help with advertising.

The proceeds of this fundraiser will be used to help meet current library needs not covered by other funding sources. Funds will be given directly to the library as needs are identified.

Barbara Hale, Trash & Treasures Chairperson,

Friends of Union County Library

To the Editor:

I seem somehow to have incurred the bilious wrath of some sore senior citizen. And the source of her soreness? I have examined my conscience carefully, and can find no 'mea culpa' to tender. I supported St. Francis of Assisi's'Catholics Returning Home' program; that seemed to stir in the woman the ashes of bitter resentment. I quit writing for a Copper Hill, TN newspaper and they later failed. I'm certain she knew that the paper was felled by a local well established, predatory competitor, and that I stopped writing long before they failed. As to cousin Michael McKevitt, those of his ilk in Ireland seem only the just wages of a one time invasion by a foreign power out to strip the land of Erin of its resources, extinguish all human life there and count the place as their own. England has in recent times apologized to Ireland, but continues inescapably to hold the resultant tar baby. But so much for that. Positive thoughts are better.

In answer to the unasked question, Have you read any good books lately? Yes, I have. My once cursory interest in early modern witchcraft was rewarded when an acquaintance recommended I read The Witch-Hunt in Early Modern Europe, by Brian P. Levack. I found it a great read.

Twelfth Century Catholicism had condemned satanism and its inferred connection with an Old Testament insistence that witches should be killed. The Church later concluded through scholastic theocratic research that the term 'witches' was a misinterpretation, and that people deemed as witches should not be killed. But while early radical reformers had all but extirpated every scent of both hierarchical Catholicism and Lutheranism, they remained intrigued by punishing 'heresy;' or beliefs contradicting their religious teachings, by 'banning' and 'shunning.' When civil government and radical reformer leadership joined together, with the churches identifying perpetrators, civil government carried out the purification process, i.e. burning at the stake. Those seen as deserving of pity were surrounded by piles of burning leaves, and euthanized by smoke inhalation. Others were purified using ignited tree branches.

Those who voluntarily admitted to the practice claimed they rode brooms to so called 'sabbaths' hundreds of miles away. What they were really carried away with was an herbal drug called atropine, a crystaline bitter poisonous alkaloid rubbed onto and penetrating the skin to produce LSD-like narcotic transport, much like the 'jimson weed.' Other alleged but innocent suspects were merely old harridans spewing bitter or hateful resentment of all with whom they disagreed. Peasant rumor had them secretly accosting and seducing weak willed husbands, thereby inviting the wrath of spiteful, suspicious wives. Of course, they were truly hags, angry at their widow-hood, angry at a thankless and disrespectful public; and bereft of all romance once desired but now spurned by unappreciative men; their lives, their imagined wisdom and self-worth lost to end-of-life termination, and thereafter nowhere to go.

As a footnote to my opening paragraph, Michael McKevitt reposes now in a gated community and could not be reached for comment, but his friend and consort Bernadette Devlin is reportedly delighted to hear of letter writer Ramsey, and invites her to fly over for a different sort of planned sabbatical featuring on the menu little boys, seasoned with snakes and snails and puppy dog tails.

As to history's harridans? Why, I suppose some are still there. One may not have to leave Union County to find one.

And finally, I'm told by St. Francis of Assisi insiders that their 'Catholics Returning Home' program has been proven emminently successful and is now regarded as permanently ongoing. As to my sort of sabbatical teaching a course titled The Ancient World of the Celts, it is proceeding nicely and is set to complete on May 23. Reports have it well received. Tom McKevitt To the Editor:

Though often overlooked, I would like to thank the construction workers who put in long, hard hours moving dirt and paving the new entrance to Ingles. The workers have built a flowing, safer and convenient access in Union County. The new black top has allowed for easier flow of the traffic through an already busy intersection. Exiting the Ingles parking lot is also safer by the addition of the yield sign. In addition, the removal of the median at the previous entrance has created a more convenient means of entering the parking lot.

Again, a sincere thank you for the convenience, safety and easier flow of traffic built by the hard labor of the construction workers.

Sincerely, Breanne Veilleux To the Editor:

To be honest, I have lived in Blairsville for the past seven years and I haven't spent the time to visit Meeks Park until recently. It is such a beautiful, fun and relaxing place. I walked at the park nearly everyday last summer. Surprisingly enough the local probationers have maintained the park's beauty to a fault. It is so nice to be able to walk on the trail and not see litter, but instead birds and squirrels doing what they do. I also see all sorts of people, young and old, enjoying the trails, playing sports or just spending time under the pavilions. I noticed several swinging benches along the trail. There is one particular spot near the little river where you can see the sun's light break through the tree and just sparkle on top of the flowing water. An added breeze on a hot day makes the spot that much more relaxing. In short, Meeks Park is an incredibly beautiful place, fun for all ages and very relaxing. I can't wait until the weather heats up more.

Sincerely, Garrett Dutrow