Reason obvious for May River contamination in Bluffton | Letters

In an ideal world, money wouldn’t be wasted on studies for which the answer in known. Since the town of Bluffton appointed itself Master of the May River, the water quality has steadily declined.

Covering up the watershed with concrete and asphalt in the quest for tax money is the main problem. Additional freshwater runoff is diluting the salinity of the river, leading to higher bacteria counts.

Runoff from nonporous surfaces, like the widened S.C. 46, flows freely into the river, with no sediment pond required. After all, no one oversees the government.

Approximately 800 sewer overflows happen statewide each year. That was reported by S.C. DHEC when an 842,000-gallon spill happened in Columbia in 2011.

I have read reports of other spills: Bluffton (6,500 gallons, January 2014), the Stono River near Charleston (2.4 million gallons, March 2018), the Vernon River outside Savannah (124,000 gallons, January 2018) and the Herb River near Savannah (580,000 gallons, March 2018).

That’s nearly 4 million gallons of raw sewage flowing from the ideal sewer systems.

It would take 4,000 septic tanks at 1,000 gallons each to create such a spill, all overflowing their full contents in the exact same location.

Maintained septic systems can last decades without issue. Sewer systems are one equipment failure away from disaster.

More money wasted on studies point to the same problem: Bluffton’s 874% growth since 2000. But building on every square inch, for revenue, continues. The “state of mind” is now the state of decline.

What’s truly important on Christmas

I thought of writing about something important yet controversial, like climate change, or the current political divide, but decided there is a much more important issue. The climate has been changing since time began and the next ice age will come. Politics will be decided in the voting booth. There’s not much we can do about either, except to be a good steward to our planet and to vote.

So, what is really important? It is staring us all in the face and does every year at this times – Christmas! And what is the problem with Christmas? I suppose it started in June 1963 when both prayer and Bible reading were removed from our public schools. And just as glaciers melt and retreat, many people have turned away from their Creator; they don’t want to talk about Him, or pray to Him, and don’t want their children to learn about Him or His biggest gift to all humanity, His son, Jesus Christ.

Christmas is the celebration of God’s gift to us. Perhaps we all need to focus on this just a little more than we have in the past. Christ came to earth for all people, regardless of race or religious belief and especially for those who have no belief. His gift of eternal life is free for the asking. If you are reading this and you are suffering or empty in spirit, know that the Christ in Christmas loves you and can be a part of your life. Look for His presence and you will find it. “Peace on earth, good will to men.”

This nation must change

I have been on God’s magnificent earth nearing my ninth decade, and yes, I have seen many a politician, party, or movement wax and wane. But lately, after reading innumerable letters to the editor and listening to constant haranguing of one cable news channel versus another, I am afraid. Yes afraid – for my country.

Letters expound in full vitriol on the virtues or failings of our president, or former president, etc. Conspiracy theories abound. Do any of these extremists believe they are going to change anyone’s mind with their senseless rantings? They obviously are emotionally founded. And that is the scariest part.

I grew up in the Great Depression, schooled during World War II, served my country during the Korean and Vietnam wars, and watched as our country suffered through these trying times and then bonded after 9/11. It breaks my heart to see America torn asunder by the seeking of power, greed, fiscal insanity and one-upmanship and the tearing down of the very foundations that made us great.

Whatever happened to “love thy neighbor”? We must cease being tribal, and become one again. I remember an old movie where the Indian chief taught his son the lesson of being united, as he picked up one twig, gave it to his son who easily broke it. He then handed his son a bundle of twigs that defied his son’s effort to break.

Who will step up and lead us away from the constant bickering before it is too late?

Story shows Trump hatred

I was interested to read an article in this newspaper on Dec. 12 written by a “journalist” from the Associated Press about the anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge at Bastogne, Belgium. It was a poignant article about one of the worst battles in World War II. It is reasonably accurate (for a media report, that is). It recounts the words of a 95-year-old veteran who fought at Bastogne when he returned to the battlefield.

Contrarywise, following the introduction, the author launches into an attack on President Trump. The article says the veteran’s recollection of his worst day in the Battle of the Bulge still haunts him 75 years later. And then this: “And at a time when President Donald Trump is fanning the flames of trans-Atlantic discord, the pristine-white rows of thousands of grave markers over the remains of U.S. soldiers in cemeteries on the former front line hark back to the days when Americans made the ultimate sacrifice for a cause across the ocean.”

Somehow this reporter links the sacrifice of American heroes fighting in the bitterly cold winter of 1944 to the president’s strategy to get Germany to pay its fair share of the defense of Europe. Assuredly, the irony of that statement is inescapable. This shows the depths to which the media has sunk in its hatred of our president.

This “foul and pestilent congregation of vapors” (i.e. the media) needs to rethink its allegiance to the American people. Shame on this so-called newspaper for printing the AP’s miserable invective.

Attorney ads? Get over it

There has been more than one letter regarding attorney ads on TV. There was, actually, a time when they weren’t permitted.

Yes, some of them are overdone, obnoxious, or downright stupid, but the other thing is that these services are really needed. Otherwise, why would they be in business and able to afford these ads? They do provide a needed service to some folks, and a few are downright cute. Like the dude with a crew cut wearing a shower cap. Right?

If those ads irritate you, how about the idiotic insurance ads? There are a lot more of those irritable ads on the air. I enjoy the clever ads and just mute the ones that bug me.

Life is too precious to let stuff like that bug you. Get over it.

Lawyer ads way overboard

Is anyone as irritated as I by the multitude of lawyers’ TV ads?

I know they annoy us so that we will remember their firm, but the irritation has gone overboard. Switching channels doesn’t work because the ads are on all channels.

It’s difficult to rate which is the most distasteful because they all are. I will not call the lawyer who is always ready to answer my call even if he is in the shower or on the golf course, but I will call the one who sounds like he will take time for me and be considerate of my time.

Then there are the insurance companies. Get rid of the ridiculous emu and the people coming out of the cornfield.

This story was originally published December 25, 2019 at 1:00 AM with the headline "Reason obvious for May River contamination in Bluffton | Letters."