“Karen Harshman, we support you 100 percent. I’m sure if Mr. Ridenour had a family vacation planned for a long time, with some friends and everybody, he would be making other arrangements and changing the date for him. So we support you 100 percent, and I don’t have anybody in either school. But we’ll know who to vote for next time and who not to.”
— Smithsburg
“Hagerstown caller, again you show your belief that you can read my mind and know what policies I support. It’s a laughable delusion, because you’re completely wrong, claiming I want to give corporations more tax breaks, because unlike President Obama and your leftist projection again, with your subsidies, credits, and special deals for your favorites like G.E. I want one flat corporate tax rate for everyone, no exceptions, and no subsidies, loans, or special credits, period.”
— Frederick, Md.
“These gun rights activists are not too smart. If you take the guns away from the people, the criminals will be the ones who will get them. I just think, like out in Colorado, those people had a right to carry guns; they could have stopped him before he got 12 of them. I think we should be allowed to carry guns. I don’t think the activists are right. Like I say, you take it away from the good people, the bad people will have it.”
— Berkeley Springs, W.Va.
“This is the fourth time I’ve called Mail Call, and I’d like to know why my comment has not been put in the paper. I want to know how to get to Point of Rocks. It’s a place to fish. How do you get there?”
— Hagerstown
“For the person who wrote in about gay marriage, and don’t start your answer with ‘Bible:’ Well, it’s pretty clear, I don’t have to use the Bible, but my Bible tells me very clearly that marriage, in Leviticus, is between a man and a woman, and that anything other than that is an abomination. Read Leviticus and you’ll find out. Secondly, the main reason that our country is in where we’re at is because we are so immoral and have gone against every law ... that is why we are in the condition we are. So gay rights has no rights in marriage.”
— Hagerstown
“After talking to middle-school children who think friendship is love, and are easing toward the gay lifestyle, I let my mind go fast-forward and I see in 10 years the gay lifestyle will come full circle. Is this the life you want for your kids?”
— Warfordsburg, Pa.
“Some suggestions of what to do about assault weapons: No. 1, Congress should outlaw all sales to, and possession by, members of the general public not actively dutied in law enforcement or in armed services. No. 2, the NRA should start riding a horse that seeks first the public safety. No. 3, collectors can get a picture of an assault weapon to look at, instead of the real thing ... No. 4, criminal penalties for selling or buying such weapons.”
— Hagerstown
“To all voters, whether Democrat, independent, or Republican: Really listen to your candidates and what they say during their speeches, and don’t just hear the pretty words you want to. That goes for today, tomorrow and yesterday — as well as where they are when they make it. You may be surprised.”
— Hedgesville, W.Va.
“I hope people’s looking at the paper, where they say National Votes. See all the no’s there; Bartlett, Shelley Capito ... over in West Virginia. All the Republicans voted ‘no,’ against giving small companies 20 percent tax reduction, and bringing jobs from overseas so they don’t take ... they voted against a bill that will stop companies putting jobs overseas. They voted against it. Just remember that in November, please.”
— Hagerstown
“I read with interest about the meeting concerning the ordinances on how to take care of your pets; cats and dogs and whatnot. Now the reason I was interested in this — I wish I could have gone to the meeting — probably for the last 10 to 12 years, I have pleaded with the city to enforce the rules up here at Salem Avenue’s schoolground. And by the rules, I mean control your animal, clean up ... and the signs clearly state, no walking of dogs on the schoolground. Because 99 percent of the people don’t clean up after them. But I’d like to see what happens with this, because I’ve been fighting this for about a dozen years.”
— Hagerstown
“I have an idea how we can get this country back on its feet again. Turn back to God, and put Bill Clinton back in there. He took care of the money problem before.”
— Falling Waters, W.Va.
“I was recently attending an event at Antietam Battlefield, and I noticed a little dog ... not too far out of Sharpsburg. Looked like he had really, really not had the best life. He was penned up, he had long, shaggy hair, and he just seemed unhappy. And I did report it to the authorities. I don’t know what happened, but I’m just wondering why would someone want to have an animal and let him feel lonely and neglected? And I felt it was my duty to have someone check on him, and I just hope that whoever reads Mail Call, if you’re the person, you take care of your little animal.”
— Sharpsburg
“I was reading The Herald-Mail today, and I always look at fiction, nonfiction, and I noticed on nonfiction, there were three books in the Top 10 addressed to President Obama. One of them said ‘The great dictator,’ one of them said ‘The great nonmotivator.’ OK, how about this: ‘The community organizer that wasn’t ready to be president. Look what you’ve done to our country.’”
— Williamsport
“I totally agree with Bill Kohler’s commentary of July 23. Yes, it is time to put football in second place and academics in first. Furthermore, it is time to stop treating football coaches and players as if they are gods. Sports enthusiasts, take note.”
— Hagerstown
“So Maxwell can borrow $300,000 at 4.5 percent interest, gets to keep the money for 10 years, then is allowed to settle the loan for $298,214.52 with no interest. Now that’s a good deal. Where can I sign up for one of these loans?”
— Mercersburg, Pa.
“The NCAA is out of their minds. The punishment to Penn State does not punish the participants, but all the players, fans, students, graduates, school, etc. Absurd.”
— Greencastle, Pa.
“It has already started again, the gun control issue. The criminals will not obey the law and the law-abiding citizens will have no protection, and in some areas of this country, no means of hunting for food for their families if the guns are taken away. We will have control like we have on drugs, poverty, corruption, spending, etc. We need to address mental health issues. Don’t use Colorado as a political pawn. It already appears to be happening.”
— Hagerstown
“I just read the cover story by Andy Schotz about ‘More households recycling,’ and I’m glad more people are recycling, but less people are paying the $36 fees than maybe they wish for. And to put the numbers of the municipality into the total counting, numbers, sort of brings up the old adage about figures don’t lie. Who is not using the bins, and why, and what does it cost to pay the people who are checking the permits at the bins? That’s probably equal to $50,000 a year, which is what the estimated gross would be from the numbers that they say are recycling.”
— Washington County
— Smithsburg
“Hagerstown caller, again you show your belief that you can read my mind and know what policies I support. It’s a laughable delusion, because you’re completely wrong, claiming I want to give corporations more tax breaks, because unlike President Obama and your leftist projection again, with your subsidies, credits, and special deals for your favorites like G.E. I want one flat corporate tax rate for everyone, no exceptions, and no subsidies, loans, or special credits, period.”
— Frederick, Md.
“These gun rights activists are not too smart. If you take the guns away from the people, the criminals will be the ones who will get them. I just think, like out in Colorado, those people had a right to carry guns; they could have stopped him before he got 12 of them. I think we should be allowed to carry guns. I don’t think the activists are right. Like I say, you take it away from the good people, the bad people will have it.”
— Berkeley Springs, W.Va.
“This is the fourth time I’ve called Mail Call, and I’d like to know why my comment has not been put in the paper. I want to know how to get to Point of Rocks. It’s a place to fish. How do you get there?”
— Hagerstown
“For the person who wrote in about gay marriage, and don’t start your answer with ‘Bible:’ Well, it’s pretty clear, I don’t have to use the Bible, but my Bible tells me very clearly that marriage, in Leviticus, is between a man and a woman, and that anything other than that is an abomination. Read Leviticus and you’ll find out. Secondly, the main reason that our country is in where we’re at is because we are so immoral and have gone against every law ... that is why we are in the condition we are. So gay rights has no rights in marriage.”
— Hagerstown
“After talking to middle-school children who think friendship is love, and are easing toward the gay lifestyle, I let my mind go fast-forward and I see in 10 years the gay lifestyle will come full circle. Is this the life you want for your kids?”
— Warfordsburg, Pa.
“Some suggestions of what to do about assault weapons: No. 1, Congress should outlaw all sales to, and possession by, members of the general public not actively dutied in law enforcement or in armed services. No. 2, the NRA should start riding a horse that seeks first the public safety. No. 3, collectors can get a picture of an assault weapon to look at, instead of the real thing ... No. 4, criminal penalties for selling or buying such weapons.”
— Hagerstown
“To all voters, whether Democrat, independent, or Republican: Really listen to your candidates and what they say during their speeches, and don’t just hear the pretty words you want to. That goes for today, tomorrow and yesterday — as well as where they are when they make it. You may be surprised.”
— Hedgesville, W.Va.
“I hope people’s looking at the paper, where they say National Votes. See all the no’s there; Bartlett, Shelley Capito ... over in West Virginia. All the Republicans voted ‘no,’ against giving small companies 20 percent tax reduction, and bringing jobs from overseas so they don’t take ... they voted against a bill that will stop companies putting jobs overseas. They voted against it. Just remember that in November, please.”
— Hagerstown
“I read with interest about the meeting concerning the ordinances on how to take care of your pets; cats and dogs and whatnot. Now the reason I was interested in this — I wish I could have gone to the meeting — probably for the last 10 to 12 years, I have pleaded with the city to enforce the rules up here at Salem Avenue’s schoolground. And by the rules, I mean control your animal, clean up ... and the signs clearly state, no walking of dogs on the schoolground. Because 99 percent of the people don’t clean up after them. But I’d like to see what happens with this, because I’ve been fighting this for about a dozen years.”
— Hagerstown
“I have an idea how we can get this country back on its feet again. Turn back to God, and put Bill Clinton back in there. He took care of the money problem before.”
— Falling Waters, W.Va.
“I was recently attending an event at Antietam Battlefield, and I noticed a little dog ... not too far out of Sharpsburg. Looked like he had really, really not had the best life. He was penned up, he had long, shaggy hair, and he just seemed unhappy. And I did report it to the authorities. I don’t know what happened, but I’m just wondering why would someone want to have an animal and let him feel lonely and neglected? And I felt it was my duty to have someone check on him, and I just hope that whoever reads Mail Call, if you’re the person, you take care of your little animal.”
— Sharpsburg
“I was reading The Herald-Mail today, and I always look at fiction, nonfiction, and I noticed on nonfiction, there were three books in the Top 10 addressed to President Obama. One of them said ‘The great dictator,’ one of them said ‘The great nonmotivator.’ OK, how about this: ‘The community organizer that wasn’t ready to be president. Look what you’ve done to our country.’”
— Williamsport
“I totally agree with Bill Kohler’s commentary of July 23. Yes, it is time to put football in second place and academics in first. Furthermore, it is time to stop treating football coaches and players as if they are gods. Sports enthusiasts, take note.”
— Hagerstown
“So Maxwell can borrow $300,000 at 4.5 percent interest, gets to keep the money for 10 years, then is allowed to settle the loan for $298,214.52 with no interest. Now that’s a good deal. Where can I sign up for one of these loans?”
— Mercersburg, Pa.
“The NCAA is out of their minds. The punishment to Penn State does not punish the participants, but all the players, fans, students, graduates, school, etc. Absurd.”
— Greencastle, Pa.
“It has already started again, the gun control issue. The criminals will not obey the law and the law-abiding citizens will have no protection, and in some areas of this country, no means of hunting for food for their families if the guns are taken away. We will have control like we have on drugs, poverty, corruption, spending, etc. We need to address mental health issues. Don’t use Colorado as a political pawn. It already appears to be happening.”
— Hagerstown
“I just read the cover story by Andy Schotz about ‘More households recycling,’ and I’m glad more people are recycling, but less people are paying the $36 fees than maybe they wish for. And to put the numbers of the municipality into the total counting, numbers, sort of brings up the old adage about figures don’t lie. Who is not using the bins, and why, and what does it cost to pay the people who are checking the permits at the bins? That’s probably equal to $50,000 a year, which is what the estimated gross would be from the numbers that they say are recycling.”
— Washington County
