Calling for a Pepsi boycott

Dear Editor:

Pepsi has come out with a series of cans.

One with the Trade Center Towers and one with a portion of the pledge of allegiance.

The one with the pledge of allegance simply reads "One nation, indivisible."

They purposfully left out the words "Under God".

Their excuse was that they did not want to offend anyone.

Well this offends me.

The last time I checked, I still live in "One nation, Under God, Indivisible."

Also our money has the words "Under God" inscribded on it.

If Pepsi is concerned about the words "Under God" then they surely must not want our money because it contains the words "Under God" on it.

The Christian community is asking that we show Pepsi how we feel about their choice by not buying any Pepsi products.

We surely don't want to offend them by giving them money that contains "Under God" inscribed on it.

Monty Kirkland

Andalusia

Junk legislation

Dear Editor:

The Covington County Board of Education has thrown a monkey wrench into the rickety machinery lawmakers designed to help avoid state school budget cuts.

Good. This junker of a funding scheme never should have made it out of the legislature.

The legislature raided the $38 million, even though groups such as the Alabama Association of School Boards warned that to do so would be unconstitutional. Even worse lawmakers decided to repay local boards through a bond issue, which could cost taxpayers twice as much as what was taken.

The above are direct quotes from an excellent editorial piece in The Birmingham News 9/ 02/02.

Legislators not only allowed this "raid" but according to Seth Hammett's supporter, Mr. Allen Woodard, (Star-News Sept. 7) "Without the legislation pushed by Rep. Hammett there was no guarantee Covington County would ever receive any 16th section money…" Duh? No guarantee? How about the Alabama State Constitution! It is the Authority and is clear: The $8.2 million belongs to the children of Covington County.

Perhaps Mr. Woodard is tom between his loyalties to the Democrat Party, where he serves as County Chairman, and has been a rather large contributor to the campaigns of Seth Hammett and Don Seigelman (according to their financial disclosure forms) and his job as the attorney for the school board.

As the attorney for the school board, he presented a totally different view of the law than he did in his letter-to-the-editor and I quote, 'The issuance of such bonds (which, in effects borrow money to repay money already wrongfully borrowed from the trusts) presents complicated statutory and constitutional questions,' wrote Andalusia lawyer Allen Woodard, the school board's lawyer." Mobile Press-Register, Aug.29, 2002

I applaud the stand taken by our school board and for the commentary of other school officials. I just hope and pray they can stand the heat and not back down!

Sincerely,

Lee Rodgers