‘THINK’ before you speak

Why does humor so often depend on the ridicule of someone’s appearance or misfortune? Why also does humor often contain cursing? Does this mean no real intelligence is required for someone to be funny? Why do we often laugh when we are shocked by what is said?

Is it also wrong to be offended when the target is someone you care for? Granted the defense could be more effective if it is in some other mode that physical. In my opinion, both sides of every event need to be considered. The person making the original remark needs to be censured as much as the person who reacts to the remark. I consider it to be in very bad taste to ridicule someone’s appearance for something that is not possible for them to control. In addition, misfortune often cannot be controlled.

Remember this saying: Think before you speak, THINK! (T) Is it true? (H) Is it helpful? (I) Is it inspiring? (N) Is it necessary? (K) Is it kind?

Wouldn’t it be great if we could keep this in mind?

Lee Rhodes

Tyler

East Texas volunteers crucial to Red Cross mission

Emergencies don’t take vacations. They don’t even take off nights and weekends.

But no matter when they strike, the compassionate actions of volunteers in Tyler and across the Red Cross East Texas region working with community partners helps ensure that families and individuals never face crises alone.

The Red Cross mission wouldn’t be possible without these community heroes.

Since July 1, 2021, the Red Cross that serves the 11 East Texas counties has responded to 32 home fires in Smith County and more than 198 across East Texas. Our volunteers and staff have helped 30 families find the shelter, food and the resources they needed on what was likely one of the worst days of their lives. In my time with Red Cross I have seen the good that comes from people helping people and that’s is what we need to continue to do, so that the nine people over 65 and 31 under 18 that have been impacted by housefires know that someone has their back.

Visit redcross.org to make a financial donation, find lifesaving skill training or sign up to be a volunteer.

Brad Mashburn

Tyler

Meaning of a No-Fly Zone

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is a tragic war undertaken by an obviously insane dictator, Putin. But, relative to many around the world and the good men of the article “Ukrainians with local ties: No-Fly Zone crucial” in the Tyler Morning Telegraph on March 11, most people don’t seem to understand what a “No-Fly Zone implies. It means some willing strong third party must fly its planes into Ukraine to enforce the skies are clear of Russian planes. This makes that third party an active war participant and deadly enemy of Russia. That is hopefully not going to happen because it would be the start of World War III, which could rapidly go nuclear and kill us all.

This is a very dangerous situation and time in history. It is somewhat similar to the Cuban/Russian Missile Crisis of the 1960s.

Jack Gibson

Hideaway