... Christmas is coming. In my town, one of the last large employers is imploding (my own employer, as it turns out). Our own employment has dropped from a peak of 1150 in March, 1998, to 650 in June 2000, to 320 last spring. Now, it's about 30. When I delivered some Thanksgiving turkeys and other food to a local church activist, he could barely have a word to me because of the people calling him needing food. It was, for me, a sign of the times, a sign of hard times for many in my community.
It's now winter. Those who minister to the poor in this country are hard-pressed. No matter how you feel about charities, they are now the front lines of defense against the death and diminution of the least of us. I believe it is in Will and Ariel Durant's _The History of Civilization_ where they write, "the measure of a civilization is the degree to which it cares for the least of its citizens." Those of us who can afford this hobby can also afford to feed a few of the poor in our midst, can afford to buy a toy for a child at Christmas. This Christmas, please remember the least amongst us. Cheers, and thanks. -- Michael D. Porter Roswell, NM (yes, _that_ Roswell) [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Don't let people drive you crazy when you know it's within walking distance. /// [EMAIL PROTECTED] mailing list /// Send admin requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED] /// or try http://www.team.net/cgi-bin/majorcool /// Archives at http://www.team.net/archive /// Send list postings to [EMAIL PROTECTED] /// Edit your replies! If they include this trailer, they will NOT be sent.
