Child wasn’t excluded
This is in response to a recent letter regarding the exclusion of a child from the California Youth Football Association’s (CYFA) senior night ceremonies. The event has never been referred to as “8th grade senior night” as so labeled in the letter. The senior night ceremony has been CYFA’s way of bidding farewell to those players and cheerleaders who are not eligible to participate the following year.
Eligibility of football players is determined by the by-laws of our parent organization, the Mon Valley Midget Football League.
The by-laws set eligibility by age, not grade, and use July 31st as a cut-off date. The participant being “excluded” will be 13 years old on July 31, 2005 and will be deemed eligible to participate next season by the rules. The child has played with individuals in his age group, regardless of school grade, for the past seven years and will be eligible to graduate next season with his teammates.
In the past, children in the same situation have returned to participate as players and student coaches for their last year of eligibility – even though they were in high school – in order to be eligible to participate in the graduation ceremony. Historically, participants who have chosen not to return for their final season of eligibility have moved on to high school and have foregone the ceremonious farewell.
The CYFA executive board did not meet to vote on whether or not the child should graduate, but instead to vote on whether this participant should be the exception to a rule that has been adhered to throughout the 11-year existence of the organization.
CYFA is a youth organization that exists for the benefit of the children – all of the children past and present – not one individual child.
If the organization has been labeled “awesome” as the letter indicated, it was most likely due to the fairness with which the organization has been governed, the sportsmanship displayed by parents, players and coaches and our willingness to teach our children, by example, the importance of following the rules that govern us daily in athletics and in life.
Shane Hunter
California
The writer is president of the CYFA. This letter was also signed by league representative Doug Booth, secretary Tracie Beck and cheerleading representative Cindy Dolak.
Christians need to speak
As I approach my 83rd birthday, is there something that I missed along the way? What has brought on this domestic culture war – a conflict that has cost us over 44 million unborn children?
Today, children in the womb may be killed, while pornographers are free to peddle their wares on the Internet. Students are censored from praying at graduation, but burning the American flag is free speech. Recently, a law banning sodomy is overturned by Supreme Court edict, while the Ten Commandments are wheeled out of a state courthouse.
Enough is enough. If we don’t rise to the challenge and return America to its biblical roots, well, I shudder to think what we will be leaving our children and their children’s children.
The question that now confronts us is this: Is reclaiming America a futile exercise?
We seem to be living in a post-Christian society – a civilization that exists under God’s judgment. However, be that as it may, but it wouldn’t take much time or effort to reverse the trend. We cannot just give up on our country. Today, the largest Christian communities on the planet are to be found in Africa and Latin America.
As long as we continue to believe in the power of the Gospel, the future looks bright for these burgeoning Christian nations. There may also be hope for us in America as well.
A 5 to 10 percent shift in the balance of power is possible in upcoming elections, if Christians will take advantage of the opportunity. Less than 50 percent of Christians bother to vote, even in presidential elections. Politics is not a reforming agent, but it is something that needs reforming.
The political establishment faints in disbelief when Christians prescribe placing the Ten Commandments in a courthouse.
There is a fear that people might actually obey the Ten Commandments and begin to believe that there is a God. How can Christians remain silent when pure nonsense is allowed to pass as a Supreme Court decision?
Al Hopfer
Greensburg
Turned off by Daley’s filing
I was appalled when I read the article, “Battle on the homefront.” How can Rep. Peter Daley justify suing a soldier to terminate his parental rights?” The man is in Iraq. I will never vote for Pete Daley again.
Patty Baer
New Salem