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Community mourns senseless death
Our community mourns the senseless death of Sedgwick County sheriff's Deputy Brian Etheridge. Since Etheridge was shot and killed in the line of duty on Monday, many people from across our city, county, state and beyond have extended their prayers to his wife, his family and his fellow deputies.
Etheridge — who was 26, married and new to fatherhood — worked as a deputy for slightly more than a year, but his service and sacrifice will be remembered far beyond the brief time he honorably wore his uniform. He is the seventh Sedgwick County sheriff's deputy to lose his life while protecting citizens, but his untimely death is a tragic reminder of the danger and bravery that accompany law enforcement professionals from various agencies.
It's also a reminder of the appreciation and gratitude that residents owe these men and women who courageously step in harm's way to serve and protect their fellow citizens — the same brave men and women who responded promptly and professionally when Etheridge called for help. Now they need our help. They'll need our understanding, our prayers and our support as they grapple with the loss of a fellow officer.
I know that Wichita is a caring and giving community and that a mighty God watches over the Etheridge family.
Mayor CARL BREWER
Wichita
Privilege is ours
Last Saturday, we enjoyed the beautiful weather by riding our motorcycles, and we decided to have supper at T.G.I. Friday's. The restaurant was crowded, so we sat at the bar. A gentleman a few seats away, noticing the patches on our leather vests, asked if we were in the Patriot Guard. We told him we were. He said that the Patriot Guard had attended the funerals of a couple of his friends, and he thanked us. As he got up to leave, he slid us a gift card he had just purchased and said, "I appreciate what you people do — dinner is on me." Before we had time to react, he was gone. It was one of those random acts of kindness you hear about.
As any member of the Patriot Guard will tell you, the honor and privilege is ours. It is our privilege to be able, in some small way, to express our undying gratitude to those who have fallen, and to be a symbol of what is good and right — in contrast to those who have evil in their hearts.
To our anonymous friend, we say, "thank you," and we pray that we never have to stand for another one of his friends again.
Our work schedule doesn't allow us to attend every mission, but we do what we can, when we can. We will be there today with our hearts in our throats for the grieving family and friends of Sedgwick County sheriff's Deputy Brian Etheridge. We will stand in honor and respect once again, as we are so privileged to do.
DANA and TAMMY TULK
Wichita
What enemies?
It never ceases to amaze me how supposedly intelligent people such as columnist Clarence Page can take a story of corruption on the scale practiced by ACORN and claim it should just be a warning for other such organizations not to supply "the ammo for its enemies" (Sept. 29 Opinion).
To which enemies was Page referring? To the people who wonder how an organization with multiple state investigations into its voter-registration practices could be considered for inclusion in one of the most important processes of our government, the census? To the people who wonder how ACORN can operate as a nonprofit grant- and tax-receiving institution that openly supports political candidates who lean so far left one leg is shorter than the other? Or to the people who wonder why this taxpayer-supported enterprise has the same mailing address where hundreds of other "helping hands" groups receive millions of dollars in funding but no one can uncover how these dollars are spent?
If these are the enemies mentioned by Page, then I personally would like to congratulate them for shining the light on an organization that has been using low-income Americans for years to fatten the pockets of unidentified string-pullers who make a habit of throwing the occasional "rogue employee" under the bus when they get caught.
Page should wake up. It is still OK to do a little investigative reporting.
SKEET WIGGINS
Wichita
Join the Big Read
The Big Read Wichita is back and bigger than ever. And nobody does the Big Read better than our own arts community, which selected "Great Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe" for the 2009 Big Read Wichita.
This year marks the bicentennial of Poe's birth. His short stories and poems reach out to lapsed and reluctant readers who might not be interested in a longer novel. Readers and writers of all abilities will find Poe's writing a powerful example of literary genius.
Americans have chilled and thrilled to Poe's work for more than 150 years. Not only did Poe's horror push the literary envelope, he introduced the world to the detective novel and from there crashed through reality's door and into science fiction.
I urge you to participate in the Big Read Wichita. As Wichita Art Museum's Crystal Walter states, "Poe's writings will surely give you a good evening of reading... but probably not a good night of sleep."
Kickoff is 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Wichita Art Museum, 1400 W. Museum Blvd. Come pick up your free book and enjoy the companion art exhibit and a special Big Read opening by Ballet Wichita. Visit the Web site BigReadWichita.com for a complete list of events.
VICKI HOLLAND TIAHRT
Honorary chairwoman
The Big Read Wichita
Goddard
