To do otherwise would be to victimize true victims all over again.
T.R. Snyder
Hagerstown
Poor treatment at Maryland Theatre
To the editor:
Our grandfather, George A. Wagner, has been with The Maryland Theatre for more than 40 years, both as an employee and as a volunteer. He has been a member of the Board of Directors for six years. For his years of dedication, The Maryland Theatre's projection room has been named in honor of him.
For many years, our grandfather has taken pride in volunteering his time and service to the theater by taking tickets at the door or ushering guests to their seats. He loves to meet new people, engage in casual conversation or tell one of his quirky jokes.
Until recently, our grandfather felt respected and appreciated for all of his years of service and continued to enjoy his volunteer duties. Unfortunately, due to recent events, these feelings of appreciation and enjoyment are quickly fading. We now have been forced to intercede on behalf of our grandfather by writing this letter to express our disappointment in learning how he was recently treated.
We understand that our grandfather is 90 years old and is not as quick as he once was at taking tickets at the theater doors or helping guests find their seats. He may not have the eyesight and the mobility that he had 40 years ago, but he still has a sharp mind, strong feelings and the same love for the theater.
It is understandable that some of his duties may have needed to be modified. However, what is not understandable is how these duties were indiscriminately taken from him. Unfortunately, due to the lack of compassion and respect that has been applied when directing our grandfather, he has been forced to resign most of his volunteer duties.
All we ask for is a little appreciation and understanding to be applied when directing our grandfather, considering his years of service to the theater. Our grandfather was very hurt and felt belittled by the way he was treated. We love our grandfather and want to see not only him, but all elderly people, treated with the understanding and respect they deserve.
Penny Abe, Nicole Wagner and Misty Wagner-Grillo (Granddaughters)
Hagerstown
Who protests for those folks who are wrongly imprisoned?
To the editor:
I saw on the TV where some protesters were said to be upset by Gov. Robert Ehrlich's commutation of a few convicts who had served close to, or more than, 30 years in prison.
Right now, it seems that people are not looking for justice, but seeking revenge.
Where are all of the Christians who claim to love the Lord and trust in his words of forgiveness? Where are the people who claim they seek justice and then turn their backs on the justice system?
How many of these same protesters come out and demonstrate against the hundreds of people who are put in the prisons and found to be innocent, yet are forced to stay in the prison system because no one cares enough to demand their release?
We say we are one nation under God, yet we fail to trust in his word. Revenge is mine, sayest the Lord.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that they should just open the gates and let everyone out of prison. If a person commits a crime, then he or she should pay the legal amount of time as provided by the court system.
But a person can change if given a chance. Not all will change and the system needs to take a long look at itself as to how it handles each case. But each case needs to be looked at individually and not as a group.
I've been in prison for close to 32 years and have professed my innocence from the very start. I'll meet with anyone and answer any question face-to-face to prove my case. But no one in power will meet with me.
I'm told that once you are put in prison, it no longer matters if you're guilty or not. Only if you can prove the courts messed up at your trial - other than that, they don't care.
So if anyone wants to protest or demonstrate against anything, they should start asking questions about the system and do so with knowledge of a system that fails to protect the innocent and is run by politics and revenge instead of justice.
John Worsham No. 129550
W.C.I.
Cumberland, Md.
