Letters to the Editor: Extremism on the school board, sword swallowing in church

VOTE417 aims to keep political extremists off school board

We read with great interest Michael Scriven’s letter to the editor in the April 14 News-Leader, and we appreciate his frustration.

Electing well-intentioned, critically-thinking school board members has long been the rule, not the exception. Unfortunately, that changed in 2021-2022, when outside dark money groups and local bad actors decided to throw tens of thousands of dollars into our school board elections in an attempt to buy the state’s largest school district and put it in the hands of political extremists.

They trashed the reputation of a good man, Charles Taylor, with lies and smears. It was then that VOTE417 — which at that time didn’t intend to get involved in school board races — decided that we had to do something. Unfortunately, we were too new and too late to save Taylor’s seat, but we at least helped give him a fighting chance.

The extremists got within one seat of the majority in that election, where they have since remained. And it has taken a lot of hard work and dedication by many to keep it at a stalemate. To chalk this up as a “both sides bad” problem is an inaccurate oversimplification. VOTE417 has provided necessary resistance to attempts to implement political extremism in our schools.

We don’t know the political leanings of the candidates we’ve endorsed over the past three years, nor do we care. Like you, we don’t expect to agree with school board members on every single vote. What we do expect is that they critically examine the information available to them and make the best decisions possible based on what’s best for our children.

VOTE417 doesn’t have any big-money backers, and we aren’t beholden to any special interests. With all the money being thrown into our local school board elections, we feel that there is a need for a PAC that represents everyday Springfield taxpayers. Our supporters include Democrats, Republicans, and independents. We have children and grandchildren in the Springfield school district who are directly impacted by the outcomes of these elections. Watching from the sideline as our schools get sold to the highest bidder simply isn’t an option.

A well-informed citizenry is crucial to a healthy democracy. If you want a school board comprised of critical thinkers and not political extremists, join our movement at Vote417.org .

Dennis Pyle, president; Jody Bilyeu, vice president; Jacob Brower, secretary/treasurer of VOTE417

No room for sword swallowing in God's House

Ephesians 5:11 "Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them."

Recently, I witnessed a ridiculous display of sacrilege in a large church that is renowned in our local Ozark region. I have a right to speak about their shameful behavior because I grew up in this same denomination from the time of my birth, as my mother did before me. I know the godly standard that the organization once claimed, "... and HOLINESS, without which no man shall see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14), but sadly, I currently note the low pit into which they have gradually sunk.

Consequently, there are situations that DEMAND that God's House be cleaned! As Christ plaited a whip after descending the Mount of Olives, He knew exactly what He must do ... purge the Holy Temple (Matthew 21:12-17)! There was absolutely NO WARM-FUZZY, TOUCHY-FEELY ACCORD between light and darkness as the leather strap fell across the backs of those who perverted true worship. God intended His Residence to be a House of Prayer ... not a den of thieves (entertained by sword swallowers and half-naked men on stripper poles)!

Every time Christ laid the strap to the crooks' backs, each targeted blow stung because Jesus fully intended to make it sting. After the Holy Temple was finally rid of human wickedness, Scripture never suggests that God's Son "kissed and made up" with those banished individuals who promoted their unfruitful works of darkness (Ephesians 5:11)!

As the salt of our Christian profession becomes unsavory today and the Church's light fades for lack of spiritual oil (Matthew 5:13-16, Matthew 25:1-13), God's House again needs to be scrubbed clean!

"I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate" (Revelation 2:4-6).

Although a few Christians in the Western Church still hate what God hates, yet most have abandoned their first spiritual love to dabble in things that are profane (under the guise of tolerance). Tragically, in these Last Days, this is the wrong moment to tolerate the defilement of our spiritual house with the fruitless works of darkness because, even now, Jesus bids, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock!" (Revelation 3:20).

Please be advised, while time briefly remains, "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are" (1 Corinthians 3:17).

Edwin L. Woolsey, Willow Springs

What's the rush dumping dollars into Lake Springfield?

As Ronald Regan would say, “there you go again.” The Jefferson Street Footbridge (~$18 million), Grant Avenue redevelopment (~$20 million+), Uncover Jordan Creek (~$25 million), Chadwick Flyover (~$18 million), and now Development of Lake Springfield (~$1 billion). Just how much improvement in quality of life can Springfield taxpayers stand, tolerate, or pay for? I don’t care where the money comes from, as a taxpayer that is a lot of dollars.  I am sure that there will be in-depth studies by consultants outside of Springfield who provide estimates of financial returns which pay for such a project and therefore significantly reduce the taxpayers burden, but I don’t imagine that we will ever see a reduction in taxes or bonus payment.

The City Council voted to approve this billion-dollar plan. According to the city manager that acceptance of the plan, which he described as very “conceptual in nature,” doesn’t hinder the city or anyone else from further looking at its many components. I should probably feel comforted by such a statement, but I am prepared for this plan to be the blueprint similar to “Forward SGF” and any future actions will be subject to its scope. What is the hurry, unless it is the requirement to use federal money before its expiration date? Why not wait and see if some of these other projects on the books provide the returns that the city administration and consultants have promised? I don’t think Lake Springfield is going anywhere.

Art Farris, Springfield

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Letters to the Editor: Extremism on the school board, sword swallowing in church