Let’s get along
Yes, I too can get annoyed by a loud motorcycle, a loud jet ski, a loud snowmobile and mostly by the street sweepers and all-day weed wackers.
But you know what — live with it.
Just because I’d rather sit on my porch and listen to the birds or play scrabble doesn’t mean everyone else would. Some people like to get together in groups and play ball, or bridge or — ride motorcycles.
I wonder how many people know of bikers’ generosity and I don’t mean just in buying things at shops and restaurants, I mean if there is a family who lost their house or a child who needs an operation or a ball field which needs refurbishing, those folks are right there to help out.
It may sometimes be noise to our ears but its music to that family’s ears.
And the comment by Roger Lee was just that, a comment.
We are a multicultured town, not a precious one.
As Rodney King said, “Can’t we all just get along?”
Aynne Ames
Belfast
Farmers market
On behalf of Food AND Medicine, or FAM, we want to thank all sitting state legislators from Bangor, the candidates running against them and many Bangor City Councilors for their support of the Ohio Street Farmers’ Market and its EBT/SNAP program.
These politicians each donated funds of $25 or more to purchase a banner for the market that reads, “Ohio Street Farmers’ Market, Open Wednesdays from 2-6 p.m., EBT Welcome, for more information call 973-3976.”
FAM has raised over $6,000 to provide a 50 percent discount to customers using EBT/SNAP benefits at either the Ohio Street Farmers’ Market or the Bangor Farmers Market.
The Ohio Street Farmers’ Market needed more publicity and this banner, along with the bipartisan support, greatly helps.
We earnestly believe that making local, fresh produce more available to low income Mainers will improve their lives, the lives of the farmers who receive full price for their goods, and our local economy, by keeping more of this benefit money spent locally.
The legislators in support are Nichi Farnham, Adam Goode, Doug Damon, Sara Stevens and Jim Parker. Current legislative hopefuls John Schneck, Aaron Frey, Samuel Canders and Mary Budd also donated. City Councilors who donated include Joe Baldacci, Geoff Gratwick, James Gallant and Charlie Longo.
These politicians, despite differing agendas, have come together to support accessibility of local food for all, and we at FAM thank them for that.
For information about increasing access to local, healthy, farm-fresh goods, call FAM at 989-5860.
Robert Toole, Jr., President, Food AND Medicine
Bangor
Scott Cuddy, Secretary, Food AND Medicine
Hermon
Why do I believe in the freedom to marry?
I didn’t give much thought to the idea of same-sex marriage until I met my now-fiancee, Georgianna.
After meeting Georgianna, who is pansexual, she opened up that whole world. Essentially she’s attracted to masculine people, and that means men or very masculine women.
In her experience, she has known a lot of people who are part of the LGBT community, both in high school in Massachusetts and in college at the University of Maine at Farmington, where we met. She was a member of The Alliance, an LGBT group at UMF. I was intimidated. Not really of them, but of me and my big mouth.
When confronted with gay people I was like a deer in headlights. Not because they were different but because I didn’t understand them and because I was afraid of offending them.
It seems silly now. They’re people, like you and me. They may not have the same type of relationship as me, but that doesn’t make them “weird.” It makes them people. People are all different, from the gods they worship or don’t to if they’ve gone to college or not. I wouldn’t tell an LGBT person they couldn’t marry their partner because their relationship is different, just like I wouldn’t tell a follower of Islam they couldn’t pray to Muhammed.
That would be like getting mad at someone for eating a doughnut because I’m on a diet.
Ben Pass
Ellsworth
Fireworks timing
The Bangor fireworks were billed as the biggest display in the state of Maine.
I cannot vouch for the biggest (number of fireworks exploded), but at 45 minutes, it was certainly the longest.
Had the time been reduced by half, Bangor would have had the best display in Maine.
New York City’s were the longest of the 10 best fireworks displays at 25 minutes. Even with a $500,000 budget, Nashville’s was 23 minutes. The rest of the list were 15 and 20 minutes.
Children, especially, became restless and whiny. The organizers should keep this in mind for next year.
Ed Barrood
Orrington
Fireworks
On the night of July 3, my wife and I listened to the Penobscot fire and police scanner as we do every evening. It would have been laughable if it was not so serious to hear call after call was nothing but fireworks complaints.
The police and fire departments spent a great amount of their precious time on July 3, and I am sure well into July 4, going to visit Maine residents who dislike fireworks. Many of the people calling probably have no idea fireworks are now legal in Maine.
The argument for legalizing fireworks in Maine was made because sales were going across state lines. It’s great to now have all that cash staying in Maine, but I bet every penny will soon be spent to support understaffed and overworked 911 emergency workers across the state.
Someone was clearly behind the door when that decision was made. As soon as a child blows their hand off or as soon as an accident victim dies on the road while emergency crews deal with irate neighbors who want the fireworks stopped; then residents will rise up and fireworks will once again be illegal in Maine.
Bryan Wells
Old Town
Bryon Wells: good letter.
pansexual? will it never end?
Certainly not before we’ve heard from omni, mega, micro, ultra and semisexuals.
Hide your frying pan.
People develop language and organization of topics to better realize what they want. Those that do not understand the language used, become submerged by it. Individuals therefore want to refute the language used, say it is lesser, define it as a “joke” because the submerged person, sees no point. The individual feels attacked by the mere mentioning of things they do not understand.
A funnier topic is that heterosexuality is made up. It has changed through history and space, even in our western culture. Also “bad” sex has changed as well, what is bad sex? What is gay sex? What is straight sex? It has all changed throughout history, the meanings and definitions have not remained the same. Even marriage has changed definition throughout time, it used never to be about family but property and rights ownership.
To answer your question, will it never end? Of course not, words change. I agree some words sound funnier than others. Words will forever be added and will forever change and yes Pansexual does sound funny.
breathe man, jeesh
does one have to hide their nice pans when a person who suffers from this disorder visits?
Aynne Ames – You’re forgetting one very important and often missing human characteristic in today’s selfish society. You’ve forgotten about being considerate of others.
Ed Barrood – Those that planned the Bangor fireworks need to learn that a good fireworks show is based on quality and appeal, not time. Just ask Walt Disney.
Aynne Ames – My only comment is that I wish the biking community would let go of the statement, “Loud pipes save lives”. If you’re in your car with the windows up, A/C crankin and the radio on your favorite station….you don’t hear them or the sirens on emergency vehicles until they’re right on top of you.
Bryan Wells, it won’t be long before they are outlawed or banned in most towns. The goofball fringe element that have been given free access to fireworks will screw it up for responsible people in no time at all.
Just the other day, one of these goofballs thought it would be great fun to toss a firecracker at a flagger who was working in the construction zone on Rt. 1 in Calais. Thanks to a DOT driver behind this rocket scientist he was caught in Calais.
Aynne Ames – All those things they do are really wonderful – but it doesn’t make motorcycles any less loud. No one has ever been able to tell me why they have to be that load. They say they have to have loud pipes to avoid accidents. Accidents keep happening.
I completely agree with you about the noise from the motorcycles. It is strange that the riders who I am sure are mostly good people and who I know do many good things, take such pride in the noise that their bikes make. That noise and exhaust as they ‘pump up’ is clearly a form of pollution and it is an insult to any neighbors who suffer it. It does not have to be that way. They cannot argue that they are good neighbors when they practice this behavior.
excellent response. Don’t care how many gigantic stuffed animals they contribute on their yearly toy run….they still are breaking the law. I once attended a church service on the road where they road past on one of those toy runs, the service had to stop for many minutes until all the noise of the many bikers ceased with their illegal loud pipes. I wonder how many of these bikers, with their expensive Harleys and other kinds of bikes, are all up to date on their child support while contributing a toy to a needy child. Or how much time do they spend with their kids who live with mom(s) instead of being married and committed to the mothers of their children. just wondering
Wow. Illegal sounds. I never thought people would un-wish good faith upon others, due to motorcycles. Grouping every individual that rides one — as a criminal? What you are saying is, if people are somewhat bad, they need to remain all bad. They can’t be good in any sphere of life, if they are bad in one sphere of life? Schmidlap – I feel sorry for you. I hope one day you find that if people try to be better in any setting, then they will most likely become better in all settings. Cherish what is good, champion it and respect it with care and admiration, not resentment.
Loud pipes are, for the most part, illegal. If the police did their job, we wouldn’t have the problem of loud pipes disturbing the peace, waking up napping children and elderly, disrupting conversations for several minutes….I could go on and on. I have been a biker for many decades and have no need to adjust the loudness of my pipes. Loud pipes don’t save lives, being a cautious and careful rider would. These yoyos with the loud pipes mostly don’t wear helmets or protective clothing…..they’d rather think they look good than protect what little brain matter they have left.
People need to demand that the police enforce the laws on loud exhausts! They could spend quite a bit of time doing that and writing up tickets for these morons than trying to “catch” people speeding.
Schmidlap why rule based on how you feel? Why are you so angry? Do motorcycles cause more deaths? Then speeding cars, you know, “Catch” people speeding? Are you wishing police to not focus on “families” or “Unpaid child support” but more on what bothers you the individual? Why be like that? I know this is the internet and flame wars and personal attacks are abound. That is not why I am doing this, I am doing this, because your statements having nothing to do with the welfare of others. This is not about motorcycles, but some extremely misplaced hate and resentment that can be summed up as, “If I dislike what some one does, then everything they do is bad”. I hope that you can understand I mean you well and hope you can find happiness. Good luck on the endeavor.
Ben Pass, just to be clear, Muslims don’t pray to Muhammad. They insist he was a man, a human prophet. Muslims pray to God.
No they don’t, they pray to “Allah” – A false god.
Muhammad’s father’s name is Abd Allah ibn Abd al-Muṭṭalib. Muhammad’s father’s name contains “Allah” in it, which is a reference to the goddess of the moon of that time, whos name is Allah? Don’t doubt it, because the “proof” or “miracle” that Muslims point to when they try to validate this “Allah” character is that all the idols of Mecca bowed down to that one lunar goddess: Allah.
This happened to Muhammad when he was young, at the annual gathering at Mecca (which they still do today, being the tradition of his former pagan religion), where all the idols mysteriously bowed down to this “Allah” character. He was there with his father, to make money in sales of pagan religious worship “things”. Like idols, or trinkets, or incense. (What they sold, didn’t matter really).
One verse in the bible, proves that Islam is in direct opposition of Biblical Christianity. Islam teaches that, “there is no son of God”. So much so, that this verse is printed over the mosque at the site of the temple of Solomon, in Jerusalem, Israel:
Remember, every bit of that oh-so-pretty Arabic arabesque script on this
little shrine dating from AD 691, is a slander-in-stone, posing as a
sermon-in-stone, against Christianity which had ruled Jerusalem for
centuries under Byzantium prior to the Islamic takeover in the AD 638-40
era. “God has no Son. It is Blasphemy to Say He has Taken a Son.” would
be the least of what is written there. This Dome is not a mosque, and
it is an artifact of pure hatred against Christianity.
Why does Islam deny that Jesus is Messiah, the representative of God in the flesh? Isn’t God who raised life from nothing, able to have a “son” to preach the word to the world, on God’s behalf?
Oh not to mention that the Quran is the only “holy text” that has a whole chapter devoted to “Djinnis”: Demons. Go ask a Muslim what the religion of the demons are, and then tell me that Islam is really calling out to the rightful, one and only, God?
Islam is nothing but the doctrine of Satan, simply to get people to be fed up with a God they do not understand, because they refuse to believe a loving God could exist amongst all this evil. If everyone was truly serving God, do you really think the world would be in as bad as shape as it is currently in?
In all of human history, at no time was the whole world ever at peace at one time, nor was nary a soul murdered during a time of [localized] peace. Strife among humans has an origin, and deny it all you want, but that Ancient Serpent of Genesis, represents Satan, who doesn’t care about you. Think it is just some fable, the imaginations of ancient man? Then why have we not changed? Why do people still die in situations that seem totally irrational and devoid of the love of life? Why are we driven by our own maddening beliefs, to the point of war and death?
That “Whisperer” who gets you to doubt God, even to the point of killing another over it, (or for much less, mind you), simply to spite God. Lucifer, the fallen one, is not God’s enemy, Satan is OUR collective enemy. Satan can’t win against God, so he’s not fighting against God, he is fighting against humanity. All his lies are dedicated to doubting God and ridicule for the message of forgiveness in Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life.
“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.” – 1 John 4:9 (KJV).
Before we start throwing rocks at what present-day religious observances came from pagan holidays, like the 25th of December for example, aren’t we all Children of Abraham?
The pagan rituals and holidays, that were brought into the church by the pagan Roman Emperor, Constantine, is nothing but more lies to hide the truth of biblical holidays set down by God, like Passover, which is directly mistranslated as “Easter” the ONE time that “Easter” appears in the bible!
God warned us not to do this, through the prophet Ezekiel, in his parable to us that Ezekiel should mix his bread with the dung of a cow, in his prophecy against Israel for their abominations in the very temples of God: Don’t mix my holy word with the dung of pagan religions!
But no, we’re not all children of Abraham. I have no problem with that, because “All who call upon the name of the LORD shall be saved” – And I believe that promise. I believe what Jesus says, and I am saved from the lies of the world, and the best part is that we can share this amazing gift of eternal life if you accept it too. But the lies of Satan that muddy the waters of truth, found in all organized religions which advocate we *do* certain things to be saved by the works of our own hands, will get in the way of your salvation if you believe those lies.
That’s why God said that we shouldn’t mix his holy word with the traditions of the pagans, and in error celebrate the birth of Jesus on “Christmas” every December 25th, and Jesus’ resurrection on “Easter” in the spring time… We take the traditions of man over the word of God, simply because it has been done for so long, instead of celebrating Passover like Jesus said we should when he said: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.” – Matthew 5:17 (KJV).
Why else do all other religions mimic in appearance or are in direct opposition, to who and what Jesus represents? Particularly, Islam?
There are no coincidences. The lies of Satan thrive to choke the good news of salvation in Jesus the Messiah.
Satan must be happy that you have learned prejudice from him so well. He must be proud of you!
So much destroyed, by your two mocking sentences.
Allah is the Arabic word for God. A Christian Arab prays to Allah. It is the word. You are certainly free to challenge whether Muslims pray to the same God as Christians or put forward any of your arguments, such as, that it is Satanic or otherwise. However, you cannot base an argument on the fact that they do not speak English. If that were the case, then every German who prays to Gott or Czech who prays to PanBuh would be damned because they do not speak English.
Additionally, you find a form of Allah in many Arabic names and this should not be alarming. The names have meanings such as, “Blessed by God” and the like.
Again, I’m a Christian and as such personally reject the teachings of Muhammad. But it is not an argument that they pray to “Allah”. It is merely the Arabic word for God.
The word “Allah” existed in pre-Islamic Arabia. If you do the research and find out what it meant before Muhammad came along, then you’ll be one step closer to understanding why it is the way it is, even now.
Just because all ducks are bids, doesn’t make all birds ducks. Likewise, just because they mean it to be the one true name of God, doesn’t mean it is simply because it shares a common root. But that’s what Islam teaches, that “Allah” is the ONE and ONLY true name of God, so much so, that they even go so far as to teach that ONLY ARABIC is spoken in heaven! To rightfully pray, as a Muslim, you must pray in Arabic! Even if you don’t understand the words you’re praying, as a Muslim, you pray in Arabic.
However in error that they do this….
That is the Muslim faith, which is separate from the Arabic language although Muslims use the Arabic language and insist that it is the only language accepted in their faith. Arabic Christians use Arabic as well. That is their native tongue. When they pray it is to God. The same one that you pray to and they use the word Allah. Arabic Christians use the word because it is the word. Separate out in your mind the word “Allah” from the faith it is generally associated with. We, American Christians use the English word, “God” to mean the God of our faith. We also use the word when describing those of the Hindu religion because it is the word. It is the word regardless of whether we worship or believe in their deities or not.
Of course the word “Allah” existed in pre-Islamic Arabia. They spoke Arabic in pre-Islamic Arabia. I’m a Christian and so I don’t defend the Muslim faith. However, the argument that people from Arabic speaking countries do not worship God, regardless of whether they are Christians, simply because they use their language’s word for God is simply wrong.
If Arabic Christians cannot use their own language to worship, what would you have them call God and, if you pick a word other than their own word, aren’t you no better than the ones you are condemning?
We Christians of the English language refer to any other god with a lower-case “G” for a reason. There are distinct particulars of language that you are confusing.
Christians who use Arabic to communicate, used to use the word “Allaha” in reference to the creator God Yahweh, which over time has been shortened to “Allah” though the blurring of language and culture. That little “a” at the end made all the difference. But, at the same time, the *intent* of the person speaking the word is ALL that matters.
So when Muslims pray to the Islamic “Allah”, they do so in error, because of their intent that they are speaking primarily of the god that Muhammad prayed to. Which by the way as an interesting aside, when Mohammad prayed to and received instruction from, he “foamed at the mouth and flopped on the ground like a fish” while praying to “Allah” in the cave outside of Medina, by record of their own faith.
And I never said I was better than anyone. Nope, I’m a sinner just like anyone else. But I’m not a reed shaken in the wind, or a wave tossed about by the tempest. I stand on the rock of Jesus, whom the builders have rejected that God made the chief cornerstone, and am saved for it. But I condemn no one, it is not my place to do so. Our own words and actions condemn us, and to deny that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God (as Muslim DO), is condemnation enough. That’s my point.
Deus in French, Dios in Spanish, God in English, Elohim in Hebrew, Allah in Arabic — it’s all the same word. “God” is not God’s name, you know! Do you think God only understands English, and is unable to understand other languages?
Christians who speak Arabic say “Allah.” Muslims who speak English say “God.” Muslims who speak Spanish say “Dios.” Do you just choose to be ignorant?
Yes, just as many Christians believe in the existence of Satan and devils/demons, so do many Muslims. Yes, the Qur’an talks about them. So? The New Testament says that Jesus drove out demons from a man who was possessed. So many Christians and many Muslims believe that Satan has demons at his beck and call. How does that make Muslims any more odd than the Christians who believe the same thing?
You say that Islam is the religion of Satan. Of course, some Muslims would say that your religion is the religion of Satan. You are as prejudiced as the most extremist Muslims that you despise, but you don’t understand that most Muslims are moderate and peace loving. They pray to God, just as Jews and Christians do. Your ignorance and prejudice are astounding.
Muhammad smashed all of the idols in the Kaaba. He despised idolatry. He told the Arabs that there is only one God, and that God cannot be sculpted into any statue or idol or pictured in any way. That is why Islamic art is careful to never try to picture God (unlike the paintings of God on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, or stained glass windows in many Christian churches).
Just to be clear, I’m a Christian and I think that Muhammad was wrong quite a bit of the time — but was right about some things as well. I disagree with Muslims in the same way that I disagree with Roman Catholics — I respect them, but think they are wrong about certain things. You show nothing but disrespect and willful ignorance.
Muhammad was a BAD person, and a pedophile; taking a six-year-old girl as his wife when he was in his fifties, and then consummated the marriage when she was only nine! It is why that even today, in Islamic countries, a “woman” [girl] can be married and have sex with 50+ year olds, at only the age of nine. Because their “prophet” Muhammad did it, so they too can do it.
No, “Allah” isn’t just a generic Arabic word for “God”. It is a SPECIFIC “god” that Muhammad’s family worshiped, which is why it became the centerpiece of their religion. Why do you think they still make a pilgrimage to Mecca? Why do they ritually circle a black rock, and kiss it as if it were worthy of worship?
You keep saying that it’s my ignorance and prejudice that keeps me from, somehow, accepting Islam alongside my own religion. Well, in a binary universe, it can’t all be true. Sorry.
I’m not bashing Muslims, no matter how offended they may feel; no, I am openly rejecting the message of Islam, which says that there “is no son of God” right on the very mosque they worship at, in the city of Jerusalem! If that isn’t a slap in the face to God, who gave us Jesus as Messiah, “His only begotten Son”, then what is?
Typical my-god-is-better-than-your god mumbo jumbo.
Red is the best color! No, blue!, No green! Equally inane to fight about which god is better…
I’m just warning against the dangers of the DOCTRINE of Islam; what it, in essence, teaches. If it’s just mumbo-jumbo to you, then ignore it. That’s your choice.