Dear Editor,
When we learned last year that the Gilroy High School Chamber
Choir was invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City, we
were ecstatic. The young adults in choir are held to a high
standard by Mr. Phil Robb and they always rise to the occasion.
This trip was no exception. Their talent and maturity level are
stellar, all thanks to the dedication of Mr. Robb.
Fantastic voyage to Carnegie Hall for an incredible GHS choir group
Dear Editor,
When we learned last year that the Gilroy High School Chamber Choir was invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City, we were ecstatic. The young adults in choir are held to a high standard by Mr. Phil Robb and they always rise to the occasion. This trip was no exception. Their talent and maturity level are stellar, all thanks to the dedication of Mr. Robb.
We hope many young people will take the opportunity to be part of the high school’s choirs before Mr. Robb retires. We want to thank the Gilroy Unified School District Board of Trustees as well as Gilroy High School Principal Mr. James Maxwell for their support in making this trip possible. We would also like to thank the Gilroy Dispatch for sending journalist Sara Suddes to accompany the choir on their New York trip. She did a marvelous job with her writing, photography and videography in capturing the essence of the adventure. The Dispatch is lucky to have such talent on its staff.
We have come to know many of the young adults in choir and their parents as well as Mr. Robb and feel very fortunate to have been a part of this epic adventure. All we can say is, “Bravo!!”
Mark and Sandi Zappa, Gilroy
Think twice before sending your high school student out of town
Dear Editor,
Going to school in a different community or town than where you live causes isolation and stress. There are many reasons for this isolation, but mostly it is the sense of not belonging to one distinct community.
For four years I commuted from my hometown of Gilroy to San Jose to attend a Catholic High School since there were none in Gilroy. I feel that, due to my long commute each day, I was not able to fully experience the Gilroy community. Sure I was able to be in a community with the rest of my school, but I longed to be part of my home town.
All of the hours spent driving in the car just distanced me from both communities and kept me isolated. I know I was not the only one who commuted. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, “Californians on average commute about 27.7 minutes each day.”
I was not alone in commuting the long distances; there were a few others who went to my school that also lived in Gilroy. However, we found it difficult to try to be in two places at once. It was either we have to be home by this time to do this or we need to stay in San Jose for three hours to wait for a school dance or other function. We often found ourselves just staying in San Jose overnight and sometimes for a whole weekend because of school commitments. This left no time to do anything in Gilroy or even be in Gilroy.
Supporters of this type of commuting say that there is a way to make time for everything, but what it comes down to is that there truly isn’t. The amount of time spent driving does not leave much time for other activities besides sleeping, eating and, of course, doing homework. My senior year I worked at Platinum Theaters in Gilroy and I would literally leave school right when it ended at 2:40 p.m. and make it home just in time to change and leave for my 4 p.m. shift. And if there was traffic, especially on Fridays, I found myself getting there extremely late. During these days there was no time for me to just take a moment for myself or try to get involved in the local community.There became a definite division between home life and school. It seemed like they were completely two different worlds. Especially the division between a “small town” and a large city like San Jose where there are many different morals and values. I am learning this even more as I come home from going to college in San Francisco.
As I come home now I feel the division in the different lifestyles even more. At least now I don’t commute to school so I’m able to establish my own community up in the city. I definitely miss the Gilroy atmosphere, but I wish I could have become more a part of the community and didn’t have to choose where I spent my time between school and Gilroy.
So, those considering sending their children to school in different cities, consider the effects its going to have on your child and their own community.
Katherine Hammon, Gilroy
The Golden Quill is awarded occasionally for a well-penned letter.
Has serious concerns about parking after new Gilroy library is built
Dear Editor,
There have been stories in the paper about the lack of parking in downtown Gilroy. It is a problem and always has been.
On this same type of subject … where is the parking going to be for the new library?
It seems that the library building will take up most of the property. I have asked several people who work at the library and they seem to think we will be parking across the street.
That sounds dangerous with the little ones running back and forth across the street.
Jacqui Holladay, Gilroy
Editor’s note: It certainly would be dangerous. We’re firing this over to our Red Phone desk for a thorough answer in Friday’s print edition. Thanks for the letter.
‘Fairness Doctrine’ government censorship to silence the critics
Dear Editor,
What follows is a copy of a letter I sent to the president regarding the implementation of the “Fairness Doctrine”. I wanted to share it with South County voters and all Americans. This is a very serious issue and people need to be aware of its importance to their lives. Hopefully, lots of citizens will copy this letter and write, not only to the President but to their Congressional representatives and Senators. It is really important.
Dear President Obama,
As a citizen of the United States of America I urge you to reject all calls by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senators John Kerry, Charles Schumer, Dianne Feinstein and other leaders in Congress to revive the misguided “Fairness Doctrine”. This program is a very real threat to the principle of free speech upon which our country was founded. To use government power to shut down dissenting views on the radio and in television is a clear violation of our Constitution, which you have sworn to uphold.The right of free speech means no government censorship of any means of expression. Radio and television have become our principal source of news and information and we should give broadcasters the utmost freedom in order to insure a truly free press and a truly free America.
If the Democratic program is as good as your Democrat colleagues espouse, then it should stand on its own and convince voters of its merits. There should always be the availability of radio, television, and other views available to the American people. To try to shut down opposing views, in any medium, is not what I, or any other veteran, has fought for. Radio stations should not be required to have the content of broadcasting approved by government officials.
That is what is happening in Cuba, Communist China, and North Korea. Please do not knuckle under to Nancy Pelosi and other forces in Congress who would silence people with whom they disagree. Your refusal to allow this breach of the Constitution is your duty. It would show America that you are truly a leader of America and not some leftist ideologue. It would show that you care about freedom and are committed to upholding and defending the Constitution of the United States.
John Houghton, Gilroy
Editor’s note: You can write President Barack Obama at The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20500. Also, all contact information for Gilroy area representatives is available on the The Dispatch Web site – www.gilroydispatch.com – under the Opinion drop-down menu.
