Dear Editor:

Having been born in 1950, in the Allentown area, life was very different as compared to now. One of four brothers and a sister, my parents were very loving, they taught us right from wrong and good from bad. Life was simple and a lot easier than things are now. We grew up watching Ed Sullivan and Art Linkletter and when things were real big news Walter Cronkite would tell the world what was, as he did when John F. Kennedy was shot and killed on that sad day in Texas.The Vietnam War came along; with my four years as a Reconnaissance Marine, and learning the art of war at the age of 18, returning to this country was an eye opener, the moratoriums made it extremely painful to be a member of the Armed Forces at that time. Thank God our lads today do not have to deal with such nonsense. 1991 brought me my lovely wife, a native of Jim Thorpe and Carbon County.With communities like Jim Thorpe, Palmerton, Lehighton, Summit Hill, Weatherly and all the other small towns in this beautiful county, it was easy to become relaxed and comfortable here. The same warm feeling as I would get when I was younger watching Mash, Rockford Files, Kojak, Little House on the Prairie and so forth. Carbon County with all of its Parks and Paths, Lakes and Rivers, Hunting, Fishing and Recreational Activities, with all this beauty and splendor, who could ask for anything else?We recently held our County Commissioner race, and all these warm feelings got smashed. Filled with lies and deceit of the great political machine we call the Republican Party, sent out were flyers filled with lies and nonsense. Common sense should have gotten Bill O'Gurek re-elected, instead people living in fear and believing everything that is sent through the mail as gospel did not.If anyone saw the debate at Penn's Peak or on Blue Ridge Cable, they saw a commissioner-elect in Tom Gerhard, open-mouthed and dumbfounded, and he still would be in that position if not pushed along by Kim Bell. Mr. Nothstein and Mr. Gerhard both claim ignorance to the flyers sent out about Mr. O'Gurek.Somehow, I believe their ignorance and dumbfoundness as TRUTH, and now we have them leading our county as our leaders. God Bless Carbon County. I assume the new commissioners will not take a pay increase for four years; they will increase jobs; improve employment in our county; and buy back Weatherwood. Good Luck Gentleman, these dreams can come true in Fantasyland.Semper Fi,Bob SchaningerJim Thorpe.