If leading spokesmen of both the right and left of America enthusiastically back passage of any piece of legislation, there should be headlines in the various elements of the mass media. Anything attracting that kind of bipartisan support must certainly be dramatically important so weighty that all conscious Americans ought to examine it.

If you qualify as to being conscious, you should be taking a very serious look at House Resolution 3835, the American Freedom Act of 2007. It was introduced in the House of Representatives by Texas Republican Ron Paul. Yes, he is alive and well and very visible on his Internet Web site, wwwronpaul2008.com.

If enacted, HR3835 would:

1. Repeal the 2006 Military Commissions Act of 2006 that denies habeas corpus, the right to face criminal accusations in a court to law.

2. Ban confessions gained through torture or coercion.

3. Insist on adherence to the provisions of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to gain intelligence.

4. Challenge the president's practice of disregarding portions of laws with presidential "signing statements."

HR3835 is worthy of eager support from all across the political spectrum because the abuses addressed or alluded to have indeed been committed.

What kind of concern can our Congress have for us, its constituents, to approve such a bill to lay a foundation to thrust us into a police state?

It is my opinion that, as a people, we have lost our Christian foundation and moral virtue, sufficient to have earned God's wrath and we are going to receive the kind of government we deserve.

Our national debt is $47 trillion, 67 percent of which is owed to other nations. Bills will come due.

George A. Whitehead

1008 E. Phoenix Ave.

Stolen wind chimes were special

Last week someone walked into my yard, climbed on the glider at the corner of my patio and took my wind chimes.

These chimes were what I could afford and special because I found them when I was making a change in my life. They seemed to fill the need when I heard them ring in the store and later as they hung by my bedroom window.

The memories of the chimes are there and the wind still blows but the chimes are silent.

Phyllis Schmidt

3617 Hidden Pointe Drive

Keep children out of the bars

Now that we have solved the smoking issue, it's time to move on to another area our government has no business solving for us.

Children in bars.

I truly feel that bars should not allow children in. In bars, they see people drinking, hear words that are not meant for young ears and see things not meant for anyone under 18.

If the city or state can tell a business owner that no one can smoke in their privately owned business, they can certainly tell them not to allow minors.

Come on, you council members, let's add another law for the thriving business community of Grand Island to have to abide by.

Oh, by the way, I am a non-smoker.

Carol King

1501 W. First