Dear Editor,

I am writing in response to the front page story about the Blanco EMS in the July 23rd 2008 edition: “Investigations are ongoing . . . “I have two questions please:

Was that an editorial? Although it begins as an article it seems to end as an editorial, yet it is not labeled as such on the front page.

I am wondering if the part beginning with “However much to the dismay . . .” and ending with “An action that DSHS takes very seriously “ (Paragraphs 13 -22 I believe) could have been left out of the story and still the writer could have made his point? I suggest you try reading with that part omitted and see if you still get the point. I did.

The reason I ask is that portion of the story concerns something that occurred sixteen years ago, a debt already paid; the Court seemed satisfied that it was. It does not seem to have been necessary to include that part as it resembles “Double Indemnity” somewhat (to me). I believe it may only serve to do harm to a very dedicated man, his family, and the community they serve.

I might suggest, if I may, that the writer of that story of July 23rd check out a recent book written by a talented and local young man: _The Forty Letters Of Preparation For The End Of An Age._ Read Letter XV: “To Err Is Human, To Forgive Devine”. It concerns an important life lesson.

I will end with one other piece of advice: as you go through life, doing whatever you need to do, believing in whatever you need to believe in, hurt as few people as possible along the way. This is a life lesson that generally served me well up until last spring when I temporarily forgot to live by it and I hurt people as a result. Be very thoughtful of what you say or write about other people as words can be very powerful. They can bring about unintended and unnecessarily hurtful results.

Thank you for your time,

Mike McClure

Blanco, TX