Letters to the Editor

Good and bad

Well, Toto, I don't think we're in Charleston anymore. Many are applauding the news that Boeing is coming. I, myself, am longing for days when Charleston was much smaller.

Yes, we will have more jobs and more money, but it also means more people, more cars, more traffic and more homes. Guess it's time for me to move to Kansas.

JOHN H. GETSINGER

Painted Bunting Way

Hanahan

Navy Ball

I would like to offer my sincerest thanks to The Post and Courier, as well as the men and women of the Lowcountry, for their continued support of the Navy's presence here.

Due to that support, my wife Grace and I were able to host the 234th Navy Birthday Ball Oct. 17 at the Culinary Institute at Trident Technical College in North Charleston.

The evening was a great success as more than 500 military members, Department of Defense civilians and guests came together to recognize the accomplishments and sacrifices made by our Navy veterans, while also honoring those individuals who have stepped up in today's volunteer force to protect our nation and its interests.

The Navy is a service deeply rooted in traditions. The annual birthday ball is dedicated to preserving those traditions and instilling them in our junior sailors so they may carry them into the future.

I am so proud of our Charleston sailors, and events such as this serve to recognize their hard work and grant them a night of dinner, dancing and fun amongst their peers. Overall, it served to increase the morale of our outstanding military force.

For these reasons it is easy to see how important the birthday ball is to the Navy. Therefore, I feel it is equally important to acknowledge that our 234th Navy Birthday Ball would not have been possible without the support from our generous sponsors. This truly exemplifies "Team Charleston."

CAPT. GLEN LITTLE

Commanding Officer

Naval Weapons Station

Charleston

Which rights?

As an Episcopalian anxious to hear the decision of the special convention of the Diocese of South Carolina relative to five proposed resolutions, I was extremely dismayed by the opening sentence of the Oct. 25 story on the subject. There, above the fold on the first page of the newspaper, your reporter wrote that the resolutions were drafted "in response to recent church actions affirming the rights of gays and lesbians."

If the "rights" referred to are the rights to be ordained, to serve as bishops and to have same-sex unions blessed by the church, then this is accurate. However, without clarifying which rights were meant or even specifying "rights in the church" or "rights in the government of the church," the phrase appears to evoke legal and civil rights. I think The Post and Courier ought to clarify, in the strongest terms possible, that these were not at issue at the convention.

Many theologically conservative Episcopalians who protest the recent decisions of the national church nevertheless affirm the need for people to enjoy civil rights regardless of sexual orientation, as long as the rights of religious institutions to act in accordance with their beliefs are also protected.

While the remainder of the article was, as far as I know, a helpful report and analysis of what happened at the convention, its first sentence was misleading and not an accurate description of the position of our diocese or of many (perhaps most) Lowcountry Episcopalians.

KATHARINE P. EASTVOLD

Newington Road

Summerville

Church welcome

Following the special convention of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina on Oct. 24, there remains one thing to be done:

On most of the bright and cheerful red, white and blue signs all across this diocese, which proclaim "The Episcopal Church Welcomes You," one word should be added, "unless."

REV. BENJAMIN B. SMITH

Church Street

Mount Pleasant