Ordinance would create a ‘Welcoming Lebanon’

A group of Lebanon voters is collecting signatures on a petition advocating a “Welcoming Lebanon Ordinance.” We need 610 valid signatures from registered Lebanon voters by Dec. 19 in order to bring the question to the City Council. We are more than halfway there, but time is running short.

A Welcoming Lebanon Ordinance would help city agents, including the Lebanon Police, keep all our residents safe. Two features of our proposed ordinance are that it would safeguard all residents from racial, ethnic and other profiling; and that city agents will not aid or participate in enforcement of federal immigration laws. We want to support our city agents in this effort by backing them up with the force of law.

When we successfully reach our signature goal the petition will be presented to the City Council and the council will hold a public hearing. Council members can then opt either to enact our proposed ordinance, adopt a modified ordinance, or place the question of whether to enact the ordinance on the March 11 ballot.

On June 20, 2018, the City Council planted the seeds for this effort by passing a “Resolution for Inclusiveness.” It states, in part, “the City Council of Lebanon wishes to take a leading role in protecting civil liberties, promoting tolerance, and providing equal protection under the law to all persons in the City.” We believe it is time to take the next step by enacting a Welcoming Lebanon Ordinance.

If you are a Lebanon voter and wish to see our petition question and possibly sign it, you can do so in the coming weeks at a table near the main entry of the downtown Lebanon Library or in the periodical reading room at Kilton Public Library in West Lebanon, Monday through Thursday, from 5-7 p.m. You will also be able to read our proposed ordinance. A petition volunteer will be present to answer questions.

PHILIP and JUDITH BUSH

West Lebanon

LINDSAY DEARBORN

Lebanon

Evangelicals understand that much is at stake

After reading Randall Balmer’s Dec. 1 column (“The 81% Conundrum”), I quickly concluded that he and I define “evangelicals” differently. With hundreds of Protestant denominations and several dozen groups that call themselves “Church of God,” it shouldn’t surprise any of us, least of all him, that there are multiple strains of “evangelicals.”

The dictionary definition of “evangelical” is “relating to the Christian Gospel,” and therein lies the problem. The Apostle Paul warned of teachers who would promote “another Gospel” (II Corinthians 11:4, Galatians 1:6-9). So when Balmer is flummoxed by the fact that 81% of evangelicals voted for Donald Trump in 2016, it’s obvious they weren’t his type of evangelicals.

There is a clear delineation between evangelicals who adhere to a literal interpretation of Scripture and those who want to re-interpret it to make allowance for current social trends. When you think about it, they are analogous to the two major schools of thought on the interpretation of the U.S. Constitution, hence the fierce partisanship over various nominations for Supreme Court justices.

In 1976, Americans had two evangelical presidential candidates to choose from, Gerald Ford of Grand Rapids, Mich., (another locus of evangelical publishing and activity) and Jimmy Carter of Plains, Ga. Carter was elected and, in a case of “buyer’s remorse” four years later, voters chose Ronald Reagan. As a biographer of Carter, Balmer would have his own biases.

The “hot buttons” for evangelicals in 2016 were abortion, sexual orientation and support for Israel, and they correctly perceived Trump would deliver on those issues. The first chapter of Paul’s epistle to the Romans outlines instances of division among believers along the lines of moral, ethical and doctrinal perversion. We see these playing out in such diverse bodies as United Methodists and Southern Baptists. Unless the Democrats heed Barack Obama’s concern and field candidates of more moderate views, Trump stands a good chance of re-election.

Evangelicals have found it necessary to be pragmatic in their choice of candidates, because so much is at stake. In 2016 it was clear that Hillary Clinton’s “bona fides” were of no interest whatsoever to 81% of traditional evangelicals.

WILLIAM A. WITTIK

Hartford

From Wisconsin to Washington, Bethel’s granite makes impact

The color photograph of downtown Madison, Wis., in the Dec. 1 Travel section (“Midwestern memories: Five great reasons beyond football to visit Madison, Wis.”) also shows an interesting piece — or pieces — of Vermont, specifically Bethel.

The Wisconsin Capitol building, completed in 1917, was constructed of Bethel White granite, which is the whitest granite in the world. Bethel White can be found in buildings and bridges all over the world. Another interesting landmark building in the U.S. made of Bethel White is Union Station in Washington, D.C. Inside and out, even the statues on the facade are Bethel White granite.

JANET BURNHAM

Bethel

The writer is a member of the Bethel Historical Society.