Editor, The Transcript:

Every week, our civics teacher gave us a statement. We had to argue the points of each one in an essay. Many were some form of: Don't yell fire in a crowded theatre. Today, he would probably reword it: Don't yell hate in my America. Why or why not?

Another was: Your freedom ends at the end of the next person's nose. Our military is now giving of themselves to protect that freedom. They sacrifice limbs, lives and minds so all Americans can enjoy that freedom.

But we have slimy, un-Americans who creep along under the cover of darkness who do not respect those sacrifices. They choose to do hateful, destructive acts. These childish people lack values and would be the first to yell if someone stepped on their freedoms.

NADINE JEWELL

Norman