PUBLIC VIEWPOINT: Bikes, Blues Parade Is All Right

Posted: November 26, 2009 at 4:05 a.m.

• Print item
• E-mail
• Share
• Tweet

In these days of economic hardship, it was a wonder to see that so many people chose to come to this year’s Bikes, Blues and BBQ festival.

We should all be thankful that those folks who chose to come here also chose to help our local economy by spending some of their scarce cash in Fayetteville and surrounding areas. I believe that the powers-that-be and some of our local citizens have done a disservice to all of those folks, and also to the many who live here and have enjoyed the full-length parade of bikes in past years as they have moved along their route from Dickson Street to the Northwest Arkansas Mall via Highway 71. Perhaps the small amount of inconvenience that a few drivers would have to face would have been a fair tradeoff for all of the good our local merchants enjoyed. I personally feel that the least we should do is give the bikers a few minutesof pride as they ride together in “their” parade.

PAUL VEGNANI

West Fork THE REASON

FOR THE SEASON And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins. So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, God with us” (Matthew 1:21-22).

This is the reason you see the beautiful lights, hear the beautiful music, give and receive gifts, have a vacation and time off from work. This is why wecook and eat those wonderful foods. We are celebrating the birth of the Christ child, Jesus, Immanuel, God with us. Without the story of Jesus there is no Christmas. Without Jesus Christ, Christmas does not exist. Jesus is Christmas, Christ-mass. To observe Christmas is to celebrate Jesus Christ.

Every time you give a gift, observe the Christmas holiday, you are affirming that Jesus is real, and that he came as a baby born of a virgin just like the Bible says. Every party you attend to celebrate Christmas is because of the Savior.

We don’t celebrate winter;

there is no hope, love or forgiveness in winter. But there is that and much more in Christ. It is time to say “Merry Christmas!”

Wow, isn’t God good.

PHYLLIS FARISH

Bella Vista

Opinion, Pages 5 on 11/26/2009

Comments

To report abuse or misuse of this area please hit the "Suggest Removal" link in the comment to alert our online managers. Please read our comment policy.

Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.