Editor:

During the Tuesday, May 10th, Karnes County Commissioners Court meeting, Commissioners Schendel, Rosales, and Hummel voted to not let county citizens/veterans vote on a courthouse bond election. Read it again; the majority of your commissioners court that you elected, voted to not let you vote on a courthouse bond election. These three ruffians have stolen our right to vote. Hopefully, each will be remembered when it comes time for us to vote for their reelection. And yes, none of these three have ever served this country in a military uniform. Perhaps their next folly will be to advocate a “Hug a Tree Day” or “Burn an American Flag Day”? Since our 1776 founding as a Nation, 1,330,388 (as of 12/09/10) men and women have died in uniform protecting our freedom to vote. Commissioners Schendel, Rosales, and Hummel you are UNAMERICAN. As the vote was read aloud most of the Historical Society attendees stood up and cheered. They would all be speaking German, Japanese, Arabic, or some other language if it were not for the dead, missing in action, wounded, battlefield mentally impaired US military personnel, and returning veterans who have selflessly given of themselves for the good of this Nation, ensuring our right to vote in free elections. And when the county judge looked at the Historical Society attendees and said, “I thought it was the American way--to vote”, a resounding “No, No”, was heard in the courtroom. The Historical Society did and does not want the voters of Karnes County to vote yes, no, or somewhere in between for the courthouse restoration. What a shame when our elected commissioners listen to a vocal minority in the courtroom instead of having open lines of communication with their constituents and then vote their constituents views; knowing that their constituents are not retired and have to work for a living, not able to attend daytime meetings. This “no vote” by three commissioners to prohibit county citizens/veterans from voting is reminiscent of the recent county courthouse annex decision or in a more olden day “Crucify Him, Crucify Him”. You won’t read anything, much less something objective, in the “Countywide” about the three commissioners “no vote”, because the newspaper is anti-county judge and anti-county attorney and pro-Historical Society. (Sheeee, that is supposed to be a secret; have you read the “Countywide” lately?) I personally don’t care whether the courthouse falls to the ground in ruin or is lifted up and totally rebuilt. All I care about is that we, all the county citizens/veterans, have the right to choose in a free election what we want to do. These three commissioners have trashed on every military citizen soldier in the history of our Nation. How can they be so hypocritical when visiting deceased veteran’s graves or current/future military veterans? These three commissioners, acting as little dictators, are wrong and owe their constituents an apology and revote. Their stance on voting rights, which too many military have died to preserve, is just plain UNAMERICAN. (Maybe something other than the bat droppings stink in the courthouse?) Let Karnes County citizens/veterans vote in a courthouse bond election.

Gary L. Deskin Lieutenant Colonel, USA (Ret.) Commander, Karnes County VFW Memorial Post 8572