The front page article of May 17 read, “GOP chairman blasts Clyburn on appointment. I was shocked and surprised that anyone would oppose such an appointment by Congressman Clyburn. It was recently reported that a cross section of Republicans (Mr. Dawson’s party) and Democrats worked to pass the Second Chance Act that was recently signed into law by President Bush. What then is the fuss if this legislation was passed by Congress and signed into law by the president?

Mr. Rickenbacker before his lapse in judgment was a model citizen who loves the county and the state. Anyone who has followed this case very closely will agree that when the case first surfaced, Mr. Rickenbacker admitted his mistake with a contrite heart and bowed spirit and pleaded guilty instead of pleading not guilty and dragging the county through a protracted trial with the associated costs. I do not think there is anyone who feels sadder over what happened than Mr. Rickenbacker, and he has paid the price for it. Is Mr. Dawson saying that Mr. Rickenbacker should go and stay at home, twitch his fingers for the rest of his life and wait til death comes? Or perhaps Mr. Dawson would have preferred that Mr. Rickenbacker go to the unemployment line and beg for food stamps or involve himself in a dubious activity to support his family.

I am puzzled that many who profess to be Christians and occupy prominent positions in church pews every Sunday find it hard to remember that Christianity is predicated on second chance. The scripture tells us that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” If I read it correctly, this means everyone with no exceptions. If we look further in the scriptures, we see that those we describe as giants of faith in God beginning from Abraham to David in the Old Testament to Peter and Paul in the New Testament were people with serious lapses in judgment and character. Yet God took them and made something beautiful out of them.

This attitude of one strike and you are out does not work. We are not electing or appointing angels, but rather flawed human beings as described in the scriptures. Guess what, I am even in support of giving the former state treasurer Mr. Ravenel a second chance when he has paid the dues for his mistakes.

Congressman Clyburn ought to be commended because he used his conscience instead of looking at the polls. Mr. Rickenbacker is a hardworking citizen who deserves more than a second chance.

 - Stanley N. Ihekweazu, Orangeburg

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