Several LTE's today, with a variety of things about which to weigh in. Start weighing.
Judicial ethics
PEGGY VOGEL
Winston-Salem
Dishonorable actions
DOROTHY MATHEWS
Rural Hall
Big returns
I've been drawing Social Security benefits for a year and a half now, and all I need to do is live a few more years to realize big returns on my mandatory investment. Bernie Madoff would be envious. Maybe Gov. Perry should have called it a "pyramid scheme," or ... a Ponzimid scheme ... or ... whatever. I feel a little guilty, but I really need the money. I'm just wondering about the generations following me.
JAMES A. BEDSWORTH
Winston-Salem
Short memory
I totally agree with the writer of the Sept. 6 letter "If," who called out the writer of the Aug. 29 letter "The worst of leaders," who stated that President Obama was "the worst of leaders." If George W. Bush's term hadn't ended when it did, our country would now be in a deep depression instead of a recession.
President Bush's policies of taking us into two wars, reducing taxes twice, putting in the Medicare prescription drug plan and not asking Americans for any sacrifices or any method of paying for all those plans are what caused our economy to collapse. President Obama's administration has been trying to dig us out of this hole for two and a half years without any help from the Republicans.
By the way, any who are under the illusion that they would want Gov. Rick Perry, the tea-party favorite, to be president need to recall what happened when we elected another Texas cowboy governor to be president for eight years.
JEAN PEAK
Winston-Salem
Constitution
A lot of people seem to have forgotten the purpose of having a constitution. It is simply to protect the rights of minorities from the desires of the majority.
KENNETH P. PULLIAM
Winston-Salem
Straight from Jesus
The following Scripture is for those who want a constitutional amendment for marriage to be between one man and one woman: "And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another commits adultery." Matthew 19:9-12.
This is straight from Jesus. I don't hear preachers speaking against divorced parishioners. Maybe it's because they're divorced themselves and don't want to show their hypocrisy.
In verses 10-12, the disciples ask if it would be better not to marry. Jesus answers, "Not all men can accept this statement, but only those to whom it has been given." He then lists those "to whom it has been given." In verse 12, there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother's womb, eunuchs made that way by men, and eunuchs who made themselves that way.
The writers of the Bible had no concept of homosexuality and our exclusive sexual preference for the same sex. "A eunuch born that way" would explain the total lack of sexual desire for the opposite sex. "A eunuch made that way" is self-explanatory — no sexual desire due to castration. Finally, choice, such as the celibacy of priests in the Catholic Church.
Jesus admits that we are born this way. It seems simple: gay/lesbian people born this way, according to Jesus, would find that heterosexual-style marriage wouldn't work. Ask gay people who chose that style of marriage only to have it end in divorce.
We want to marry for love, not convenience.
KELVIN R. WANNAMAKER
Winston-Salem
If Forsyth District Judge Denise Hartsfield's alleged judicial ethics violations of fixing tickets for a select group of her friends and church members is considered giving back to Forsyth County, then all Forsyth County residents who paid court costs for traffic violations during this same period should be reimbursed for those costs. Giving back to the community should benefit all residents.
If the N.C. Judicial Standards Commission allows her to remain on the bench, it sends a message to our community, our youth and the law students Judge Hartsfield taught that it is OK to take what doesn't belong to you as long as it is helping someone in need. Even though Judge Hartsfield did not personally gain financially, she deprived the court system of money that should have been added to the treasury.
What is the difference between what Judge Hartsfield did to help her friends and church members who could not afford to pay fines and a store clerk who gives away merchandise to friends and church members who cannot afford to pay?
Judge Hartsfield stated that she had learned many lessons in the three years since the investigation into her conduct; however, she continued to commit violations after being warned of her wrongdoings. Shouldn't ethical conduct and respect for our judicial system be a requirement of judges before they are appointed/elected to the bench?
PEGGY VOGEL
Winston-Salem
Dishonorable actions
Had N.C. Baptist Hospital responded positively to Joseph Vincoli's internal reports, it wouldn't find it necessary to scare other employees by punishing him for disclosing its legal but dishonorable actions ("N.C. Baptist suing ex-employee turned whistle-blower," Sept. 11). Is Baptist Hospital's bottom line more important than the financial security of North Carolina, the state where it operates?
DOROTHY MATHEWS
Rural Hall
Big returns
Recently, the political left has criticized Gov. Rick Perry for using the term "Ponzi scheme" to describe our Social Security system. Now, I'm an independent, politically, but feel that Perry, for me, is too over-the-top to be president. But he's calling a spade a spade.
A Ponzi scheme is similar to a pyramid scheme in that both use new investors to pay earlier participants. One difference between the two is that the Ponzi mastermind gathers new investments and then redistributes them, while pyramid schemes allow each investor to directly benefit if new investors are recruited. For both schemes, eventually there isn't enough money coming in, and they unravel.
I've been drawing Social Security benefits for a year and a half now, and all I need to do is live a few more years to realize big returns on my mandatory investment. Bernie Madoff would be envious. Maybe Gov. Perry should have called it a "pyramid scheme," or ... a Ponzimid scheme ... or ... whatever. I feel a little guilty, but I really need the money. I'm just wondering about the generations following me.
Speaking of Bernie Madoff, maybe President Obama could offer him some incentives — say, knock 50 years off his sentence, maybe give him a bigger cell (with cable, Internet and cold beer thrown in) — to use his expertise and convince the workers of China and India to contribute to our Social Security system. That should extend it for a while.
JAMES A. BEDSWORTH
Winston-Salem
Short memory
I totally agree with the writer of the Sept. 6 letter "If," who called out the writer of the Aug. 29 letter "The worst of leaders," who stated that President Obama was "the worst of leaders." If George W. Bush's term hadn't ended when it did, our country would now be in a deep depression instead of a recession.
President Bush's policies of taking us into two wars, reducing taxes twice, putting in the Medicare prescription drug plan and not asking Americans for any sacrifices or any method of paying for all those plans are what caused our economy to collapse. President Obama's administration has been trying to dig us out of this hole for two and a half years without any help from the Republicans.
By the way, any who are under the illusion that they would want Gov. Rick Perry, the tea-party favorite, to be president need to recall what happened when we elected another Texas cowboy governor to be president for eight years.
JEAN PEAK
Winston-Salem
Constitution
A lot of people seem to have forgotten the purpose of having a constitution. It is simply to protect the rights of minorities from the desires of the majority.
KENNETH P. PULLIAM
Winston-Salem
Straight from Jesus
The following Scripture is for those who want a constitutional amendment for marriage to be between one man and one woman: "And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another commits adultery." Matthew 19:9-12.
This is straight from Jesus. I don't hear preachers speaking against divorced parishioners. Maybe it's because they're divorced themselves and don't want to show their hypocrisy.
In verses 10-12, the disciples ask if it would be better not to marry. Jesus answers, "Not all men can accept this statement, but only those to whom it has been given." He then lists those "to whom it has been given." In verse 12, there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother's womb, eunuchs made that way by men, and eunuchs who made themselves that way.
The writers of the Bible had no concept of homosexuality and our exclusive sexual preference for the same sex. "A eunuch born that way" would explain the total lack of sexual desire for the opposite sex. "A eunuch made that way" is self-explanatory — no sexual desire due to castration. Finally, choice, such as the celibacy of priests in the Catholic Church.
Jesus admits that we are born this way. It seems simple: gay/lesbian people born this way, according to Jesus, would find that heterosexual-style marriage wouldn't work. Ask gay people who chose that style of marriage only to have it end in divorce.
We want to marry for love, not convenience.
KELVIN R. WANNAMAKER
Winston-Salem
I weighed in early this am. I stepped on our bathroom scale and it screamed "get off!" It didn't need to be so huffy about it.
ReplyDeletelol, well at least it didn't say come back later, alone.
ReplyDeleteTrue...I guess I can be thankful for that!
ReplyDeleteI have a hazy memory of some ancient TV show, Candid Camera or something like that, where they had a public scale which would make ugly comments when people stepped on board:
ReplyDelete"One at a time, please" "Jeez, you need to lose about 50 pounds" "Fatty, fatty, two by four..." etc
Mr. Wannamaker you can chirp all you want. However, men going after the badend of other men is not in the best interest of society as a '(w)hole'.
ReplyDeleteIf candid camera were brought back today, most of the comments would have to be bleeped. Allen Funt would not allow today's common dialogue.
ReplyDeleteYeah, Obama's language would never have been tolerated 30 years ago. Remember, "We talk to these folks because they potentially have the best answers, so I know whose ass to kick."
ReplyDeleteCan you imagine if a white Republican would have said those words? The news media would have gone crazy.
"In fact, it is quite disturbing that states like California feel a need to teach public-school students about homosexuality but do not apparently present an equal emphasis on the values of wholesome heterosexual relationships that are missing in many of today's families. This failure leads to many of our nation's social and political along with sexual problems."
ReplyDeleteMr. Helvey
__________
Thanks Mr. Helvey. If schools are going to teach going after the badend, they need to teach about going after the good end of the opposite sex.
Good afternoon folks!
ReplyDeleteLTE 1: What's the difference between what Judge Hartsfield (alledgedly) did and whenever any traffic ticket gets tossed? This isn't about taking "what doesn't belong to you" as much as it's getting away with breaking a rule by knowing a rule enforcer. If it's a person's 1st time offense, then waiving a ticket doesn't bother me, but if people were driving with disregard for traffic laws knowing someone was watching their back, then it is a major issue.
LTE 2: "Is Baptist Hospital's bottom line more important than the financial security of North Carolina, the state where it operates?" - to virtually organization, the answer is yes.
LTE 3: Firstly, I share Mr. Bedsworth opinion of Perry's qualifications for the Presidency. The thing about Ponzi's schemes is that the one who benefits the most is whoever sets it up. The initial investors may get their money back, but anyone who comes in later is out of luck. SS has no hidden equivalent agenda, and there will be no end to participants paying in. It's meant to be an income supplement, but to far too many it has become the primary or sole source. SS can remain deficit neutral with just a few tweeks...namely eliminating the income ceiling for withholding.
LTE 4: There were very poor fiscal decisions made during the 2000's that contributed to the current morass.
LTE 5: Good reminder, Mr. Pulliam
LTE 6: Leaving aside the theological arguments, a person should not have to live a lie. It is unfair to allow gay people the only marriage option that requires them to live a lie and it's not fair to the spouse either.