Winston-Salem Journal LTE's FR 09/09/11

Good AM, folks!

We have a new topic in the LTE's today, thank goodness.

Not the moral way

Let's acknowledge this about the proposed marriage amendment: First, the Republican Party wants it on the 2012 ballot to distract from its refusal to cooperate with the president on any issue. This ploy brings out conservative voters and gives them a reason to vote their faith or their prejudice, while voting away their existing benefits.

Next, marriage between a man and women is a fine religious conviction and way of life. To make that the law of the land, however, inhibits others convictions and ways of life. Forcing one's beliefs on others is not the Christian or the moral way. No vote or legislation should exist that forces a religious belief on others.

---

MITCHELL BOSS
King

Vital matter

Massive demonstrations against the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline from Canada, through five U.S. states, have been taking place daily in Washington ("A climate test for Obama," Aug. 20). Hundreds are jailed every day.

Prominent scientists such as James Hanson and Bill McKibben, along with the Sierra Club, believe this pipeline would spell disaster for the planet. And yet there has been very little coverage of this matter in newspapers, magazines or TV. (There was a little buzz when Daryl Hannah was arrested, but mostly it has been ignored by the media.)

Many Internet websites have excellent coverage, but not the TV and print media. I am curious to know why the media ignore this vitally important matter. It's almost enough to turn one into a conspiracy theorist.

---

ANNE N. PAISLEY
Winston-Salem

Timetable

The Forsyth County commissioners foresee finishing the Kernersville library by the year 2020 ("Timetable to finish libraries advances," Sept. 2)? Have they not seen the "Going Out of Business" signs at Borders? By 2020 we'll be lucky if half the population even knows how to read. The other half will be doing so electronically. Better to update the existing centrally located downtown library and put the rest of the money into schooling with attached libraries accessible to the public.

---

BRENDA HUTCHINS
Winston-Salem

Crime lab is fair

As a former judge and as acting crime lab director, I respectfully disagree with the Aug. 29 guest column by Mark Rabil, "Bring science and fairness to the SBI crime lab."

Rabil buries the critical fact that the crime lab scientist, talking willingly and freely with the defendant's attorney in the discovery process, volunteered that there had been a reporting language change. Had she not done so, the change likely would never have been identified, and the defendant's case may well have suffered.

Science is not static, particularly in the rapidly developing DNA discipline. DNA expert John M. Butler writes that "as experience using various analytical procedures grows, interpretation guidelines may evolve and improve." That is what happened here, and it was the lab scientist who correctly and properly made counsel and the court aware of it.

After the disclosure, it appears the judge and the parties essentially agreed to a court order directing preparation of a report reflecting the analyst's actual expected testimony — not, as Rabil submits, a judge "hav[ing] to order a scientist to prepare an accurate report."

I am proud of this lab scientist, who spoke the truth and reported the latest science. In nearly 43,000 cases annually, state crime laboratory scientists remain absolutely committed to the highest ethical and scientific standards and, yes, to fundamental fairness.

---

JOSEPH R. JOHN SR.
ACTING DIRECTOR
N.C. STATE CRIME LABORATORY
Raleigh

Sum It Up:
The Sum It Up question from Sunday was: Do you feel safer now than in the days right after Sept. 11, 2001?


* * * * *
No, we are absolutely not safe from another 9/11. Muslim radicals have tried to strike again several times, and only by luck and enhanced interrogation of prisoners have we been able to stop another deadly attack. President Obama's policy of military downsizing and sucking up to our Middle-Eastern enemies has simply whetted their appetite for more of our blood. It's only a matter of time until they successfully attack us again with even more horrendous results.

---

LINDA DIORIO


* * * * *
I feel safer because I have given up flying.
TSA = Too Scary Authority.

---

CLAYTON MOORE


* * * * *
No. I don't feel safer because the cause for 9/11 still remains. The cause is our continued occupation of the Middle East. Ten years later and most Americans still don't get it.

---

KAM BENFIELD


* * * * *
Do I feel safer now than right after 9/11?
Not really; because we have met the enemy and he is us (with apologies to Pogo).

---

LOUIS NEWTON