Palling Around
The list of senior terrorists killed during the Obama presidency is fairly extensive.
There’s Osama bin Laden, of course, killed in May.
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) leader Anwar al-Awlaki as of today.
Earlier this month officials confirmed that al Qaeda’s chief of Pakistan operations, Abu Hafs al-Shahri, was killed in Waziristan, Pakistan.
In August, ‘Atiyah ‘Abd al-Rahman, the deputy leader of al Qaeda was killed.
In June, one of the group’s most dangerous commanders, Ilyas Kashmiri, was killed in Pakistan. In Yemen that same month, AQAP senior operatives Ammar al-Wa’ili, Abu Ali al-Harithi, and Ali Saleh Farhan were killed. In Somalia, Al-Qa’ida in East Africa (AQEA) senior leader Harun Fazul was killed.
Administration officials also herald the recent U.S./Pakistani joint arrest of Younis al-Mauritani in Quetta.
Going back to August 2009, Tehrik e-Taliban Pakistan leader Baitullah Mahsud was killed in Pakistan.
In September of that month, Jemayah Islamiya operational planner Noordin Muhammad Top was killed in Indonesia, and AQEA planner Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan was killed in Somalia.
Then in December 2009 in Pakistan, al Qaeda operational commanders Saleh al-Somali and ‘Abdallah Sa’id were killed.
In February 2010, in Pakistan, Taliban deputy and military commander Abdul Ghani Beradar was captured; Haqqani network commander Muhammad Haqqani was killed; and Lashkar-e Jhangvi leader Qari Zafar was killed.
In March 2010, al Qaeda operative Hussein al-Yemeni was killed in Pakistan, while senior Jemayah Islamiya operative Dulmatin - accused of being the mastermind behind the 2002 Bali bombings – was killed during a raid in Indonesia.
In April 2010, al Qaeda in Iraq leaders Abu Ayyub al-Masri and Abu Omar al-Baghdadi were killed.
In May, al Qaeda’s number three commander, Sheik Saeed al-Masri was killed.
In June 2010 in Pakistan, al Qaeda commander Hamza al-Jawfi was killed.
Remember when Rudy Giuliani warned that electing Barack Obama would mean that the U.S. played defense, not offense, against the terrorists?
If this is defense, what does offense look like?
-Jake Tapper
Monday, October 31, 2011
Winston-Salem Journal LTE's MO 10/31/11
Wilkes is aware
I refer to your Oct. 17 editorial, "Show us the jobs": Your negative analysis of both the president's American Jobs Act and of Wilkes County are uninformed and distasteful. Wilkes residents with different political viewpoints have cooperated smoothly to make this presidential visit a success. We have done this without opposition among ourselves. Your attempt at discrediting this even before the event happens and introducing a troublemaking voice is not appreciated.
Wilkes Countians are not as dismissive as your editorial writers, who seem to believe all of us in Wilkes politely host the president while disapproving of him over jobs. Wilkes Countians are aware of who is greatly responsible for the economic woes of the country and who is trying to improve our lot.
The president came here to make an important point, and we indeed listened and responded in appreciation. Don't tell us that we, like you, didn't mean it when we thanked him.
DICK UNDERWOOD
North Wilkesboro
Turned away
I went to my very first Lexington BBQ Festival Saturday. It is amazing how rude some folks can be!
Imagine a paying customer wanting to use the restroom. Whatever was I thinking!
A shop refused to allow four of us (all paying customers, mind you) to use its restrooms.
Reason: we were not VIPs! Paying customers, yes ... but not ticket-holders for the afternoon bands.
No purple arm band, no using the restroom allowed!
Remember that when you go to Lexington. If you are not important enough to use their restroom ... you are not good enough to patronize their premises!
RALPH CHAPPELL
Winston-Salem
No random testing
John Hood argues that drug-testing welfare recipients is an idea "deserving of consideration" ("It's time to test Tillis' idea" Oct. 23), but medical experts and court rulings say otherwise.
The Center for Addiction and Mental Health recommends against random, suspicion-less drug-testing of welfare recipients, finding it more effective to better train government workers to detect signs of substance abuse in order to provide proper treatment to those who need help.
The American Public Health Association, National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, National Coalition for Child Protection Reform, and National Advocates for Pregnant Women also oppose testing as a precondition of assistance. Studies show that welfare recipients are no more likely to use drugs than the general population, most hard drugs are typically untraceable after a few days, and testing cannot detect the most commonly abused drug: alcohol.
When Michigan tried enacting a drug-testing program for welfare recipients in 2003, a federal court struck it down as unconstitutional. Here in North Carolina, the Court of Appeals ruled in 2009 that the Graham County Board of Education's proposal to randomly drug-test its employees was also unconstitutional. And just last week, a federal judge blocked a new law in Florida that would require welfare recipients to first pass a drug test, saying such a program likely violated the Constitution's ban on unreasonable searches and seizures.
North Carolina should not go down this road. Such programs are expensive, ineffective, unconstitutional and based on unfair, inaccurate stereotypes.
Jennifer Rudinger, Executive Director
ACLU of North Carolina
The real debt
The debt that we are passing on to our children is more than just the national debt from many deficit budget years; it is also the infrastructure debt of all the roads, bridges, dams, levies and municipal structures that have not been maintained over the years. It has been too easy to neglect these items by assuming that they can wait and will be around forever. Roman stone arches have stood for centuries, but our bridges contain steel rebar and tensioning cables that allow for much longer and less costly piers and spans. If inevitable cracks in the concrete are not patched, moisture will enter, rust the steel, and chunks of concrete will fall off the structure. Also, any exposed steel needs to be continuously painted.
We should spend the money now, even at the cost of increasing our immediate debt, because it will only cost us more to fix things later, and to avoid another massive bridge failure. Spending the money now would create jobs, and much of the money spent on those jobs would come back into the economy in the form of other jobs, taxes on wages, and reduced unemployment compensation. This work would have to be done in the U.S.; you can't ship bridges to China for repair. The public sector is the best way to create jobs right now. The private sector just isn't doing it. Trickle down does not work — it trickles overseas.
DAVE TURCK
Clemmons
I refer to your Oct. 17 editorial, "Show us the jobs": Your negative analysis of both the president's American Jobs Act and of Wilkes County are uninformed and distasteful. Wilkes residents with different political viewpoints have cooperated smoothly to make this presidential visit a success. We have done this without opposition among ourselves. Your attempt at discrediting this even before the event happens and introducing a troublemaking voice is not appreciated.
Wilkes Countians are not as dismissive as your editorial writers, who seem to believe all of us in Wilkes politely host the president while disapproving of him over jobs. Wilkes Countians are aware of who is greatly responsible for the economic woes of the country and who is trying to improve our lot.
The president came here to make an important point, and we indeed listened and responded in appreciation. Don't tell us that we, like you, didn't mean it when we thanked him.
DICK UNDERWOOD
North Wilkesboro
Turned away
I went to my very first Lexington BBQ Festival Saturday. It is amazing how rude some folks can be!
Imagine a paying customer wanting to use the restroom. Whatever was I thinking!
A shop refused to allow four of us (all paying customers, mind you) to use its restrooms.
Reason: we were not VIPs! Paying customers, yes ... but not ticket-holders for the afternoon bands.
No purple arm band, no using the restroom allowed!
Remember that when you go to Lexington. If you are not important enough to use their restroom ... you are not good enough to patronize their premises!
RALPH CHAPPELL
Winston-Salem
No random testing
John Hood argues that drug-testing welfare recipients is an idea "deserving of consideration" ("It's time to test Tillis' idea" Oct. 23), but medical experts and court rulings say otherwise.
The Center for Addiction and Mental Health recommends against random, suspicion-less drug-testing of welfare recipients, finding it more effective to better train government workers to detect signs of substance abuse in order to provide proper treatment to those who need help.
The American Public Health Association, National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, National Coalition for Child Protection Reform, and National Advocates for Pregnant Women also oppose testing as a precondition of assistance. Studies show that welfare recipients are no more likely to use drugs than the general population, most hard drugs are typically untraceable after a few days, and testing cannot detect the most commonly abused drug: alcohol.
When Michigan tried enacting a drug-testing program for welfare recipients in 2003, a federal court struck it down as unconstitutional. Here in North Carolina, the Court of Appeals ruled in 2009 that the Graham County Board of Education's proposal to randomly drug-test its employees was also unconstitutional. And just last week, a federal judge blocked a new law in Florida that would require welfare recipients to first pass a drug test, saying such a program likely violated the Constitution's ban on unreasonable searches and seizures.
North Carolina should not go down this road. Such programs are expensive, ineffective, unconstitutional and based on unfair, inaccurate stereotypes.
Jennifer Rudinger, Executive Director
ACLU of North Carolina
The real debt
The debt that we are passing on to our children is more than just the national debt from many deficit budget years; it is also the infrastructure debt of all the roads, bridges, dams, levies and municipal structures that have not been maintained over the years. It has been too easy to neglect these items by assuming that they can wait and will be around forever. Roman stone arches have stood for centuries, but our bridges contain steel rebar and tensioning cables that allow for much longer and less costly piers and spans. If inevitable cracks in the concrete are not patched, moisture will enter, rust the steel, and chunks of concrete will fall off the structure. Also, any exposed steel needs to be continuously painted.
We should spend the money now, even at the cost of increasing our immediate debt, because it will only cost us more to fix things later, and to avoid another massive bridge failure. Spending the money now would create jobs, and much of the money spent on those jobs would come back into the economy in the form of other jobs, taxes on wages, and reduced unemployment compensation. This work would have to be done in the U.S.; you can't ship bridges to China for repair. The public sector is the best way to create jobs right now. The private sector just isn't doing it. Trickle down does not work — it trickles overseas.
DAVE TURCK
Clemmons
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Winston-Salem Journal LTE's SU 10/30/11
Bullying
There are all different forms of "bullying," according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, so I would like to mention a case in an article published Oct. 20 in Relish. Cruel is the word, maybe, when you single out one downtown resident and attack this person and tell the person if you don't like the noise downtown and can't sleep, move to Yadkin County. As an eight-year resident of downtown, I can say we don't wish for anyone to leave our vibrant Center City, we surely can work with the bar/restaurant owners, bike patrol, city leaders to resolve the yelling and screaming and the emptying of bottles any time between 2 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. I personally love the sounds of the streets, but not after, say, 2 a.m. Winston-Salem Journal, please let's stop the bullying.
J.B. EDWARDS
Winston-Salem
Clemmons' future
The referendum on the coming Nov. 8 municipal election ballot in Clemmons involves more than roads. There is still a substantial clique of nice elderly folk in Clemmons who have driven village affairs since they incorporated with a tax cap of 15 cents per hundred dollars of assessed value.
Clemmons' city tax currently stands at 11.5 cents, compared to Winston-Salem at 47.5 cents. Many state they want Clemmons to be as it was; for these oldsters, that means conditions that existed decades ago, when the population was below 10,000 (today it is approaching 19,000). Oblivious to congestion and the higher costs of materials such as asphalt, and fearful of taxes, these well-meaning folk are opposing a well-considered bond or line of credit, even though it specifically addresses urgent issues of safety and safe access to existing businesses. The referendum will reveal whether the backward-looking still rule the roost, or whether the substantial numbers of more forward-looking arrivals finally turn out to vote. If they don't, that will send a disheartening signal to the village council, which has labored long and hard to align its conservative outlook with today's realities and tomorrow's necessities.
ALBERT "AL" HARBURY
Former councilman
Clemmons
Disappointed
I was extremely disappointed in the editors of Relish on Oct. 20 when it published Jelisa Castrodale's snarky and condescending rant against those opposing the change in the downtown noise regulations.
Before identifying an individual by name in a personal attack published in the community newspaper, it would seem to me that a responsible journalist would contact that individual to ensure she has the story straight. Instead, Ms. Castrodale used her bully pulpit to intimidate and harass an individual who simply sought to voice concerns with maintaining a balance between lively downtown locales and the residents slumbering above those establishments.
No one wants to stifle the growth of downtown. After all, that's why anyone moves downtown in the first place. But let's be honest about who is on a patio downtown after midnight. It's folks who are imbibing more and more and raising the level of their voices louder and louder. It's not unreasonable for working folks living downtown to want a reasonable endpoint to the outdoor debauchery. Stereotypically painting those downtown residents as spoiled and selfish does nothing to advance the discussion.
HANNAH ALBERTSON
Winston-Salem
Sum It Up
Do you think that Federal Court Judge Catherine Eagles ruled correctly in blocking the part of the new state abortion law that required women seeking abortions be shown an ultrasound image of their womb?
Correspondent of the Week
There are all different forms of "bullying," according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, so I would like to mention a case in an article published Oct. 20 in Relish. Cruel is the word, maybe, when you single out one downtown resident and attack this person and tell the person if you don't like the noise downtown and can't sleep, move to Yadkin County. As an eight-year resident of downtown, I can say we don't wish for anyone to leave our vibrant Center City, we surely can work with the bar/restaurant owners, bike patrol, city leaders to resolve the yelling and screaming and the emptying of bottles any time between 2 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. I personally love the sounds of the streets, but not after, say, 2 a.m. Winston-Salem Journal, please let's stop the bullying.
J.B. EDWARDS
Winston-Salem
Clemmons' future
The referendum on the coming Nov. 8 municipal election ballot in Clemmons involves more than roads. There is still a substantial clique of nice elderly folk in Clemmons who have driven village affairs since they incorporated with a tax cap of 15 cents per hundred dollars of assessed value.
Clemmons' city tax currently stands at 11.5 cents, compared to Winston-Salem at 47.5 cents. Many state they want Clemmons to be as it was; for these oldsters, that means conditions that existed decades ago, when the population was below 10,000 (today it is approaching 19,000). Oblivious to congestion and the higher costs of materials such as asphalt, and fearful of taxes, these well-meaning folk are opposing a well-considered bond or line of credit, even though it specifically addresses urgent issues of safety and safe access to existing businesses. The referendum will reveal whether the backward-looking still rule the roost, or whether the substantial numbers of more forward-looking arrivals finally turn out to vote. If they don't, that will send a disheartening signal to the village council, which has labored long and hard to align its conservative outlook with today's realities and tomorrow's necessities.
ALBERT "AL" HARBURY
Former councilman
Clemmons
Disappointed
I was extremely disappointed in the editors of Relish on Oct. 20 when it published Jelisa Castrodale's snarky and condescending rant against those opposing the change in the downtown noise regulations.
Before identifying an individual by name in a personal attack published in the community newspaper, it would seem to me that a responsible journalist would contact that individual to ensure she has the story straight. Instead, Ms. Castrodale used her bully pulpit to intimidate and harass an individual who simply sought to voice concerns with maintaining a balance between lively downtown locales and the residents slumbering above those establishments.
No one wants to stifle the growth of downtown. After all, that's why anyone moves downtown in the first place. But let's be honest about who is on a patio downtown after midnight. It's folks who are imbibing more and more and raising the level of their voices louder and louder. It's not unreasonable for working folks living downtown to want a reasonable endpoint to the outdoor debauchery. Stereotypically painting those downtown residents as spoiled and selfish does nothing to advance the discussion.
HANNAH ALBERTSON
Winston-Salem
Sum It Up
Do you think that Federal Court Judge Catherine Eagles ruled correctly in blocking the part of the new state abortion law that required women seeking abortions be shown an ultrasound image of their womb?
Correspondent of the Week
Works both ways
If State Senator Peter Brunstetter, R-Forsyth, is "dismayed that some judges are comfortable in intervening in what are clearly legislative matters," how dismayed must doctors surely be that legislators are comfortable in intervening in health and medical matters?
KATHERINE MCGINNIS
Winston-Salem
If State Senator Peter Brunstetter, R-Forsyth, is "dismayed that some judges are comfortable in intervening in what are clearly legislative matters," how dismayed must doctors surely be that legislators are comfortable in intervening in health and medical matters?
KATHERINE MCGINNIS
Winston-Salem
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Winston-Salem Journal LTE's SA 10/27/11
Sum It Up
The Sum It Up Question from this past Sunday was: Do you think questions about a presidential candidate's faith are fair game?
* * * * *
Absolutely. Faith, or lack thereof, is as integral to a person's belief system as their ideas. Ideas have consequences … follow them to their logical end.
MICHAEL H. SEARS
* * * * *
We need to know our candidates and their beliefs. However, my main criterion_ Can he/she get the job done?
ROMAINE POINDEXTER
* * * * *
Such questions are at best useless and at worst harmful.
Personal philosophy is just that — personal. Not everyone follows every belief of their denomination. Some people are not sufficiently educated in their denomination's beliefs to know all the details. Some confuse custom with biblical authority. Some interpret parts of the Bible differently from others in their congregations. And some people have been known to do what they believe is wrong. If you want to know about someone's ethics, study his previous actions instead of his church.
Second, asking refocuses the discussion from a candidate's economic plans, which can affect us greatly, to the minutiae of his religion, which will affect us minimally, if at all. We need to know what the candidate wants to achieve and how he wants to achieve it. Aren't campaigns an instance of "rendering unto Caesar"?
Third, and worst, bringing a candidate's faith into a campaign offers the candidate the temptation to use his religion to garner votes. Christ overcame the temptation of power in the wilderness. The rest of us may not always be so strong. And there is blowback on the asker_ Offering temptation to someone is as great a sin as succumbing to temptation.
Candidates have the responsibility to answer questions truthfully. The rest of us have the responsibility to ask the right questions. One right question is, "What are your specific plans to increase jobs?"
DOROTHY MATHEWS
* * * * *
It shouldn't be fair game, but if a candidate shows the tendency to tramp the constitutional principle of separation of church and state and his faith becomes a detriment to other religions, his faith would become problematic and a concern to the voters.
BOON T. LEE
* * * * *
Yes. People who choose to be in the public limelight are subject to in-depth scrutiny and (hopefully) are aware of that. However, I really do hope that people will not vote for ANY political candidate because of party affiliation, or their religion/faith. Listen with an open mind, and vote for the person of your conscience.
PATRICIA STOCKMEISTER
* * * * *
Yes. The questions are fair game, but the answers should be irrelevant.
ED MARTINEZ
* * * * *
Whether or not people have faith in God is crucial. Faith either dictates your actions or it doesn't, and consequently there's a big difference in how you lead your life. Is it "fair game"? You bet. I'd be far more likely to vote for a person with faith than one without it.
CARY STEVENS
* * * * *
This is a complex question. There is a clause in Article VI of the U.S. Constitution that reads, "but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States." This clause sets a standard based on our ideal of freedom of religion, so it seems that the official position would be that questions of faith are not fair game. What we practice as individuals often violates this constitutional ideal. While we speak proudly and sometimes defensively about freedom of religion, we certainly rarely practice it. We judge candidates all the time based on their religious faith. I know I would hesitate to vote for someone whose religious faith would be justification to discriminate against a citizen because of their sexual orientation. Others may refuse to vote for a Muslim or atheist. Ideals and practice often do not match.
CHARLES F. WILSON
* * * * *
In the U.S., religion and the amount of money a presidential candidate can raise are too important. What matters to me is what the candidate has done in his/her life and what he/she stands for. It is none of my business to ask a presidential candidate about his/her religion as it is a personal matter. However, if a candidate is a non-believer and is honest about this he/she would never be elected in the US. In this country it is extremely important to keep religion and politics separated, especially in the case of the present republican candidates, religious fanaticism seems to win from common sense. I say No, keep religion personal.
COBY BISHOP
* * * * *
The No Religious Test Clause (which predates the First Amendment's Establishment Clause and therefore is closer to the original Framers' "original intent") of the United States Constitution is found in Article VI, paragraph 3, and states: The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several state legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several states, shall be bound by oath or affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.
If there is no test, then there are no questions. Simple.
KAM BENFIELD
* * * * *
There is only one answer to questions about a presidential candidate's faith:
"...no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States." — United States Constitution, Article VI.
Questioning a candidate's faith, or lack thereof, is unconstitutional.
PAT RECK
* * * * *
Absolutely. A person's character is the summation of all the influences on his or her life. Shouldn't we as a represented body be entitled to know as much as we can about someone who aspires to be one of our leaders? Why stop with presidential candidates?
JULE BANZET
The Sum It Up Question from this past Sunday was: Do you think questions about a presidential candidate's faith are fair game?
Absolutely. Faith, or lack thereof, is as integral to a person's belief system as their ideas. Ideas have consequences … follow them to their logical end.
MICHAEL H. SEARS
We need to know our candidates and their beliefs. However, my main criterion_ Can he/she get the job done?
ROMAINE POINDEXTER
Such questions are at best useless and at worst harmful.
Personal philosophy is just that — personal. Not everyone follows every belief of their denomination. Some people are not sufficiently educated in their denomination's beliefs to know all the details. Some confuse custom with biblical authority. Some interpret parts of the Bible differently from others in their congregations. And some people have been known to do what they believe is wrong. If you want to know about someone's ethics, study his previous actions instead of his church.
Second, asking refocuses the discussion from a candidate's economic plans, which can affect us greatly, to the minutiae of his religion, which will affect us minimally, if at all. We need to know what the candidate wants to achieve and how he wants to achieve it. Aren't campaigns an instance of "rendering unto Caesar"?
Third, and worst, bringing a candidate's faith into a campaign offers the candidate the temptation to use his religion to garner votes. Christ overcame the temptation of power in the wilderness. The rest of us may not always be so strong. And there is blowback on the asker_ Offering temptation to someone is as great a sin as succumbing to temptation.
Candidates have the responsibility to answer questions truthfully. The rest of us have the responsibility to ask the right questions. One right question is, "What are your specific plans to increase jobs?"
DOROTHY MATHEWS
It shouldn't be fair game, but if a candidate shows the tendency to tramp the constitutional principle of separation of church and state and his faith becomes a detriment to other religions, his faith would become problematic and a concern to the voters.
BOON T. LEE
Yes. People who choose to be in the public limelight are subject to in-depth scrutiny and (hopefully) are aware of that. However, I really do hope that people will not vote for ANY political candidate because of party affiliation, or their religion/faith. Listen with an open mind, and vote for the person of your conscience.
PATRICIA STOCKMEISTER
Yes. The questions are fair game, but the answers should be irrelevant.
ED MARTINEZ
Whether or not people have faith in God is crucial. Faith either dictates your actions or it doesn't, and consequently there's a big difference in how you lead your life. Is it "fair game"? You bet. I'd be far more likely to vote for a person with faith than one without it.
CARY STEVENS
This is a complex question. There is a clause in Article VI of the U.S. Constitution that reads, "but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States." This clause sets a standard based on our ideal of freedom of religion, so it seems that the official position would be that questions of faith are not fair game. What we practice as individuals often violates this constitutional ideal. While we speak proudly and sometimes defensively about freedom of religion, we certainly rarely practice it. We judge candidates all the time based on their religious faith. I know I would hesitate to vote for someone whose religious faith would be justification to discriminate against a citizen because of their sexual orientation. Others may refuse to vote for a Muslim or atheist. Ideals and practice often do not match.
CHARLES F. WILSON
In the U.S., religion and the amount of money a presidential candidate can raise are too important. What matters to me is what the candidate has done in his/her life and what he/she stands for. It is none of my business to ask a presidential candidate about his/her religion as it is a personal matter. However, if a candidate is a non-believer and is honest about this he/she would never be elected in the US. In this country it is extremely important to keep religion and politics separated, especially in the case of the present republican candidates, religious fanaticism seems to win from common sense. I say No, keep religion personal.
COBY BISHOP
The No Religious Test Clause (which predates the First Amendment's Establishment Clause and therefore is closer to the original Framers' "original intent") of the United States Constitution is found in Article VI, paragraph 3, and states: The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several state legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several states, shall be bound by oath or affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.
If there is no test, then there are no questions. Simple.
KAM BENFIELD
There is only one answer to questions about a presidential candidate's faith:
"...no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States." — United States Constitution, Article VI.
Questioning a candidate's faith, or lack thereof, is unconstitutional.
PAT RECK
Absolutely. A person's character is the summation of all the influences on his or her life. Shouldn't we as a represented body be entitled to know as much as we can about someone who aspires to be one of our leaders? Why stop with presidential candidates?
JULE BANZET
Friday, October 28, 2011
Winston-Salem Journal LTE's FR 10/28/11
Guiding principle
My guiding principle for our society is the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people for the foreseeable future. This, I believe, would most likely result from the eligible voters of our society voting for political candidates who would strongly support publicly financed elections; who would work to ensure that the personal incomes and wealth of comparatively few people do not translate, because of their power and wealth, into widespread poverty and misery for comparatively many people, utilizing necessary economic regulations (protecting consumers and the environment, etc.) and necessary taxation policies to achieve this goal; and who would strive to get a constitutional amendment passed to remove the equating of people and corporations, which has a potentially very corrupting influence on our elections through money.
A candidate's commitment to the purity of an economic system, i.e. unbridled capitalism, should not be so great that he would support that purity even if it produced widespread unhappiness and misery. All modern industrial democracies have found it wise to use various aspects of different economic systems.
When money is widely distributed, more people can purchase more things (houses, cars, TVs, furniture, etc.), which promotes greater economic prosperity (education, jobs, etc.). Very wealthy people usually invest much of their money and spend a smaller percentage of it than people who are poor or of the middle class. The richest 5 percent of the families in the U.S. own substantially more private property than the remaining 95 percent.
AVERY G. CHURCH
Clemmons
Gilad Schalit returns home
On the occasion of Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit's return from five years in captivity, Israeli ambassador to the U.S. Michael Oren eloquently articulated the pain and risks suffered by Israelis, including the distress of the loss of a very close family member and of a son who was shot. These are scars no family should suffer.
Shalit was exchanged for more than 1,000 men, women and children who were imprisoned by Israel. Knowing the pain Oren described, we can also understand the pain felt by the Christian and Muslim families of each of these 1,000, of the thousands more still held in Israeli prisons, and of the men, women and children killed in Israeli attacks.
Oren considers the Palestinian prisoners who were released mass murderers, yet Israelis have killed more Christian and Muslim Palestinian children than Palestinians have killed Israeli Jewish children. From our American vantage point, we should recognize that all these killings are horrible and needless.
Palestinian families seek to return to the homes and villages from which they were expelled. Oren calls this "the destruction of Israel," while the Hamas Charter calls for Jews, Christians and Muslims "to coexist in safety and security." From my American Jewish perspective, creating a state for Jews at the expense of peaceful Christian and Muslim families does not give us the moral high ground to call their violence terrorism and our violence retaliation, nor does it justify our support for killing other people's children.
STEVE FELDMAN
Winston-Salem
Focus
The letters in The Readers' Forum are a real insight to the concerns of so many different people. While they are all important to some people, it does show how diverse our thoughts are.
The real problems we are facing get diluted — we all need to focus on the main overall problem.
Moving money from one hand to another doesn't make more when it's all the same money. The bailouts helped some, but it didn't help others. All we got was a share of the debt. Roads and bridges won't do it. The WPA and the CCC didn't get us out of The Depression; it was World War II.
Now we need to focus again: First, jobs. Second, security. Third, care. Sad as it is, we can't take care of others until we have something to do it with.
Every effort should be placed on making something that we and the rest of the world needs and wants to buy.
Focus: One thing at a time, all out, all ways, all together. Let's go: Focus.
SUSAN I. RUDD
Winston-Salem
My guiding principle for our society is the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people for the foreseeable future. This, I believe, would most likely result from the eligible voters of our society voting for political candidates who would strongly support publicly financed elections; who would work to ensure that the personal incomes and wealth of comparatively few people do not translate, because of their power and wealth, into widespread poverty and misery for comparatively many people, utilizing necessary economic regulations (protecting consumers and the environment, etc.) and necessary taxation policies to achieve this goal; and who would strive to get a constitutional amendment passed to remove the equating of people and corporations, which has a potentially very corrupting influence on our elections through money.
A candidate's commitment to the purity of an economic system, i.e. unbridled capitalism, should not be so great that he would support that purity even if it produced widespread unhappiness and misery. All modern industrial democracies have found it wise to use various aspects of different economic systems.
When money is widely distributed, more people can purchase more things (houses, cars, TVs, furniture, etc.), which promotes greater economic prosperity (education, jobs, etc.). Very wealthy people usually invest much of their money and spend a smaller percentage of it than people who are poor or of the middle class. The richest 5 percent of the families in the U.S. own substantially more private property than the remaining 95 percent.
AVERY G. CHURCH
Clemmons
Gilad Schalit returns home
On the occasion of Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit's return from five years in captivity, Israeli ambassador to the U.S. Michael Oren eloquently articulated the pain and risks suffered by Israelis, including the distress of the loss of a very close family member and of a son who was shot. These are scars no family should suffer.
Shalit was exchanged for more than 1,000 men, women and children who were imprisoned by Israel. Knowing the pain Oren described, we can also understand the pain felt by the Christian and Muslim families of each of these 1,000, of the thousands more still held in Israeli prisons, and of the men, women and children killed in Israeli attacks.
Oren considers the Palestinian prisoners who were released mass murderers, yet Israelis have killed more Christian and Muslim Palestinian children than Palestinians have killed Israeli Jewish children. From our American vantage point, we should recognize that all these killings are horrible and needless.
Palestinian families seek to return to the homes and villages from which they were expelled. Oren calls this "the destruction of Israel," while the Hamas Charter calls for Jews, Christians and Muslims "to coexist in safety and security." From my American Jewish perspective, creating a state for Jews at the expense of peaceful Christian and Muslim families does not give us the moral high ground to call their violence terrorism and our violence retaliation, nor does it justify our support for killing other people's children.
STEVE FELDMAN
Winston-Salem
Focus
The letters in The Readers' Forum are a real insight to the concerns of so many different people. While they are all important to some people, it does show how diverse our thoughts are.
The real problems we are facing get diluted — we all need to focus on the main overall problem.
Moving money from one hand to another doesn't make more when it's all the same money. The bailouts helped some, but it didn't help others. All we got was a share of the debt. Roads and bridges won't do it. The WPA and the CCC didn't get us out of The Depression; it was World War II.
Now we need to focus again: First, jobs. Second, security. Third, care. Sad as it is, we can't take care of others until we have something to do it with.
Every effort should be placed on making something that we and the rest of the world needs and wants to buy.
Focus: One thing at a time, all out, all ways, all together. Let's go: Focus.
SUSAN I. RUDD
Winston-Salem
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Winston-Salem Journal LTE's TH 10/27/11
Fear-mongering
There has recently been a mass influx of headlines from across the Southeast about new state immigration laws. Modeled after Arizona's infamous immigration law, these replicas in South Carolina, Georgia and now Alabama clearly threaten the safety and well-being of communities across the South and, frankly, the whole nation. It is sad to think that North Carolina may soon be following in the same draconian footsteps.
What is the main cause of this issue? The whole nation is frustrated with Congress and its dysfunctional ways — mostly, partisan gridlock and its inability to deal rationally with the many major policy issues of our time. The problem is the handful of conservative legislators who are using fear and misinformation to position immigration as a political wedge issue, basically using the poor economy to pursue a fierce anti-immigrant agenda.
Does this ring a bell? History shows this has happened more than once in this country. Is this really the type of country we want to be?
There is a massive need for serious, responsible solutions from policy makers, not the scapegoating and fear-mongering that has become the norm. It's time for state leaders to reject the politics of fear and to embrace the policies of immigrant integration. It's time Washington enacted the DREAM Act so real comprehensive immigration reform will bring people out of the shadows and into a nation that is more unified. This is the time to stand together, undivided and say, "Not in our state. Not in our name."
KEREN SALIM
Winston-Salem
Dangerously close
Columnist Charles Krauthammer is right on target ("Scapegoat strategy a desperate ploy," Oct. 19). Unfortunately, we are witnessing the making of an American tyrant.
President Obama has lied to us from the outset. Key examples include: transparency in his administration, bipartisanship, energy/environmental regulation reduction, spending reform and, worst of all, the true costs of Obamacare. Since President Obama can't run on his record, he is now viciously attacking those who disagree with him.
How can this man insist on increasing taxes on the "rich" — the job creators — when last year he emphatically said that it is not prudent to raise taxes on anybody in this poor economy? His recent demagoguery in supporting the Wall Street protesters (as outlined by Krauthammer) is dangerously close to calling for anarchy. Do we really want an American Hugo Chavez or Fidel Castro at our helm?
God help us survive the next 13 months.
PETER T. WILSON
Winston-Salem
A fundamental right
A recent contributor to The Readers' Forum ("Ticket controls," Oct. 16) chastised Gov. Bev Perdue for vetoing the voter-identification bill requiring that voters present a photo ID in order to vote. He equated Winston-Salem State University's requirement of showing a photo ID in order to get a refund for an oversold NBA exhibition game to the bill that Perdue vetoed. His comparison is deeply beside the point.
No citizen has ever given up his life for the fundamental right of buying a basketball ticket. Voting is a fundamental right in a democracy. The Republicans claim that the voter ID bill is intended to prevent voter fraud. But, according to a policy brief from the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law, "… no credible evidence suggests a voter fraud epidemic. There is no documented wave or trend of individuals voting multiple times, voting as someone else, or voting despite knowing that they are ineligible." The policy brief reported that the closely analyzed 2004 election in Ohio showed a voter fraud rate of 0.00004 percent. Furthermore, the Brennan Center concluded that, "Raising the unsubstantiated specter of mass voter fraud suits a particular policy agenda."
In my opinion, the Republican-sponsored voter-suppression bill is part of a coordinated effort throughout the country to disenfranchise minorities, low-income families, students and senior citizens, groups that tend to vote Democratic. Gov. Perdue should be praised, not chastised, for vetoing the Republican attempt to restrict the right to vote in our state.
RUDY DIAMOND
Lewisville
Twin city
The headline on the front page of the Oct. 16 Journal quotes a Pride festival participant saying, " 'I'm happy with who I am.' " Maybe it's time for Mayor Allen Joines and the members of the city council to start thinking about changing the name of the Twin City from Winston-Salem to Sodom and Gomorrah.
REID JOYCE
Winston-Salem
There has recently been a mass influx of headlines from across the Southeast about new state immigration laws. Modeled after Arizona's infamous immigration law, these replicas in South Carolina, Georgia and now Alabama clearly threaten the safety and well-being of communities across the South and, frankly, the whole nation. It is sad to think that North Carolina may soon be following in the same draconian footsteps.
What is the main cause of this issue? The whole nation is frustrated with Congress and its dysfunctional ways — mostly, partisan gridlock and its inability to deal rationally with the many major policy issues of our time. The problem is the handful of conservative legislators who are using fear and misinformation to position immigration as a political wedge issue, basically using the poor economy to pursue a fierce anti-immigrant agenda.
Does this ring a bell? History shows this has happened more than once in this country. Is this really the type of country we want to be?
There is a massive need for serious, responsible solutions from policy makers, not the scapegoating and fear-mongering that has become the norm. It's time for state leaders to reject the politics of fear and to embrace the policies of immigrant integration. It's time Washington enacted the DREAM Act so real comprehensive immigration reform will bring people out of the shadows and into a nation that is more unified. This is the time to stand together, undivided and say, "Not in our state. Not in our name."
KEREN SALIM
Winston-Salem
Dangerously close
Columnist Charles Krauthammer is right on target ("Scapegoat strategy a desperate ploy," Oct. 19). Unfortunately, we are witnessing the making of an American tyrant.
President Obama has lied to us from the outset. Key examples include: transparency in his administration, bipartisanship, energy/environmental regulation reduction, spending reform and, worst of all, the true costs of Obamacare. Since President Obama can't run on his record, he is now viciously attacking those who disagree with him.
How can this man insist on increasing taxes on the "rich" — the job creators — when last year he emphatically said that it is not prudent to raise taxes on anybody in this poor economy? His recent demagoguery in supporting the Wall Street protesters (as outlined by Krauthammer) is dangerously close to calling for anarchy. Do we really want an American Hugo Chavez or Fidel Castro at our helm?
God help us survive the next 13 months.
PETER T. WILSON
Winston-Salem
A fundamental right
A recent contributor to The Readers' Forum ("Ticket controls," Oct. 16) chastised Gov. Bev Perdue for vetoing the voter-identification bill requiring that voters present a photo ID in order to vote. He equated Winston-Salem State University's requirement of showing a photo ID in order to get a refund for an oversold NBA exhibition game to the bill that Perdue vetoed. His comparison is deeply beside the point.
No citizen has ever given up his life for the fundamental right of buying a basketball ticket. Voting is a fundamental right in a democracy. The Republicans claim that the voter ID bill is intended to prevent voter fraud. But, according to a policy brief from the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law, "… no credible evidence suggests a voter fraud epidemic. There is no documented wave or trend of individuals voting multiple times, voting as someone else, or voting despite knowing that they are ineligible." The policy brief reported that the closely analyzed 2004 election in Ohio showed a voter fraud rate of 0.00004 percent. Furthermore, the Brennan Center concluded that, "Raising the unsubstantiated specter of mass voter fraud suits a particular policy agenda."
In my opinion, the Republican-sponsored voter-suppression bill is part of a coordinated effort throughout the country to disenfranchise minorities, low-income families, students and senior citizens, groups that tend to vote Democratic. Gov. Perdue should be praised, not chastised, for vetoing the Republican attempt to restrict the right to vote in our state.
RUDY DIAMOND
Lewisville
Twin city
The headline on the front page of the Oct. 16 Journal quotes a Pride festival participant saying, " 'I'm happy with who I am.' " Maybe it's time for Mayor Allen Joines and the members of the city council to start thinking about changing the name of the Twin City from Winston-Salem to Sodom and Gomorrah.
REID JOYCE
Winston-Salem
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Winston-Salem Journal LTE's WE 10/26/11
Downtown noise
I'm not sure I heard right, but changing the noise ordinance that currently isn't being consistently enforced doesn't sound like a good idea ("How late is too late?" Oct. 9).
We in Kernersville love to dine out and visit downtown Winston-Salem and frequent the sidewalk cafes, but when did louder mean better? I don't go to bars or restaurants if I have to scream to talk with my friends. No matter how much I would love to move downtown, I wouldn't if the businesses think that being like those "thumper" cars at the intersections is called being a good neighbor.
The occasional barking dog goes with the 'burb territory, just as a honking horn or passersby talking goes with living downtown. It's not expected that restaurants and bars should be allowed to blast music outside, nor should people be encourage to lounge on the sidewalks till 2 a.m. every night. Hearing-damaging noise levels and longer exposure to those volumes in downtown doesn't attract more to downtown; it deters them.
ELIZABETH WHITE
Kernersville
Another form of abuse
In response to the Oct. 2 column by John Railey, "From 'Z' to 'A,' we're backtracking on domestic violence," I agree with him about how community awareness and involvement are essential to changing attitudes about the horrors that families suffer from domestic violence. I want to bring attention to another form of domestic abuse: elder abuse. Acknowledging the existence of elder abuse has been slow because the problem is considered by some to be a private family matter. Elder abuse is called the "silent" or "hidden" crime. Elder abuse is a complex social issue that cannot be understood from a single perspective. It is a community problem, a legal issue, a social concern, a medical matter and a matter of morals.
Elder abuse doesn't just mean physical abuse; it includes emotional and sexual abuse. Financial exploitation, self-neglect and abandonment are common forms of abuse, as well. Detecting and preventing abuse requires the involvement of professionals and community partners from various disciplines. One powerful strategy to protect the aging population is through community education. We must learn to recognize and report any and all types of domestic abuse. Silence is not an option. Our elders deserve our protection and the right to age with dignity.
JOYCE VANDER LINDEN
Winston-Salem
Unfair
This is my response to the Oct. 19 letter "Federal fuel tax," concerning the rise in the federal fuel tax:
It appears the writer is concerned about his job and is attempting to find a way to fund the mass transit that is being pushed on all Americans. In the South, it is not catching on, and because of schedules, it is just not feasible to ride the transit system.
I think it is unfair to think that people who do not use the transit system should pay for it. If it is not profitable, then it should be abandoned. We should not be charged another tax or increase in current taxes to pay for something that does not work.
We pay high taxes in fuel for roads and highways. If our government would quit taking money that is supposed to be for one thing and using it for other items they want to fund we would have enough to have the best highways in the country.
A modest increase in tax (five cents) per gallon is an additional $1 per tank.
I think Americans are tired of the only answer to our problems being to increase taxes.
I say no.
JOHN T. LITTLE
Winston-Salem
No safe way
In reference to the recent article "More teen boys use condoms," Oct. 13, stating that teen boys are using condoms more these days, practicing safe sex: There is no safe way to break God's Seventh Commandment.
KEVIN D. WINEMILLER
Winston-Salem
I'm not sure I heard right, but changing the noise ordinance that currently isn't being consistently enforced doesn't sound like a good idea ("How late is too late?" Oct. 9).
We in Kernersville love to dine out and visit downtown Winston-Salem and frequent the sidewalk cafes, but when did louder mean better? I don't go to bars or restaurants if I have to scream to talk with my friends. No matter how much I would love to move downtown, I wouldn't if the businesses think that being like those "thumper" cars at the intersections is called being a good neighbor.
The occasional barking dog goes with the 'burb territory, just as a honking horn or passersby talking goes with living downtown. It's not expected that restaurants and bars should be allowed to blast music outside, nor should people be encourage to lounge on the sidewalks till 2 a.m. every night. Hearing-damaging noise levels and longer exposure to those volumes in downtown doesn't attract more to downtown; it deters them.
ELIZABETH WHITE
Kernersville
Another form of abuse
In response to the Oct. 2 column by John Railey, "From 'Z' to 'A,' we're backtracking on domestic violence," I agree with him about how community awareness and involvement are essential to changing attitudes about the horrors that families suffer from domestic violence. I want to bring attention to another form of domestic abuse: elder abuse. Acknowledging the existence of elder abuse has been slow because the problem is considered by some to be a private family matter. Elder abuse is called the "silent" or "hidden" crime. Elder abuse is a complex social issue that cannot be understood from a single perspective. It is a community problem, a legal issue, a social concern, a medical matter and a matter of morals.
Elder abuse doesn't just mean physical abuse; it includes emotional and sexual abuse. Financial exploitation, self-neglect and abandonment are common forms of abuse, as well. Detecting and preventing abuse requires the involvement of professionals and community partners from various disciplines. One powerful strategy to protect the aging population is through community education. We must learn to recognize and report any and all types of domestic abuse. Silence is not an option. Our elders deserve our protection and the right to age with dignity.
JOYCE VANDER LINDEN
Winston-Salem
Unfair
This is my response to the Oct. 19 letter "Federal fuel tax," concerning the rise in the federal fuel tax:
It appears the writer is concerned about his job and is attempting to find a way to fund the mass transit that is being pushed on all Americans. In the South, it is not catching on, and because of schedules, it is just not feasible to ride the transit system.
I think it is unfair to think that people who do not use the transit system should pay for it. If it is not profitable, then it should be abandoned. We should not be charged another tax or increase in current taxes to pay for something that does not work.
We pay high taxes in fuel for roads and highways. If our government would quit taking money that is supposed to be for one thing and using it for other items they want to fund we would have enough to have the best highways in the country.
A modest increase in tax (five cents) per gallon is an additional $1 per tank.
I think Americans are tired of the only answer to our problems being to increase taxes.
I say no.
JOHN T. LITTLE
Winston-Salem
No safe way
In reference to the recent article "More teen boys use condoms," Oct. 13, stating that teen boys are using condoms more these days, practicing safe sex: There is no safe way to break God's Seventh Commandment.
KEVIN D. WINEMILLER
Winston-Salem
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Winston-Salem Journal LTE's TU 10/25/11
Perspective
For weeks we all have seen on TV the members of the Occupy Wall Street movement. Their main complaints are the CEOs and the money that they earn yearly and their bonuses. For perspective, let's look at how CEOs got to where they did:
First they got the proper education, then they worked 70, 80, 90 hours a week for 30 to 40 years. They made their companies money and made their companies compete in the business world. Then those companies paid them bonuses anywhere from $1 million to $10 million.
Fair? I don't know. If everything was fair I would win the lottery at least once a month. But what everyone forgets is that they worked to get where they are today, they worked hard and long (key words are "hard" and "long").
Now for the perspective: Professional athletes get huge stupid yearly salaries. They get millions upon millions to play a sport that we as common people play for fun. Plus they only work a little more than a half year. Of course, they have to work out on their down time. So do I.
Now even though my bank gives out huge bonuses, I can still do business with it. But with the professional athletes, I can't afford to go to a game (me and my wife). Plus if my bank's CEO isn't satisfied with his or her bonus, he or she isn't going to go on strike or have a lock-out. That's my perspective.
KENNETH D. "WAYNE" SMITH
Winston-Salem
Adding applause
On Sept. 28, the Journal published an editorial supporting both the DREAM Act and Texas Gov. Rick Perry for his contributions to the matter ("Rick Perry is right, but it may cost him: DREAM ACT"). As a local college sophomore doing what she can to encourage the passage of the DREAM Act, I would like to add my applause to that of the Journal.
In high school, I became aware that several of my classmates would soon be denied admittance to both college and, thus, the majority of society thereafter. My best friend is in much the same situation as Moises Serrano; he cannot contribute to the nation he knows and loves because he was born somewhere else.
The DREAM Act would provide a way for many brilliant, passionate and patriotic young people to become contributing citizens to the nation they've invested their lives in. As Serrano said, "This is my country."
I want to extend my congratulations to both Perry and the Journal for recognizing the need for equal higher-education opportunities. This truly is a great country in which we live; I simply want to see it grow through the contribution of these students. Thank you for your solidarity.
KATHRYN WILLIAMS
Winston-Salem
Breakdown
Defend marriage? That is what the Defense of Marriage Act on the upcoming spring North Carolina primary will do. Thirty other states have adopted similar constitutional amendments. But marriage as a vowed, committed relationship between a man and a woman, witnessed by their communities and recorded in courts, has been taking a hit for some time. As far back as the 1970s, men and women started "cohabiting." That was the big word then. Now, "moving in … living together" among heterosexuals has become a norm. Can anyone tell me — really, what does that word "fiancé" mean?
This breakdown in the heterosexual community has set the gay culture's demand for the "right" to be married. Let's be clear. Their demand is not a civil-rights issue. Their demand is about changing culture. Further. No one is telling gay people they can't be gay, and nobody wants to take away their "right" to be gay, as the gay pride participants last weekend seemed to think (" 'I'm happy with who I am,' " Oct. 16).
What the upcoming primary vote in May will say is that gay people cannot redefine the word "marriage."
Ah … there's the rub.
ROSE M. WALSH
For weeks we all have seen on TV the members of the Occupy Wall Street movement. Their main complaints are the CEOs and the money that they earn yearly and their bonuses. For perspective, let's look at how CEOs got to where they did:
First they got the proper education, then they worked 70, 80, 90 hours a week for 30 to 40 years. They made their companies money and made their companies compete in the business world. Then those companies paid them bonuses anywhere from $1 million to $10 million.
Fair? I don't know. If everything was fair I would win the lottery at least once a month. But what everyone forgets is that they worked to get where they are today, they worked hard and long (key words are "hard" and "long").
Now for the perspective: Professional athletes get huge stupid yearly salaries. They get millions upon millions to play a sport that we as common people play for fun. Plus they only work a little more than a half year. Of course, they have to work out on their down time. So do I.
Now even though my bank gives out huge bonuses, I can still do business with it. But with the professional athletes, I can't afford to go to a game (me and my wife). Plus if my bank's CEO isn't satisfied with his or her bonus, he or she isn't going to go on strike or have a lock-out. That's my perspective.
KENNETH D. "WAYNE" SMITH
Winston-Salem
Adding applause
On Sept. 28, the Journal published an editorial supporting both the DREAM Act and Texas Gov. Rick Perry for his contributions to the matter ("Rick Perry is right, but it may cost him: DREAM ACT"). As a local college sophomore doing what she can to encourage the passage of the DREAM Act, I would like to add my applause to that of the Journal.
In high school, I became aware that several of my classmates would soon be denied admittance to both college and, thus, the majority of society thereafter. My best friend is in much the same situation as Moises Serrano; he cannot contribute to the nation he knows and loves because he was born somewhere else.
The DREAM Act would provide a way for many brilliant, passionate and patriotic young people to become contributing citizens to the nation they've invested their lives in. As Serrano said, "This is my country."
I want to extend my congratulations to both Perry and the Journal for recognizing the need for equal higher-education opportunities. This truly is a great country in which we live; I simply want to see it grow through the contribution of these students. Thank you for your solidarity.
KATHRYN WILLIAMS
Winston-Salem
Breakdown
Defend marriage? That is what the Defense of Marriage Act on the upcoming spring North Carolina primary will do. Thirty other states have adopted similar constitutional amendments. But marriage as a vowed, committed relationship between a man and a woman, witnessed by their communities and recorded in courts, has been taking a hit for some time. As far back as the 1970s, men and women started "cohabiting." That was the big word then. Now, "moving in … living together" among heterosexuals has become a norm. Can anyone tell me — really, what does that word "fiancé" mean?
This breakdown in the heterosexual community has set the gay culture's demand for the "right" to be married. Let's be clear. Their demand is not a civil-rights issue. Their demand is about changing culture. Further. No one is telling gay people they can't be gay, and nobody wants to take away their "right" to be gay, as the gay pride participants last weekend seemed to think (" 'I'm happy with who I am,' " Oct. 16).
What the upcoming primary vote in May will say is that gay people cannot redefine the word "marriage."
Ah … there's the rub.
ROSE M. WALSH
Monday, October 24, 2011
Winston-Salem Journal LTE's MO 11/24/11
Not a leader
I'd like to address your repeated characterizations of me as a leader of Occupy Winston-Salem ("Protesters have rights; specifics needed," Oct. 14; " 'This is a people's movement,' " Oct. 9). The Occupy movement has no leaders because none are needed. We all share in moving the group forward. If you feel it necessary to give me a title, how about "doer"? I've seen things that needed to get done, and I did them. There are many people in the group who contribute just as much as I have and get no credit.
We make our decisions using consensus. Through consensus, every voice is heard. Those who disagree with an item being voted on can "block" it and state their case. It's a long and sometimes agonizing process that requires a lot of patience and leaves no room for ego. A facilitator is chosen at the beginning of each meeting to help keep order and move the conversations along. The people plan our course of action, not me or any other individual.
Any actions that take place after the assembly are done by whoever takes the initiative to do them. I have a lot of initiative and motivation, but that doesn't qualify me to lead anyone. I'm a high-school dropout who makes websites for a living. Before this I had never protested in my life, nor had I written a press release, taught nonviolence or facilitated a general assembly. We've been learning by doing, and doers are exactly what we need.
MARCUS HODGES
Winston-Salem
A huge success
The co-founders of Equality Winston-Salem would like to thank everyone who made Pride 2011 a huge success on Oct. 15: our sponsors; the police department for its traffic management and flexibility in extending our parade route to accommodate the 1,000 parade participants; our Grand Marshal, N.C. Rep. Marcus Brandon, and all other former and current elected city officials and politicians who appeared for support; all city permit and utilities employees; our 61 vendors who lined the street; city businesses that offered support; all media outlets for promotional and informational coverage; all LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning) family members and straight allies who signed the signature ad for the Journal; our Equality lead committee of 30 volunteers, and the 100 parade and event volunteers who worked for them; the parade participants and entertainment performers/volunteers; the more than 20 LGBTQ groups and the 12 churches in the Interfaith Consortium who provided additional volunteerism; and certainly the 4,000 others who came to support and enjoy this wonderful day, which included our many cherished straight allies.
Our goal was to increase our visibility in the community and make everyone aware that there are actually thousands of people (not just a "few groups") in this county who are denied equality and full citizen rights. As more churches join the consortium and more people recognize the need for equality, we look forward to doubling our size in Pride 2012! Many thanks to all.
DIRK ROBERTSON
REPRESENTING THE CO-FOUNDERS OF EQUALITY WINSTON-SALEM
Winston-Salem
I'd like to address your repeated characterizations of me as a leader of Occupy Winston-Salem ("Protesters have rights; specifics needed," Oct. 14; " 'This is a people's movement,' " Oct. 9). The Occupy movement has no leaders because none are needed. We all share in moving the group forward. If you feel it necessary to give me a title, how about "doer"? I've seen things that needed to get done, and I did them. There are many people in the group who contribute just as much as I have and get no credit.
We make our decisions using consensus. Through consensus, every voice is heard. Those who disagree with an item being voted on can "block" it and state their case. It's a long and sometimes agonizing process that requires a lot of patience and leaves no room for ego. A facilitator is chosen at the beginning of each meeting to help keep order and move the conversations along. The people plan our course of action, not me or any other individual.
Any actions that take place after the assembly are done by whoever takes the initiative to do them. I have a lot of initiative and motivation, but that doesn't qualify me to lead anyone. I'm a high-school dropout who makes websites for a living. Before this I had never protested in my life, nor had I written a press release, taught nonviolence or facilitated a general assembly. We've been learning by doing, and doers are exactly what we need.
MARCUS HODGES
Winston-Salem
A huge success
The co-founders of Equality Winston-Salem would like to thank everyone who made Pride 2011 a huge success on Oct. 15: our sponsors; the police department for its traffic management and flexibility in extending our parade route to accommodate the 1,000 parade participants; our Grand Marshal, N.C. Rep. Marcus Brandon, and all other former and current elected city officials and politicians who appeared for support; all city permit and utilities employees; our 61 vendors who lined the street; city businesses that offered support; all media outlets for promotional and informational coverage; all LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning) family members and straight allies who signed the signature ad for the Journal; our Equality lead committee of 30 volunteers, and the 100 parade and event volunteers who worked for them; the parade participants and entertainment performers/volunteers; the more than 20 LGBTQ groups and the 12 churches in the Interfaith Consortium who provided additional volunteerism; and certainly the 4,000 others who came to support and enjoy this wonderful day, which included our many cherished straight allies.
Our goal was to increase our visibility in the community and make everyone aware that there are actually thousands of people (not just a "few groups") in this county who are denied equality and full citizen rights. As more churches join the consortium and more people recognize the need for equality, we look forward to doubling our size in Pride 2012! Many thanks to all.
DIRK ROBERTSON
REPRESENTING THE CO-FOUNDERS OF EQUALITY WINSTON-SALEM
Winston-Salem
Sunday, October 23, 2011
The Leopard's Limb MO 10/24/11
Things may be looking up?
Here is an interesting article from a Brit newspaper, which indicates that things may improve over the next few years, as manufacturing returns to the US. This is not an area of expertise for me, so analysis from the better versed will be interesting.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/ambroseevans_pritchard/8844646/World-power-swings-back-to-America.html
Here is an interesting article from a Brit newspaper, which indicates that things may improve over the next few years, as manufacturing returns to the US. This is not an area of expertise for me, so analysis from the better versed will be interesting.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/ambroseevans_pritchard/8844646/World-power-swings-back-to-America.html
Winston-Salem Journal LTE's SU 10/23/11
Held responsible
Jake Tapper of ABC News reports (Oct. 13): "President Obama today said that whether Iran's top leaders were aware of the alleged Iranian plot to assassinate, in Washington, DC, the Saudi Ambassador to the US, they would be held responsible.
" 'Even if at the highest levels there was not detailed operational knowledge, there has to be accountability with respect to anybody in the Iranian government engaging in this kind of activity,' the president said at a joint press availability in the East Room of the White House with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak."
Immediately I thought, why would this same rationale not be true for U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and the Fast and Furious operation? Should he not be held accountable per Obama's words? Or is there a double standard?
KAY ANDERSON
Winston-Salem
South Korea state dinner
I couldn't find any figures for the cost of the recent White House state dinner for South Korea's President Lee Myung-bak, but according to CBS reporter Mark Knoller (Nov. 24, 2009), "A dinner of this magnitude is months in the making, takes days of round-the-clock preparations as the night of the dinner approaches and costs taxpayers a pretty penny, estimated as much as half a million dollars. The government does not disclose the precise cost of such dinners, but they are funded by the budget of the State Department's Office of Protocol."
What a relief! I was sure the taxpayers would have to foot the bill. Lucky they didn't serve $16 croissants or $5 meatballs.
JAMES P. BARRETT
Wallburg
Blanket statement
About the Oct. 16 letter "Advanced apologies," I'm amazed that the letter writer took the time to get to know each and every one of the "Occupy Winston-Salem" people and their individual situations. He must have done so to be able to make the blanket statement that all of them "sit around downtown and whine to the government for more entitlements and handouts."
His implication is that none of them have tried to get a job at all — and that's so easy to do these days! Obviously he is gainfully employed, and good for him. But I bet there are some in this group who have painfully lost their jobs and are not actually bums.
I have two thoughts for this writer: Don't make sweeping judgments about people you don't even know. And the concept of compassion: try it.
EDWIN BLAKE WADDELL
Winston-Salem
Sum It Up
Do you think questions about a presidential candidate's faith are fair game?
Jake Tapper of ABC News reports (Oct. 13): "President Obama today said that whether Iran's top leaders were aware of the alleged Iranian plot to assassinate, in Washington, DC, the Saudi Ambassador to the US, they would be held responsible.
" 'Even if at the highest levels there was not detailed operational knowledge, there has to be accountability with respect to anybody in the Iranian government engaging in this kind of activity,' the president said at a joint press availability in the East Room of the White House with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak."
Immediately I thought, why would this same rationale not be true for U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and the Fast and Furious operation? Should he not be held accountable per Obama's words? Or is there a double standard?
KAY ANDERSON
Winston-Salem
South Korea state dinner
I couldn't find any figures for the cost of the recent White House state dinner for South Korea's President Lee Myung-bak, but according to CBS reporter Mark Knoller (Nov. 24, 2009), "A dinner of this magnitude is months in the making, takes days of round-the-clock preparations as the night of the dinner approaches and costs taxpayers a pretty penny, estimated as much as half a million dollars. The government does not disclose the precise cost of such dinners, but they are funded by the budget of the State Department's Office of Protocol."
What a relief! I was sure the taxpayers would have to foot the bill. Lucky they didn't serve $16 croissants or $5 meatballs.
JAMES P. BARRETT
Wallburg
Blanket statement
About the Oct. 16 letter "Advanced apologies," I'm amazed that the letter writer took the time to get to know each and every one of the "Occupy Winston-Salem" people and their individual situations. He must have done so to be able to make the blanket statement that all of them "sit around downtown and whine to the government for more entitlements and handouts."
His implication is that none of them have tried to get a job at all — and that's so easy to do these days! Obviously he is gainfully employed, and good for him. But I bet there are some in this group who have painfully lost their jobs and are not actually bums.
I have two thoughts for this writer: Don't make sweeping judgments about people you don't even know. And the concept of compassion: try it.
EDWIN BLAKE WADDELL
Winston-Salem
Sum It Up
Do you think questions about a presidential candidate's faith are fair game?
Respond to letters@wsjournal.com and put "Sum It
Up" in the subject header. Only signed entries please, no anonymous ones.
Briefer responses receive preference in print.
Dominance and control
The Nov. 13 article, "Panelists discuss faith, domestic violence," belies problems in interpreting the Bible out of context. My point is this: does a given passage pertain to cultural, historical concerns or universal applications — or both?
To be sure, Jesus was unequivocal in forbidding divorce — except on grounds of adultery or unchastity (Matthew 19:3-12; Mark 10:2-12; Luke 16:18). Male Hebrews could divorce their wives for frivolous reasons, and Christ prohibited this. It's clear marriage was intended to be a lifelong commitment in the Bible.
The article then mentions that (in)famous section in Ephesians 5:22: "Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands as you do to the Lord." How often have men used this to justify dominance and control?
Let's be honest: historically, and in some places today, wives were and are considered property. Patriarchy remains a worldwide sociological norm.
Having worked in a domestic-violence program, I've seen women arrive with puffy jaws, bruises and some with eyes so swollen they were only slits. Most "murder-suicides" are committed by deranged men who execute wives and girlfriends, and in some cases, children. Domestic violence remains the most egregious form of sexism.
To be sure, clergy who counsel couples or wives to remain married are being faithful to the Bible. However, I recommend abused women be referred to Family Services, a local agency that helps with this ugly problem. Does anyone believe Christ wants a woman to be repeatedly shoved, slapped, pushed, punched, kicked and knocked down for the sake of marriage vows?
PETER VENABLE
Winston-Salem
The Nov. 13 article, "Panelists discuss faith, domestic violence," belies problems in interpreting the Bible out of context. My point is this: does a given passage pertain to cultural, historical concerns or universal applications — or both?
To be sure, Jesus was unequivocal in forbidding divorce — except on grounds of adultery or unchastity (Matthew 19:3-12; Mark 10:2-12; Luke 16:18). Male Hebrews could divorce their wives for frivolous reasons, and Christ prohibited this. It's clear marriage was intended to be a lifelong commitment in the Bible.
The article then mentions that (in)famous section in Ephesians 5:22: "Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands as you do to the Lord." How often have men used this to justify dominance and control?
Let's be honest: historically, and in some places today, wives were and are considered property. Patriarchy remains a worldwide sociological norm.
Having worked in a domestic-violence program, I've seen women arrive with puffy jaws, bruises and some with eyes so swollen they were only slits. Most "murder-suicides" are committed by deranged men who execute wives and girlfriends, and in some cases, children. Domestic violence remains the most egregious form of sexism.
To be sure, clergy who counsel couples or wives to remain married are being faithful to the Bible. However, I recommend abused women be referred to Family Services, a local agency that helps with this ugly problem. Does anyone believe Christ wants a woman to be repeatedly shoved, slapped, pushed, punched, kicked and knocked down for the sake of marriage vows?
PETER VENABLE
Winston-Salem
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Winston-Salem Journal LTE's SA 10/22/11
A few good things
The president has presented a "jobs plan" that he says needs to be passed. I personally believe that this guy doesn't have a clue about how to help this economy, but there are a couple good things in this bill.
A reduction in employer contribution to Social Security would be the first good thing this administration or the last one has proposed to help small businesses. We have 20 employees, and that proposal would save our company around $30,000 over the next year. That could be used to hire a new employee, if business picks up.
He also proposes spending for infrastructure, which is never a bad thing to spend money on.
But the $4,000 tax credit to businesses hiring people off the unemployment rolls does nothing to help. I am not going to hire a $30,000-a-year employee just because I can save $4,000 in taxes. If you want to increase hiring, then switch the unemployment payments of $360 a week on average from the hands of people not working to the businesses doing the hiring. That could be used to pay half the salary of new hires off the unemployment rolls, thereby benefitting business, the government and the unemployed.
Also, the renewal of unemployment benefits should not be part of a jobs bill. That is actually a disincentive to work and will cause a continuation of high unemployment.
Some tax increases to offset benefits are OK, as long as they're not too radical and hurtful to small business.
DAVID F. MOSER
OWNER, TRIANGLE WAREHOUSE
Winston-Salem
Childhood hunger
There are hungry children in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County schools who will have no food to eat from Friday's school lunch until Monday's school breakfast (if it's a five-day school week). Longer school vacations mean longer periods of time they go hungry. These kids literally lick their trays clean and then look around to see if someone has left food on his tray.
Recent articles in the Journal have touted this area as one of the best in the nation in which to live, while others announce that this area is number one in the country for hungry children. What a disparity in our number ones!
An article in the Journal ("A 'backpack' hunger fight" Sept. 24) talked about the Backpack program in some schools that provide weekend food for hungry children. Other schools need the program but don't have the funds for it. Some schools run the Backpack program through Second Harvest Food Bank, which provides prepackaged meals (four meals and two snacks) while other schools use food donated to them. Approximately $175 can feed one child for a year through the Second Harvest program. How can we not afford that? Schools needing help providing food were named in the Journal, but it doesn't matter what district the schools are in, there could be hungry children in every school.
Children are our most important legacy, and we are not, as Jesus would have us do, taking care of the "least" among us. Call a neighborhood school and ask how to help.
BETTY G. BEWLEY
Winston-Salem
The president has presented a "jobs plan" that he says needs to be passed. I personally believe that this guy doesn't have a clue about how to help this economy, but there are a couple good things in this bill.
A reduction in employer contribution to Social Security would be the first good thing this administration or the last one has proposed to help small businesses. We have 20 employees, and that proposal would save our company around $30,000 over the next year. That could be used to hire a new employee, if business picks up.
He also proposes spending for infrastructure, which is never a bad thing to spend money on.
But the $4,000 tax credit to businesses hiring people off the unemployment rolls does nothing to help. I am not going to hire a $30,000-a-year employee just because I can save $4,000 in taxes. If you want to increase hiring, then switch the unemployment payments of $360 a week on average from the hands of people not working to the businesses doing the hiring. That could be used to pay half the salary of new hires off the unemployment rolls, thereby benefitting business, the government and the unemployed.
Also, the renewal of unemployment benefits should not be part of a jobs bill. That is actually a disincentive to work and will cause a continuation of high unemployment.
Some tax increases to offset benefits are OK, as long as they're not too radical and hurtful to small business.
DAVID F. MOSER
OWNER, TRIANGLE WAREHOUSE
Winston-Salem
Childhood hunger
There are hungry children in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County schools who will have no food to eat from Friday's school lunch until Monday's school breakfast (if it's a five-day school week). Longer school vacations mean longer periods of time they go hungry. These kids literally lick their trays clean and then look around to see if someone has left food on his tray.
Recent articles in the Journal have touted this area as one of the best in the nation in which to live, while others announce that this area is number one in the country for hungry children. What a disparity in our number ones!
An article in the Journal ("A 'backpack' hunger fight" Sept. 24) talked about the Backpack program in some schools that provide weekend food for hungry children. Other schools need the program but don't have the funds for it. Some schools run the Backpack program through Second Harvest Food Bank, which provides prepackaged meals (four meals and two snacks) while other schools use food donated to them. Approximately $175 can feed one child for a year through the Second Harvest program. How can we not afford that? Schools needing help providing food were named in the Journal, but it doesn't matter what district the schools are in, there could be hungry children in every school.
Children are our most important legacy, and we are not, as Jesus would have us do, taking care of the "least" among us. Call a neighborhood school and ask how to help.
BETTY G. BEWLEY
Winston-Salem
Friday, October 21, 2011
Winston-Salem Journal LTE's FR 11/21/11
Today is the raindate for Harold Camping's end of the world. Have a nice day.
Referendum plan flawed
We believe the proposed Clemmons bond referendum is ill-timed, ill-conceived, ill-planned and possibly deceptive.
First, authorizing borrowing $6 million at 5.5 percent interest, translating to a debt of $6 million plus $3 million in interest, violates the pay-as-you-go principles of the original charter of Clemmons.
Second, once the bonds have been issued and $2 million has been repaid, the Clemmons Village Council can reissue an additional $2 million without any further citizen approval. This is another way for the council to circumvent the 15-cent tax cap placed on them by the Clemmons Charter of Incorporation.
Third, there are obvious flaws in the plan for re-routing traffic. The narrow passage between the Westwood Shopping Center and the Tractor Supply building would create a tremendous safety problem for both foot and vehicular traffic. Stadium Drive would be near the side door of Little Richard's BBQ, creating a death trap for anyone exiting Little Richard's onto Stadium Drive. Of course, the village can condemn Little Richard's or move the building to make room for a safer Stadium Drive, but at what expense?
The Council has spent $600,000 in traffic studies, $100,000 for a survey of Clemmons Citizens (700 responses), $200,000 to get the bond referendum on the ballot, and $100,000 for a firm to promote the bond referendum. This money could have been put to much better use to improve Clemmons.
We must vote "no" on this referendum. Stop this now, otherwise we don't know where it will all lead us fiscally.
ALFRED M. DILLON
FORMER CLEMMONS VILLAGE MANAGER
O. NAT SWANSON
FORMER CLEMMONS MAYOR
Clemmons
Time for sacrifice
We agree with and refer to the letter "Time to get serious" (Oct. 3). Many statements have been made of late concerning the direction in which our country is traveling; specific ideas from letter writers have not been expressed as strongly as the words "wrong direction" have. The proposals of the writer are specific, and obviously he was given a good dose of common sense and offers a balanced view of these possibilities.
We need a public debate by our military and civilian leaders concerning these debilitating and expensive wars. Term limits would help resolve many questions of political leadership vs. egomania. We were reared to believe in and practice compromise without giving away the store. Our tax code has long needed updating to meet current demands surrounding manufacturing, personal services and the stewardship of foreign and domestic revenue policies. All the loopholes need closing. Tax revenue management needs reform.
If saving the U.S. Postal Service means giving up Saturday deliveries, paying a reasonable fee for house deliveries or closing some offices and shifting service locations to other businesses, this could at least be tried. The longer the delay, the higher the cost — as with all necessary changes.
Everybody in the U.S. must sacrifice something if these problems are to be resolved.
JOHN H. AND FAY S. DEANS
Advance
We believe the proposed Clemmons bond referendum is ill-timed, ill-conceived, ill-planned and possibly deceptive.
First, authorizing borrowing $6 million at 5.5 percent interest, translating to a debt of $6 million plus $3 million in interest, violates the pay-as-you-go principles of the original charter of Clemmons.
Second, once the bonds have been issued and $2 million has been repaid, the Clemmons Village Council can reissue an additional $2 million without any further citizen approval. This is another way for the council to circumvent the 15-cent tax cap placed on them by the Clemmons Charter of Incorporation.
Third, there are obvious flaws in the plan for re-routing traffic. The narrow passage between the Westwood Shopping Center and the Tractor Supply building would create a tremendous safety problem for both foot and vehicular traffic. Stadium Drive would be near the side door of Little Richard's BBQ, creating a death trap for anyone exiting Little Richard's onto Stadium Drive. Of course, the village can condemn Little Richard's or move the building to make room for a safer Stadium Drive, but at what expense?
The Council has spent $600,000 in traffic studies, $100,000 for a survey of Clemmons Citizens (700 responses), $200,000 to get the bond referendum on the ballot, and $100,000 for a firm to promote the bond referendum. This money could have been put to much better use to improve Clemmons.
We must vote "no" on this referendum. Stop this now, otherwise we don't know where it will all lead us fiscally.
ALFRED M. DILLON
FORMER CLEMMONS VILLAGE MANAGER
O. NAT SWANSON
FORMER CLEMMONS MAYOR
Clemmons
Time for sacrifice
We agree with and refer to the letter "Time to get serious" (Oct. 3). Many statements have been made of late concerning the direction in which our country is traveling; specific ideas from letter writers have not been expressed as strongly as the words "wrong direction" have. The proposals of the writer are specific, and obviously he was given a good dose of common sense and offers a balanced view of these possibilities.
We need a public debate by our military and civilian leaders concerning these debilitating and expensive wars. Term limits would help resolve many questions of political leadership vs. egomania. We were reared to believe in and practice compromise without giving away the store. Our tax code has long needed updating to meet current demands surrounding manufacturing, personal services and the stewardship of foreign and domestic revenue policies. All the loopholes need closing. Tax revenue management needs reform.
If saving the U.S. Postal Service means giving up Saturday deliveries, paying a reasonable fee for house deliveries or closing some offices and shifting service locations to other businesses, this could at least be tried. The longer the delay, the higher the cost — as with all necessary changes.
Everybody in the U.S. must sacrifice something if these problems are to be resolved.
JOHN H. AND FAY S. DEANS
Advance
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Winston-Salem Journal LTE's TH 10/20/11
One word
The Occupy Wall Street protestors ignore the fact that the economic crisis we face originated in Washington, not on Wall Street.
The many protestors that want their student loans and other debts canceled can be defined by one word: Deadbeats.
THOMAS L. GWYNN
Advance
Sum It Up
The Sum It Up question from last Sunday was: Do you agree with N.C. House Speaker Thom Tillis' suggestion that the state should perform random drug testing on some welfare recipients?
* * * * *
After retiring as a 35-year trucker, I drove for the N.C. Governor's Highway Safety Program for nine years. The GHSP comes under the NCDOT, and as a trucker I was still subject to random drug testing.
I supported the program then and still do. If the truckers need to drug test, why discriminate?
Let all state employees drug test, and if I as a wage earner must test, then those who expect to receive benefits should expect the same.
BILLY J. JOYCE
* * * * *
Yes, I think people getting a check from the taxpayers should be checked for drugs, including the people who work for the taxpayers, too.
HAROLD DYSON
* * * * *
No. So far the state of Florida has spent $250,000 only to save $46,000 in payments. That's a net loss to the state of $204,000. Is this how Republicans cut budgets and spend money wisely?
BOB BURWELL
* * * * *
Drug testing in Florida shows that drug abuse among social welfare applicants is not as widespread as imagined. Only 1.8 percent of the applicants tested positive.
In a tight budget time, it is wiser to spend the scarce resources on other worthy programs like More at Four, which probably would prevent more kids from drug abuse later in their life.
Drug testing of welfare recipients, like the voter ID legislation, is the radical-right agenda of targeting a segment of the population for harassment.
BOON T. LEE
* * * * *
Should the state perform drug testing on welfare recipients? No. This is just another misuse of drug prohibition, an unjust policy from the start.
DR. JAMES S. CAMPBELL
* * * * *
The welfare system was developed to help people in need, and that is a good thing. However, it's no secret the system has been misused and abused. Many employers require mandatory drug testing for employment.
I don't see why people who receive taxpayer money should be exempt from this. This will weed out the abusers, continue to help the needy and save the taxpayers money. I don't agree that drug testing should be random.
It is my opinion that it should be mandatory for everyone on public assistance.
CHRISTINE PULISELIC
The Occupy Wall Street protestors ignore the fact that the economic crisis we face originated in Washington, not on Wall Street.
The many protestors that want their student loans and other debts canceled can be defined by one word: Deadbeats.
THOMAS L. GWYNN
Advance
Sum It Up
The Sum It Up question from last Sunday was: Do you agree with N.C. House Speaker Thom Tillis' suggestion that the state should perform random drug testing on some welfare recipients?
After retiring as a 35-year trucker, I drove for the N.C. Governor's Highway Safety Program for nine years. The GHSP comes under the NCDOT, and as a trucker I was still subject to random drug testing.
I supported the program then and still do. If the truckers need to drug test, why discriminate?
Let all state employees drug test, and if I as a wage earner must test, then those who expect to receive benefits should expect the same.
BILLY J. JOYCE
Yes, I think people getting a check from the taxpayers should be checked for drugs, including the people who work for the taxpayers, too.
HAROLD DYSON
No. So far the state of Florida has spent $250,000 only to save $46,000 in payments. That's a net loss to the state of $204,000. Is this how Republicans cut budgets and spend money wisely?
BOB BURWELL
Drug testing in Florida shows that drug abuse among social welfare applicants is not as widespread as imagined. Only 1.8 percent of the applicants tested positive.
In a tight budget time, it is wiser to spend the scarce resources on other worthy programs like More at Four, which probably would prevent more kids from drug abuse later in their life.
Drug testing of welfare recipients, like the voter ID legislation, is the radical-right agenda of targeting a segment of the population for harassment.
BOON T. LEE
Should the state perform drug testing on welfare recipients? No. This is just another misuse of drug prohibition, an unjust policy from the start.
DR. JAMES S. CAMPBELL
The welfare system was developed to help people in need, and that is a good thing. However, it's no secret the system has been misused and abused. Many employers require mandatory drug testing for employment.
I don't see why people who receive taxpayer money should be exempt from this. This will weed out the abusers, continue to help the needy and save the taxpayers money. I don't agree that drug testing should be random.
It is my opinion that it should be mandatory for everyone on public assistance.
CHRISTINE PULISELIC
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Winston-Salem Journal LTEs WE 10/19/11
Federal fuel tax
The last time the federal fuel tax was increased, Bill Clinton was in his second term as president. Fuel prices since then have more than doubled, increasing the cost of maintaining our roads, bridges and transit systems. The best thing about a federal gas-tax increase is that it benefits all states without creating a price advantage for one state over another.
If the fuel tax were to increase at the federal level, it would help in limiting demand, but at least our departments of transportation would have more money to maintain our roads. For transit systems demand increases as gas prices increase, but their expenses increase too, often making it necessary to cut service at the very time it is most needed.
A modest increase in the gas tax of five cents could be split with two cents going to transit and three cents going to maintain roads and bridges. This would greatly increase funding for transit while also increasing funds for maintenance of the roads and bridges both transit and the general public depend on. The modest increase in the fuel tax would also create more jobs for construction companies, and the vendors who supply both the highway and transit sectors of the economy.
Investing in transit helps reduce traffic congestion, air pollution and fuel consumption, while at the same time increasing mobility options for all; an improvement an aging population can surely appreciate.
CHRIS TURNER
TRANSPORTATION DIRECTOR, AppalCART
Boone
Benefited
In reference to the local demonstration against economic disparity ("Protest 'occupies' Winston- Salem," Oct. 16) it is no surprise that a law student from Wake Forest University would say about the protestors: "They're against big corporations and corporate greed, but that's the life they've had. They grew up with it. They've benefited from it, and they haven't proffered any alternatives."
Strange that the people said to have "benefited from it" are the ones who are losing their homes, who can't get a job and who can't afford an education. It is always the ones that have benefitted from corporate greed that find fault with the folks that get hurt by it.
This did not just happen. The corporate "Big Boys" have been working at taking back "their country" every since Franklin D. Roosevelt introduced the New Deal to govern for the people. It is 75 years later and the corporate "Big Boys" have taken the country back. To hell with the people.
MITCHELL M. BOSS
King
Next time
When you next interview the people of Occupy Winston-Salem (" 'This is a people's movement,' " Oct. 9), please ask them, and report to us, what kind of jobs they are qualified to do to make a living.
HARRY AND MARTHA HARKEY
Winston-Salem
The last time the federal fuel tax was increased, Bill Clinton was in his second term as president. Fuel prices since then have more than doubled, increasing the cost of maintaining our roads, bridges and transit systems. The best thing about a federal gas-tax increase is that it benefits all states without creating a price advantage for one state over another.
If the fuel tax were to increase at the federal level, it would help in limiting demand, but at least our departments of transportation would have more money to maintain our roads. For transit systems demand increases as gas prices increase, but their expenses increase too, often making it necessary to cut service at the very time it is most needed.
A modest increase in the gas tax of five cents could be split with two cents going to transit and three cents going to maintain roads and bridges. This would greatly increase funding for transit while also increasing funds for maintenance of the roads and bridges both transit and the general public depend on. The modest increase in the fuel tax would also create more jobs for construction companies, and the vendors who supply both the highway and transit sectors of the economy.
Investing in transit helps reduce traffic congestion, air pollution and fuel consumption, while at the same time increasing mobility options for all; an improvement an aging population can surely appreciate.
CHRIS TURNER
TRANSPORTATION DIRECTOR, AppalCART
Boone
Benefited
In reference to the local demonstration against economic disparity ("Protest 'occupies' Winston- Salem," Oct. 16) it is no surprise that a law student from Wake Forest University would say about the protestors: "They're against big corporations and corporate greed, but that's the life they've had. They grew up with it. They've benefited from it, and they haven't proffered any alternatives."
Strange that the people said to have "benefited from it" are the ones who are losing their homes, who can't get a job and who can't afford an education. It is always the ones that have benefitted from corporate greed that find fault with the folks that get hurt by it.
This did not just happen. The corporate "Big Boys" have been working at taking back "their country" every since Franklin D. Roosevelt introduced the New Deal to govern for the people. It is 75 years later and the corporate "Big Boys" have taken the country back. To hell with the people.
MITCHELL M. BOSS
King
Next time
When you next interview the people of Occupy Winston-Salem (" 'This is a people's movement,' " Oct. 9), please ask them, and report to us, what kind of jobs they are qualified to do to make a living.
HARRY AND MARTHA HARKEY
Winston-Salem
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
The Leopard's Limb WE 10/19/11
Good whatever, folks! This month is going by way too fast.
Speech impediment
A truck loaded with equipment to support President Obama's bus tour was stolen. Among the equipment stowed on the truck were the President's TelePrompters. Word has it that this crime left our Prez speechless.
No, this is not a joke, and yes, the TP's weren't the only things stolen. I ripped off the punch line :D
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/president-obama-teleprompters-stolen-123608804.html
Speech impediment
A truck loaded with equipment to support President Obama's bus tour was stolen. Among the equipment stowed on the truck were the President's TelePrompters. Word has it that this crime left our Prez speechless.
No, this is not a joke, and yes, the TP's weren't the only things stolen. I ripped off the punch line :D
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/president-obama-teleprompters-stolen-123608804.html
Winston-Salem Journal LTE's TU 10/18/11
Inconsistent logic
The Oct. 6 letter "A higher standard" is cogent, well-reasoned and convincing. It proposes the "critical importance of abolishing capital punishment." The writer gives good moral and practical reasons for his position. "Ethically … recognizing that human life is sacred." He wants our government to recognize "Thou shall not kill."
I don't know where the writer stands on abortion, and this is surely not to attack him. However, it has been my experience that many who would agree with him don't apply the same logic to abortion.
Generally speaking, it is liberal to oppose capital punishment and liberal to defend at all costs the right to choose, apparently ignoring that the right to choose means the death of a human being. Some just don't seem to address both issues.
This paper has repeatedly editorialized for an end to capital punishment. To the best of my knowledge, you have never written to reconsider abortion.
Some even get great publicity and recognition for working to prevent capital punishment. I give you Susan Sarandon and the movie "Dead Man Walking." Yet they are also most vocal in defending the right to choose. I just don't understand the apparent inconsistency.
The nearly 4,000 beings who are aborted daily in this country are human life, and they are unequivocally killed. Is human life sacred? Shall we not kill?
GEORGE B. GREDELL
Pfafftown
Hope for the future
As of 2006, I became a permanent resident of your fair city and an immediate addict to your Winston-Salem Journal. Without your paper and a cup of strong, black coffee every early morning, I am at a loss.
Your special SportsXtra on high-school students has been a breath of fresh air for me; an oasis in the desert of heated, partisan politics and overly zealous letters to The Readers' Forum. I have read all of your publications on young athletes from the first page through the last, and to say the least, reading each of the young people's answers to the few questions at the end of their write-ups gives me hope for the future of our nation. Their faith in God, their country, their teachers and coaches and themselves inspires me.
Not all of these young people are brilliant scholars or athletes, true, but their strength to carry on and achieve better things is a wonderful thing to read. God bless our youth. It is through their lives that we shall overcome.
CAY DRURY
Winston-Salem
Reward offered
In reference to the article "Reward offered in dog-cruelty case" (Oct. 9), I cannot believe that someone would let those dogs get in this condition. I am glad the humane society has offered a reward to locate the owners. I hope they are found and convicted.
CHRISSY GALLAHER
Winston-Salem
The Oct. 6 letter "A higher standard" is cogent, well-reasoned and convincing. It proposes the "critical importance of abolishing capital punishment." The writer gives good moral and practical reasons for his position. "Ethically … recognizing that human life is sacred." He wants our government to recognize "Thou shall not kill."
I don't know where the writer stands on abortion, and this is surely not to attack him. However, it has been my experience that many who would agree with him don't apply the same logic to abortion.
Generally speaking, it is liberal to oppose capital punishment and liberal to defend at all costs the right to choose, apparently ignoring that the right to choose means the death of a human being. Some just don't seem to address both issues.
This paper has repeatedly editorialized for an end to capital punishment. To the best of my knowledge, you have never written to reconsider abortion.
Some even get great publicity and recognition for working to prevent capital punishment. I give you Susan Sarandon and the movie "Dead Man Walking." Yet they are also most vocal in defending the right to choose. I just don't understand the apparent inconsistency.
The nearly 4,000 beings who are aborted daily in this country are human life, and they are unequivocally killed. Is human life sacred? Shall we not kill?
GEORGE B. GREDELL
Pfafftown
Hope for the future
As of 2006, I became a permanent resident of your fair city and an immediate addict to your Winston-Salem Journal. Without your paper and a cup of strong, black coffee every early morning, I am at a loss.
Your special SportsXtra on high-school students has been a breath of fresh air for me; an oasis in the desert of heated, partisan politics and overly zealous letters to The Readers' Forum. I have read all of your publications on young athletes from the first page through the last, and to say the least, reading each of the young people's answers to the few questions at the end of their write-ups gives me hope for the future of our nation. Their faith in God, their country, their teachers and coaches and themselves inspires me.
Not all of these young people are brilliant scholars or athletes, true, but their strength to carry on and achieve better things is a wonderful thing to read. God bless our youth. It is through their lives that we shall overcome.
CAY DRURY
Winston-Salem
Reward offered
In reference to the article "Reward offered in dog-cruelty case" (Oct. 9), I cannot believe that someone would let those dogs get in this condition. I am glad the humane society has offered a reward to locate the owners. I hope they are found and convicted.
CHRISSY GALLAHER
Winston-Salem
Monday, October 17, 2011
Winston-Salem Journal LTE's MO 10/17/11
Student loans
As a recipient of student loans, I understand the necessity of them. But in my day, those loans were manageable. The student loans of today are outrageous and can never be handled by a student straight out of school. Maybe that's why parents are now responsible for the loan instead of students. As a result, I can't see myself retiring when I reach 62 or 67, because I will still owe student loans for my son.
I expected to help him pay his loans; I didn't expect to own his loans. I will need loan forgiveness just so I may retire before I am found dead at my desk at the age of 80.
GAYLE SWAIN
Winston-Salem
No free market
There is no free market. There can never be one. The Haves, the advantaged wealthiest, always control the market.
Real competition without equal opportunity is not possible. Unless participants possess the health and education requisite for fair competition, competition is an exercise for dominance by advantaged participants.
When participants lack the capability of making responsible, rational choices, there can be no actual choice.
History, from monarchy and dictatorship through plutocracy and oligarchy, precluded the fair market, equal opportunity and meaningful choice that real democracy seeks. Democracy is only probable in the presence of universal health care and education — which is precisely the reason the radical wealthy few obstruct efforts at practical public health and education. They seek the monopoly of wealth, with power, which guarantees their victory in the fixed market with fixed competition and fixed choice arenas.
As the venerable Justice Louis Brandeis perceived, the democracy of all the people must control the wealthy few or die.
The 90 percent control of our wealth by the nation's top 10 percent wealthy few signals our death knell, unless we stop them.
MARCIALITO CAM
Winston-Salem
Just switch
In response to the Oct. 12 letter "No entitlement right," it seems to me that the letter writer is somewhat conflicted. He first states that Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan saying that the bank has a "right to make a profit" is wrong while in the next sentence he says that corporations exist to try to make a profit. Well guess what, it is every business's motive to make a profit; anything other than that is pure folly.
Thanks to the Durbin rule, the large bank fees for debit-card transactions were limited to 21 cents, about half of the previous rate, while the small banks carry on business as usual. This seems discriminatory to me. So the new fees are an effort to recoup some of these losses, which they are entitled to do.
The bottom line is the government should stop all the regulations and go about trying to create jobs, and the letter writer should just switch banks if he has a problem with the one he is using. Now, wasn't that simple?
EDWIN HALL
Winston-Salem
Beneficial move
Congressional passage of the trade agreements ("Congress OKs 3 free trade deals," Oct. 13), while a controversial move, will benefit the country.
Over the past several years, we have become more and more isolationist. This is a signal to the world that we're still in business.
The White House isn't going to brag about this for a couple of reasons. Primarily, the unions are against it as they believe it will cost us jobs. It may well cost the unions jobs, but jobs in the entire country should grow substantially.
The second thing is these were trade agreements that were negotiated by the previous (George W. Bush) administration.
We are a country that consumes a lot, and we are going to buy a lot of it from other countries. This will help level the playing field.
JIM MONROE
Winston-Salem
By far the best
The Oct. 12 PBS performance of "Oklahoma!" was excellent in every respect (" 'Oklahoma!' makes strong TV appearance," Oct. 12). It clearly defined the mission of the UNC School of the Arts, which is to develop young talent to the utmost degree.
I feel that I am qualified to make that judgment from having spent six decades as an opera singer and director, and 25 years as a teacher of voice and opera at UNCSA.
I have seen numerous "Oklahoma!" performances, and this one was, in every respect, by far the best. Each of the more than 400 students involved clearly demonstrated their excellent training and devotion to their art. Bravi to Chancellor John Mauceri and everyone who had the foresight to plan this production. Thanks also to the A.J. Fletcher Foundation for providing financial aid to produce this production for television audiences. This school certainly isn't "just a tippy-toe school" any longer.
WILLIAM BECK
Winston-Salem
As a recipient of student loans, I understand the necessity of them. But in my day, those loans were manageable. The student loans of today are outrageous and can never be handled by a student straight out of school. Maybe that's why parents are now responsible for the loan instead of students. As a result, I can't see myself retiring when I reach 62 or 67, because I will still owe student loans for my son.
I expected to help him pay his loans; I didn't expect to own his loans. I will need loan forgiveness just so I may retire before I am found dead at my desk at the age of 80.
GAYLE SWAIN
Winston-Salem
No free market
There is no free market. There can never be one. The Haves, the advantaged wealthiest, always control the market.
Real competition without equal opportunity is not possible. Unless participants possess the health and education requisite for fair competition, competition is an exercise for dominance by advantaged participants.
When participants lack the capability of making responsible, rational choices, there can be no actual choice.
History, from monarchy and dictatorship through plutocracy and oligarchy, precluded the fair market, equal opportunity and meaningful choice that real democracy seeks. Democracy is only probable in the presence of universal health care and education — which is precisely the reason the radical wealthy few obstruct efforts at practical public health and education. They seek the monopoly of wealth, with power, which guarantees their victory in the fixed market with fixed competition and fixed choice arenas.
As the venerable Justice Louis Brandeis perceived, the democracy of all the people must control the wealthy few or die.
The 90 percent control of our wealth by the nation's top 10 percent wealthy few signals our death knell, unless we stop them.
MARCIALITO CAM
Winston-Salem
Just switch
In response to the Oct. 12 letter "No entitlement right," it seems to me that the letter writer is somewhat conflicted. He first states that Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan saying that the bank has a "right to make a profit" is wrong while in the next sentence he says that corporations exist to try to make a profit. Well guess what, it is every business's motive to make a profit; anything other than that is pure folly.
Thanks to the Durbin rule, the large bank fees for debit-card transactions were limited to 21 cents, about half of the previous rate, while the small banks carry on business as usual. This seems discriminatory to me. So the new fees are an effort to recoup some of these losses, which they are entitled to do.
The bottom line is the government should stop all the regulations and go about trying to create jobs, and the letter writer should just switch banks if he has a problem with the one he is using. Now, wasn't that simple?
EDWIN HALL
Winston-Salem
Beneficial move
Congressional passage of the trade agreements ("Congress OKs 3 free trade deals," Oct. 13), while a controversial move, will benefit the country.
Over the past several years, we have become more and more isolationist. This is a signal to the world that we're still in business.
The White House isn't going to brag about this for a couple of reasons. Primarily, the unions are against it as they believe it will cost us jobs. It may well cost the unions jobs, but jobs in the entire country should grow substantially.
The second thing is these were trade agreements that were negotiated by the previous (George W. Bush) administration.
We are a country that consumes a lot, and we are going to buy a lot of it from other countries. This will help level the playing field.
JIM MONROE
Winston-Salem
By far the best
The Oct. 12 PBS performance of "Oklahoma!" was excellent in every respect (" 'Oklahoma!' makes strong TV appearance," Oct. 12). It clearly defined the mission of the UNC School of the Arts, which is to develop young talent to the utmost degree.
I feel that I am qualified to make that judgment from having spent six decades as an opera singer and director, and 25 years as a teacher of voice and opera at UNCSA.
I have seen numerous "Oklahoma!" performances, and this one was, in every respect, by far the best. Each of the more than 400 students involved clearly demonstrated their excellent training and devotion to their art. Bravi to Chancellor John Mauceri and everyone who had the foresight to plan this production. Thanks also to the A.J. Fletcher Foundation for providing financial aid to produce this production for television audiences. This school certainly isn't "just a tippy-toe school" any longer.
WILLIAM BECK
Winston-Salem
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Winston-Salem Journal LTE's 10/16/11
Ticket controls
JOHN REECE
Pfafftown
Kind story
ANN S. RUTTER
Pfafftown
Advanced apologies
I would like to make my advanced apologies to the members of "Occupy Winston-Salem" (" 'This is a people's movement'," Oct. 9). Although I am definitely not one of the 1 percent wealthy people they are complaining about, I will not be able to hang out with them, since I will be working those days and trying to make a decent living for my family and me.
With the concept of work, you really don't have a ton of extra time to sit around downtown and whine to the government for more entitlements and handouts, and rage about the mean ol' 1 percent wealthy who won't send you a check because they have made more money than you. I will just continue to work my hardest in hopes that one day my hard work will pay off and send me to that top 1 percent. I think it feels better when you actually earn it.
STEVE SHORE
Pfafftown
Sum It Up
The Sum It Up question from last Sunday was: Do you think we're any closer to economic recovery?
* * * * *
Seriously? Of course not.
JIM SOUTHERN
* * * * *
The record corporate profits would indicate the economic recovery has been here for a while, but the high unemployment rate is painting a different picture — the recovery is miles and miles away. I doubt that there will ever be a full recovery until the outsourced jobs, particularly the manufacturing jobs, are replaced or restored.
BOON T. LEE
* * * * *
Please, let's have some positive economic news. Negative news causes negative attitudes. Sometimes depression.
ELIZABETH R. ERVIN
* * * * *
The explanation of oversold tickets for Chris
Paul's CP3 Foundation event was not only an embarrassment but an insult to our
community ("Foul-up leaves fans upset, WSSU
confused," Oct. 4). The gym seating capacity is posted on its wall; there was a
clear failure on the part of the professionally paid, state-employed leadership
at the school.
Having said that, I must commend the leaders for using prudent and simple
controls in the ticket-refund process. They required a photo ID. Applying that
same control to the voting process makes common sense to anyone who has a will
to "do it right."
Perhaps the Winston-Salem
State University leadership can pass on its tried and true experience to Gov.
Bev Perdue and others in Raleigh
who so oppose photo IDs for voting.
JOHN REECE
Pfafftown
Kind story
Congratulations to the
Winston-Salem Journal and most especially to Vanessa
Calvery and to all those involved in the rescue of Boo'kie, the Chihuahua
("Boo'kie is back home" Oct. 13). A wonderfully kind and heart-warming story is
hard to find these days.
ANN S. RUTTER
Pfafftown
Advanced apologies
I would like to make my advanced apologies to the members of "Occupy Winston-Salem" (" 'This is a people's movement'," Oct. 9). Although I am definitely not one of the 1 percent wealthy people they are complaining about, I will not be able to hang out with them, since I will be working those days and trying to make a decent living for my family and me.
With the concept of work, you really don't have a ton of extra time to sit around downtown and whine to the government for more entitlements and handouts, and rage about the mean ol' 1 percent wealthy who won't send you a check because they have made more money than you. I will just continue to work my hardest in hopes that one day my hard work will pay off and send me to that top 1 percent. I think it feels better when you actually earn it.
STEVE SHORE
Pfafftown
Sum It Up
The Sum It Up question from last Sunday was: Do you think we're any closer to economic recovery?
Seriously? Of course not.
JIM SOUTHERN
The record corporate profits would indicate the economic recovery has been here for a while, but the high unemployment rate is painting a different picture — the recovery is miles and miles away. I doubt that there will ever be a full recovery until the outsourced jobs, particularly the manufacturing jobs, are replaced or restored.
BOON T. LEE
Please, let's have some positive economic news. Negative news causes negative attitudes. Sometimes depression.
ELIZABETH R. ERVIN
Do you agree with N.C. House Speaker Thom
Tillis' suggestion that the state should perform random drug testing on some
welfare recipients? Respond to letters@wsjournal.com and put "Sum It
Up" in the subject header. Only signed entries please, no anonymous ones.
Briefer responses receive preference in print.
CORRESPONDENT OF THE WEEK
Stranger things
I remember when the tea party started how the media produced so much coverage of it but constantly got it wrong. They described it as a collection of know-nothing racists — but the tea party has prevailed, with deeply patriotic meaning, to become a potent political force.
The same thing will happen with Occupy Wall Street, no doubt. I already see conservatives saying that it's just a collection of college kids who don't want to work — never mind that there are no jobs for them.
Somewhere down the road we'll see who these people really are. Right now, they may not know themselves. They just know that things are bad and it's time to do something about it.
Wouldn't it be funny if the tea party and Occupy Wall Street joined forces? Stranger things have happened. Years ago, Republicans used to work with Democrats for the good of the country.
JANE GIBSON
Winston-Salem
I remember when the tea party started how the media produced so much coverage of it but constantly got it wrong. They described it as a collection of know-nothing racists — but the tea party has prevailed, with deeply patriotic meaning, to become a potent political force.
The same thing will happen with Occupy Wall Street, no doubt. I already see conservatives saying that it's just a collection of college kids who don't want to work — never mind that there are no jobs for them.
Somewhere down the road we'll see who these people really are. Right now, they may not know themselves. They just know that things are bad and it's time to do something about it.
Wouldn't it be funny if the tea party and Occupy Wall Street joined forces? Stranger things have happened. Years ago, Republicans used to work with Democrats for the good of the country.
JANE GIBSON
Winston-Salem
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Winston-Salem Journal LTE's SA 10/15/11
A riot is an ungly thing... undt, I tink, that it is chust about time ve had vun.
Downtown living
Having read about downtown residents vs. night-life partiers, I would like to chime in with my opinion (briefly) and a few humble suggestions.
I have been a homeowner for several years in the University Parkway/Wake Forest University area. For years, we residents had this problem: students briefly renting houses in this area, then partying all the time, with hordes of "customers" visiting, parking in residents' yards, picking up beer cans and other things, etc. This problem has abated in the last few years, at least on my street, because of increased dorm areas on campus and heightened security.
Maybe residential areas and businesses that rent their clubs to customers who will party, dance, drink and then go home elsewhere just won't work, and never really has.
Maybe our illustrious mayor and city council should have thought of this before the big renovation of downtown Winston-Salem. Who is to blame, the planners of this great revitalization, the residents or the customers who enjoy the nightlife?
My suggestions:
Sunday through Thursday nights, curb outside partying to 11 p.m. Inside, with doors closed, stay open as long as clubs want.
Friday and Saturday nights, allow outside partying until 2 a.m., with a little more law enforcement on the more "lively and loud" groups.
The outdoors venue will be temporarily moot in a few months anyway, because of cold weather coming, and our city council not voting before November, which is a good way to postpone the issue, huh?
PATRICIA B. STOCKMEISTER
Winston-Salem
Policies and consequences
The September jobs report was welcome: 103,000 new jobs. That's good news. The bad news: unemployment was at 9.1 percent, and about 6.2 million workers have been unemployed more than six months. We're producing too few jobs for recovery, about 72,000 a month. That's roughly half enough to cut the jobless rate.
Hardest hit have been minority workers. The jobless rate for blacks is 16 percent, Hispanics 11.3 percent and teens 24.6 percent. Some have suffered acutely. Some observers consider the recent unrest, street protests and "Occupy Wall Street" rallies to be one consequence.
By contrast, the biggest one-month jobs gain in American history was at this point in Reagan's presidency — September 1983, after another deep recession. After the 1981-82 downturn, employers added 1.1 million workers to their payrolls. The seven-year expansion created some 17 million new jobs.
The difference isn't the size of the recessions, but the policies pursued to restore growth. In the Reagan expansion, spending, regulation and tax rates were cut. Government size was reduced. By contrast, we've had a spending and regulatory boom, a general anti-business political climate and a threat of higher tax rates. The policies were quite different, and policies have consequences.
What's the point? Who's responsible? Every citizen. We should support and elect a president and Congress known to support an industrial growth policy, including reduced spending, less restrictive regulation and a smaller federal government. Do that in every election, and especially the next one. Vote.
JAMES LASSING
Winston-Salem
Friedman fan
This is to express my appreciation for your publishing columns written by Thomas Friedman and especially the column appearing Oct. 6, "No Christie, no bargain."
All my life I have been a constant reader until my vision became impaired. I am now 88 years old, and I found Friedman's book "Hot, Flat and Crowded" perhaps the most exciting book I have ever read and more interesting than any fiction I can imagine.
I tell members of my family that if they see a column or book written by Friedman, to read it carefully and consider it thoughtfully. One can tell by references and documentation that he has carefully witnessed or researched significant events and experimental findings throughout the globe and knows whereof he speaks.
I am shocked at the cool indifference of intelligent acquaintances who tell me they get their news from television and show no interest or concern about the downward trend in our country.
FRANK GREER
Lexington
Having read about downtown residents vs. night-life partiers, I would like to chime in with my opinion (briefly) and a few humble suggestions.
I have been a homeowner for several years in the University Parkway/Wake Forest University area. For years, we residents had this problem: students briefly renting houses in this area, then partying all the time, with hordes of "customers" visiting, parking in residents' yards, picking up beer cans and other things, etc. This problem has abated in the last few years, at least on my street, because of increased dorm areas on campus and heightened security.
Maybe residential areas and businesses that rent their clubs to customers who will party, dance, drink and then go home elsewhere just won't work, and never really has.
Maybe our illustrious mayor and city council should have thought of this before the big renovation of downtown Winston-Salem. Who is to blame, the planners of this great revitalization, the residents or the customers who enjoy the nightlife?
My suggestions:
Sunday through Thursday nights, curb outside partying to 11 p.m. Inside, with doors closed, stay open as long as clubs want.
Friday and Saturday nights, allow outside partying until 2 a.m., with a little more law enforcement on the more "lively and loud" groups.
The outdoors venue will be temporarily moot in a few months anyway, because of cold weather coming, and our city council not voting before November, which is a good way to postpone the issue, huh?
PATRICIA B. STOCKMEISTER
Winston-Salem
Policies and consequences
The September jobs report was welcome: 103,000 new jobs. That's good news. The bad news: unemployment was at 9.1 percent, and about 6.2 million workers have been unemployed more than six months. We're producing too few jobs for recovery, about 72,000 a month. That's roughly half enough to cut the jobless rate.
Hardest hit have been minority workers. The jobless rate for blacks is 16 percent, Hispanics 11.3 percent and teens 24.6 percent. Some have suffered acutely. Some observers consider the recent unrest, street protests and "Occupy Wall Street" rallies to be one consequence.
By contrast, the biggest one-month jobs gain in American history was at this point in Reagan's presidency — September 1983, after another deep recession. After the 1981-82 downturn, employers added 1.1 million workers to their payrolls. The seven-year expansion created some 17 million new jobs.
The difference isn't the size of the recessions, but the policies pursued to restore growth. In the Reagan expansion, spending, regulation and tax rates were cut. Government size was reduced. By contrast, we've had a spending and regulatory boom, a general anti-business political climate and a threat of higher tax rates. The policies were quite different, and policies have consequences.
What's the point? Who's responsible? Every citizen. We should support and elect a president and Congress known to support an industrial growth policy, including reduced spending, less restrictive regulation and a smaller federal government. Do that in every election, and especially the next one. Vote.
JAMES LASSING
Winston-Salem
Friedman fan
This is to express my appreciation for your publishing columns written by Thomas Friedman and especially the column appearing Oct. 6, "No Christie, no bargain."
All my life I have been a constant reader until my vision became impaired. I am now 88 years old, and I found Friedman's book "Hot, Flat and Crowded" perhaps the most exciting book I have ever read and more interesting than any fiction I can imagine.
I tell members of my family that if they see a column or book written by Friedman, to read it carefully and consider it thoughtfully. One can tell by references and documentation that he has carefully witnessed or researched significant events and experimental findings throughout the globe and knows whereof he speaks.
I am shocked at the cool indifference of intelligent acquaintances who tell me they get their news from television and show no interest or concern about the downward trend in our country.
FRANK GREER
Lexington
Friday, October 14, 2011
The Leopard's Limb SA 10/15/11
Good PM/AM, folks! Busy times these are. New employment is demanding but appreciated.
We have had some discussions re press bias, real or perceived, in this blog. I continue to perceive a bias in favor of the Occupy Whatever reportage. The purloined cartoon demonstrates. Mind you, I am not a Tea Partier, but there is a distinct difference in portrayal.
Just desserts
Sorry, I just can't get my hands to wring when I read a story like the attached. Our gene pool needs all the help it can get, a la OT's reminder about how stupid the average person is, with half the population dumber yet. Herewith is a late representative of that nether segment:
http://www.wlsam.com/Article.asp?id=2310705&spid=
Just desserts
Sorry, I just can't get my hands to wring when I read a story like the attached. Our gene pool needs all the help it can get, a la OT's reminder about how stupid the average person is, with half the population dumber yet. Herewith is a late representative of that nether segment:
http://www.wlsam.com/Article.asp?id=2310705&spid=
Kitty Kat's Corner FR 10/14/11
I won Miss October
Miss Congeniality was inconsolable.
Freckles observes from a position of safety behind magic tree. Winston-Salem Journal LTE's Fr 10/14/11
Different circumstances
But what we have to declare independence from this time, with or without Washington's help, is the global economic order that supports them instead of us. If there's to be a sane, humane, sustainable future, we are the ones who will have to conceive and create it using whatever resources the failing global economy leaves us to work with and good old-fashioned American ingenuity and cooperation, spiked with patience and laced with compassion. That's a plan for real homeland security.
ELLEN LaCONTE
Winston-Salem
Folwell's performance
During the 2010 election cycle I heard many campaign promises. Most of these promises were on improving the economy, jobs and reducing our deficit. A year later I am wondering when these promises are going to be fulfilled.
Rep. Dale Folwell is in his fourth term and is the speaker pro tem. The speaker pro tem is the second person over the N.C. House. With this title comes a lot of power.
Since Folwell has gained this power he started bullying and picking on us all. Folwell started with our educators. N.C. is now ranked 49th in the nation when it comes to public education. After the educators, he attacked our voter rights, then set out and started picking on women's rights. Now he is the front runner in bullying homosexuals by trying to juggle our state constitution.
With his powerful position in Raleigh, I wonder how many jobs he brought back to Forsyth County. As a matter of fact, the number is actually negative. He cost more than 6,000 jobs in school systems across our state. Many have been right here in Folwell's own district.
Is this the best Folwell can do? Is this his A game? Were his campaign promises to be 49th in education and pick on women and minority groups? Where will we be 10 years from now if left on this path?
We as a society wouldn't tolerate bullies in our schools or workplace. Why are we tolerating Folwell's misuse of his power to bully us?
MATT TWIFORD
Winston-Salem
Eligibility
I have been reading with great interest the letters sent to the Journal in regard to the DREAM Act. I highlight one of them ("Appreciation," Oct. 7). The writer served in the military, and I salute him. He wants those who want to become Americans to "… serve in the military for a period of time …" so "… they can stand proudly in line to become one of us." It could not have been said better.
I urge the writer (and all the others who have sent related letters) to read carefully the DREAM Act. If approved, this act would provide conditional permanent residency to non-documented alien-students who graduate from U.S. high schools, arrived in the U.S. as minors, lived in the country continuously for at least five years prior to the bill's enactment and are less than 35 years of age. It provides subsequent eligibility to permanent residency (and citizenship) if they were to complete honorably a minimum of two years in the military or two years at a four-year institution of higher learning.
This piece of legislation embodies the best of the American spirit and allows these children a door so "they can stand proudly in line to become one of us — proud legal Americans."
Would the writer agree? Would he offer this opportunity to these children? If so, he can write to his representatives urging them to support the DREAM Act and pass the word to others. Let the dream come true!
JORGE CALLES-ESCANDON
Clemmons
I was a cockeyed optimist like the
author of the Oct. 7 editorial "Don't let budget cuts drive you off." But
for the past decade, with a growing number of newborn ecological and economic
realists, I must respond to the starry-eyed prediction: "Things have to get
better"; "Sanity will return" — no they don't and no it won't. Not if we're
expecting solutions to come from the usual quarters in the usual fashion.
The circumstances that brought us out of the Great Depression — a war that
made America rich and respected; plentiful fossil fuels and natural resources;
affordable social and public services; good weather; a world population
one-third the current size; abundant capital; and no major competitors — no
longer exist. We've come to the end of cheap-easy. Occupiers of the American
street got at least part of the grievance right. What we have that's exceptional
is the most successful oligarchy — government by the very rich and powerful — in
history. We need to topple the oligarchs.But what we have to declare independence from this time, with or without Washington's help, is the global economic order that supports them instead of us. If there's to be a sane, humane, sustainable future, we are the ones who will have to conceive and create it using whatever resources the failing global economy leaves us to work with and good old-fashioned American ingenuity and cooperation, spiked with patience and laced with compassion. That's a plan for real homeland security.
ELLEN LaCONTE
Winston-Salem
Folwell's performance
During the 2010 election cycle I heard many campaign promises. Most of these promises were on improving the economy, jobs and reducing our deficit. A year later I am wondering when these promises are going to be fulfilled.
Rep. Dale Folwell is in his fourth term and is the speaker pro tem. The speaker pro tem is the second person over the N.C. House. With this title comes a lot of power.
Since Folwell has gained this power he started bullying and picking on us all. Folwell started with our educators. N.C. is now ranked 49th in the nation when it comes to public education. After the educators, he attacked our voter rights, then set out and started picking on women's rights. Now he is the front runner in bullying homosexuals by trying to juggle our state constitution.
With his powerful position in Raleigh, I wonder how many jobs he brought back to Forsyth County. As a matter of fact, the number is actually negative. He cost more than 6,000 jobs in school systems across our state. Many have been right here in Folwell's own district.
Is this the best Folwell can do? Is this his A game? Were his campaign promises to be 49th in education and pick on women and minority groups? Where will we be 10 years from now if left on this path?
We as a society wouldn't tolerate bullies in our schools or workplace. Why are we tolerating Folwell's misuse of his power to bully us?
MATT TWIFORD
Winston-Salem
Eligibility
I have been reading with great interest the letters sent to the Journal in regard to the DREAM Act. I highlight one of them ("Appreciation," Oct. 7). The writer served in the military, and I salute him. He wants those who want to become Americans to "… serve in the military for a period of time …" so "… they can stand proudly in line to become one of us." It could not have been said better.
I urge the writer (and all the others who have sent related letters) to read carefully the DREAM Act. If approved, this act would provide conditional permanent residency to non-documented alien-students who graduate from U.S. high schools, arrived in the U.S. as minors, lived in the country continuously for at least five years prior to the bill's enactment and are less than 35 years of age. It provides subsequent eligibility to permanent residency (and citizenship) if they were to complete honorably a minimum of two years in the military or two years at a four-year institution of higher learning.
This piece of legislation embodies the best of the American spirit and allows these children a door so "they can stand proudly in line to become one of us — proud legal Americans."
Would the writer agree? Would he offer this opportunity to these children? If so, he can write to his representatives urging them to support the DREAM Act and pass the word to others. Let the dream come true!
JORGE CALLES-ESCANDON
Clemmons
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Winston-Salem Journal LTE's TH 10/13/11
Risk
Over the past few days, two events have been a major part of the national news. One has been the Occupy Wall Street, "businesses are bad" protests — the other has been the death of Apple's Steven Jobs. These two events are related by the differing views of success and failure they represent.
A couple of years ago, I said to an employee, "The freedom to fail is needed to have the freedom to succeed." He, like many of the Wall Street protestors, disagreed. The entirety of Steven Jobs' life demonstrates what all who attain greatness understand; success comes only when failure is risked.
The Wall Street protestors confuse equality of opportunity with equality of outcomes. The first, opportunity, is within the scope of government. The second, the outcome, as demonstrated so well by Jobs, resides with the individual. The organized unions now supporting the protests understand what most of the protestors do not: With the opportunity for these protests to fail is also an opportunity to succeed in achieving their objectives.
The protestors ignore that the success of Steven Jobs, Wall Street, the unions and themselves is only possible when failure is risked.
BARRY M. COLE
Kernersville
American protest
Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain condemns the Occupy Wall Street protesters as "un-American." Apparently, Cain misread American history. To protest is as American as apple pie. The nation was born out of protest against King George III of England. Remember the Boston Tea Party?
Cain should know better than others that without the persistent protests of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, Cain wouldn't be able to vote today, much less run for president of the United States. Most political, economic and societal changes are the result of mass protest movements: women's voting rights, the 40-hour work week, abolition of child labor, etc. They are the fruit of protest actions by women and laborers.
Republican House Majority Leader Eric Cantor labeled the Occupy Wall Street protesters as "mobs." They are citizens exercising their First Amendment rights to stage a peaceful protest against the greed of the fat cats of Wall Street, social and economic injustice and inequality, unemployment, losing their houses and a bleak future. They become a "mob" only when the police flex their muscle, as we have seen on the TV screen.
When the radical right tea-partiers protested at Washington in 2009, Eric Cantor loudly praised them for fighting for liberty. What a hypocrite he is. I wish he would keep his mouth shut, open his eyes and ears to see and listen to what the protesters say at Wall Street and hundred of cities across the country.
BOON T. LEE
Winston-Salem
Global communication
Everyone is talking about the tragedy of Steve Jobs and how he changed the face of global communication, movies and music. There is no question that Steve Jobs was a great man with a brilliant mind, but he didn't change my world. I've known no world without his products.
My first computer was a Mac; my current computer is a Mac. I used to download my music to my iPod; now I download to my iPhone, and I want an iPad for Christmas. So thank you, Steve Jobs, for all of my essential life tools.
What I want to know is this: Can I credit Steve Jobs for changing the global communication of adults toward teens?
"What are those things in your ears?" Um, duh.
"How does that iHome sound — as good as speakers with woofers and tweeters?" What does a woofer have to do with how I tweet?
"Will you just call me?" I'd rather text from my iPhone.
My parents and their friends have done a pretty good job of learning the technology created and introduced by Steve Jobs, but for my friends and I, well, it's just second nature. It makes me wonder what my kids will be saying when I'm my parents' age.
BESSIE ROSE WOLTZ
JUNIOR, R.J. REYNOLDS HIGH SCHOOL
Winston-Salem
No commission members
As a recently resigned former member of the Winston-Salem Human Relations Commission, I was disappointed that I could not find the name of even one current or recent commission member signed to the Equality Winston-Salem ad supporting "an open and inclusive Winston-Salem/Forsyth County" ("Pride Winston-Salem 2011," Oct. 9) in the Journal.
I suspect that, as was the case with me, no one asked commission members to participate. Unfortunately for us all, this failure only serves to underscore how insignificant, irrelevant and invisible the commission is to everyday Winston-Salemites. If true, why have a commission at all?
GUY M. BLYNN
Winston-Salem
Over the past few days, two events have been a major part of the national news. One has been the Occupy Wall Street, "businesses are bad" protests — the other has been the death of Apple's Steven Jobs. These two events are related by the differing views of success and failure they represent.
A couple of years ago, I said to an employee, "The freedom to fail is needed to have the freedom to succeed." He, like many of the Wall Street protestors, disagreed. The entirety of Steven Jobs' life demonstrates what all who attain greatness understand; success comes only when failure is risked.
The Wall Street protestors confuse equality of opportunity with equality of outcomes. The first, opportunity, is within the scope of government. The second, the outcome, as demonstrated so well by Jobs, resides with the individual. The organized unions now supporting the protests understand what most of the protestors do not: With the opportunity for these protests to fail is also an opportunity to succeed in achieving their objectives.
The protestors ignore that the success of Steven Jobs, Wall Street, the unions and themselves is only possible when failure is risked.
BARRY M. COLE
Kernersville
American protest
Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain condemns the Occupy Wall Street protesters as "un-American." Apparently, Cain misread American history. To protest is as American as apple pie. The nation was born out of protest against King George III of England. Remember the Boston Tea Party?
Cain should know better than others that without the persistent protests of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, Cain wouldn't be able to vote today, much less run for president of the United States. Most political, economic and societal changes are the result of mass protest movements: women's voting rights, the 40-hour work week, abolition of child labor, etc. They are the fruit of protest actions by women and laborers.
Republican House Majority Leader Eric Cantor labeled the Occupy Wall Street protesters as "mobs." They are citizens exercising their First Amendment rights to stage a peaceful protest against the greed of the fat cats of Wall Street, social and economic injustice and inequality, unemployment, losing their houses and a bleak future. They become a "mob" only when the police flex their muscle, as we have seen on the TV screen.
When the radical right tea-partiers protested at Washington in 2009, Eric Cantor loudly praised them for fighting for liberty. What a hypocrite he is. I wish he would keep his mouth shut, open his eyes and ears to see and listen to what the protesters say at Wall Street and hundred of cities across the country.
BOON T. LEE
Winston-Salem
Global communication
Everyone is talking about the tragedy of Steve Jobs and how he changed the face of global communication, movies and music. There is no question that Steve Jobs was a great man with a brilliant mind, but he didn't change my world. I've known no world without his products.
My first computer was a Mac; my current computer is a Mac. I used to download my music to my iPod; now I download to my iPhone, and I want an iPad for Christmas. So thank you, Steve Jobs, for all of my essential life tools.
What I want to know is this: Can I credit Steve Jobs for changing the global communication of adults toward teens?
"What are those things in your ears?" Um, duh.
"How does that iHome sound — as good as speakers with woofers and tweeters?" What does a woofer have to do with how I tweet?
"Will you just call me?" I'd rather text from my iPhone.
My parents and their friends have done a pretty good job of learning the technology created and introduced by Steve Jobs, but for my friends and I, well, it's just second nature. It makes me wonder what my kids will be saying when I'm my parents' age.
BESSIE ROSE WOLTZ
JUNIOR, R.J. REYNOLDS HIGH SCHOOL
Winston-Salem
No commission members
As a recently resigned former member of the Winston-Salem Human Relations Commission, I was disappointed that I could not find the name of even one current or recent commission member signed to the Equality Winston-Salem ad supporting "an open and inclusive Winston-Salem/Forsyth County" ("Pride Winston-Salem 2011," Oct. 9) in the Journal.
I suspect that, as was the case with me, no one asked commission members to participate. Unfortunately for us all, this failure only serves to underscore how insignificant, irrelevant and invisible the commission is to everyday Winston-Salemites. If true, why have a commission at all?
GUY M. BLYNN
Winston-Salem
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