Winston-Salem Journal LTE's SA 12/31/11

A Christmas present

What a Christmas present the story "Gingrich ineligible in Va. Primary" (Dec. 25) was. Both Newt Gingrich and Texas Gov. Rick Perry failed to submit the required signatures to appear on the March 6 primary ballot. And Gingrich, of course, places the blame on someone, anyone, besides himself or his own incompetent staff, stating that "only a failed system" would disqualify Gingrich and other candidates and vowing to run a write-in campaign (which is not legal in that state).

The party of personal responsibility has fallen so far. If something doesn't go their candidates' way, it's the fault of the system or the president or Sarah Palin's favorite scapegoat, "the media," or anyone but themselves. If "the media" were as biased as conservative politicians claim, and they're as smart as they make themselves out to be, you'd think one or two of them would have figured out how to handle it by now. Instead, they make excuses.

I honestly feel sorry for the Republicans this time around. At least Sen. John McCain had (at one time) some guts and convictions. This latest collection of clowns is definitely the "B" team.

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GREG R. MELTON

Winston-Salem

A little clarification

In regard to John Hood's Dec. 24 column, "Liberals chew their CUDS," I still need a little more clarification as to what constitutes free speech. When a representative of the auto, steel or dairy industry walks into a representative or senator's office, chats with him or her, then just before leaving slides an envelope full of hundred-dollar bills across the table, saying, "I hope you will consider my requests," is that free speech or bribery? Wait, I think I know the answer: It's lobbying.

Hood is right; we liberals just cannot grasp the difference. I'm sorry for being so dense; let's walk through this one again.

When corporations channel millions of dollars into a candidate's campaign, those fine, objective CEOs and stockholders are simply funding, out of the goodness of their hearts, an open and free election. No favoritism toward their positions is expected, right? Cargill Inc. and General Electric are just the same as, well, me, though my check is $999,950 less than those of the corporations. I will get the same treatment as, say, GE CEO Jeff Immelt, right? Sorry to misunderstand. Liberal mistake.

Bribery — I mean, lobbying by special interests and unlimited corporate financing of political campaigns, these are just different forms of free speech, right?

Look up there. Is that a pig flying?

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GARY BOLICK

Clemmons

Winston-Salem Journal LTE's FR 12/30/11

'It's a Wonderful Life'

Due to the dedication and hard work of many people, downtown Winston-Salem has re-established itself as a destination. Many of our vacant storefronts have been renovated by enterprising small-business owners. Our goal is to have every storefront space occupied and thriving; however, as we tackle this challenge one building at a time, various downtown groups have used the vacant glass storefronts as "canvases" for artistic expression.

This year, Piedmont Federal Savings Bank brightened up our downtown sidewalks during the holiday season with its extraordinary storefront window displays that have brought joy to the faces of our downtown visitors and local residents. The displays were one element of the season's "It's a Wonderful Life" campaign. This broad effort also showcased four standing-room-only free screenings of the classic movie, "It's a Wonderful Life," at Aperture Cinema.

I encourage those who haven't already to come downtown and see these remarkable displays before they are removed Tuesday.

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JASON THIEL

PRESIDENT

DOWNTOWN WINSTON-SALEM PARTNERSHIP, INC.

Winston-Salem

Rumination

I am ruminating on why I read the offensive stuff the Journal puts on its opinion pages. In your Dec. 24 Scorecard, "Occupied, McCrory and Christmas," you quote J.E. Woltz characterizing Occupiers as "fools and idiots." One wonders if he extends those invectives to everyone who disagrees with him.

Then you give columnist John Hood the space to label liberals as "ruminants" and "herd animals" who "lack the ability to digest their food the way we do." As a ruminant liberal myself, I visualize Hood in a nice wool sweater, eating a hamburger, without realizing that he is enjoying the products of ruminants who can digest grass — which he lacks the ability to do.

The editors often give us well-considered opinions from all sides of public issues for us to "chew our cud" over. Name-calling is indigestible.

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ROBERT E. MERRITT

Winston-Salem

Sum It Up

The Sum It Up question from Sunday was: Will 2012 be better than 2011?

* * * * *

2012 will be a good year if more people will keep a positive attitude and not be influenced by the negative attitudes of some people.

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ELIZABETH R. ERVIN

* * * * *

The economy is showing some signs of life; unemployment is down, existing house sales are up and consumers show more confidence in the holiday season. The recovery will be further boosted if the Congress would pass the other portions of President Obama's American Jobs bill. However, I will not hold my breath on it. I believe the tea partiers will not take the recent humiliation lightly and will show their true colors again and again. There will be gridlock as usual in Congress.

2012 is an election year, politics will turn nastier and uglier and voters are likely to see more theatrics and more "oops" moments on the campaign trail.

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BOON T. LEE

Winston-Salem Journal LTE's TH 12/29/11

Corporate personhood

I have two reasons for responding to the Dec. 24 John Hood column "Liberals chew their CUDS."

First, like almost every pundit these days, whether right or left, Hood immediately abandons any notion of respect and civility. The author feels compelled to denigrate those of opposing viewpoints with satiric name-calling and sweeping insults. In this case, all liberals are likened to "Cattle, sheep and other herd animals," and ultimately described as "dimwitted, daffy" and "dangerous." He thus contributes to today's unproductive public discourse that hampers enlightened discussion on virtually every social policy matter.

The second reason I have written is that I am one who does not share his view that "courts have properly viewed corporations as fictitious persons." I realize that longstanding and firmly entrenched legislation and resulting jurisprudence have granted the legal status of "personhood" on corporations. Fundamentally, I take issue with his assumption that this was ever necessarily a "proper" action. Instead, I believe that granting corporations the rights of persons is one of several flaws in our clearly less-than-perfect system of economic structures and institutions. That flaw is compounded by the Supreme Court's decision in the Citizens United case.

In lieu of a detailed description of my own philosophy, I will simply recommend — to anyone interested in understanding why many thoughtful people oppose corporate "personhood" — that readers secure and review a copy of the 2004 documentary "The Corporation."

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DAVID McNAUGHT

Winston-Salem

Chewing cud

I must admit that I've never heard the argument presented by John Hood in his Dec. 24 column, "Liberals chew their CUDS." He essentially states that individuals don't give up their rights when they unite in corporations and that corporations certainly have the right to express their corporate opinions on political matters. That's something that we on the left (I do have to object to that whole "ruminants" bit, but let's put that aside for now) don't hear.

But I still don't think that can be the last word in the matter. Right now corporations pour millions of dollars into political campaigns, and it's hard to deny that the result is detrimental to our society. Politicians today are beholden to corporate interests rather than to the citizens they are supposed to represent. Just look at their battle to keep the EPA from regulating mercury out of our air supply. It's ridiculous to think that Americans should suffer and die while corporations are given the right to pollute our air and water. But that's just what they're buying with their campaign donations.

This is a complex issue and calls for more than a superficial solution. We also have to ask whether money really equals speech and why. Perhaps there's more to it than Hood realizes, too, and he's chewing some "cud" of his own.

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PAUL W. EVERHARDT

Winston-Salem

Winston-Salem Journal LTE's WE 12/28/11

Commission on family relations

Much of our success as a nation has been based on family teachings and protections. Because of serious declines in family relations, I am proposing a federal Commission on Family Relations to help define, clarify and implement equal rights for women and to help advocate for better care of children and young adults and for improved marriages, morality, civility and other areas. It must be a small organization staffed by highly qualified, experienced, dedicated individuals.

Not only do many women often have full workloads at home and on the job, they also must have time to look for jobs. As a result, much of their home responsibility may be constrained, imposing serious difficulty on family relations. Strong families are decreasing, and unprepared children, crime and other undesired consequences are rampant. This hardly provides the long-sought equal rights for women. More must be done.

The commission would require and oversee studies of selected families and make recommendations for improvements, when needed, particularly in areas of children and young adults. Most mothers with ample time and freedom will naturally teach their children to be healthy, productive and respectful citizens. Accordingly, some of the billions spent on education could be redirected, in a highly controlled manner, to caring and able mothers who desire to stay home with their families. While improving the well-being of our young, this could significantly reduce our overall national expenditure.

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WEBSTER B. BAKER

Winston-Salem

Perspective

It took a while, but now I understand the conservative perspective:

No marriage for gays; unlimited marriages for Newt.

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MARK B. HOWARD

Winston-Salem

Good deeds

I read with sadness the Dec. 22 column by Cal Thomas, "Death of an atheist," in which he says that his belief in God is grounded in fear and a leap of faith and that the only reason we should do good deeds is because one needs a "source" to inspire charity. These are some of the exact arguments by Christopher Hitchens for why "religion poisons everything" and why he was an atheist.

Why does there have to be a "who" that gave it, when someone is gifted? Then there had to have been a "who" that gave a child a deadly disease at the age of 2. God? How does a religious person "know God"? They certainly have not been properly introduced, just as no life on earth has. Belief is not proof.

Yes, we must live this life as if this is all there is. Good deeds come from within one's true self. People do them because they enrich life on earth, not because one must get to a better afterlife.

To credit religion for all the good that is done on earth must be followed by giving credit to religion for all the death, destruction, disease and sadness on earth. This is not the image I want to have of an almighty "God."

I am grateful this Christmas season for writers like Christopher Hitchens who can tease out truth from fiction. Religious beliefs are just that, belief — ungrounded in anything real on this earth.

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LESLIE LUNDQUIST

Winston-Salem

Can't force patriotism

I enjoyed the hysterical answers to your Dec. 22 Sum It Up question, "Do you think public-school students should be able to opt out of saying the Pledge of Allegiance even if their families have no religious objections to it?" As one of your respondents pointed out, there's really no choice; it's against federal and state law to force or coerce students into reciting the pledge, whatever their objection. And so it should be. You can't force patriotism; you can only force reluctant compliance.

Another respondent suggested that students should be required to say the pledge, adding, "Do we want robots or do we want adults with convictions and strong beliefs?" One wonders if it's reciting the pledge that has led her to such an obvious lapse in logic, thinking that being forced to do something turns one into an adult with convictions and strong beliefs, while being left to the dictates of conscience turns one into a robot. In language she may understand, "That does not compute."

Others suffer this same dissonant confusion, thinking that liberalism is compatible with fascism. It is quite the other way around: Requiring one to perform recitations (brainwashing?), even in the name of patriotism, is the practice of fascists.

If we want children to love America, let's give them more than platitudes. Let's give them a nation with policies, practices and discourse worthy of admiration.

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PHIL RONALD TURNER

Winston-Salem

Winston-Salem Journal LTE's TU 12/27/11

Violated for life

From 1929 to 1974, the state forced approximately 7,600 citizens to undergo sterilization. Roughly 40 percent were non-white (a far larger percentage than the non-white share of the population) and about 85 percent were women, according to The New York Times. North Carolina was, apparently, one of 32 states with such programs and, while these efforts may have been originally well intentioned forays into social engineering, the program was wrong in 1929 when it began, wrong in 1974 when it was ended and is wrong today.

By any 20th-century moral standard, forced sterilization is a violation of a citizen's human rights, and by any democratic standard should be considered a violation of a citizen's civil rights. Also, since sterilization is not reversible, the victims' rights have been violated for life.

While the state has officially apologized, to date these victims have not received compensation. Gov. Bev Perdue, commendably, has appointed a task force that will recommend fair compensation in the coming months. We should all support the work of the group and encourage our government to very substantially and fairly compensate all living victims of this misguided program. It is the least we can do, despite our state's ongoing budget problems.

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KENNETH R. OSTBERG

Winston-Salem

Changing the ordinance

The Winston-Salem City Council had no right on Dec. 19 to suddenly try to change the current city ordinance governing free speech and public assembly on the City Hall grounds without notifying the public and allowing public input. This was a blatant attempt to shut down an Occupy Winston-Salem meeting.

Occupy Winston-Salem was totally within the law and current ordinances to hold a public meeting on City Hall grounds and was not impeding traffic, blocking sidewalks, littering or causing trouble to anyone. Whatever one's views, one should be allowed to express them without fear or intimidation.

This city is not just "too buttoned-down for protests" as suggested by columnist Scott Sexton ("Change eyed in assembly rule," Dec. 20): I suggest that it's held captive by the 1 percent. In my opinion, if the bank across the street from City Hall had held a meeting on the City Hall grounds, the city council would have canceled its meeting and rushed out to embrace them all, with cameras whirring.

I am saddened and alarmed by the character beginning to be shown by this city.

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DIANNE P. HOBBS

Winston-Salem

On the other hand

What if President Obama has done everything right?

His vilified health-care-reform law, which historically navigated every Republican bottleneck, actually terminated refusal of coverage for pre-existent conditions. Do repeal-minded Republicans really want to regress to that? Dear Republicans did not recoil from government-mandated car insurance, although that promoted the general welfare, or socialism.

Obama's Wall Street overhaul actually stopped evils that expedited the recession. His two-state Israel/Palestinian proposal actually would alleviate that tragic impasse. His jobs bill would have created myriad jobs as a consequence of massive road, bridge and school repair. His Libyan policy protected a large percentage of civilians.

He is bringing our overextended troops home from Iraq this year .

Then consider what restrained Obama did not do, like take away the right of every Tennessee teenager to an automatic assault rifle (in case a communist hides under the bed).

Obama has above all shown he can handle the complicated presidency — rationally, humanely — when many Southerners thought a black man incapable of such.

Last summer, columnist Cal Thomas concluded the solution to national crisis was to vote Republican, forgetting the country tried that in 2010. And what did it beget? Rep. Paul Ryan, Rep. Eric Cantor and a "job-creating" N.C. General Assembly crusading against education.

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CYCLONE COVEY

Winston-Salem

Makes sense

How interesting! A bipartisan group of House representatives just rejected an amendment to the Stop Online Piracy Act that would have affected pornography. As the Associated Press explained it, "By enforcing the intellectual property rights of porn producers, [Rep. Steve] King's office argued, the [Department of Justice] would be able to take down many websites that post porn illegally."

In other words, supporting legitimate pornography will halt illegal pornography and keep it from proliferating. As a result, there will be less pornography on the Internet.

I know it sounds funny, but it actually makes sense. It made sense to most of the conservatives on the House Judiciary Committee.

This same reasoning would also make sense when applied to Planned Parenthood: Defending and funding the organization prevents more abortions than it provides by allowing women to access information, health services and birth control.

Too bad conservatives don't know how to extrapolate.

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LINDA PATRICK

Winston-Salem

Winston-Salem Journal LTE's MO 12/26/11

Doctors' salaries

I was astounded to learn the expected starting salary for a cardiologist in Raleigh is $350,000 ("Cardiology practices in keen competition," Dec. 19)! Just what do they do to earn all that money? Do they really bring that much benefit to the citizens of North Carolina?

I studied general practice for five years after medical school, then moved to Hayesville in 1976. My earnings that first year might have reached $10,000, and I was happy to get that much. I delivered babies, examined the deceased for the N.C. medical examiner and took good care of everyone in between. Night calls and house calls were routine. Now after 40 years of practice, I am grateful to make about $100,000 for a year's work. Of course, a lot of that goes to taxes. Despite this "low" salary, I have managed to get the mortgage paid off, support three children through college and stay out of debt. I drive a used car, take relatively inexpensive vacations, and enjoy life in general. What would I do with $350,000 a year? Give most of it away, I believe.

So I can sympathize with the administrators of Medicare and Medicaid when they want to cut doctors' salaries. The reimbursement for specialists has gotten way too inflated, as far as this old practitioner can surmise.

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DR. JAMES S. CAMPBELL

Pfafftown

Extreme conservatism

Since President Richard Nixon's administration, the Republican Party has been shifting to the right. Unhinged extremists push it even further right.

President Lyndon B. Johnson's housing and voting-rights legislation enraged segregationists, enabling Nixon to "flip" blue-dog Democrats into red-dog Republicans. The party's center is no longer the Midwest, it's the Southeast. South Carolina, not Iowa or New Hampshire, now predicts the Republican presidential nominee.

Prior to Nixon's era, Republican leadership was typically reserved, informed and responsible. Moderate social conservatives were the party's main constituents. An informed conservative advocate of yesteryear was William F. Buckley. Today, it's a pompous buffoon, Rush Limbaugh. Moderate Republicans, once pillars of the party in Congress, are now virtually extinct.

From President Franklin D. Roosevelt's time, conservatives have opposed "socialism." They still do, but willingly accept "socialist" program benefits. Corporate lobbyists influence congressmen to approve expensive military legislation. Conservative mega-corporations such as GE and Halliburton compete with social programs for our tax dollars and are more successful.

World War II-belligerent countries have maintained peace among themselves. We, however, have waged five major wars, annihilating and maiming millions of people. Have these military solutions made us safer from "those who want to kill us"?

Extreme conservatism is a social disaster. It's anti-black, anti-Muslim, anti-European, anti-gay, anti-indigents, anti-unionist and anti-migrant. Its social vitriol is un-American.

Neoconservatives advised war with militant Islamists. It was tried and found wanting. Militant extremists worldwide are a scourge on humanity for consistently choosing military solutions over peace initiatives. Paranoid militants sustain perpetual war.

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JOSEPH J. CUTRI

Winston-Salem

A selfless and serving leader

I have lived and worked in and around Winston-Salem for the past 31 years. I do health care. And I have worked with and very carefully observed many health-care leaders around the Triad during these three decades. I read with great interest your Dec. 17 front-page article about Donny Lambeth ("Baptist chief steps down").

Donny is a thoughtful, effective, grounded and humble leader. A selfless servant. A fine man. It is a rare individual who would willingly work hard all day and then spend 17 years after hours leading any school board — much less one as large and as complex as that of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools.

After many years of successfully managing the complexities of health-care delivery and ably leading in many important roles at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Donny was well prepared and ready for new challenges. True to his willingness to serve where most needed, Donny has focused his professional energies and best efforts on enhancing the health care being delivered in smaller regional hospitals outside of Forsyth County.

Donny Lambeth is a health-care hero. Those reading should realize that the high-quality health care that we all enjoy (and too often take for granted) locally only comes from years of devoted and intentional service by the likes of Donny Lambeth. And for that, my family and I are particularly grateful.

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DR. T.J. PULLIAM

Lewisville

Winston-Salem Journal LTE's SU 12/25/11

Dan's defense

Folks can relax: City Hall will remain public property, and no one is proposing otherwise — certainly not me.

I'm writing to clear up a misunderstanding about my proposed temporary clarifications to city rules about meetings and protests on city property.

First, the proposed rule about City Hall property is just the legal language equivalent of a "keep off the grass" sign.

It would mean only that "open-air public meetings" and pickets on City Hall grounds had to stay on the paved steps, walkways and sidewalks. The landscaped parts of the small City Hall grounds are ornamental and not designed to accommodate heavy use. There's not even a rail between the small grassed area and a long drop to the sidewalk.

The other proposal would limit the hours for outdoor meetings on city property to between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. (Sidewalk pickets and vigils could continue to go all night.)

Finally, both of those limitations would expire March 27 unless renewed or modified further by the city council.

This proposal is intended to head off further confusion and confrontations while the city council addresses these issues on a long-term basis with full public review and input.

We all value and respect public debate and our American rights of free speech and assembly. Clear and reasonable rules about "time, place and manner" for protest activities on public property help protect public safety in the process.

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DAN BESSE

Winston-Salem

Differences

Rudeness is a human characteristic shared by conservatives and liberals alike. So are kindness and generosity — no one has a patent on those qualities. Nevertheless, I see differences between conservatives and liberals that I think are more important.

One of the main differences is that, when exposed to new knowledge or hard truths, liberals try to understand and assimilate them. Conservatives, on the other hand, tend to get upset that someone is telling them something they don't want to hear and claim that the person telling them "thinks he's smarter than me." Well, maybe he is — but that possibility isn't important to them. They're conservative — they've already made up their minds — and they resent being challenged.

Another difference is that liberals believe in equality — they think all people should have the same rights. Conservatives tend to see a threat in other people having the rights they have and fight to prevent it.

And while liberals are quite willing to accept the fact that other people are different, and would like to associate with smart conservatives, conservatives tend to think that everyone should be like they are and are upset that they're not.

Jesus, as portrayed in the Gospels, was a classic liberal, and I'm baffled that conservatives honor him at all. He's nothing like them.

Of course, there are exceptions. And I'd be glad to be proved wrong.

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WILLIAM B. PERRY

Winston-Salem

Most interesting

Listening to the fray going on in the Republican Party primary, I find the discussion about Newt Gingrich's business dealings with Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac most interesting.

My thoughts go in a different direction from that of others. I don't question his right to make this money, though it gives me heartburn. What I find most interesting is that these government agencies have so much money to waste on getting outside advice. Then, when you consider that the leaders of these agencies supposedly were doing such a great job that they deserved $13 million in bonuses, just why did these brilliant people need help from anyone, much less "a right-wing nut" like Gingrich? Something is just wrong here.

It makes as much sense as the state of North Carolina planting flowers to beautify .01 percent of the state highways when it can't afford to mow the grass that makes the other 99.99 percent of the highways look so bad.

Skip the flowers and mow the grass.

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TONY GAGLIARDI

East Bend

Christmastime

Merry Christmas, everybody! As I arrange my nativity, that awesome feeling of "It's Christmas!" fills my soul.

It has been a long year of surgeries and sickness, but I am still here. I was blessed with my caretakers on Forsyth Hospital's second floor. There is always going to be illness, death, hate, tragedy and the wrath of nature, but we all pull together for each other. 2 Corinthians 4:17 states that our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

The Holy Spirit spills out extra at Christmastime because He wants us to share, give, love, feed, comfort, forgive; anything that makes us give of ourselves to others.

I can't get around so well anymore, but my granddaughter and I can string popcorn and make ornaments, and we decorated gingerbread cookies.

Take a minute to feel blessed and loved; you are worth it. So live life fully, love joyfully, sing just because, laugh out loud and dance daily.

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

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TERI WILSON MABE

Walkertown

Sum It Up

Will 2012 be better than 2011? 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

Differing with Dan

It's amazing that our city government is attempting to shut down peaceful protests on citizen-owned property by imposing absurd rules such as that protestors cannot "recline." If that weren't confusing enough, I read about Winston-Salem City Councilman Dan Besse's attempt to rationalize these absurdities by claiming a "quasi-fascist group" may suddenly show up and create a "screaming argument" ("Change eyed in assembly rule," Dec. 20).

Dan is usually one of my favorite councilmen, but on this issue, I think he must have missed his daily long run and didn't have time to process his thoughts before speaking.

People can disagree without being labeled as quasi-fascist, screaming extremists. As far as I can tell, the Occupy protestors are pretty normal folks who feel like exercising their civil liberties.

Using inflammatory language like "fascism" is uncalled for. The only thing at risk here is the grass on City Hall lawn, and I think that can go.

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JESSICA HARRIS TELLIGMAN

Winston-Salem

Kitty Kat's Corner SA 12/24/11

The Politically Correct Twelve Days of Christmas

On the 12th day of the Eurocentrically imposed midwinter festival, my potential-acquaintance-soul-mate gave to me, TWELVE males reclaiming their inner warrior through ritual drumming. ELEVEN pipers piping (plus the 18-member pit orchestra made up of members in good standing of the Musicians Equity Union as called for in their union contract even though they will not be asked to play a note...) TEN melanin-deprived testosterone-poisoned scions of the patriarchal ruling class system leaping, NINE persons engaged in rhythmic self-expression, EIGHT economically disadvantaged female persons stealing milk-products from enslaved Bovine-Americans, SEVEN endangered swans swimming on federally protected wetlands, SIX enslaved fowl-Americans producing stolen nonhuman animal products, FIVE golden symbols of culturally sanctioned enforced domestic incarceration, (NOTE: after member of the Animal Liberation Front threatened to throw red paint at my computer, the calling birds, French hens and partridge have been reintroduced to their native habitat. To avoid further animal-American enslavement, the remaining gift package has been revised.) FOUR hours of recorded whale songs, THREE deconstructionist poets, TWO Sierra Club calendars printed on recycled processed tree carcasses, And a Spotted Owl activist chained to an old-growth pear tree.

Winston-Salem Journal LTE's SA 12/24/11

Purposes of defense

In response to the Dec. 11 letter "Reconsider," I suspect the reason there are more concealed-weapon holders in dangerous neighborhoods is for purposes of defense, not offense.

I have a concealed-carry permit. In my class of roughly 40 people, the majority were women. Only one was younger than 30, part of a mother-daughter team. One lady was wheelchair-bound. Another lady used a walker.

There was a real-estate agent, a pharmacist and a lawyer who was concerned about reprisal. Most would be considered easy targets of opportunity by muggers, rapists, etc.

Testosterone cowboys are not going to spend two days training and take a written exam, a proficiency exam at a firing range and go through multiple criminal-background checks. They are just going to carry where they want without a permit. Concealed-carry holders brandish their weapons only if threatened with mortal injury or severe bodily harm. To do otherwise risks criminal charges and/or civil suits.

Use of a weapon is typically at a range of less than 12 feet. At a greater distance, the citizen should seek other options. I carry Blazer rounds, typical of what air marshals use. They disintegrate on impact, minimizing over-penetration of walls.

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MICHAEL MYERS

Advance

Attention

An unintended consequence of the decision by Lowe's to pull advertising from the TV show "All-American Muslim" is that it has only managed to focus attention on a little-known show that few people were aware of ("Lowe's taking heat for pulling commercials," Dec. 15). Now it has piqued curiosity about the show. Take that, Florida Family Association!

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JUDY DONAGHY

Winston-Salem

Banning distractions

I'm all for the concept of improving safety on the highways. However, I don't believe we can legislate highway safety by banning texting, cellphone usage or other forms of driver distraction. Perhaps someday our technology will provide vehicles that drive automatically, without need for human intervention. Until that day comes, I'm afraid we will always be sharing our roadways with those who divide their attention between actually driving and a variety of other activities not suitable for a driver.

Certain people just don't have the attention span to be safe drivers. Take away their phones and other electronic toys, and they will simply find other ways to be distracted — combing hair, applying makeup, eating, reading books or newspapers and other bad ideas. To some, even having a passenger is an excuse for not watching the road. They can't have a conversation without looking directly at each other rather than at the road ahead.

Some of the above examples may seem a bit extreme, but they point to the absolute futility of trying to legislate (and enforce) total safety. Driving an automobile is an inherently dangerous task that demands full attention. No matter how many rules are enacted, drivers will be no safer until we can cause each individual to recognize the potential dangers.

Those of us who have survived auto accidents have learned this the hard way; many of those who haven't do not realize the possible consequences of inattention when they drive.

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C.W. MILLER

Winston-Salem

A metaphorical miracle

Of course, Gov. Bev Perdue had to veto a repeal of the Racial Justice Act. The law is obviously flawed when it allows white killers to appeal their sentences. But Perdue must do what is in the DNA of all Democratic politicians; constantly pander to the black vote.

Hand it to the Democrats. They have achieved a metaphorical miracle. Decades ago, racism was seen as an obstacle, a mountain blacks had to surmount to attain equal status as citizens. Brave Americans such as the Tuskegee Airmen and other black servicemen came home to uncertain futures, while segregationist Democrats fought to keep them in their place.

Modern Democrats have magically transformed racism from obstacle to shield. All behaviors by blacks are forgiven by Democrats under the guise of the racism shield. Rep. Anthony Wiener had to resign from Congress, but not Rep. Charlie Rangel. Attorney General Eric Holder can let Mexican drug lords obtain weapons and not lose his job. Democrats lost their minds over waterboarding, yet President Barack Obama can drop smart bombs on suspected terrorists with impunity.

The shield is so effective that gullible blacks will still vote for Obama, even as black unemployment skyrockets. Alas, an idiom for idiots: Cut off your nose to spite your face.

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HARRY R. COOKE

Winston-Salem