Skateboarding
On Feb. 15, I decided to take advantage of the weather and get a little exercise, so I jumped on my skateboard and headed downtown to get a cup of coffee. While downtown, I was almost hit by a few bicyclists in yellow spandex riding down the sidewalk. On Trade Street, a police officer informed me politely that "skateboarding was not allowed downtown." I apologized and walked home with my money unspent.
I'm 27 years old, pay my taxes and am a military veteran. I attend a local university where I make straight A's. I do not drink, do drugs or smoke. I am an upstanding responsible adult and citizen. This is why it disturbs me that I am not allowed to responsibly skateboard to get around downtown. If I were destroying property, putting people in danger or engaging in reckless behavior, I would understand why I would be asked to stop skateboarding. I was, however, being responsible.
The police officer was just doing his job by enforcing local ordinances. I do not blame him. I am, however, disappointed that I live in a city that would trust me to carry a concealed firearm, with the proper paperwork, but doesn't trust me when skateboarding. Because of this ordinance, I will no longer contribute to a downtown economy in a city that will not treat me like a responsible adult.
I hope in the future the city won't be prejudicial against people who ride on four wheels instead of two.
BRANDON HOLGERSEN
Winston Salem
Wake diversity
I applaud the decision of the administration at Wake Forest University to serve all students, regardless of their chosen faith, by continuing the contract of Imam Khalid Griggs as an assistant chaplain ("Imam says he's had warm reception at WFU," Feb. 13). As an institution of higher learning competing for students internationally, it's pragmatic and ideal to have chaplains on campus who can assist students in their religious journeys as they pursue the benefits of higher education.
There are approximately 1 billion Muslims worldwide, and Wake Forest has positioned its prestigious institution in a strategic beneficial position by having an imam available to serve the spiritual needs of these students. Congratulations, Wake Forest.
FLEMING A. EL-AMIN
Winston-Salem
A woman's right
Birth control and abortion are not the same thing. This is the way it works: If we have Planned Parenthood and birth control is available to all women, especially poor women, then we don't have unwanted pregnancies. If we don't have unwanted pregnancies, then we don't have abortion. Get it?
Now, all the politicians and religious leaders (mostly men) who oppose supporting Planned Parenthood and birth control need to get with the program, because the handwriting is on the wall. This is about every woman's right to make a decision on whether she wants to have a child or not. And that right should not be taken away from her. Get my point?
GLENDA SOUTHWORTH
Lewisville
Working for a solution
Whitney Houston is dead, and it is sad. The loss of life always is to those touched by it.
The fascination surrounding her struggles with addiction baffles me when you look at the inaction of our communities in helping those touched by addiction each day. If every person who posted to Facebook about her death or watched her funeral worked for a solution to addiction or the effects of it, this world would be a better place.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration says that one in 10 children live in a family with an alcoholic parent. With 24.4 percent of Forsyth County residents being under the age of 18, the statistic indicates that there are around 8,500 children affected by their parents drinking.
Shockingly, this statistic is only regarding alcoholic parents, it doesn't account for those children who have a sibling, grandparent or friend struggling. And it doesn't mention the number affected by prescription pills or illegal substances.
What are we as a community doing to help these children? What are we doing to affect change in the families we touch?
KATIE BOND FORD
Winston-Salem
Skateboarding:
ReplyDeleteRefreshing new topic. Young taxpayer wants equal access to city services (sidewalks). Maybe ordinance can to revisited like the noise ordinance was again made relevant.
Older taxpayers (the majority of voters) are bicycle familiar but may view skateboards as dangerous to pedestrians. The young people who grew up embracing this mode of transportation have a different view. It will be interesting to see if this letter has any affect on public policy.
Lte1...the city IS treating you like a responsible adult. There is an ordinance prohibiting skateboards. Follow it.
ReplyDeleteAlas, the other letters are back in the social issues arena. They must be easier to deal with than the fiscal danger this nation has in store for it. Wake Forest used to have a campus littered with Baptists. Now I sense they might be in shorter supply.
ReplyDeleteAbortion rights are the law of the land. Settled law they call it. Much more of this "settled law" and we may fly apart as a nation before the laws of economics take over. That will be unsettling.
It always seems to take a tragic death of a pop culture icon to focus attention on our most vulnerable. Let the body count pile up amongst these unknown people and we hardly notice. Our pop culture demands a mourning period after the loss of an icon. Our pop culture also allows us to go right back to where we were and "keep on keepin' on" whether it is drugs or some of the behavior frequently mentioned over the last few weeks.
LTE 1: The Winston Salem Journal, print and online, is a blessing or a curse depending on which side you're on for those that feel the need to vent. I'm with you, Wordly; the young skateboarder found a place to sound off but it would be more productive if he would take it to those who can do something about it. I would like to see if it does go that far. Although I don't skateboard, nor am I a cyclist, skateboarding is great exercise AND mode of transportation.
ReplyDeleteLTE#3: I sometimes wonder if those who complain the loudest of birth control and/or abortion have ever had the need for the services, or carried a child to full term, or even been UNABLE to carry a child to full term? Just know that the decision is ULTIMATELY the woman's, and ANY decision that a woman makes will be a responsible one for HER.
LTE#4: Let's wait to hear from the coronor's office on the cause of Whitney Houston's death in order to form a more informed opinion of it.
LTE #1.... I got my first skateboard in 1963.
ReplyDeleteLTE #2.... I recall when dancing was forbidden at Wake Forest.
LTE #3.... I just don't think the smallest state in the world at .2 square miles, with a population of roughly 800 non-permanent citizens, mostly unmarried men devoted to "celibacy," "guarded" by 170 unmarried young men from Switzerland dressed in Renaissance clothing, should be setting policy for womens' health issues in the United States.
LTE #4.... Rest in peace, Whitney.
When Wake Forest opened here it wasn't just dancing that was banned. Female students were not allowed to smoke in public. They could smoke in their dorms, but not out on the campus. Of course, male students could smoke wherever they liked.
DeleteGood afternoon folks!
ReplyDeleteLTE 1: I wasn't aware bikes were allowed on sidewalks downtown. Seems to me skateboards should be treated the same as bikes. I can fully understand not allowing either one on sidewalks. Btw...being an upstanding citizen does not mean you get a free pass to violate a law of your choosing.
LTE 2: Wake is no longer a school for Southern Baptists/Christians only. A diverse student body has diverse spiritual needs, so congratulations are in order for WF's recognition of that fact.
LTE 3: Some aren't going to be happy unless there's a law passed forbidding all sex unless married and for procreating only...and you had better not enjoy it!
LTE 4: How many examples of people dying after mixing pills and alcohol(not official yet, but any natural cause would have been revealed after the autopsy) before it sinks in that it's a very bad idea? Prescription pills are not to be taken lightly.
#3 - We call that the "Jesse Helms Law". Jesse spent his entire adult life worrying that somewhere somebody was having fun.
DeleteHe also worried that a team of gay interior decorators would slip inside his house and redecorate it :)
DeleteThere is a cross dresser from Iredell County who lives in Raleigh, Miss Lilly Rose Devries, that worked for Jesse Helms for many years. One can catch her everyday at Cup of Joe on Hillsborough St.
DeleteHas Devries written about that experience?
DeleteA couple of my friends have worked on capitol hill...they said that a lot of gay people worked in Helms' office. Go figure.
DeleteNot that I am aware of.
DeleteWell let's see. I had a friend that worked at Heritage USA. He said it was a Gay Mecca. Clay Aiken's mother was secretary of the Southern Baptist convention. He told me he got his start in signing as a child, entertaining at sponsored dinners and at private dinners with Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson.
DeleteDid Tammy Faye always have a gay following, or did it happen after PTL collapsed?
DeleteNo se dice.
DeleteAlways according to my inside information. They used to have make up parties.
Deletesigning should be singing for Clay.
DeleteCity Ordnance - Bicycles
ReplyDeleteSec. 42-286. - Right-of-way of pedestrians; riding on sidewalk.
(a) Whenever any person is riding a bicycle upon a sidewalk, such person shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and shall give audible signal before overtaking and passing such pedestrian.
(b) It shall be unlawful for any person to ride a bicycle upon a sidewalk in the following locations or on the following streets;
(1) Central business district.
(2) Sunset Drive from First Street to Glade Street.
(3) Liberty Street from 14th Street to 17th Street.
(Code 1975, § 13-143)
I guess that since the bike cops sometimes ride on the sidewalk downtown, others think that it is OK for them too.
When asked what she was giving up for Lent, Callista Gingrich replied: "I'm giving up my opinion."
ReplyDeleteDoesn't that speak volumes!!!!
What speaks even more loudly is that she doesn't own an opinion to give up for Lent.
ReplyDeleteShe sold her opinion, and her soul, for a luxury cruise and a big old diamond. That is what is really disgusting.
Of all the clowns we've seen in the GOP circus, Newt is the biggest clown of them all.