Supporting Curran
Well, now. I, for one, would like to applaud Pattie Curran for taking her sons to see a difficult and provocative work of art about a difficult and provocative subject ("Opera patron unhappy with art," March 16). Why has that not been mentioned? Instead, people choose to castigate a woman who merely asked for information about what she (and her family) would be walking into when they entered the lobby.
"The Crucible" = vagina = reproductive rights = persecution: Are the offended letter writers aware that the initiators of the Salem mess were ... female? Back in the day, those ladies did OK with exercising their powers.
Piedmont Opera was being a bit disingenuous about not posting a notice. If Abigail and friends were dancing naked around a bonfire in the production, you can bet your puritan bonnet there would be a sign in the lobby saying there is "nudity in this production." Just as there are now signs about gun shots, smoke effects, strobe lights, disco balls and cigarette smoking. Why not a sign about the contents of an art exhibit?
I, for one, would be content to allow Curran to raise her children as she sees fit. And taking them to something like "The Crucible" (about which one is able to inform oneself in advance — as opposed to coming face to face with a vagina with no warning) is to be commended. She is actually supporting the arts — not just talking about it.
DONALD ILKO
Winston-Salem
Inclusive love
In our response to the inclusive love of Jesus Christ, we are required to stand for justice. Therefore, we join increasing numbers of people of faith across this state in morally opposing Amendment One. We are convinced Amendment One would cause great harm to hundreds of thousands of families in North Carolina.
Amendment One harms children by potentially threatening existing child custody and visitation rights designed for the child's best interests and by opening up the possibility that a child could be taken away from a committed, loving parent if something happens to the other parent.
Amendment One compromises protections for women in regard to domestic violence and stalking by its narrow definition of families and couples.
Amendment One interferes with protections for unmarried couples to visit one another in the hospital and make emergency medical decisions.
Amendment One potentially compromises the benefits of unmarried or widowed seniors.
Amendment One would be a rare instance of taking away rights by state constitution rather than granting them.
We urge a vote against Amendment One on May 8.
ANA TAMPANNA AND VICKI SCHWARTZ
CO-CHAIRS, PARKWAY UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST OPEN AND AFFIRMING COMMITTEE & MISSION COMMITTEE
Winston-Salem
Interpreting pledge law
A.L. "Buddy" Collins, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school-board member, has an interesting way of interpreting the law dealing with students reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in his letter "Reciting the pledge" (March 25).
State law says that schools "shall not compel any person to stand, salute the flag, or recite the Pledge of Allegiance."
But Collins says, "I do not believe the legislature would adopt a law allowing a child to be insolent and disrespectful to the pledge," equating sitting in silence with insolence and disrespect. He continues, "I believe the intent of this law merely requires pledge recitation, which has been our policy since 1994."
So the law says that students shall not be required to recite the pledge. Collins interprets that to mean that students shall be required to recite the pledge.
Why is this man on the school board?
BILLY C. MEADOWS
Winston-Salem
Teacher raises
The headline of a March 24 story was "Perdue: Teachers need raises." Well, I've got news for Gov. Bev Perdue. Most of us who will be stuck with the bill to pay for those raises haven't had one in four years, either. Maybe if the governor were more concerned about the common, non-public sector worker she'd be running for a second term.
BARTON L. TIFFANY
Winston-Salem
Sum It Up
The Sum It Up question from Sunday was: Do you think that Winston-Salem is open to all kinds of art?
Yes, to those of us with a large open perspective but not to those with a small narrow perspective!
FRANK SCISM
In a sense yes, but the conservatives might try to censor some things.
WILLIAM SAMS
#1....never quite understood why humans take offense to the sight of their own bodies.
ReplyDelete#2...On Wednesday, in separate statements, notable North Carolina Republicans Richard Vinroot, former mayor of Charlotte and Republican candidate for governor, and Robert Orr, former NC Supreme court justice, each expressed their opposition to Amendment One. They joined a growing list of high-profile conservatives speaking out against the constitutional amendment on the May 8, primary ballot, including leading conservative commentator John Hood, president and chairman of the John Locke Foundation, Tea Party Congresswoman Renee Ellmers, and noted Charlotte attorney and grandson of the North Carolina Constitution's principal drafter, Russell Robinson.
#3...Perhaps the pledge will make a comeback when we reach the stage with liberty and justice for ALL.
#4...Teachers are common people too and if Bev had the power, I am sure she would ask for all common people to get a raise, not just teachers, but you'll have to ask your employer for that. CEOs of major U.S. corporations averaged 263 times the average compensation of American workers. CEOs who cut jobs the most cashed in the greatest. In 2009, the CEOs who slashed their payrolls the deepest took home 42 percent more compensation than the year’s chief executive pay average for S&P 500. Bank of America gave its CEO a pay package worth $7.5 million last year, six times as large as the year before. It happened while the company's stock lost more than half its value and the bank lost its claim as the biggest in the country, while the common worker either got layed off or over-looked.
Bob is Cal Cunningham's group a good one to support in opposing amendment 1. I want to support some group. Because the amendment is purposefully worded to confuse, I want to make sure I'm supporting the correct side.
DeleteYes. I know Csl very well. He is a fraternity brother of mine, much younger of course. But he, Dave Pope (of nc Pope family fame), and about 80 other brothers were my biggest and best support group when I first became disabled in the mid-90's. Cal has a nice wikipedia write up.
DeleteGood afternoon folks!
ReplyDeleteLTE 1:"'The Crucible' = vagina = reproductive rights = persecution:" - The play was an allegory about the dangers of McCarthyism using the Salem witch trials as the backdrop. Art is provocative and can offend. Sometimes art is meant to be offensive to bring attention to a subject the artist finds offensive. As noted in an LTE yesterday, MS. Curran's offense may be as much towards the message as the content.
LTE 2: It is good to see churches coming out in opposition to the amendment.
LTE 3: "Why is this man on the school board?" - umm..because he was voted in? Besides that, there is a state law and a SCOTUS decision regarding the Pledge, so I really don't understand why there is a fuss over the subject. Just follow the law.
LTE 4: I've had a raise each year for the past 4 years while working in the private sector. Should I direct my thanks to Gov. Perdue? Unless you're under contract, you're free to quit and go work somewhere else at any time. Or perhaps, you might try working harder without complaining or blaming your misfortune on someone else.
Sum it up: Haven't seen nor have I conducted any poll on the subject, so I have no idea. As a city that bills itself as "The City of the Arts", one would certainly hope W-S is open to all types of art.
LTE#1: " . . . coming face to face with a vagina . . . " - - - Really ! ? ! ?
ReplyDeleteLTE#2: "Why is this man on the school board?" - - - I've asked the same question but I already know the answer.
LTE#3: If you can read this and other letters, THANK A TEACHER!
Sum It Up: Winston-Salem IS open to all kinds of art; it's residents aren't.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteLTE #1 - I've said all I want to about Pattie Curran except to make the general observation that parents who brainwash their children and use them to further their own particular ends are very, very sick people.
ReplyDeleteLTE #2 - This also applies to many of my "silent" real Republican friends who are baffled and disgusted by the lunatics who have seized their party. I keep urging them to speak up.
LTE #3 - Why is Buddy on the school board? So that he and the other fundamentalist control freaks can resegregate our schools (accomplished) and instill their right wing hogwash into every area of school life. What they want from the schools is an army of goose-stepping robots.
I know Buddy...he's a pompous little ass.
LTE #4 - If you haven't had a raise in 4 years, get another job. My employees get raises every year...that applies to most of the business owners that I know.
Sum It Up - Yes, no, maybe.