Require voter ID
As a citizen and longtime voter in America, I am outraged that there are groups and individuals who are going to the ends of the earth to stop voter-ID laws. Even the federal government is trying to stop states from making sure that illegal immigrants, dead people or people who want to vote more than once aren't stealing votes for their cause.
The only reason anyone would object to a fair and legal vote, and I mean the only reason, is to impose their will by any means necessary. People of any party in this country should be outraged by this. It doesn't take but one illegal vote to technically change an election.
If my party told me I was too sorry or too stupid to get a photo ID made, I believe I would tell my party where to go. Many people have given their very lives for the precious right to vote. To cheapen it to let anyone coming from who knows where to illegally take or cancel a legitimate vote should make our blood boil.
Where there are cases of people who can't get out and get an ID, they should contact their local party heads, family, church groups, etc. I'm sure there would be more than enough people willing to help. Most states, I'm sure, will even help with a free ID.
I wonder how many elections or causes have already been stolen in the past.
WILLIAM VANCE NICHOLS
Purlear
Moral marriage
In reference to the April 2 guest column, "Writing discrimination into our constitution," the marriage amendment is not about discrimination, it's about morals. Has the writer of the column (being a man of the cloth) not read that God's Word, the Bible, says that homosexuality is an abomination and that marriage is between one man and one woman (Genesis 2:24)?
The writer is right on one point: North Carolina state law already prohibits same-sex marriage. He is wrong on the other point: that the proposed amendment is pointless and ill-advised. With a constitutional amendment to further explain and cement the law, liberal judges who have in the past legislated their own opinions (or bowed to the pressures of certain groups) instead of interpreting the law will not be able to do so easily in this matter.
Not knowing this writer's heart, I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, but it seems to me I can call him as is written in Matthew 7:15: "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."
"Ye shall know them by their fruits," Matthew 7:16. I see no fruit in this column.
REID JOYCE
Winston-Salem
Christianity and gays
I must admit to being totally perplexed and appalled by the March 29 article from The Associated Press, "Baptists see N.C. in a key role." Richard Land of the Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission urged his audience to vote for Amendment One to join other Southern states in banning same-sex marriage.
I thought Christians were supposed to "do unto others" and "love thy neighbor;" so where is the Christianity in urging that bias and discrimination be put into North Carolina's constitution? Where is Christianity in urging that we make singles the next minority to be discriminated against? Where is the Christianity in not allowing adopted children to have two parents like other children? Where is the Christianity in limiting "legal unions," which will limit an abused partner's right to protection? Where is the Christianity, or any moral religious belief's sense of values, in denying the union of couples or families based on love?
How much more Christian, ethical or moral would it be to vote against Amendment One, against discrimination, prejudice and bias? We should rather stand up against the other bigoted states and declare that North Carolina will have no part in such immoral and unethical contamination of our constitution. I certainly will have no part in depriving my fellow North Carolinians of fairness. I will have no part in further tainting of the N.C. constitution. I will vote against Amendment One, and I hope that everyone else will, too.
MOLLY LEIGHT
SOUTH WARD CITY COUNCIL MEMBER
Winston-Salem
Coerced allegiance
So A.L. "Buddy" Collins wants to coerce our students into reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, does he ("Reciting the pledge," March 25)? Well, I went to military school back in the 1950s, where we students had to recite the pledge twice a week at assembly. My best friend and I objected to this forced recital, especially when "under God" was added in 1954.
I was 10 years old at the time, and in those years a young student had no rights — you did what you were told or bent over for the paddle. But the human will is strong, and as young minds should and must do, we decided to create our own secret words to this recitation. The tyrants could force us to stand and salute, but they could not make us say what we did not want to say.
Our version of the pledge changed over the years, but by graduation it went something like this:
"I fudge allegiance to the flak of the untied stays of a meerkat, and to the public sore witches hands, one nation wonder dog, invisible, with libertine injustice for all."
Our words were indistinguishable in the crowd of student voices. We recited our pledge for eight years, never got caught, and learned that freedom is founded in personal privacy concealed by apparent conformity.
So good luck with Collins' version of coercion. I'm sure some of today's gifted students already have their custom "pledges" ready for his rote recitation.
JAMES STEWART CAMPBELL
Pfafftown
Motsinger is dedicated
I'm writing about Elisabeth Motsinger, who is running for U.S. House of Representatives, 5th District, on the Democratic ticket.
For many years Elisabeth has served on the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education. Her dedication to this trust is a primary driving force in her life.
As a physician's assistant, she has taken care of me for the last 15 years or so, since my move to North Carolina. Her care and concern have been the main reason that I, at 74, am doing so well health-wise.
Elisabeth believes strongly that those elected to the government must work wholeheartedly to foster what is right and not just let political higher-ups say what we should think.
Elisabeth is an intelligent, strong, compassionate woman and would make an excellent representative for the 5th District.
JANET S. CUMMINS
Winston-Salem
Finish the Thought
Briefly complete the sentence below and send it to us at letters@wsjournal.com. We'll print some of the results in a few days. Only signed entries, please, no anonymous ones.
"A race between Mitt Romney and President Obama would come down to …"
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteLTE #2... Reid Joyce: "Not knowing this writer's heart, I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, but it seems to me I can call him...." you quote Matthew, chapter 7, twice, but leave out the very first verse: 1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
ReplyDelete"the marriage amendment is not about discrimination, it's about morals." What about Gluttony and Greed, two of the seven deadly sins? Surely, they too are immoral. Perhaps a weigh in could be required for a marriage license and financial statement.
Speaking of Genesis, ever wondered what the bible says about getting your dad drunk and raping him? Genesis 19:30-38 NIV
ReplyDelete30 Lot and his two daughters left Zoar and settled in the mountains, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar. He and his two daughters lived in a cave. 31 One day the older daughter said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man around here to give us children—as is the custom all over the earth. 32 Let’s get our father to drink wine and then sleep with him and preserve our family line through our father.”
33 That night they got their father to drink wine, and the older daughter went in and slept with him. He was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up.
34 The next day the older daughter said to the younger, “Last night I slept with my father. Let’s get him to drink wine again tonight, and you go in and sleep with him so we can preserve our family line through our father.” 35 So they got their father to drink wine that night also, and the younger daughter went in and slept with him. Again he was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up.
36 So both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father. 37 The older daughter had a son, and she named him Moab[a]; he is the father of the Moabites of today. 38 The younger daughter also had a son, and she named him Ben-Ammi[b]; he is the father of the Ammonites[c] of today.
And according to Rabbi Stephen Strauss-Cohn, Jewish genealogical records indicate Mary descended from one of those two unions. I don't remember which but I attended a lecture series he gave at Temple Emmanuel a couple of years ago.
ReplyDeleteSince Mary is supposedly descended from David, and David from Ruth, a Moabite, the genetic connection would be the Moabites.
DeleteWhy do I oppose a voter ID law? Exhibit: LTE#1.
ReplyDeleteConsider the source. Mr. Nichols lives in Purlear. He's afraid that them "dee dubble dammed immygrunts" might help elect a sheriff who is unfriendly to the moonshiners.
DeleteAt the national level, there have been some claims over the years of stolen elections, most noteworthy being JFK's defeat of RMN in 1960. The GOP charged that Mayor Richard Daley of Chicago helped Kennedy steal Illinois. There are still people making that claim, but it was thoroughly investigated and put to rest.
Maybe the Supreme Court justices should have been made to show their Florida voter ID when they elected W to the presidency by a 5-4 vote in 2000. In future history texts, the current court will get its own chapter of infamy.
Not quite so sure that Hizzoner and his party bosses and ward heelers weren't up to the task of swiping the election. Chicago's graveyard voters were faithful in exercising their franchise, probably still are. In the 60 election, northern IL's votes were were held back until Republican southern IL's votes were in, then reported a total sufficient to swing the election. Imagine that. In 68, southern IL held out till Chicago had reported. The ghosts turnout was insufficient that time.
DeleteAs for 2000, I'd say we might well have ID'ed the FL SC and those big city Dem elections boards that "interpreted" voter intent. And again, 2000 would have never happened if Billy Boy had resigned in disgrace and let Gore run. You can also thank him for Bush. Gore did.
Believe what you like. Half a dozen commissions, Congressional investigations and academic studies have put the lie to the Mayor Daley fantasy.
DeleteAs to Gore, he ran a pretty weak campaign. Florida really shouldn't have mattered. But he ignored a simple fact...Bubba was one of the most popular presidents ever. He left office with a 68% approval rating, tied with FDR and Reagan for highest ever.
A later Gallup poll placed him as the best president since polling began, 66% to 63% for Reagan.
Had Gore invited him on board for the 2000 campaign, nobody would have ever heard the term "hanging chad".
I submit that "hanging chad" would have stayed out of the lexicon had Gore run as a sitting President.
ReplyDeleteAs for those congressional committees investigating the 60 election, the Congress was Democratic for a generation after that, and all Chicago pols testify truthfully under oath, right?