Against Motsinger
I am against Elisabeth Motsinger for 5th District representative. She has a progressive agenda. She is not the person I would vote for. She is for gay rights, she is against the Pledge of Allegiance, and she probably supports President Obama, and this is the reason our country is in the shape it is in.
JAMES MOTSINGER
Rural Hall
Motsinger is no relation to the candidate — the editor.
From a candidate's wife
I'm the spouse of an elected official, the one you never hear about, who sees and hears it all. My husband, Dale Folwell, is applying to be our next lieutenant governor. For most of our 26 years together, he has been in public service.
I support him not because I'm married to him but because he got here by climbing his own ladder with his bare hands. As speaker pro tem of the House, he feels the anxieties that North Carolinians are facing.
The son of a single-parent switchboard operator, he never felt entitled to anything, knowing that the "joy of achievement, not the sense of entitlement, built this country." He will never back down from any conservative battle that could save one job, tax dollar, mind or life. His refrain: "Tell me your problem so I can fix it."
The next lieutenant governor must have experience fixing government agencies, not just creating more laws. He must be a verb, not a noun, one who gets people back to work and liberates them to have control over their own lives. Can one person really change the direction of North Carolina? Yes. You can by voting for Dale Folwell for lieutenant governor on May 8.
SYNTHIA FOLWELL
Winston-Salem
Faithful, monogamous unions
Vote against Amendment One. Does the North Carolina constitution say it is illegal to murder or steal? No. Constitutions only establish the basic structural foundations of governments. Amendment One is unnecessary, useless and wrong.
As a Christian, I want my government to legalize and encourage — rather than prohibit — the faithful, monogamous union of loving couples, regardless of gender. Mutual caring responsibility fits my definition of family values.
ELLEN S. YARBOROUGH
ORDAINED UNITED METHODIST DEACON
Winston-Salem
Cat roaming free
Now let me get this straight: front-page news in the Journal is about a cat getting caught in a trap ("Cat caught in steel trap survives," April 12)? What is next on the front page, dust balls under a couch?
While I feel sorry for the cat, its owner should not have allowed it to roam freely. Nowhere in the article did it say the cat was a house cat and accidentally got out of the house.
I am a former cat owner and enjoy animals. None of my cats (owned one at a time) were allowed to roam. They lived long, healthy lives. The real onus lies with the cat owner who let her cat roam.
I must say I really feel sorry for the cat.
Front-page news. Come on, people at the Journal, get real.
MELVIN D. PEMPSELL
Winston-Salem
Cycling can be done safely
Thank you for the recent editorial concerning the numerous crashes between motorists and cyclists that all too frequently end with the cyclist's death ("End this scourge," April 1). I agree wholeheartedly that all drivers need to look out for cyclists (and pedestrians).
I do take issue, however, with the statement that bicycling on the road is dangerous even under the best of circumstances. As a longtime cyclist and author of three books on road biking, I have found that obeying traffic laws and behaving like a vehicle operator when riding my bike on the road tends to generate courtesy from motorists.
Yes, I have had my share of close calls and hostile reactions from a small number of motorists. Unfortunately, cyclists pay the price when motorists are inattentive, uninformed or downright negligent, as the fatality numbers attest. But most people are respectful, so motorists and cyclists can and do share the road safely.
While bike lanes are added to some streets as they are repaved, most roads are not wide enough for bike lanes, so motorists and cyclists need to learn the share the road courteously and safely. As required by North Carolina laws, cyclists should obey all rules of the road and ride predictably, signaling moves to others. Motorists need to recognize that bicycles are vehicles under the law and entitled to take a full lane when necessary for safety.
Through cooperation we can work together to create a safer community that will benefit everyone.
JUDI LAWSON WALLACE
Winston-Salem
Amendment would cause suffering
Salem Friends Meeting is deeply disappointed that our state legislature has proposed a constitutional amendment that discriminates against thousands of our citizens. While other progressive states are giving same-sex couples the status and rights that protect heterosexual couples and their children, this legislation ensures that committed couples in North Carolina, both straight and same-sex, would remain without family rights no matter how long they have lived together.
As Quakers, we have two main objections to this proposed amendment: one is the suffering it would cause; the other is its violation of our core principle of equality, which is based on a belief that God is in each person.
If Amendment One is approved by voters on May 8, grief and hardship will come to thousands of North Carolinians. Same-sex couples, many with children, would fear that the state or a hospital might never consider them to be each other's next-of-kin. Individuals would doubt that the state or a hospital would carry out their wishes, even those declared in a will or living will. City and county governments would not be able to offer health coverage to unmarried couples and their children. Children would be denied the right to live with the person they know as a parent if their biological parent dies.
Let us not deny thousands of North Carolinians equal protection of our laws. Let's not build prejudice into our constitution. Let us, as compassionate citizens committed to equality, go to the polls and vote "No" to Amendment One.
MEG ZULICK
CLERK,
ON BEHALF OF THE SALEM FRIENDS MEETING
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.
"You can discern that politicians are not telling the truth if …"
Sum It Up: ". . . their mouths are open."
ReplyDeleteStab..........CNN reported that it's against U.S. Military Law to patronize prostitutes regarding the Colombia sex scandal. My thoughts are it would be easier to prosecute politicians for lying, than soldiers for that offense.
ReplyDeleteGood AM, Bucky.
DeleteFreedom of speech necessarily involves protecting lying speech. It is up to us voters to police lying pols. We have been negligent, too involved in March Madness, "American Idol," et al, to do our jobs. I cite Nixon, the Clintons, and Bush/Cheney as prime examples, but by no means the only ones.
And of course, Tony Perkins blames the whole incident on the repeal of DADT.
DeleteGood AM, folks.
ReplyDeleteDad continues his decline, taking 2 breaths a minute, but more or less stable at the moment. He has lasted several days longer than we thought. Life is tenacious. Thanks to all for their good wishes. Special thanks to Bob, who has materially assisted my family and me for several months, to the extent that Susan's children have named him a member of the family. A worthy member he is.
Sorry to hear of your Dad's illness. It's a painful experience to see a loved one so ill.
DeleteThank you, Bucky, much appreciated.
DeleteAnd quite an honor that is. Thanks.
DeleteI vote early, yesterday, against the amendment, for Romney, for the R commissioners endorsed by the Journal, and not many else. I either was not satisfied with the choices or was insufficiently acquainted with the candidates to cast an informed vote.
ReplyDeleteI was impressed at the activity outside. There were several candidates and numerous supporters busily electioneering, at least as many as during a general election. I pleased at the enthusiasm, interest, and courtesy displayed by all. I stopped briefly and chatted with James Taylor, a current city councilperson running for state senate. I'm unaffiliated, so I had to choose which party in whose primary to vote. I almost chose Dem, at some risk to my cardiac health, so I could vote for him. He was very impressive and sensible. I chose R, obviously, and not sure he would have been in my district anyway, but I wish him well.
Larry Brown sought my vote, also, which I could have tendered, but did not. He is nicer in person than in print, I'll give him that, but politesse does not excuse intolerance.
" . . . politeness does not excuse intolerance."
DeleteAmen, but at least politeness makes someone approachable.
Yes, that is true. Most pols are very approachable, actually. Humorist and commentator P. J. O'Rourke observed that most pols are actually interested in people, though he likened their interest to that of a flea's interest in a dog.
DeleteThe above crack doesn't reflect PJ's complete opinion of elected officials. He noted that most Congressfolk do work pretty hard, opining the same re bureaucrats. Mind you, I'm quoting from a book that is now 20+ years old, but I suspect the nature of such people is still pretty much the same.
LTE1: I have corresponded with Ms. Motsinger. She has responded courteously, and addressed my school-related concerns. Yes, she probably supports President Obama, but she'll get a look from me. Sometime back, I asked her re card check. She said she was unfamiliar with that issue. I will check again with her.
ReplyDeleteLTE2: Imagine that: an endorsement from a candidate's wife. Folwell disappointed me over the past couple of years. I voted for no one in the Lt. Gov. primary.
LTE3: I agree.
LTE4: It is news with some bastard sets a steel trap. I hope news is followed by news of the SOB's prosecution. Shame on the owner(s) if the cat was allowed to run free. Best wishes to the cat.
LTE5: How do you blind a Forsyth County driver? Put a windshield in front of him/her. A novice motorcyclist, I had to take myself and my mount to the pavement when an idiot driving a big box store's delivery truck pulled out in front of me. Once I had the bike righted, I set off in pursuit to address the jerk. I found him, all 275# of him, delivering a refrigerator. I took the truck's number, went back to Susan's, and called the store and griped about him.
LTE6: I agree.
"I set off in pursuit to address the jerk. I found him, all 275# of him, delivering a refrigerator. I took the truck's number, went back to Susan's, and called the store and griped about him."
DeleteYou've got me laughing again, cuz. Wise move.
"The better part of valor is
discretion, in the which better part I have sav'd my life."
Falstaff, Henry The Fourth, Part 1 Act 5, scene 4
Hi cuz. The older we become, the more discreet we necessarily become, at least most of us. Alas, too soon old, too late smart, as one Mr. Zimmerman has discovered, to his and Mr. Martin's misfortune.
DeleteZimmerman helped himself incredibly by his testimony yesterday. In fact, he did a better job at testifying than the FDLE detective. He only slightly muffed a few manipulative questions by the prosecutor.
ReplyDeleteEven the experts agree.
Get ready to board up.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-04-21/george-zimmerman-lawyers-bail/54450118/1
$1,000,000,000,000 in student loans?
ReplyDeleteIn another ridiculous, proposed action by President Obama-he wants to 'forgive' student loans.
Don't worry about it. It's on the 'government'. He's determined to crash the government.
If you vote for Obama, you're obviously not paying attention.
Didn't he say he was going to fix things? I guess his idea of fixing things is making them worse.
Delete"Marriage Amendment Pushed". An article that highlights the efforts of a now deceased lawmaker who was the driving force behind a same-sex marriage referendum. Let's see --- lawmaker, activist politicians,... SOUND FAMILIAR TO ANYONE?
ReplyDeleteWell, here's the good news.
DeleteOne of the arguments made by the bigoted fools behind this amendment is that it is too easy for "activist" judges to overturn state laws, so an amendment is needed, because it cannot be overturned by courts...only repealed by referendum.
Not so. No state constitution may conflict with anything in the US Constitution. Since the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution guarantees all legal rights to all citizens, the so-called marriage amendment is in violation of the US Constitution.
When the Federal government began enforcing fair housing laws half a century ago, several redneck states enacted similar constitutional amendments to try to keep their communities segregated. Federal District Courts quickly invalidated all of them.
Ironically, the bigots might be making it easier and quicker to do away with state discrimination against gays. Got to love it!
It's only a matter of time . . .
DeleteYep.
DeleteIn 1963 my friends and I were in DC getting in one last tour of Georgetown music clubs before school started. One day while browsing the Smithsonian, we noticed an awful lot of black people on the National Mall. We asked a Capitol policeman what was going on and he told us that Martin Luther King was going to speak at the Lincoln Memorial.
So we found a good spot in the direction of where the Viet Nam Memorial would later be built and tuned in. It was a pretty good speech, but seemed to be winding down when a woman in the crowd shouted "Tell them about the dream, Martin!" We later found out that the woman was Mahalia Jackson, who had a BIG voice...so when she shouted, people tended to take notice.
So Dr. King stopped speeching and started preaching...it was an awesome, powerful performance that left everyone in the crowd teary-eyed.
Over the years, we have seen, bit by bit, the various pieces of Dr. King's dream come true.
There will always be bigots, because there are some parts of DNA that contain the evil gene, but each time one dies, there is one less bigot.
We will never have a perfect society, but if we keep trying, we can come closer and closer.