Winston-Salem Journal LTE TU 05/01/12

Motsinger will be great

Replacing the incumbent 5th District representative is long overdue.

Elisabeth Motsinger will be great at this job. I've known Elisabeth for many years because she is a physician's assistant with over 20 years' experience at my physician's office. She's compassionate and a good listener. Of course, we all know her for her excellent service as a Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school-board member.

Elisabeth is the only candidate in her primary who has actually won an election and served in public office. Fifth District history suggests it will take a woman to send the incumbent packing.

Let's fight fire with fire and vote for Elisabeth Motsinger on May 8.

---

JOHN G. PALMER

Winston-Salem

The true word of Jesus, part 2

This is in response to the April 23 letter "The true word of Jesus." The writer says he is going to follow the true word of Jesus and "love thy neighbor as thyself." Well, I also will "love thy neighbor as thyself," but not love the sin they (homosexuals and lesbians) are engaged in.

Jesus Christ says that we should love the sinner but not the sin, and homosexuality is a sin. The Bible tells us, "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is an abomination," Leviticus 18:22. How much more clear could the word of God be?

If we as Christians don't stand up and be heard and pass this amendment, it will be just another nail in the coffin of moral decency of our society. We will be following the same path of ancient Rome that led to its decline and fall, an anything-goes attitude.

We must pass this amendment for the sake of our children. Hate the sin, love the sinner.

---

DUANE EVANS

Pfafftown

An act of generosity

The announcement of the Ashley Furniture Industries project is most welcome news for Davie County and the entire state of North Carolina. This project will help revive an industry that has been devastated over the last several years, creating new jobs and additional economic development.

I want to take a moment to recognize the generosity of one of North Carolina's oldest and most outstanding companies, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. As it so often does with its donations, it put the needs of the community, region and state above its own financial gain. In October of last year, R.J. Reynolds donated 360 acres of prime industrial property to the Davie County Economic Development Commission Inc. so the commission could make this property available for possible future economic development. With the help of this donation from R.J. Reynolds, the commission was able to land the Ashley Furniture project for Davie County. This act of good will is another great example of the charitable nature of R.J. Reynolds, a company that has contributed so much to the economy of this region over the years.

So from all of the citizens of Davie County, thank you very much to R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. for the generous land donation and for being a friend to Davie County.

---

TERRY BRALLEY

PRESIDENT, DAVIE COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION

Mocksville

My choice is Elisabeth Motsinger

Our cities, towns, counties, state and nation need a strong voice of reason representing the N.C. 5th District. I have seen in Elisabeth Motsinger's character and actions, and her commitment to equity in hearing and representing the voices of all the people.

Her service as a health-care professional and representative of the larger community as a member of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School Board qualify her as the best choice to represent the N.C. 5th District in Congress now. She has my vote in the primary on May 8.

---

CAROL HERMANN

Winston-Salem

Supporting Cobb

I want a conservative business professional representing me in the N.C. state House. I am supporting Glenn Cobb for N.C. House District 74.

Please join me in voting for Glenn Cobb on May 8.

---

GLENDA McCORMICK

Pfafftown

2012 election results

The election results this year will not change the immediate operating results in Washington. Support of team Red or Blue will not change the pervasive dysfunction in the system. Both dogs have fleas. Those fleas come in the form of campaign promises to the voters and their respective team: Red or Blue.

This election will be about the direction of our country. We will be voting either in favor of big government or less government. The problem with big government is allowing the dogs of Washington to decide how to fund the programs (fiscal and social) of big government. The problem with less government is allowing the same dogs to reduce/clarify regulation and create equitable taxation.

Neither the blue nor red business models will work without leadership and compromise. Neither model nor dog will work on our behalf without an environment of full disclosure and total responsibility and accountability for their personal and public actions.

It's your money, your vote. We need first-rate, proven leadership. I know I will exercise my right to vote — I hope to see you there.

---

HIL CASSELL

Lewisville

Jerry Jordan for judge

About 15 years ago I met a not-so-young attorney at the courthouse; not your typical young attorney. He was new but went about his business with a calm seriousness not seen in new lawyers. Over the years, I got to better know this fellow, Jerry Jordan, as a compassionate advocate and hard worker in court. As he grew as an attorney, many sought his opinion on legal matters and always found him to be well schooled and knowledgeable.

Jerry Jordan is a remarkable man, well rounded, not the product of a silver-spoon environment. Just the opposite, from the time he was 12 years old, Jerry worked shoulder to shoulder with migrant workers harvesting crops for wages. Jerry was an all-state athlete and played semi-pro baseball. Jerry is the only candidate who served the U.S. military in war during Desert Storm. After service he worked his way through college and law school. His mom works for wages, and his dad is a truck driver. Jerry Jordan is "everyman."

He is active and engaged in the community. He cares about people, the Constitution and the American way. Jerry is uniquely qualified through his life experiences to judge his fellow man. He is a student, an athlete, a farmer, a patriot, a soldier, a leader, a lawyer and, with Forsyth County's support, our next District Court judge.

---

JOHN BARROW

ATTORNEY AT LAW

Kernersville

Sense of fair play

When games are played, there are usually rules that make all participants equal. No one is allowed to take advantage of anyone else. The proposed Amendment One goes against our sense of fair play.

This proposal cannot be defeated without the help of voters who believe that taking away civil rights from any tax-paying citizen is wrong. Voting "No" will not harm anyone. Please be fair with all North Carolina citizens. Vote "No" on Amendment One.

---

JIM LANCASTER

Winston-Salem

Shocking comments

The comments of Rep. Virginia Foxx on student-loan debt were totally shocking to me ("Foxx remarks criticized," April 25). I hope readers will pore over her statement. I am of that same generation, but when I graduated (UNC Greensboro, 1968), in-state fees did not require an arm, leg and kidney. Although "senior memory" fails me at times, I think we paid less than $500 per semester. However, years later when I returned to a private college for a professional degree, I received a very small student loan (with a very small interest rate). I was married, had a toddler, worked part-time — with low salaries, it was difficult to repay even a small amount.

In our "opportunity society" (Foxx's words), opportunities are different for different people. Many of today's students are having a tough time finding jobs — unless, for example, they are in the computer/nursing/engineering fields. Not everyone has the aptitude, or the desire, for those occupations. So, should other grads be ignored and told, "I have very little tolerance for" them? (Her words.)

This seemingly unrealistic opinion of young people in this economy indicates to me that Foxx may be out of touch with the real world, and the apparent indifference confirms for me why many of us left North Carolina after graduation and established successful careers elsewhere.

In the November election, this is one constituent who, also, will have no tolerance: for indifference, harshness and no understanding of 2012. (My words!)

---

LINN DARK

Winston-Salem

Foxx and student loans

In reference to Ken Ilgunas' April 24 guest column, "An intolerable intolerance," and your same-day editorial, "Foxx misses reality on student loans": In Congress Virginia Foxx's votes have represented my interests well. Unfortunately, she too often opens her mouth before she puts her brain in gear and so makes a good point but expresses it so offensively that no one hears it. So it is with the matter of student loans.

There are only a tiny handful of degrees worth borrowing $200,000 for; perhaps a law degree from Yale or an MBA from Harvard. In strictly future-income terms, no undergraduate degree is worth that much, and understanding that does not require any arcane knowledge or genius-level reasoning. All it requires is a nodding acquaintance with job markets and salaries and a loan-amortization schedule, information that's readily and publicly available.

Is the following less offensive? "A student who borrows a large amount of money to pursue a degree with little earning potential has made a foolish choice and wasted his time and society's educational resources. Taxpayers should not have to pay for a choice they didn't make or assume an obligation to bail the student out and let him avoid the consequences of that choice. At best, such a bail-out will only encourage other young people to make similarly foolish choices and thus to misuse and misdirect society's resources."

That's what I wish Foxx had said, and I hope that it's what she meant.

---

LARRY McRAE

Winston-Salem

Making things harder

I was upset by the comments of Rep. Virginia Foxx about student-loan debt, not to mention her desire to double the interest rate of college loans ("An intolerable intolerance," April 24). But another comment of hers was even worse to me.

According to your story ("Foxx remarks criticized," April 25), she took the time to spell out to former felon G. Gordon Liddy, "I remind folks all the time that the Declaration of Independence says 'life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.' You don't have it dumped in your lap."

Good grief. Does she really think that middle-class Americans today have anything dumped in their laps? In what cocoon does this woman live?

I don't expect government to do everything for me or give me everything. I believe in hard work. But does government really have to make things harder? Does Foxx think she's accomplishing anything positive by making life tougher for college students?

I think it's time we got her "blame the victim" mentality out of Washington. Her government career has reached its expiration date.

---

MARTIN R. BENNETT

Winston-Salem

One man, one woman

I keep hearing "One man, one woman." It reminds me of "Segregation before, segregation now and segregation forever." There is a pattern.

The bigotry that is coming from some pulpits in Winston-Salem is despicable and against the word of God. Forget the obscure sections of the Bible being used in favor of Amendment One. Let us go back before King James to something called the Ten Commandments. Remember them? Use them.

Go out and take care of the hungry in North Carolina, where one in six children go to bed hungry every night. Every night! More so in the Triad than almost any other place in the country.

The money being wasting for this amendment could feed a lot of children. This is what churches and preachers should be asking us to do.

Shun the bigots who do not want to tackle the real problems we face. Go out and take care of what makes North Carolina great — our children.

---

ROBERT L. MAYVILLE

Winston-Salem