Winston-Salem Journal LTE SA 01/02/12

It didn't work

In some ways, the parliamentary system of government in Great Britain is much more efficient than our own, not having to deal with cumbersome issues such as the need for supermajorities, veto threats, etc., in getting legislation passed. Whatever the party in power wants, it passes into law.

The Conservative government led by Prime Minister David Cameron headed down the path of austerity to address its fiscal challenges. But the economy in Great Britain has now contracted enough that it is officially in recession.

Will any of the leaders of our Republican Party or tea-party types, who would favor adopting the same fiscal policies, take any notice of this?

Will pigs soon sprout wings and fly?

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JAMES McGRATH

Yadkinville

Guarded optimism

I watched with emotion as my beautiful and multi-talented granddaughter recently graduated from college, weighing the words of commencement speakers and others attempting to describe the future awaiting these bright young adults. I listened with guarded optimism because most of my older generation is witnessing a society with little or no respect for either man's law or God's law. Success and happiness are certainly aspirations to be achieved, but moral accountability appears to be of little value nowadays.

Today's young people — our future leaders — are faced with both natural and man-made disasters and are being overexposed to unnatural, shameful and disgraceful lifestyles that seem to be both accepted and endorsed by much of the media, including the Journal and its "Occupy Forum" contributors. All of which goes unchallenged by those who should know better.

Seek to attain anything by any means and live any way would be the pattern, regardless of ethical or spiritual consequences.

The Bible and history record those who went about doing what seemed right in their own eyes, although wrong. As a result, nations and empires collapsed.

I do hope and pray for my granddaughter's future, but with impending terrorist activity, pampering of captured terrorists, ignorance of the Muslim agenda, a troublesome immigration status, questionable foreign policy, weakening military capability and absence of both political and spiritual leadership, I and others have to wonder whatever happened to decency and plain old common sense.

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BOB G. TANNEHILL

Winston-Salem

Striking contrast

We were disappointed in the editorial criticizing Gov. Bev Perdue for comparing North Carolina to Mississippi ("Perdue's remarks show tone-deafness," May 15). Criticizing the comparison is one thing. After all, someone needs to "stand up" for Mississippi. But the editorial insinuated that North Carolina was no different from states like Mississippi.

The facts differ. On Jan. 14, 1963, George Wallace shouted, "Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, and segregation forever," during his Klansman-written inaugural speech as governor of Alabama. Four days later, on Jan. 18, 1963, North Carolina Gov. Terry Sanford announced he was ordering state agencies to cease racially discriminatory hiring practices and said, "We can do this, we should do this. … We will do it because it is honest and fair to give all men and women their best chance in life." The contrast is striking.

Now — some facts about Perdue. She stood up for something when she vetoed the legislature's budget that severely cut public education and offered a balanced budget, which did not. She stood up for something when she signed the Racial Justice Act so that North Carolina still leads the South with an honest and fair approach to tough and ongoing racial issues. She stood up for something when she stood up for women's rights and voting rights.

Apparently, Perdue has made enemies, including the Journal .

The best answer to that comes from Winston Churchill, who said, "You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life."

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R. MICHAEL LEONARD

MICHELLE MERRITT LEONARD

Bethania

Share the wealth

I found the information on the highly paid executives very interesting ("Baptist, Novant pay CEOs $2 million-plus," May 29). I only hope that they will share their wealth with the homeless or people having trouble making it. If I were to win Powerball, I would make sure that all that money would not just go into my bank account. We should stand by our fellow citizens.

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JERE DAILEY

Advance

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.

"America's melting pot will work if …"