Winston-Salem Journal LTE TU 06/26/12

Blight

I am writing about the sterilization program, which was terrible. The poor victims should be paid soon.

If it were not for the work of editorial-page editor John Railey (whose writing is one of the first things I rush to read), and state Rep. Larry Womble (who could not help that accident), I wouldn't have learned about this blight on our state.

I was so proud of my cousin, Gov. Dan K. Moore, and his work to end segregation, but disappointed that he hadn't acted on this atrocity.

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ANNE BOWMAN MAYFIELD

Winston-Salem

The power of art

Congratulations to the Winston-Salem Journal and the Delta Arts Center for the exhibition featuring Christine Kirouac's photographs of the Journal's hawkers. But mere congratulations aren't enough for Kirouac and her subjects. We are all in their debt for such a remarkable demonstration of the power of art.

Guy Davenport once wrote, "When attention replaces indifference, art happens." Christine Kirouac has paid attention to men on the streets who most often are met with indifference. Her portraits show us how much we lose when we don't pay attention.

And thanks for the print in the June 24 paper. I hope all your readers treasure it.

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THORNS CRAVEN

Winston-Salem

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An adherence to principles

The Boy Scouts of America will flourish because of an adherence to principles. If guest columnist Rosemary Haskell ("The BSA and the rule that dare not speak its name," June 19) and others had their way, the Boy Scout Oath would read:

On my honor, I will do my best

To do my duty to my country

and to obey the Scout Law;

To help other people at all times;

To keep myself physically strong

and mentally awake.

The oath actually reads:

On my honor, I will do my best

To do my duty to God and my country

and to obey the Scout Law;

To help other people at all times;

To keep myself physically strong,

mentally awake and morally straight.

The subtle use of words or omission of same can be a powerful thing. I know Haskell said nothing about God, but once any group begins to compromise its core beliefs in the interest of political correctness for one issue, it becomes easier to compromise on other issues.

The Boy Scouts were formed over 100 years ago with the same oath. Everyone must decide for themselves what "morally straight" means to them. The Boy Scouts, historically, has taken the stand that homosexuality is immoral and therefore cannot be "morally straight." This stand is well known and not "the rule that dare not speak its name." When homosexuality becomes moral then there will be no conflict.

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RANDOLPH HUGHES

East Bend

Radically liberal

Conservatives insist that President Obama is not only liberal but radically liberal — despite his middle-of-the-road, borrowed-from-the-Republicans policies. But sure, OK, whatever you say; the president is liberal.

Why, then, when he endorses same-sex marriage and allowing the children of illegal immigrants to stay in the country do conservatives complain that these are political ploys — rather than the genuine expression of his liberal philosophies?

They complain when he acts like a conservative, and they complain when he acts like a liberal. It's true: Whatever the man does, conservatives are going to find something wrong with it. You have to wonder why.

As one pundit put it, I sure would like for President Obama to talk about what a bad idea it is to eat yellow snow, just so I could hear some conservatives extol its virtues.

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PHIL RONALD TURNER

Winston-Salem