Winston-Salem Journal LTE FR 10/19/12

A man’s character

Just the character of the man is all one needs to know to want to support David Sipprell for Forsyth district court judge.

I have known and witnessed the growth and maturity of this young man throughout his lifetime. I remember him when he (and his brother) were “knee-high,” playing sports in the Clemmons area. I watched him grow and mature through the years. Always steady, prepared, even tempered and alert; up to the game always.

I have watched him in the courtroom — always prepared and always professional.

He is an Eagle Scout. That shows character, quality, tenacity and ability to set and accomplish goals. A UNC graduate and UNC law-school graduate. Again, illustrating intelligence and determination. A U.S. Air Force veteran in the JAG office. Service to our country. Dedicated service to our community as a prosecutor in the Forsyth County District Attorney's office.

David is without question the better candidate for this important district court judge seat.

I am very happy to know David Sipprell and his family and look forward to voting for him on Nov. 6 and urge everyone to do so.

DAVID L. ORRELL

Clemmons

Feeding the hungry

According to the nonprofit organization Bread for the World, it will require every church in the country to give $50,000 each to make up for the money to be cut from food programs by the Romney/Ryan budget. Whose church is ready to step up?

E.T. SHAFER

Seven Devils

Crying wolf

Republican critics of the president are like the boy who cried wolf. They’ve spent so much time and energy nitpicking the slightest things, distorting facts and trying to make President Obama sound sinister, that if he actually did commit some great evil, no one would listen to their screeches about it.

The latest faux outrage is over the death of our Libyan ambassador and his colleagues. Don’t get me wrong, it was a terrible, terrible thing. But before the dust even settled (as Vice President Joe Biden schooled Sen. Paul Ryan), Mitt Romney was on TV trying to blame it on Obama. This, despite the fact that Republicans had cut security funds for Libya.

The attack took place in the midst of Muslim outrage over an anti-Muslim film. In that context, it would have been remiss to not consider that as a possible factor in the Libyan attack. Romney himself thought that was why the embassy was attacked. Context matters.

So President Obama has failed to bring peace to the Middle East? Pray tell, what president ever succeeded?

President Bush turned almost the whole world against us. President Obama’s foreign policy has restored our standing in the world. But God forbid the Republicans give him credit for anything.

Here are the most important facts about our foreign policy: Under President Bush, 3,000 Americans were killed by al-Qaida on American soil. Under President Obama, 4 Americans were killed in Libya. Which event shows weakness? And which do Republicans prefer?

BONNIE G. VAUGHN

Winston-Salem

Facts omitted

This letter is in reference to the Sept. 18 letter “Facts.” Here are a few facts omitted:

Fact: Gas was $1.79 when Bush left office and now is almost $4.

Fact: Our debt is now over $16 trillion. We print or borrow 43 cents of every dollar we spend.

Fact: Yes, children can remain on their parents’ insurance until they are 26. Is it because young people cannot find a job and therefore cannot afford health care?

Fact: President Obama said he would cut the deficit in half in his first term.

Fact: He also whispered to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that he would have “more flexibility” in his second term.

Fact: Unemployment has continued to be high the past four years. North Carolina has the 6th highest unemployment.

Fact: 43 million people are on food stamps.

Fact: Some people want to rid this country of God and anything to do with Christianity. God’s Word will always stand.

LEE JOHNSON

Boonville

Presidents and wealth

Forty-nine years ago on Nov. 22, our American president John F. Kennedy was assassinated. President Kennedy did not take his salary while he was president. Kennedy and Sen. John Kerry were both decorated war veterans.

It took President Obama years to pay off his student loan. He has some wealth, but he first took the low road to help others rather than being a big corporate lawyer.

George H.W. Bush bought George W. Bush his Ivy League education. Their money helped George W. Bush buy his eight years as president.

We were supposed to bow down to Bush. At a wealthy fund-raising charity event, he said, “This is an impressive crowd — the haves and the have-mores.” Another slap in the face.

I pass by these shacks with Romney/Ryan posters. Would Mitt Romney actually speak to the people who live there if he came through town?

I never thought it, but I am now the 47 percent Romney is slapping in the face.

SHARON GENTRY JONES

Elkin

Sum It Up

The Sum It Up question from Sunday was: Do you think North Carolina’s overwhelming approval of “the marriage amendment” in May will be a harbinger of the November election results?

It might affect it in some way with people voting their religion, rather than who they really like. Peer pressure?

WILLIAM SAMS

Yes, and that saddens me. I believe that both are signs of a deep desire to “get back to the way things were.” We cannot do that. We cannot repeat either the successes or the failures of the past.

But we can embrace values we have learned from the past — compassion, fairness, justice and mercy — and seek to apply them faithfully to the future.

I believe some of the greatest presidents of the United States — Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy — have embodied the best of this tradition. I hope we will follow in their train, embrace the future, and welcome opportunities to do what is best for all the people of our homeland.

S. CURTIS PATTERSON

I don't think the marriage amendment vote is an indicator of the election because there was a good deal of bipartisan support for the amendment that will not cross over to the presidential election.

KEN HOGLUND

Our approval of 'the marriage amendment' should be a harbinger of the November election result, but it won't because race will supersede faith.

W. P. EVANS

No, race was not a factor in May but will be a factor on Nov. 6.

FRANK SCISM