Winston-Salem Journal LTE SU 02/12/12

'Traditional marriage'

To which "traditional marriage" is the Rev. Ron Baity referring ("Same-sex ballot strategy forming," Feb. 4)? Before 1900, when women could not own property? Before 1967, when interracial couples could not marry? Before 1993, when marital rape was legal? Before 1724, when blacks could marry only with their owner's permission? With his Bible in hand, he's probably referring to biblical times, when a man just had sex with a woman to make her his wife, whether she agreed or not.

Baity claims to speak for God, just like the writers of the Bible, obviously interpreting what God wants and hates to fit their own beliefs. Why not follow Jesus, who was quoted in the Bible, to cherish each person as a child of God and love without judgment of what is acceptable and what's not? Identify, hate and correct your own sin before you cast light on someone else.

Perhaps Baity's time would be better spent saving those "traditional marriages" that are falling apart instead of denying others the right to marry their life partners. If his church wants to get involved in politics, maybe it's time to take away its tax-exempt status.

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SALLY WALTON

King

Susan B. Komen

I have never supported the Susan B. Komen for the Cure because of its affiliation with Planned Parenthood. However, I was excited when it withdrew its support of Planned Parenthood.

But, sadly, it has succumbed to the pressure of Planned Parenthood and its supporters.

If the Komen foundation would have remained ethical with integrity, it would have held on to its initial decision. That would have been an effective step toward changing the culture of death that exists in this country.

If we do not turn this abomination around, nothing, absolutely nothing, will change in this country. We will continue to have all kinds of crime, immorality and economic downturn.

Over 50 million people have been murdered through abortion alone. Think about all the goods and services that would have been provided to these people if they existed today. Baby furniture and supplies, housing, food, clothes, toys, books, schools and supplies, entertainment, college educations, medical care, dental care, etc. That would have been a lot of money pumped into this economy over the past 39 years. And all that Social Security money that did not get paid.

We cannot continue to slap God in the face by destroying the lives he creates for our benefit and His and expect Him to continue blessing our country. We are paying now for the past 39 years and if we continue I fear for how bad it's really going to get.

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RUTH A. COFFEY

Advance

Birth control basics

All women who have practiced birth control or plan to practice it need to be informed. They should be sure the people they vote for reflect their own thoughts on contraception before casting their votes.

It was in 1965 (seriously) that the U.S. Supreme Court (Griswold vs. Conn.) said it was a basic privacy right to have birth-control methods available. Up until then, birth control was illegal in some states. Do we really want to go back to that?

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E.T. SHAFER

Seven Devils

Correspondent of the Week

Ban this texting

The one-hour-five-minute-long verbal assault on the 15-year-old student by Coach Mike Muse and Officer James Deeney is reprehensible ("Student recorded coach's tirade," Feb. 2). Their prior reputations don't excuse the vicious threats and language used and should result in some form of punishment. I see no reason for any adult employee of our school system to be personally texting a student at all, much less the heavy volume of texting as suggested in the news. The harsh reality of today is that there have been far too many incidents of inappropriate relationships in our nation's schools. Sadly, some of these incidents have happened right here in our own backyard. Just because there is no policy in place stopping teachers from personally texting students doesn't mean that it is a good idea.

The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school board should simply ban the practice of texting between students and teachers and only allow communications to be done via email through the school's website. Muse and Deeney have only made themselves look as though they have something to hide by going after this student with so much venom. I would suggest to them that like it or not, they turn their phones over to the proper authorities so they can clear their names and remove all doubt as to what was going on between them and that 16-year-old girl. Consider it a lesson learned and a warning to others in our school system to use better judgment in the new digital world.

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CHRIS HOLLAND

Kernersville

Sum It Up

Should school systems allow texting between teachers and students? Respond toletters@wsjournal.com and put "Sum It Up" in the subject header. Only signed entries, please, no anonymous ones. Briefer responses receive preference in print.

Winston-Salem Journal LTE SA 02/11/12

Student accountable, too

I was surprised to see the Feb. 2 article "Student recorded coach's tirade" on the front page. The article did not demonstrate an impartial, balanced perspective regarding the interaction between the accusing student and the implicated teacher. While I believe that Coach Mike Muse did not handle the confrontation well, I also think the student, Dillon Tschrnko, should be held equally accountable in the conflict.

I am curious as to why the article seemed to turn a blind eye to the faults of the student. The student's accusations, those of which he had no legitimate knowledge, were rarely mentioned throughout the article.

Coach Muse realizes his mistake and has apologized to the student and his family. At some point, the student must follow suit and take responsibility for his actions. Far too often, a student's accusations prove false and resultantly harm the reputation of the accused. In deliberately placing this article on the front page, the Journal clearly placed emphasis on sensationalizing the interaction between a popular coach and a student, rather than focusing on presenting a holistic representation of the situation. I am hesitant to believe that all the facts were presented fairly enough to equally represent both sides. Just like adults, students should be held responsible for their actions. In this situation, the student was as much to blame as Muse.

After reading the excerpt of the conversation in the newspaper and then hearing it, I believe it was spun towards the student's advantage.

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SEAN McCABE

Winston-Salem

Political parties

Political combativeness has become so out of hand that I see only one solution. Why not do away with all political parties and let individuals run for office on their own reputation and platform? Then they could say what they really think instead of their party rhetoric. This would enable them to vote on what is best for our country, rather than what is best for their party.

Our difference in ideologies has divided us to extremes. Not only has it caused divisiveness between parties, but also between friends, relatives and even our church fellowships. This has become detrimental to all of us and we should never have allowed it to happen.

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NAOMI J. DAVIS

Winston-Salem

Important pre-kindergarten programs

Your Feb. 2 editorial, "Early childhood education crucial," stated that high-quality pre-kindergarten programs are important to breaking the cycle of poverty. Economic analyses of early childhood interventions indicate that effective programs can repay initial investments, provide cost savings to the government and benefit society. Sound scientific research exists to guide resource-allocation decisions.

Many believe preschool's sole value is preparing children socially for the kindergarten environment. While certainly important to the development of crucial social and emotional skills, the value of preschool extends far beyond benefits of peer interaction.

The UNC Chapel Hill study referenced, the PNC Grow Up Great initiative, a 10-year, $100-million RAND Corporation program, also measured outcomes and program effects for children age birth to 5 through adulthood. The study offers research that proves early childhood interventions increase school readiness skills and improve the lives of disadvantaged children and families.

Additionally, RAND Corporation, like UNC-CH, concluded that the favorable effects of early childhood programs translate into dollar benefits for the government, participants and society. These effects include savings on remedial education, fewer repeated grades and special-education classes, higher educational attainment and adult economic success. Long term, these effects will lead to higher tax revenues and reductions in costs associated with social welfare and criminal justice.

Evidence exists to guide the implementation of effective programs that can provide returns to society and exceed the resources invested in program delivery. These proven results signal the promise of investing early in the lives of disadvantaged children.

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GINNY NORTON

PRESIDENT, HATCH, INC.

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.

"The victors in the May primary vote for an amendment banning gay marriage in North Carolina will be …"

Winston-Salem Journal LTE FR 02/10/12

Muse's actions

As a former student of Coach Mike Muse, I am disgusted by the local media's crucifixion of one of the best people I know ("Student recorded coach's tirade," Feb. 2).

Mike Muse is a man of good moral character who has been portrayed as a bully because he spoke strongly with a kid; only after being accused of texting too much with a softball player. Muse himself taught my health class the importance of texting appropriately. He knows that his phone's history can be studied. He knows very well the danger and consequences of inappropriate texting with students and would never do anything so stupid. Also, everyone knows that he and other coaches use texting to communicate with students all the time.

When one of my classmates baited Muse, trying to insinuate that he was doing something wrong, Muse taught him a lesson. Sure, he used a few choice words and may have scared him, but the inferred accusations against him are very serious. He just had a co-worker fired over the same stuff.

For any person who thinks he overreacted, think of what you would do if you had been accused of the same thing. Muse's actions were not criminal in nature, and he has the support of me and hundreds of his other students.

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WILL RIERSON

SOPHOMORE, EAST FORSYTH HIGH SCHOOL

Winston-Salem

Look to themselves

In the Feb. 4 Journal article "Same-sex ballot strategy forming," Lianne Roussel states that the media make people opposed to same-sex marriage sound like bigots. She, and others in favor of banning it, may want to look to themselves for how they are perceived. She refers to "the homosexual" as if they were property, like "the car," rather than people. Then she goes on to refer to being gay as a lifestyle, as if it were a choice, displaying a clear lack of understanding of what it means to be gay. When you use such language and display your lack of understanding about those of whom you speak, you risk being labeled a bigot.

As a straight, married man I'm not at all threatened by the possibility of same-sex marriage, or if you like it better, civil unions. If it were purely a question of religion, then I could maybe see the point, but the U.S. Constitution provides for equal protection under the law. State and federal law offers benefits to married couples while denying those benefits to same-sex couples. I'm no attorney but it seems that denying them access to those benefits violates the Constitution. So, honestly, we are going to the polls to vote for an amendment that will:

• eventually be deemed unconstitutional.

• deny a segment of our population their constitutional rights.

This doesn't sound very Christian to me and certainly doesn't sound American.

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RALPH C. WILLIAMS JR.

Winston-Salem

Don't rush on Muse

After reading "Student recorded coach's tirade" (Feb. 2) I felt a duty to respond. I've known Mike Muse for well over 30 years, and I've never met a more God-fearing, "stand-up" role model than him. He has taken his role as teacher and coach and made it so much more than just that, being a mentor, friend and sometimes father figure to many students who do not have that guidance they need in their lives.

Although it may sound cliché, Mike truly, truly cares about the welfare and lives of the students he teaches and coaches, and I would be proud for any of my daughters to be taught by him.

Did he step over the line a bit in this situation? Possibly. But if someone was doing something that could tarnish the impeccable reputation that I had built (such as Mike), I would respond in the same fashion and probably much worse.

All I ask is for people not to rush to judgment based on this one incident. Mike is one of the "upper-tier" educators in the community, and the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school system is lucky to have him.

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STEVE SHORE

Pfafftown

Sum It Up

The Sum It Up question from Sunday was: Are you looking forward to the May primary elections?

* * * * *

I'm not really looking forward to the May primary because of the dissention that will arise because of the constitutional amendment issue. Still, I believe voting is my responsibility as a citizen, not just a right. And, I subscribe to the view of the late journalist Molly Ivins, who wrote, "Just remember, folks, you elected them. Especially those who didn't vote."

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DAVID M. McMAHON

* * * * *

I plan to "fire" Democrats and "warn" RINOs, as much as I can, in this May primary, in spite of the perverted districts and ward systems, "bunkers of protection" of the counties and municipalities in N.C., and I encourage and welcome your help in this endeavor to beautify America, starting locally.

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HARVEY PULLIAM JR.

* * * * *

People voting in the May elections, please vote again in November. Do not feel your vote does not count; it does. Vote twice, please.

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ELIZABETH R. ERVIN

Winston-Salem Journal LTE TH 02/09/12

Through faith

Loneliness is a common affliction often suffered in "quiet desperation." The unconditional love we may have enjoyed in childhood can become elusive in later life. The Brotherhood of Man and the Lordship of God, at times, seem more fanciful than actual reality.

A meaningful faith experience can enrich mere existence and relieve the hunger for human approval. Faith serves as a testament to God's eternal presence in human affairs. It can establish a living relationship with spiritual reality and a peaceful kinship with fellow humans.

Faith is a response of gratitude to a God that loves. Through it, we are open to a spiritual experience felt as a personal "I-Thou" encounter. Faith empowers love with endurance. Without faith, love can fade. Whereas beliefs seek certitude in an uncertain future, faith abides in the mystery of the miraculous. It's a feeling of unity with life, transforming "a-loneness" into "all-oneness."

Through faith we can experience anew the hope and trust of a child. When we become as "little children," we can begin to trust life rather than fear it. Laws, wars and treaties have consistently failed to keep the peace. Faith calls forth the "better angels" of our nature to resolve contention and conflict.

Jesus said, "Love your enemy." This difficult commandment remains our most effective option to eradicate the enmity we humans harbor for people of other cultures and traditions. When respect for others replaces distrust and fear of the foreigner, who, then, shall we call our enemy?

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JOSEPH J. CUTRI

Winston-Salem

Supports Coach Muse

Coach Mike Muse is quite possibly the finest man I know ("Student recorded coach's tirade," Feb. 2). I trust him. I respect him. I admire him. I believe in him. I love him. I love his family ... all the members. My children are better people for being in his presence.

Those who choose to disagree will do so, but rest assured, they don't know the man. I've laughed with him. I've cried for him. I've prayed beside him. I've rejoiced in his victories and suffered in his defeats. I watched him learn and listened to him teach. I've sought his counsel and contemplated his wisdom. And never have I known him to fail to do the right thing.

Let the shame fall where it truly belongs.

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JEFFREY GRIFFIN

Winston-Salem

A terrible idea

I am a resident of the Washington Park neighborhood and also a fervent supporter of the UNC School of the Arts and all the wonderful things that it represents. Therefore, I initially found myself conflicted by the report that UNCSA wants to demolish the house at 2008 Sunnyside Ave. and replace it with a storage warehouse ("Historic house faces demolition," Feb. 4). But I soon found myself firmly on the side of the preservationists when I read that this house, built in 1910, has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1992. Since when is it permissible to tear down a house that has received this prestigious national historic recognition? What in the world is UNCSA thinking?

I urge the administration of UNCSA to backpedal away from this terrible idea as quickly as possible, because this is a public-relations disaster: an institution dedicated to artistic creativity now seen as the perpetrator of decidedly unartistic destruction.

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ERNEST J. LUNSFORD

Winston-Salem

A teacher's bullying

In reference to "Student recorded teacher's tirade" (Feb. 2), it seems to me that a school system that is trying to control bullying among students must have zero tolerance for a teacher's bullying. Absolutely zero.

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ROMAINE POINDEXTER

Kernersville

Shocking incident

Our community has made much effort to curb bullying in our schools. That makes it shocking that among the bullies at East Forsyth High School are two professionals charged with the well-being of their students ("Student's recording brings threats," Feb. 3).

Teen gossip does not give Couch Mike Muse and James Deeney, the school's resource officer, the right to confront a student in front of others in such an ugly way. Their behavior was so unprofessional as to be unbelievable. If the student, Dillon Tschnko, needed discipline, it should have been conducted privately, where his dignity (and theirs) could have been preserved.

Now there exists an unholy mess from which no good can come. The student is being attacked by other students and has had to change schools. It seems unlikely that this student will not sustain emotional damage.

If they believe that this incident has improved matters, then they may be surprised at the firestorm created.

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SUDIE M. GOLDSTON

Winston-Salem

Winston-Salem Journal LTE WE 02/08/12

Finish the Thought

Last Saturday we asked readers to complete the sentence, "The Confederate statue in front of the old courthouse in downtown Winston-Salem should be ..."

* * * * *

"… preserved. I am requesting that the Board of Commissioners separate the property on which the monument stands and provide an individual deed for it. This would prevent the monument from being sold with the building or being moved. This monument marks a time in history of Winston-Salem when brave men fought for what they believed in and families sacrificed much. We should never want to forget that, and we should never destroy the memory of such bravery. Please keep this monument in place for the sake of the truth of our history. When we believe and act on truth rather than our desires, we will discover we can overpower whatever holds us captive."

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ROBERT BRAWLEY

* * * * *

"… left alone. Those who would tear down Confederate statues don't understand history, not of the Civil War but of Reconstruction. Lee, Davis and other Confederate political and military leaders were not tried and hung as traitors after the Civil War because it was more important to give the South dignity and start healing the country. Lincoln and Grant understood this.

"Likewise, these statues are just a token to our fallen ancestors, not a declaration of their cause. Please allow us this small dignity, or do those who want the statue removed know more than Lincoln, Grant and even North Carolina's own Andrew Johnson?"

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KAM BENFIELD

* * * * *

"President Teddy Roosevelt reminded us of the value of honoring American soldiers who fought each other during the Civil War. He reminded us of the valor shown by both sides and noted the honor they each demonstrated by fighting for what they believed. Winston-Salem has a history of remembering that kind of service and has named our convention center for Lawrence Joel, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during a bitter battle fought in Vietnam.

"Deed the monument and the land it sets upon to the United Daughters of the Confederacy and allow that monument to North Carolinians continue to stand. To remove that statue is to deny history and the gallantry of our fellow North Carolinians. That we see their cause today as a 'lost cause' does not make their service any less noble.

"Unless we remember history, we are doomed to repeat it at some point."

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RALPH CHAPPELL

* * * * *

"… kept in the spot it has been since dedication by the United Daughters of the Confederacy in the early 1900s.

"This includes the Confederate statue, Spanenburg bust, Babcock bust, R.J.Reynolds, the police memorial, the Lawrence Joel coliseum memorials, the arrowhead that marks the old wagon road, all of which represent the history and foundation of Winston Salem and Forsyth County.

"I was a volunteer representative for Save Outdoor Sculpture in the 1990s and listed, photographed and researched numerous outdoor sculptures in Forsyth County for the Smithsonian's database, phase one of which was to save and preserve for future generations."

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INAZE LOPEZ

* * * * *

"… protected for future generations.

"The best solution for this problem is for the county commissioners to separate the property on which the monument stands and provide an individual deed for it. This would prevent the monument from being sold with the building and moved."

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SHARON STEPHENS

* * * * *

"… preserved. I have ancestors who fought for both the North and the South. Both histories should be preserved. That time in history is part of the United States, whether we like it or not. It would be nice if teachers and students actually studied the Civil War the way they study other wars. They would find more to the Civil War than slavery, like Forsyth County Commissioner Walter Marshall only sees. The Confederate statue should stay as part of our Southern history. If we do away with everything in history that offends thin-skinned people, it's no longer history, just a one-sided story."

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STACY McGEE

* * * * *

"… left where it is or moved to another location, but not destroyed. It is a part of our history and as such should be maintained so that we don't forget."

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BARBARA ALFORD

* * * * *

"… left to stand and face a new statue honoring the Salem Moravian abolitionists, a number of whom were publicly martyred here by pro-slavers, for their Christian beliefs. Let our regional history be mirrored in the cruel moral context of those times."

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JERE CUNNINGHAM

* * * * *

"… preserved, as well as all of the factional history of our nation. The Civil War was a fact, and it aided in setting the slaves free, what more needs to be said?"

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JANE MABE

* * * * *

"… left where it is. It has stood there for over 100 years — now a controversy has started over it. It is an historical marker, so let the old boy stand. The statue is part of history — whether good or bad — we (all races) should learn from it."

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REID JOYCE

* * * * *

"… moved to a more prominent place so that all will be reminded of the valor and sacrifice of the citizens of Forsyth County who came to the defense of North Carolina during the War to Prevent Southern Independence."

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ALEX AND ANGELA CHEEK

* * * * *

"… moved to stand in front of the downtown Central Library. By placing it in front of the library, perhaps it would encourage people to go inside and read about the War Between the States, and learn that the Civil War was not just about slavery, but the unification of the United States."

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LINDA DIORIO

* * * * *

"… preserved in its location as a historic landmark and memorial to area veterans who fought to defend the state of North Carolina during the War Between the States. The proud history of our state should not be left vulnerable to shifting political winds and whims; the brave North Carolinians of that era depend upon present and future generations to preserve their history, sacrifices and suffering.

"The soldiers who fought and died for North Carolina in any conflict, and monuments to them, should not be the target of politically-motivated abuse. This is our heritage, and we are charged today with preserving North Carolina history for our children and their children. We must not allow those future generations to question our commitment to the preservation of our history and monuments to our veterans."

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BERNHARD THUERSAM

CHAIRMAN, NORTH CAROLINA

WAR BETWEEN THE STATES

SESQUICENTENNIAL COMMISSION

Winston-Salem Journal LTE TU 02/07/12

Green stuff

The trend of letting the state, rather than the market, pick favorites continues. Solyndra was not "the true engine of economic growth" that President Obama thought when it burned through a $500 million loan guarantee in less than 10 months. The same applies to government ventures into education and housing. Private capital markets (free to the taxpayer) are ruthlessly efficient and self-correcting in placing capital with winners — away from losers. If private capital is not right, their money vanishes.

Washington lends on ideology and political expediency. Government Sponsored Entities (GSE) like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are projected to lose $400 billion by the Congressional Budget Office. Overinvestment by the government and overconsumption by consumers are making society poorer.

Washington lent its support to education as well. College graduates, in normal times, earn more over their lifetimes. Uncle Sam again distorted the market. College is not best for all, and subsidized tuition pushed the market away from affordable colleges, trade schools or work. A decision many parents and students regret.

Easy credit from government fuels the overinvestment by education by shielding educators from true cost. Tuition increases are in multiples of CPI, energy and health care because of government support.

In the face of all the harm they do, GSEs, educational loans and government funding of private-sector activities like Solyndra continue today. The obvious victim is the taxpayer, and the unintended victim is the borrower, who pays more for or has lost access to capital through distortion.

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HIL CASSELL

Lewisville

Finish the job

Our country is in trouble. I submit that our political leaders have let us down — especially the Republican Party.

In 2001, George W. Bush became president — unfortunately. After taking office he said that virtually anyone could experience the American dream of home ownership. So he opened the floodgates and allowed most anyone who applied to be approved for a home loan. Many of these were unqualified borrowers and thus are now under water or worse. Bankers were happy, and Wall Street titans became wealthy. Then the bubble burst. We have yet to recover as a country.

Then came 9/11. Bush vowed retaliation. The "three of a kind," Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, vowed that Osama bin Laden would be dealt with regardless of the cost. They forced Congress to declare war on Afghanistan in order to go after bin Laden and his wild bunch.

Then the three of a kind coerced Secretary of State Colin Powell into going before the nation to declare that there was proof positive that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and that Saddam Hussein must be dealt with. Thus, they set plans in motion for the invasion of Iraq. Ten years later, with thousands of lives lost and trillions of dollars spent, we are stagnated by misapplied foreign policies.

Now the Republican Party wants back in power, seeking to finish the job of the three of a kind, continuing to carry America down a dead-end road.

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JACK LUTZ

King

For president

Ron Paul for president. His first non-act would be to cancel his pay, which would accompany his terminating the government. Without tax collection and primary mail service, no debt to anyone would be paid. With the absence of police, fire departments, health care, safety, the military, representatives of the "bureaucracy," etc., chaos would reign. He and his Confederate throwbacks would be so pleased that the new Confederacy would be installed behind their armor-gated communities.

Mitt Romney would move to the Cayman Islands, three of which he purchased with the taxes he never paid to the U.S. Newt Gingrich would set up a harem. Rick Santorum would sponsor a general baby-making fest. When our population outnumbered China's and India's, war would be declared. But without healthy, educated, responsible adults, the myriad broods would misspell gun for fun. This, while they continue not to choose responsibly planned lives.

Ron Paul for president. Our end would be slow enough for Fox TV to lie about right-wing Republican achievements. West Somalia could be established posthaste.

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MARCIALITO CAM

Winston-Salem

Justice Kagan

Will Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan be impartial when the U.S. Supreme Court hears the constitutionality of Obamacare in a few weeks? I believe she actually lied under oath when asked by senators during her confirmation hearings if she had ever been asked for her legal opinion regarding the merits or legal issues of Obamacare.

She's not just a liar; she was knee-deep in the Kool-Aid. The highest court in the country is being stained by a socialist extremist, and it's no secret. If this great nation is to remain a nation of laws for all people, Elena Kagan should be impeached — and the sooner the better.

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PERRY HUDSPETH

Winston-Salem