Save Gaia
Dear Editor,
Today, more than ever, we face the age old question of responsibility – am I (or am I not) my brother’s keeper? Am I at all responsible to birds, trees, rivers, mountains, baby turtles – and people I will never know – not only today, but in a future I will not live to see?
If you believe (as I do) that we bear responsibility for the well-being of future generations, then it becomes our duty to care for the earth so she can continue to nurture life. The children, grandchildren and great grandchildren of the world deserve to inherit beauty and the fruitfulness of creation as we in our own time have had the privilege of doing.
Previous generations did not realize the damage they were causing. They did not know about global warming. But we do. The Paris climate agreement was a start. We should lose no time in re-committing to this worldwide cooperative effort to save Gaia, our mother, the earth, and in joining California by implementing even stronger climate initiatives.
Maureen Parker
I Am Old Glory
Dear Editor,
I’m a retired public school educator and taught high school history as part of a 43-year career in Guilford County. In sorting some materials recently, I came across a booklet entitled “Facts about the Civil War” printed in 1959 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of that conflict. The opening page displays the US flag with the following words – words which we should take to heart and hold close:
“I am Old Glory: For more than eight score years I have been the banner of hope and freedom for generation after generation of Americans. Born amid the first flames of America’s fight for freedom, I am a symbol of a country which has grown from a group of thirteen colonies to a united nation of fifty sovereign states. Planted firmly on the high pinnacle of American Faith, my gently fluttering folds have proved an inspiration to untold millions. Men have followed me into battle with unwavering courage. They have looked upon me as a symbol of national unity. They have prayed that they and their fellow citizens might continue to enjoy the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness which have been granted to every American as the heritage of free men. So long as men love liberty more than life itself; so long as they treasure the priceless privileges bought with the blood of our forefathers; so long as the principles of truth, justice and charity for all remain deeply rooted in human hearts, I shall continue to be the enduring banner of the United States of America. I am Old Glory!”
Bob Kollar
Objective Isn’t Truth
Dear Editor,
I live in a poor neighborhood in High Point that I jokingly refer to as “the hood.” Several years back, I was stunned when I got to know some of the kids. These kids, some of who I knew were destined to become drug runners to support their parent’s drug habits, lived in a world of lies. I watched them relate to each other in a utter confusion. In their conversations, telling the truth was never the objective. I truly think they didn’t even have a sense of what truth is. It was always a contest as to who was the most convincing liar. I shuddered at what the future would be like when these children became adults and our leaders.
Well, I thought about this yesterday when I was listening to the Democratic leaders tell Fox News of their reasons why they want an FBI investigation of Brett Kavanaugh and their concern for “poor” Dr. Ford. I once again shuddered and thought, “The time is now, our leaders have lied so much they don’t seem to even know what the truth is anymore or maybe they just don’t care.”
Patricia Small
Wimp Nation
Dear Editor,
All this brouhaha about Hurricane Florence coming to the central Carolinas is a perfect example of the nanny state gone crazy. It reminds one of the Y2K fiasco, the biggest non-event that ever happened.
Winston-Salem is not Wilmington, where the coastal areas understandably have battened down the hatches. Some there said they were staying, come hell or high water (pun intended). Even the emergency services abandoned Wrightsville Beach.
Everywhere you saw people stocking up on water, bread, etc. Anyone here who doesn’t always have enough water on hand to last two weeks to a month is a real loser. All you have to do is refill two-liter soda or other bottles. As for food, some people think that if they don’t get their five meals a day, they’re gonna starve.
Here in Randolph County where I live, we had no rain by noon last Friday. Yet there were a lot of closings: governmental offices, schools (of course, any excuse will do), churches day care centers and even some businesses. I guess parents are scared silly that if little Johnny gets wet he’ll drown. Whatta wussy nation.
We need as a country to toughen up. Sweat in the summer, be cold in the winter, miss a few meals and get drenched in a downpour. No one should drown here if they use a little common sense, though it’s sometimes quite lacking.
John Taylor-Hall
Below Bottom of the Barrel
Dear Editor,
Just when it looked like the progressive, liberal, socialist Democratic left and their toadies in the mainstream media had finally reached rock bottom in their attempts to derail the Trump agenda, they whip out a jackhammer and start trying to drill deeper. And if it means destroying a person’s reputation, family, honor, integrity or life, regardless of who it is, they will do it all in the maniacal drive to gain and/or retain power.
They have claimed that Dr. Ford sent a letter to a congresswoman who in turn handed it over to Sen. Feinstein, who then sat on it for weeks until she decided that it was time to unleash the doomsday device. And as always, at least initially, the Republicans showed their lack of backbone and started to cave to the Democrats demands. At the last minute, they realized their base was finally sick and tired of it and started to rally against it. There is still this serious problem of their considering to “negotiate” with the minions of the left completely disregarding the very basis of our system of justice.
But there is one question I still have not heard anyone try to answer in spite of it being brought up over and over. Who leaked Dr. Ford’s name to the press. The only people that had the letter with that information in it were Democratic operatives. Unless that was part of the plan. Have the letter, claim the person didn’t want their identity released, then let it “slip out” when the existence of the accusations weren’t enough to derail the nomination. Couple this with the demands to negotiate the terms under which she will testify and the information coming out about how she can’t remember any details and the people she has named as witnesses saying, “Party? What party? I was never at any party with her or him.” And according to hand puppets of the left she is supposed to be believed just because she’s a woman.
And remember the little dream scenario I set up where a Supreme Court justice gets impeached if the Dems get control of the House? Guess what they’re already planning as a contingency if and when they lose this one. As conservatives we are now in a fight for our very lives.
Get out and vote: Jon Kreider and Clark Porter
Go Galt and save the Republic
Alan Marshall
Why ID?
Dear Editor,
Why do conservatives support voter ID laws? Some use the excuse that you have to show ID to buy alcohol and tobacco even though that goes against the free market. The president even thinks that you have to show identification to buy groceries. I thought that conservatives were against change, and for bringing back the “good old days.” Back in the “good old days” an American didn’t have to show identification to vote, or to buy tobacco products and alcohol. What would your conservative grandfather say if he had to show ID to vote, drink and smoke?
I can remember watching movies about World War II, and the Cold War, where the good guys were on the street in an authoritarian (either fascist or communist) country and a man in a uniform walks up to them and asks them for their identification papers. Did you know that in some places in America you can be arrested for not showing, or even having, identification? If you don’t believe me look what happened to Bob Dylan. What would the founding fathers say if King George said that they had to show identification to vote, or to do anything else. Voter ID laws aren’t conservative.
Chuck Mann
Not Blaming
Dear Editor,
A Chicago principle was punished for stating a purpose for dress codes and the statistic that abuse exists. Students became upset. Parents complained that their children were upset. So the principle was reprimanded.
Children are taught to not take candy from, to not get in a vehicle with and not talk to strangers. We teach this to reduce chance of harm. None of us want to stifle a child’s exploration, excitement or joy of the surrounding world. We all wish to protect them from the sad reality that we cannot protect them everywhere forever. Criminals can still harm no matter how perfectly a child follows directions. It is our obligation to teach harm reduction and avoidance strategies. None of us want to have to tell children painful truths. We would be happy for them to live in joyful innocence. Even if the child does not take candy from, get in the car with or talk to a criminal, harm may still occur. None of us will blame that child for being abused. It is the criminal’s fault alone. We will not hold anything against the victim. But the criminal will. Criminals are patiently waiting to tell children that they must like them because of clothing, even if they wear a potato bag covering the entire body. If they tried to run away they hesitated “too long.” The criminal will tell any child they want what’s happening because they did or said any miniscule thing during anytime. The criminal will tell the child that they are so brave, friendly, caring and honest to lower their guard. They will tell the child anything to make them feel it was their idea, or that they asked for everything. Sadly, despite actual fault, most children will blame themselves, if they are lucky to have the time. Naive PC ideology is punishing smart, caring adults for teaching legitimate harm reduction strategies. It is better to teach these clothing choice strategies so they are less likely to have to assign blame. This trend is creating more victims by forcing a false sense of reality that criminals will easily exploit. Dress codes are not victim blaming; they are victim preventing.
Alan Burke
By Grace Alone
Dear Editor,
The time may have arrived when we need to go all out and decide once and for all just what our nation means when it says “In God We Trust.”
Up to now, it’s been more political than a religious truth. In regard to religion, the spiritual truth of God essentially remains in all religions but its perception is seldom suited to the same impressions that others seem to separately feel and experience and politics enters into what should never be accepted as political.
Politically, the outward appearance of what best serves the political interests of the party is about all that seems to matter now, as few heartfelt feelings of others are addressed and spiritual truths are overlooked. Herein, we have a major divide from a god living within all of us and we end up making an awkward show of about everything God is not.
Political organizations point to dream-like perfections and ask imperfect questions like, “what’s in it for me.” Far better it would be if we allowed this to suffice: “It’s by grace, alone, that we are allowed to see what our one soul with God is meant to be.” The majority of faiths seem to suggest it and it’s sort of what “In God We Trust” means to me.
Ray Hylton
Send to letters@rhinotimes.com or 216 W. Market St., GSO 27408
