KEEP THOSE CARDS

AND LETTERS COMING

DEAR EDITOR,

In the July 20 and July 27 editions of the Rhino Times, you published a letter to the editor from my opponent in the Greensboro City Council race for District 5.

I want to thank you for that.

Tony Wilkins

District 5 City Councilmember

NOT HIS PRESIDENT

DEAR EDITOR,

The past several Under the Hammers, you’ve omitted facts which counter your statements. You assert “The American people” elected Trump – facts: 46 percent of eligible voters abstained, 7 percent voted independent, of the remaining 47 percent, 3 million more voted Hillary. Trump was “elected” by an electoral system that, in the age of instant communication, is obsolete.

You state that Trump is fulfilling campaign promises. Huh? Where is the great wall “Mexico will pay for”?  If it’s built it will be with our tax dollars, Mexico will pay “later” with tariffs – meaning American consumers will pay more for Mexican produce/goods, meaning continue to pay for it indefinitely.

Where’s his “more affordable/better” healthcare? Obamacare actually made insurance accessible/affordable to my family and many friends including Republicans. Problems with the ACA could be fixed simply: Let Americans purchase drugs from Canada/Europe, tort reform, and let people buy insurance across state lines. Our health care is rated below Costa Rica in world standing (26th?), but the most expensive worldwide. The Republican answer – return to a market driven system unsustainable to begin with, denying millions insurance by either refusing pre-existing conditions or prohibitive costs; seniors could pay seven times what they pay now.

You seem unconcerned that many on Trump’s campaign met with Russian entities. Flynn is willing to testify for immunity, that means he and others are guilty of something. All involved have lied, why?

American taxpayers average $2.25 for all arts funding (a small portion of goes to public TV) – they also average $575 toward an overblown military budget, spending trillions on Mid-East wars (paid for with tax breaks for the rich) and to show for it? Growing debt, American casualties and more terrorism. Why not spend some of those billions on American needs?

I listen to all sides of these issues, but you frame your arguments ignoring facts. Republicans can no longer call themselves the “values” party, proving they have none by standing with Trump, our  “crotch-grabber” in chief who uses the White House as his family’s business office, he’s a huckster and would-be dictator. His family’s products – made in China or Mexico. Wake up!

Mike Northuis

Editor’s Note: Regardless of how many people voted, those who chose to vote elected Trump president. Even Hillary Clinton has admitted it.

iSPY

DEAR EDITOR,

Do you have a robotic vacuum cleaner made by iRobot? If you do, this device could be spying on you. The makers of the Roomba vacuum cleaner recently announced that they want to sell mapping information of the homes that use their products. This is Big Brotherism.  I don’t think that any corporation should have the right to sell your personal information without your consent, and without giving you some money.

Imagine if your doctor announced that they were going to sell your medical records and X-rays. What would you do? There is no law against a doctor, dentist or counselor selling your personal information without your consent.  No individual can be truly free without a right to privacy.

Chuck Mann

Editor’s Note: I think you might want to check out HIPAA regulations.

SETTING WILKINS’ RECORD STRAIGHT

DEAR EDITOR,

A letter to the editor was published in the July 27 Rhino Timesclaiming that City Councilmember Tony Wilkins “hates Cops” and is a “women batter supporter” (what is “women batter” anyway? Is it a cake mix?) If it wasn’t so slanderous it would be quite comical. At the very least it is a ridiculous attempt for Tony’s opponent to get his name in the paper to establish some legitimacy – which he obviously needs.

Let’s set the record straight.  Mr. Wilkins voted for a 7.5 percent raise for public safety officers. He only voted “no” on the final budget because it included a property tax increase – which he has fought against from day one. However, the budget did pass and the public safety officers (police and firefighters) did receive the 7.5 percent raise that Tony was in favor of.  He has also received the endorsement of the Professional Firefighters of Greensboro.

Furthermore, Wilkins voted against the $95,000 settlement for Dejuan Yourse after the incident with the Greensboro police officer.

This does not sound like someone who “hates cops” or who supports abusers. As a matter of fact, it proves quite the opposite. Tony Wilkins will stand on the side of what is right and will not back down, regardless how fierce the opposition may be.

With this said, however, I do encourage Mr. Sal Leone to continue submitting his misinformed, ill-sourced, poorly written and grammatically embarrassing opinions to newspapers all over the city. It will only serve to keep him out of elected office and make the good candidates such as Tony Wilkins look even better.

Mendy Greenwood

POLITICIANS THE PROBLEM, NOT SOLUTION

DEAR EDITOR,

Politicians putting party ahead of nation, pure and simple, are the root cause of almost all of our problems today. And like him or not, President Trump just might become the best leader of our times by threating to take Congress’s health care away.  These party-first loyalists serve themselves and party but not our national interests and it will take a real leader to stop their selfish practices.  Whoever this leader be, I welcome his courage and respect for our people.  We’ve needed a real leader for our country for a long time now but we’ve believed in the most astonishing illusions of sensational news from our media until they now seem real.  It is time to return to facts instead of opinion and the political rhetoric of half-truths and distorted illusions, like possible collusion without evidence until the gullibility of our nation and respect for our leaders has vanished.  Next, who really was behind the assassination of JFK?  We deserve facts, not only because lies bind us into more false assumptions and herein we are never entirely free.  And what good does it do a politician to gain from any secrecy except to lord over us with still more self-serving distortions of political assumptions and half-truths?

Ray Hylton

DISTRICT 5 CANDIDATE

SPEAKS AGAIN

DEAR EDITOR,

Well I guess I have to defend myself and say yes my spelling is probably off due to typing with emotions but lets clear the air. Mr John Hammer recently said all I do is pay the fee and don’t do much or get many votes. Well its clear I spell bad and John has math and reality problems. I spent days at early voting by myself and never saw the people I ran against like Blust or Wilkins, got proof and pictures. The fact is I don’t have rich sugar daddy’s who give me money or hold diners in my honor and just so happens council votes on their projects, sounds ethical right but people see no problem with that since he runs around saying I am a conservative and friend of the taxpayer. I like to address I get no votes and prove John’s problem with math and if he got better with it he would not of lost his business but anyway lets see, 2014 NC HOUSE 62, Blust 18,841, Leone, 11,504, ran on a low budget, 2013 City Council, Wilkins 3291, Leone 1167 so the fact that I don’t get votes has been addressed but no mention on Mr. Conservative wanting a pay raise and free healthcare, did he not say negative things about expanding Medicaid in NC, oh wait that’s the conservative way of doing business, give it to me but forget the poor. I wonder why council wants healthcare, could it be they have no jobs or have any benefits, if someone can give council the address to where to find public aide it be great, its ok to use an EBT card council because they don’t issue different ones for council. Hey John do an article on why your boy, Tony was ok with backing a felon over a cop, you wonder why crime is up, council is anti-cop and that’s why cops are leaving Greensboro PD and not because of pay, moral is down because of council leadership. I got an idea, there are a few on council with records, that’s criminal that is, some have family members in and out, and some former council members get arrested, they should start a club and call it the right to remain silent club. hey John no mention how Tony sold out the residents of Lake Brandt for developers, school safety not an issue either I saw. Well if you going to bash people, be fair brother John. Hey John lets do lunch some time, got nothing but love for you still.

Sal Leone

Editor’s Note: Sal Leone is a candidate in the District 5 City Council race. His letter is being run unedited.

Leone is correct that he received 11,504 votes in 2014 running against state Rep. John Blust. What Leone doesn’t say is he was running as a Democrat in a partisan election against a conservative Republican. Leone also failed to mention that, in 2015, when he ran for mayor of Greensboro, in the three-way primary he finished third with 362 votes, and when he ran in the Republican primary for the District 27 seat in 2012 he finished fourth out of four with 506 votes.

MISINFORMED

ON WILKINS

DEAR EDITOR,

I read perennial candidate Sal Leone’s letter to the editor last week and I am still trying to figure out where he received his information.

Mr. Leone wrote about the settlement the City of Greensboro reached with Mr. Dejuan Yourse.  In his letter, Mr. Leone stated that District 5 representative Tony Wilkins voted for the settlement and that he backed a “certain criminal” over the arresting officer.  Mr. Leone could not be further from the truth.  In fact Tony was one of three councilmembers (Jamal Fox and Justin Outling were the others) who voted against the settlement.

Mr. Leone also stated that Tony hated cops and supported a felon over a former Greensboro police officer.  These assertions by Mr. Leone are totally false and laughable.  Tony Wilkins has been very supportive of the Greensboro Police Department and public safety in general.  Numerous times during his tenure on the council, Tony has expressed his support of the Police Department when others seem to enjoy nitpicking every move and decision made not only by officers, but those of Police Chief Wayne Scott and his senior command staff.

Tony’s commitment to the police has been unfaltering and very much appreciated by the men and women who work tirelessly to keep this city safe.  Tony also supported the recent increase in salaries for public safety personnel, contrary to what Mr. Leone wrote in his letter.

Tony deserves another term as the District 5 representative and I am proud to call him my friend.  Mr. Leone, you need to check your facts before you write such nonsense.

Brian A. Cheek

Retired GSO Deputy Police Chief

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P.O. Box 9023, Greensboro 27429