Council Candidate Speaks Out
Dear Editor,
I might have been hard on John Hammer lately but it is not like I had no good reason. I actually like John and read his paper way before I ever had the idea to run for any office. I will say the paper does give a different point of view from other papers and at times I agree with John. I like to add that I will prove myself as a leader if I win District 5 because I always get the job done. Mr. Tony Wilkins is a failure and if you read the December 9, 2015 News and Record, Tony said that he and Blust were ineffective, his words not mine. Mr. Tony Wilkins is a women batter supporter and he proved that when he backed a certain criminal over Officer Cole, the City paid good money to a felon who beats on women, call me a liar and will prove it. The suspect before ever meeting Officer Cole was a convicted felon with a long arrest sheet so I don’t want to hear from Tony the women battering charges came later, the criminal has a long history and you can look it up yourself. The video of Officer Cole arresting the felon was not extreme and if Tony or council ever did any police work they know that. I read the history of that house and the criminal was no angel, do a public records request for the address and you will see. The suspect is such a modern day civil rights leader that he was charged with Assault by Strangulation and Assault on an Unborn child, look it up in the NC Courts web page, they don’t want to talk about that now. The suspect made many victims and did he ever say sorry or pay money for his crimes, NO. The Mayor said she was sorry for what Officer Cole did, she is sorry but she should look in her own closet. The fact is more than a few on council have a criminal past or have children involved with the law so they hate cops like Tony does, let me defend myself on that. Mr. Wilkins supported a felon over a cop, Mr Wilkins voted no on the budget that had raises for cops and firefighters, Tony in his own words is ineffective and talks junk. Mr Wilkins in a few articles said’s the Mayor is a leader and in another article unethical, my web page has them both. Mr Wilkins is like Nancy because Nancy voted for his appointment, they both say what needs to be said to get votes. The City will be better off without Nancy and Tony.
Sal Leone
Editor’s Note: Sal Leone is a candidate in the District 5 City Council race. His letter is being run unedited.
Advice to Disassociate
Dear Editor,
I read the letter that Salvatore Leone sent you and was totally amazed. What is this guy’s highest level of education? He didn’t form one coherent sentence in the entire letter. I decided to “try” and look him up and this is what I got: “Salvatore Leone was a character in the Grand Theft Auto series.” There were others listed but none were located in North Carolina, so only the shadow knows who this guy really is.
It “sounds like” you may know him in some way. My advice? Disassociate yourself from this man. Trust me on this. LOL.
Barb Barker
Jewish Federation Says Thanks NC
Dear Editor,
On June 28, the Greensboro Jewish Federation joined Jewish Federations across the state in commending our state legislature in passing HB161. This bill protects North Carolina’s economy from efforts to restrict trade with Israel and affirms North Carolina’s economic, business and cultural relationship with Israel. We thank Rep. Jon Hardister, who, as a co-sponsor, championed this bill, which received bipartisan support.
The State of North Carolina conducts nearly $140 million per year in exports and commerce with Israel and we are one of a growing number of states in the country (22) to respond legislatively to national origin discrimination.
Passage of this bill sends a significant message against hatred and discrimination. The bill protects North Carolina’s economy from efforts to restrict trade with Israel, efforts which are being promoted by the anti-Israel boycott, divestment and sanctions movement (BDS). It affirms North Carolina’s economic, business and cultural relationship with Israel.
It is encouraging to know that we have representatives, such as Jon Hardister and the many others who voted for this bill, who care about North Carolina’s relationships with Israel and other nations. We look forward to Gov. Roy Cooper’s signature on this bill, which will take a stand against discrimination of a friend and partner of our great state.
Marilyn Forman Chandler
Marc Isaacson
There Are Places to Cut Spending
Dear Editor,
More and more we are hearing the talk about the federal budget and government spending. And every time they (they being politicians) talk about spending reform, they go after the low hanging fruit like Social Security and Medicare. They talk about how it’s the biggest drain and how unsustainable it is. Just a reminder: We the people pay into those under threat of being jailed. It’s our money taken by force. Give it back.
You want to talk about unsustainable programs that need to be overhauled, let’s talk about all the welfare programs the federal government runs. There’s currently a commercial running where they’re telling people they can get free phones, free medical care, prescriptions filled at no or reduced cost. Guess who’s behind those “free” programs? What’s the old saying about free lunches? Is it a coincidence that about the time these commercials started showing up a report came out about the welfare rolls shrinking? Sounds like some government employees (read leeches) are worried about losing their jobs. That’s just one place to start the cutting, not reducing spending, but cutting.
Next, let’s look at all the money flowing out to other countries, some of whom spit in our eye while taking out money. I know the old argument, that being it’s such a small amount compared to other things. But a bunch of little things equal one big thing, especially when it comes to money. Nickels and dimes add up quite quickly.
Another area is all this money that gets handed out to buy votes. If a State wants a teapot museum, let them pay for it. Federal taxes spent it on Federal programs only. Let the Arts support themselves. If PBS (TV and radio) can’t get sponsors let them fail like anybody else would. Stop making me pay for propaganda I disagree with.
Also, it’s time to get rid of the Departments of Education, Energy, and HUD, and those are just for starters. Close them down, fire (don’t reassign) the people in them, demolish the buildings, and sell the property to private developers. While you’re at it do the same to the U.N.
Politicians cannot sustain the level of spending they’ve started. Moreover, you can bet that when (not if) the economy goes south again they’ve made sure they (Democrats and Republicans alike) and their sponsors won’t get hurt.
Go Galt and save the Republic
Alan Marshall
Obamacare until Universal Healthcare
Dear Editor,
Now that the Senate version of Trumpcare is DOA, due to the open opposition of some Republican senators and the less publicized opposition of others, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is grinding his teeth and plotting revenge, while President Donald Trump is tweeting up an angry storm, as usual, in an effort to circumvent the defeat of Trumpcare by his own Republican Party. Like a spoiled child, he wants to get his own way no matter what, a way that would deny millions of Americans their health coverage.
Among the senators who opposed Trumpcare were three white Republican women, one of whom, Sen. Shelley Capito, bluntly stated, “I did not come to Washington to hurt people”.
Unfortunately, I am no longer shocked that our president is incapable of accepting legislative defeat. Such an act would require some degree of maturity.
Nobody thinks Obamacare is perfect, but it’s a lot better than nothing, and until the “greatest country in the world” finally joins every other industrialized nation in providing universal health care to all, it’s the best we’ve got.
Maureen Parker
Arresting Property
Dear Editor,
I am against civil asset forfeiture laws because these laws allow law enforcement agencies to “arrest” property even though the owner hasn’t been charged, arrested, tried or convicted of any crime.
Conservative Attorney General Jeff Sessions is now encouraging police departments to use civil asset forfeiture more often. He has also rescinded past orders by former President Barack Obama that were supposed to limit these practices. Whatever happened to the idea of “innocent until proven guilty”? This is what big government conservatism looks like.
Chuck Mann
Dunkirk Thumbs Down
Dear Editor,
Based on glowing reports, I went to see Dunkirk. I have to say I was very disappointed.
The horror and carnage of this movie was reduced to a wishy-washy story. The movie followed one man, a small boat and the death of a civilian boy. The air battles were stale; each plane went down in a plume of smoke. One pilot made a crash landing in water, but predictably suffered a jammed canopy, escaping at the last minute and rescued by the same boat that we were watching. Another pilot made a safe beach landing after gliding out of gas, long after a reasonable amount of time.
This story may be exciting to anyone who has no knowledge of the history of the event. Personally, I found it tedious and very short on drama.
Anonymous
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