News-Record.com

Lung cancer is the No. 1 cancer killer yet is the least funded of all major cancers. Lung cancer kills twice as many women as breast cancer, three times as many men as prostate cancer. Lung cancer kills more people than breast, prostate, colon and pancreas cancers combined. Think only smokers get lung cancer? Think again. Lung cancer in nonsmokers is the sixth-largest cancer killer.

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, and this year the Triad has a new initiative for all those who have been touched by the No. 1 cancer killer. The inaugural Triad Free to Breathe 5K Run/Walk and Rally will be held Saturday morning, Nov. 15, at Grandover Parkway and ACC Lane. Cancer centers at Moses Cone, High Point Regional and Forsyth Medical are supporting this effort through sponsorship.

This is the first time such an event has been held. All net proceeds will go to lung-cancer research. Please support this event to raise lung-cancer awareness and research funding. To register go to www.freetobreathe.com, or for more information go to www.dustydonaldson.blogspot.com.

Dusty Donaldson
High Point

The Obama/William Ayers connection is real. Obama is correct in that he cannot choose his neighbors, but he could choose whom he wanted to associate with in his political or activist groups.

It is being said that the Ayers domestic terror bombings happened 40 years ago and Obama was only 8 years old at the time. I contend that it is irrelevant how long ago the bombings were and how old Obama was when it happened. The Ayers quote, “I don’t regret setting bombs ... I feel we didn’t do enough,” indicates he is still a terrorist at heart. There is only one difference between William Ayers and Oklahoma City terrorist bomber Timothy McVeigh. William Ayers was an inept bomber. Had he been as successful as McVeigh in doing the dastardly deed, he would have been executed or serving a life prison sentence. He was exonerated by a technicality that his lawyers concocted.

We have no way of looking into Obama’s soul, but we can question his judgment.

Jerry Sublett
Greensboro

I met Darlene Garrett in 1996 when I first moved to North Carolina.

From the outset, I was impressed by Darlene’s volunteerism and her support of public schools. When we co-led our daughters’ Scout troop, I witnessed firsthand her love of all children and her willingness to do more for them than most.

She later was elected president of our school’s PTA, and in 2000 she was elected to the Guilford County school board. Darlene has fought hard for school construction in our county in an effort to alleviate the severe overcrowding. She worked toward the creation of, and now leads, the Construction Advisory Committee, which oversees school construction projects and costs.

She has reached out to teachers, principals, parents and students in an effort to understand their concerns, and then has worked toward solutions.

I have always been impressed by Darlene’s willingness to speak her mind on the board, even when she has been the lone voice of dissension. Yet, she has also reached out to the other board members, who listen to her arguments with respect. As we begin our transition to the new superintendent, Darlene’s continued influence on the school board is more vital than ever.

Lorraine Marshall
Greensboro

John McCain and Sarah Palin are campaigning on a “maverick” theme, but mavericks are not what we need to save this nation. According to the dictionary, mavericks are not leaders, they are loners. Their “independence” is really “isolation.”

The United States needs a strong leader now who can articulate the national goals and who can motivate millions of us, including those with more experience and expertise on some issues, to join together to accomplish them.

Barack Obama is the right man for our times. We need a leader, not a maverick loner!

Jean Eason
Greensboro

Vote Democrat for our future. Vote Republican for more of the past.

Joyce Margo
Greensboro

Regarding Ed Kitchen’s column in support of passing a bond to renovate the War Memorial Auditorium, I say where was he in the past?

As a longtime Greensboro city manager, where was his and past City Council members’ leadership and support to keep the auditorium in good repair? It seems to me that under his watch, the support and repair of said facility were ignored and passed on to future city leadership. Now he is asking the voters to rectify his poor leadership on this issue and assume the burden of paying off still another bond.

My suggestion would be to do what Charlotte has successfully done. Involve the business community like Federal Express and others (say the Bryan Foundation, Mr. Kitchen?) to help with the renovation. Why does the entrenched establishment of this city always ask the voter to fix their problems of lack of leadership?

Vote no to the auditorium bond. A combination of city and private business funds should be used. If the auditorium is such a draw to businesses in this area, they should be happy to share the costs.

David R. Benson
Greensboro

Recently legendary actor and philanthropist Paul Newman died, the unfortunate victim of lung cancer. This particularly insidious cancer often takes the life of the victim within a year of the diagnosis.

It is estimated that 90 percent of these cancers are related to tobacco use. Newman, known to be a one-time heavy smoker, quit nearly 30 years ago. While one’s lung cancer risk is reduced 10 years after quitting, the length of time one smokes, and the age at which one starts, both play a role, together with general health and genetics, in the cancer time bomb.

What lessons can we take from this sad news? First, quitting at any age will improve your health. Within 20 minutes of quitting, you will see improvement in your cardiovascular system. It is never too late to quit! Second, the sooner you quit, the better. Newman lived 30 years after quitting, but he didn’t live as long, or as healthy, as he might have.

For free help in quitting, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW, 8 a.m.-midnight, or visit www.quitlinenc.com or www.becomeanex.com. There is no better day than today.

Mary Gillett
Greensboro

The writer is tobacco prevention coordinator, Guilford County Department of Public Health.

We strongly encourage your support to elect Robert Enochs for District Court judge. Robert has 13 years experience as a Guilford County assistant district attorney and has the intelligence, integrity and commitment to serve the people without bias. Robert is an honest professional who is fair-minded and has the qualities required to be an excellent judge.

Catherine and Sam Froelich
Greensboro

As a real-estate appraiser, I spend a great deal of time driving through my favorite city, Greensboro. Lately, I have noticed an interesting situation that alarms me.

Every election year, candidates spend a great deal of time and money on signs. This year, it appears that signs for McCain for president have been vandalized by people who seem to feel that they need an edge in precincts that are already mostly Democratic.

I stopped at a few homes in Guilford Hills, where the signs were damaged by these thugs, and the residents told me they are leaving the signs up as a “Purple Heart.” They also told me that signs promoting Joe Wilson for state Senate seem to have evaporated. I also noticed that Joe Wilson was adding McCain signs for neighbors at his expense.

Let’s get behind Joe in his run for state Senate and Sen. McCain in his run for president. We do not need thugs in this race.

Dennis McLoughlin
Greensboro

Barack Obama and Joe Biden held a free rally in downtown Greensboro Oct. 4 that 18,000 “average” people attended. Sarah Palin is to “guest star” (to quote the N&R front page on Oct. 2) at a private fundraiser here in the Irving Park neighborhood on Oct. 16.

Now which one do you think is really an elitist?

Lynne M. Bailey
Greensboro