News-Record.com

The July 27 headline proclaims, "Quran dispute spurs ACLU suit." The story goes on to explain that the ACLU is planning to go to the state Supreme Court to get the law changed so Muslims can swear on the Quran instead of the Christian Bible as the law prescribes.

What's wrong with this picture? Common sense dictates that when a person swears on something, it should be something that will encourage truth-telling, whether a book, totem or a brick. The problem is that the Supreme Court has no authority to change the law.

Changing the law is only the responsibility of the legislature. This is the core of why some of us want to prohibit activist judges on the courts. Even when a change in the law is right and proper, as this one is, it should be made by the legislature, not by judicial fiat.

Larry Emory
Greensboro

I think that Kenneth Kellam hit the nail on the head (letter, July 27) about those stupid stoplight cameras. They are bad for business and scare away people who have had run-ins with them in the past.

People aren't stupid. They know that the only reason for using those things is to gouge citizens and generate revenue. They aren't just lousy for public relations, they are even dangerous. They cause people to overreact and panic. Some folks with slower reflexes hit the brake halfway into the intersection.

I am familiar with those dumb things from living near Washington. All those cameras did was breed resentment by motorists against the city. Besides, they look stupid and send the wrong message to people. If you want more money, don't break the backs of your taxpayers. Spend what you have more wisely.

Jim Gillgam
Burlington

By employing the contrivance of a "heat index," local media hype near-record-high temperatures past the reality of an accurate thermometer. Have you ever wondered why, during summer, no mention is made of wind chill and why, during winter, no mention is made of a heat index? Have you ever wondered what else is distorted and exaggerated by media hype?

Guy Sinclair
Graham

I have always dreamed of a vacation in Hawaii, or maybe anywhere besides Wal-Mart. The problem with going to Wal-Mart is it's usually to buy medicine. After that, it's to the grocery store, or the gas station for liquid gold. I also pay my taxes in full by the January deadline.

Since I am on a very limited income, I am wondering which commissioner's job I would like to have. Oh, I forget. I don't have a choice; I have to run against one in my district. Oh. Skip, I guess I can't have your job or Bruce Davis'.

So, you good commissioners who wish to give your raise to charity, I would like to recommend a great one, the best one I know. It's called Me. I also think you should pay your taxes by the deadline, too, and not expect any special privileges.

Harriette Lee
Greensboro

The letters on July 25 that dealt with swearing on the Bible in court shocked me. G.L. Herbin says the Holy Bible is the only truth and therefore the only book worth swearing on. The Bible is truth to some, but to others it is a book of mythology. Swearing on it is the equivalent of saying, "I promise on this book of lies not to lie."

Herbin also claims that "science has tried to prove it (the Bible) wrong, but … our universe proves it right." Science doesn't try to do anything. Serious scientists try to find answers, and they are open to the truth the universe presents.

Peggy Carter says that if swearing on the Bible was sufficient for her forefathers, it's acceptable for her. Condoning slavery and sexism were also agreeable to her forefathers. Is that good enough for her?

She also says that if "these people" don't want to swear on her book, "Why don't they go back to their own country?" The first immigrants came here for religious freedom. If freedom inspired our ancestors to leave their homelands, then it's our responsibility to stand up to those who would try to take it away.

Deborah Greene
Greensboro

Court battles have waged, in recent years, over the display of the Ten Commandments. The First Amendment provides for the free expression of religion. Buddhism has "Treat not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful," while Zoroastrianism has "Do not do unto others whatever is injurious to yourself." Why not also display different variations of the Golden Rule?

In the same vein, if a Muslim called as a witness wishes to take his oath on the Quran, he should be allowed to do so. The Quran is as sacred to the "sons of Ishmael" as the Bible is to Christians. Is not the oath's purpose to ensure the truthfulness of the witness? Let the oath have meaning for the witness.

Deborah Wilson
Greensboro

In Odds and Ends (July 24) on the editorial page, the editorial board attempted to make light of the issue of New Jersey officials' complaints regarding the issuance of illegal driver's licenses by the state of North Carolina. I just don't see the humor in the fact that persons who are in the United States illegally can get identification cards that can be used for such things as boarding an airplane, renting vehicles, buying controlled substances, registering to vote and getting credit cards.

The editorial board needs to come to grips with this, since it is not a laughing matter. I'd rather see the editorial board pushing the governor for stricter rules and enforcement to help solve this problem.

Bruce Wiley
High Point

The following is a Counterpoint column:

By Gay Cheney and Jody Sutlive

We are educators who, like Svi Shapiro, believe that the federal testing has nothing to do with what a child has learned or what education is really all about. It only has to do with what is forced into a child who is sent through the same knothole that every other child is forced through. They are taught to conform to the very narrow values of some determining board.

Education is about the whole child, about loving learning, being creative, thinking about important issues and responding with candor and thoughtfulness. For example, in one class they study a country by hearing and singing its music, dancing its dances, learning its language, reading its poetry and literature, cooking and eating the food of the country, reading directions and following them through to the feast. None of this is on the test.

In another class, they contemplate the matter of meaning. They read, discuss, argue, come to reasonable conclusions, write them out. This is not on the test either, but we certainly consider this education. Don't you?

Why does each child have to be excellent in what the test requires? In a partnership, often one keeps the checkbook while the other writes poetry; one does the plumbing and electricity while the other is a gourmet cook. Why are we insisting that all children be the same, have the same knowledge and abilities? Basic English and math, yes, but what about all the rest?

The pressure on students, teachers, parents and principals to "pass the tests" is incredible, inescapable and unreasonable. And the media, with their constant "failure" headlines, just exacerbate the situation.

No Child Left Behind has nothing to do with the whole child. We hope in some schools, education does.

Gay Cheney is professor emeritus, UNCG. Jody Sutlive is a reading and art specialist, Winston-Salem schools.

The following is a Counterpoint:

By Donnie B. Stowe

In reading about the self-appointed Truth and Reconciliation Commission "hearings" in the paper July 27, I was struck by the apparent small part that truth plays in these proceedings. The writer of the Counterpoint piece states, "Armed National Guardsmen stormed Scott Hall, lobbing tear gas and firing bullets (one A&T student was killed and two others were wounded)." This statement demands explanation on two points.

First, what would be the point of sending unarmed soldiers to quell a violent insurrection?

Second, the truth is, no one was killed during the assault on Scott Hall, which became necessary after several nights of crime and rioting by the students therein. The fatality occurred at another place and time at the hands of an unknown gunman, not National Guard troops. Also, the writer fails to mention that the wounded were Greensboro police officers who were fired upon from ambush. All this was prior to the clearing of Scott Hall by Guard troops.

If you were wondering, I was there and I heard a lot of gunfire on the campus during the nights prior to the arrival of the National Guard. This gunfire was not from police or National Guard weapons. Indeed, this was one of the primary reasons for the deployment of the Guard to the campus.

If truth is what the commission is seeking, then truth should be insisted upon by those who would try to depict the events of so long ago. One could wonder if the truth is really what is being sought here, or is there another goal in mind?

The writer was a patrol deputy with the Guilford County Sheriff's Department.

Allison Perkins' series on our region's men and women serving in Iraq was excellent. Her interviews made each person come alive, each personality unique, each situation different. But reading their stories was a bittersweet experience. You were proud of each one, yet you wanted them safely home. Having a son who was with the U.S. Marines in the first Gulf War, we feel for their parents and loved ones. We can only say:

1. We appreciate what they are doing,

2. We are very proud of them, and,

3. We pray for their safe return home. Amen.

Emilio Bontempo
Greensboro

The solution is to use CCFW. That is an acronym (NASA loves acronyms) for "Chicken Carbon Fiber Wire." With several times the strength of steel by weight, CCFW can fend off the most determined fox. Unless, of course, the fox digs a hole under the fence (chaos theory strikes again), and in that case, we shoot him. From the Southern provinces, we offer the solution in good faith: Wrap that flying machine in CCFW.

For a neater look, NASA may choose to embed the CCFW within the external fuel tank insulating foam and in key areas of the heat shield tiles. And, if using CCFW proves too heavy, NASA may need to eliminate certain experiments and gear from the mission. It is probably not absolutely necessary to determine how mice reproduce in space, things like that.

Lino Tornero
Colfax

Every few years we're treated to scares of the "Chinese menace." Ed Pring's and Robert Quesenbury's letters (July 28) are the latest.

Pring reminds us that their army numbers in the millions, conjuring past images of a "yellow horde" swarming our shores. Quesenbury reports that a Chinese major general threatens us with nuclear attack, certainly an alarming note if lowly major generals had such authority in anybody's army, let alone the Chinese one, to initiate war.

China's rise has been predicted for years. For example, the Economist ran a story about China's economy eventually matching the United States' about 10 years ago. Unfortunately, pundits and politicians prefer to react in a sensationalist manner rather than doing the hard work of implementing wise policies here at home or working with our friends abroad to push China to enforce intellectual property laws.

America has had many historical opportunities to influence China and squandered most of them. This is a pity because America has long been tied to China by its immigrants, one of whom was my great uncle who helped overthrow the empire and served as an ambassador in Sun Yat Sen's government — a government largely modeled on American democratic ideals.

Andrew Young
Greensboro

I don't know if the giving over of the Thursday front page of the News & Record to a single feature story is a first in the modern history of the American daily newspaper, but if so, it's not a happy one. Let me mention some headlines from other pages in the first part of the paper that should have been on the front page:

(Leading, top right) "House narrowly approves CAFTA."

"Future flights on hold after foam falls again."

"Research says heart drug risky for some."

"India's heaviest rain ever floods Bombay."

"Scout leaders were pitching dining tent under power lines."

And then, along with a lead-in and jump to your "soldiers from the Triad serving in Iraq" feature:

"Kenyan offers goats, cows to marry Chelsea Clinton."

Jeremy Byman
Greensboro

When it comes to making bicycling a viable transportation alternative, the Triad is subpar. There are some bike trails and bike lanes in the Greensboro area, but not enough. Folks take their lives into their own hands when they bicycle on most of our streets.

Take the thoroughfares between High Point and Greensboro, the county's two biggest cities. This relatively flat area would be ideal for bicycle lanes. Yet Wendover Avenue and High Point Road are conspicuously without them. Why were urban planners dismissive of bike lanes during all of the recent Triad growth and expansion?

There is talk of railroad right-of-ways eventually being used for greenways and perhaps even bike paths. What can be done now? The Triad has six colleges and/or universities. Many students would avail themselves of this optional mode of transportation, just as they do in other college towns with appropriate accommodations.

Urban rail, additional roads and highways, and expanding bus service always seem to be at the forefront of transportation planning. Let's broaden the scope of transportation options by focusing on a healthy, air-friendly alternative that would improve the quality of every resident's life in the Triad.

Bob Lowe
Greensboro

The following was taken from Market Watch Newsletter: "Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) reported a 32 percent increase in net income to $7.64 billion, compared with $5.79 billion a year ago." That's $7.64 billion profit for three months.

Why does the government allow oil companies to continue to rob us at the gas pump? Could it be that Bush wants to keep all his oil company buddies happy? Just joking.

All companies are entitled to make a profit, but this is outrageous with gas at over $2.25 per gallon. No company should be able to make that much profit on a product that we all need. Maybe that's the point — we all need it, so they can charge what they want to. Maybe we could get New York's attorney general to look into this one.

Donald Black
Summerfield

The following is a Counterpoint:

By Britt Blair

I am a teacher in High Point. I am writing to urge all public school employees to stand up and make their voices heard. Public schools are being targeted for huge cuts in personnel. We are talking about thousands of positions statewide -- assistants, teachers, assistant principals, non-instructional support personnel and more. How can anyone agree to such drastic cuts in those who directly serve children in the public schools?

If we do not stand and get noticed, it is going to happen. We are the ones who get the blame if standards are not met. We have a moral obligation to let the public know that we aren't being given adequate resources and personnel to reach our goals. If we do not act now to stop our legislators from making these cuts, then we have no right to complain when things get even harder.

Most politicians in Raleigh have no idea what a demanding job teaching can be. We are the ones who know the problems that exist in our schools. We are responsible for telling them the facts. If we don't, who will? We have many schools that are packed beyond capacity, many that are not fully staffed as it is, schools where classes are combined when a teacher is out because there aren't enough subs willing to take these jobs. Nearly all North Carolina teachers insist they don't have adequate planning time and that they work numerous hours on their own time to get things done.

Expectations aren't being "cut," they're being increased. Yet the resources we receive to reach these standards are being cut. It's a no-brainer that this will be counterproductive.

Teachers, when we fail to make AYP next year, are they going to blame our legislators? No. They will blame us. We must assertively insist that our legislators and administrators provide us with the necessary materials, planning time, pay and personnel to do the job. Teacher pay must be increased. We can't fill teaching positions as it is. Market economy demands that we pay teachers more in order to get qualified individuals into these positions.

Time is short. I understand these cuts will take effect this week if they are agreed upon. Jobs will be lost instantly all over the state and teachers will instantly have a heavier load. Please act now.

The writer lives in Thomasville.

Congress has sent an energy bill to the president. It is likely consumers and businesses in Greensboro will benefit from the energy bill's efficiency components.

The bill includes such measures as tax deductions for commercial purchasers of energy-efficient equipment, tax credits for homeowners who purchase certain energy-efficient appliances and business benefits for using Energy Savings Performance Contracts, which make our nation's half-million federal buildings more efficient without using tax dollars. The improvements pay for themselves over time through guaranteed energy and operational savings. The program allows the government to upgrade aging buildings while maintaining or reducing budget expenditures.

A recent Department of Energy study reports that U.S. industry, which uses more than half of our energy resources, wastes at least 20 percent of the energy it uses. That's worth nearly $19 billion.
When the bill becomes law, the energy efficiency provisions it contains could lead to an estimated 1.2 million new jobs in manufacturing, construction, technology and other industries, according to a recent manufacturing industry study. The legislation has taken more than 10 years to craft -- and in light of rising energy costs, it's time that energy efficiency becomes the pillar of the nation's energy strategy.

Jeffrey Morgan
Greensboro

May I suggest that we replace the words "terrorist" and "terrorism" with the words "psychopath" and "psychopathic behavior"? Every time we use the "t" words, we are being manipulated to respond from the more primal part of the brain. We respond with increased fear and anxiety, causing undue stress.

Psychopaths are people without conscience and empathy, shallow people who walk among us every day. Having no ability to empathize with the pain and suffering of others (due to a lack of the normal societal guidelines prevalent in most socialized people), they consistently lie, cheat, steal, harass, target the helpless, commit break-ins, assaults, sell drugs, cause mayhem, murder, etc.

We have had an increase in psychopaths from all walks of life who live among us. But we can choose not to let this awareness inhibit our lives. We avoid those we can and choose to lead a positive life in spite of their presence.

We can do this because we are courageous Americans, not citizens afraid of their shadows. We must remind those among us, especially our leaders, that semantics are important, and they should not give one group of psychopaths more emphasis by name than others.

Sherron L. Jones
Statesville

Sen. Rick Santorum's new book, "It Takes a Family: Conservatism and the Common Good," shows him only tenuously grounded in reality. He characterizes two-worker families as greedy. In Santorum Land, jobs pay enough for moms to stay home.

In the Triad, however, a living wage -- enough for a $400 apartment, a car (paid for) and groceries -- is $10 an hour. Santorum must support a living wage so that mothers can stay at home, right?
In March, Santorum pushed for a bill that would have raised the minimum wage to $6.25 but would also have exempted any business with revenues of $1 million or less.

Santorum's book repeatedly targets "liberals" who "advocate freedom without responsibility." He must have been thinking of Robert Kennedy, who said, "We have often seen more emphasis put on the rights of citizenship than on its responsibilities. And … responsibility is the greatest right of citizenship."

Santorum, who favors home schooling, says that schools are not mentioned in the Constitution. I don't feel qualified to teach my child the advanced mathematics, computer technology, language skills and complexities of critical thinking that children need today.
Santorum insists he's not running for president. One can only hope.

Beth M. Woodard
Jamestown

I just want to say thank you to Allison Perkins for the stories she put in the News & Record about some of our soldiers here in the Triad. I really enjoyed reading them. It is good to hear something good instead of bad things. The stories have really touched my heart.

And thanks to all of our soldiers, men and women, for the great job they are doing for our country.

God bless you all.

Betty Glass
Greensboro

John Sexton ("The Bible depends on faith, not facts," letter, July 29) argues that the Bible is fiction, there is no God, and faith has no value.

It doesn't bother me that he chooses to believe that. However, it is disturbing that he would try to drag others down with him. For the sick, hungry and suffering, faith offers the hope of a better world. For those who have lost loved ones, it offers the hope of a family reunion like none other. Why would someone try to take that hope away from another human? It seems hateful.

All of the superficial arguments by atheists have been shot down by scholars who are willing to examine the evidence more deeply and sincerely. In "The Case for Christ," Lee Strobel, who was an atheist when he started, uses his law and journalism background to answer some important questions.

Is the Bible historically accurate? Was Jesus resurrected? The overwhelming evidence was yes to both questions. He is now a pastor in Chicago.

If you want to commit spiritual suicide, do it alone.

Christopher Dickson
Greensboro

Our school system is hiring, for $122,000 per year, an "executive accountability and research officer" (statistician) whom Dr. Grier says will uniquely identify individual children needing help (I thought that's what teachers did).

The school system's director of human resources says this is one of the system's best hires, that it "takes the cake," according to the Rhino Times.

I read where we will be short on money for teaching assistants.

I agree with the human resources director's comment. This "takes the cake."

Try to envision the comments of the teachers in the faculty lounge. (There's a real morale builder.)

David Colin
Greensboro

I'll never be able to thank Allison Perkins for the risks she has taken to bring us the pictures and news from Iraq. My son was one of the Marines she interviewed.

Seeing Jason and his buddy since boot camp, Marcus, made me remember the tears and hugs I shared with Marcus' mom and dad at family day just before they shipped out.

Seeing Erin's picture made me remember the hugs Jason's sister, Monika, and I gave to Erin as she stood in the parking lot at the Reserve Center loaded down with gear the night they loaded up on the bus to leave. I hope Allison is there when the bus comes home. Oooh-Ra!

Joyce White
Greensboro

I was especially interested to see how quickly the N.C. House Judiciary Committee voted to ban smoking in N.C. prisons. Citing an attempt to curb health care costs by banning smoking inside prisons, the House sent a message that, as clearly documented today, indoor air quality contributes to individual health.

Could we hope in the near future that the same House that protects our prisoners would vote to also protect the N.C. taxpayer's health and curb health costs by banning smoking in public buildings, including all government facilities, retail and restaurants?

Maybe to have clean public indoor air we should visit our prisons vs. our local restaurants.

Gary Rhymer
Greensboro

I was reading about the 2008 candidates for governor in your paper last week, and it ends up Pat McCrory actually grew up in Greensboro and was president of the Ragsdale High student body. I truly believe he would make Greensboro proud.

Pat Sebastian
Raleigh

John McCain and other Republican senators are working on legislation that would ban the U.S. military from hiding detainees from the Red Cross, and bar U.S. soldiers from participating in cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment. I wish them luck.

By the way, George Bush (for some reason) is against this legislation. So, this is compassionate conservatism?

Chuck Mann
Greensboro

Why are the news media ignoring the Downing Street Memo, which clearly demonstrates that Bush fixed the intelligence on WMDs to justify the Iraq war? Is it because more than 50 percent of Americans believe that Bush lied and thus it is old news? Is it because the media are afraid of the dirty tricks of Karl Rove, like the treasonous identification of CIA agent Valerie Plame?

Either way, the contents of the memo clearly prove that the administration is guilty of serious crimes. Here are the reasons:

1. Bush secretly decided to go to war in Iraq before Sept. 11.

2. Bush decided to deceive Congress and the American people with fixed WMD intelligence and links between Iraq and terrorism.

3. Bush secretly diverted $700 million from the war in Afghanistan and started bombing Iraq to provoke a war.

Bush, Cheney and Rove have committed impeachable offenses. The Republican-controlled Congress must stop ignoring these crimes. Write your senators and congressmen and demand an investigation. Bush should be impeached.

Randy Scott
Greensboro

From my time living overseas, I would say Americans are viewed fairly negatively. For the sake of this letter, let's say it's true. One of the main reasons for this is a largely irresponsible Hollywood, driven purely by producing what they think will sell.

Stories driven by exaggerated and deviant characters obviously do sell. For example, I can name many modern-day movies whose bad guy is a military figure, maybe a general, with devious and twisted motives.

The effort to create imaginative plots with positive underlying messages ("Hitch" for example) is often too much to ask, I suppose.

As well, familiarity breeds contempt. Movies and a preponderance of rerun TV shows air daily around the world. In a passive way, our culture (or a fairly warped idea of it) is constantly on display.

I met a friendly fellow in Stockholm last year who was telling me about his varied world travels. I asked him if he'd ever visited America. He said no, but he'd seen lots of movies. Hollywood provides the world a window to America and the way they do so is a disservice to us all.

Frank M. Freeman III
Greensboro

When someone "understands" or can see something that is not apparent to everyone, we say that they "get it."

Your editorial (July 29, not posted) about the Forbes magazine writer who came to Greensboro to see if it really should be last on their list came to understand, in her words, that we are "Greensbooming."

Simply, having been here, she "gets it." Do you "get it"?

Your line, "She likes us, she really likes us," implies that Greensboro is like an unwanted, low-self-esteem city that, lacking confidence, sits in a corner waiting for anyone to notice us.

There are many in Greensboro who "get it," and that is not their perspective. Greensboro "has it" -- we just need to look in the mirror and see that we have so much of what really matters. We don't need a magazine's ratings, good or bad, to know that. We also don't need our local newspaper to not "get it."

We need to delight in and understand who we are and continue to grow and celebrate our charm. Greensboro "has it," and we all need to "get it."

Randal Romie
Greensboro

One wonders if the rare individual who claims to await anxiously any conclusions, recommendations or other emanations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is really sincere. When those involved have in their majority people who have already decided the outcome beforehand, mutual understanding and an abrogation of prejudice and animosity among the participants are most unlikely to be in the offing.

Rather than blame one side in the "Death to the Klan" rally -- which seems to be the goal of most commissioners -- it seems to me that the only intelligent and constructive conclusion is to castigate both sides severely and then "get over it." The event was another example of two sets of fools shooting at one another with one set loaded with expert marksmen and the other set able to aim only vitriol and condemnation at its opposition.

Marion Griffin
Asheboro

I awoke Aug. 3 to the news that 14 U.S. Marines had been killed in Iraq, following seven the day before. It is sad to witness the grinding on of this misguided and unnecessary war. But the news gets worse.

Our political leadership enacted an energy bill that did little to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. We continue to drive our gas-guzzling SUVs and plaster them with "Support Our Troops" decals, as if the sentiment meant more than the fact that we are using far too much foreign oil.

And worst of all, we pay increasing prices for increasing amounts of this oil. Without doubt, some of this money finds its way back to the supporters of the very terrorists and insurgents we are battling. What could be more unsettling than the knowledge that we are financing both sides of this war?

I propose that we get rid of the SUVs and mail the decals to our representatives in Congress. Perhaps they will get the message if we get it first. Support our troops.

Larry Brenowitz
Greensboro

Old Abe was right after all: "You can't fool all the people all the time." The company founded by diet guru Robert Atkins, after subverting America's best nutritional consensus, wound up in bankruptcy court on Monday.

The Atkins high-protein diet craze peaked in early 2004, when more than nine percent of U.S. adults subscribed to such a diet, according to market research firm NPD Group. That figure declined gradually to 2.2 percent last month after a consumer advocacy group released a medical examiner's report showing that Atkins was overweight and suffered of heart disease.

Over the past three decades, a dozen expert panels reviewing thousands of diet and health studies concluded that Americans should replace meat and dairy products with vegetables, fresh fruits and whole grains. None reached the opposite conclusion.

We need to be constantly vigilant for entrepreneurs who exploit our obsession with physical appearance to promote their profit-driven agendas. The price we pay, beyond an inflated food bill, is lifelong chronic afflictions and a curtailed life span. Let's hope this lesson does not come too late for victims of the Atkins diet.

Glenn Gustafson
Greensboro

Wow. I can hardly wait for the transformative power of the recently passed Bush "energy bill" to take hold. Bike paths. More daylight in the fall! Take that, bloated Saudi oil princes. Why, in just a few more decades, we might start seriously thinking about finding new sources of energy or demanding more efficient automobiles. (But only if we can find a way to fully subsidize the rich oil companies into the new-energy economy. Luckily, that's a Republican legislative specialty.)

To be fair, Democrats should share in the glory of this bill. They have had several administrations and congressional majorities since 1973 when it became obvious that alternatives to oil needed to be found. To really be fair, we should all take a little credit for this pathetic piece of legislation. Evidently, without $5 per gallon gas (which is just around the corner), we won't even consider getting out of our oversized, gas-hogging SUVs and will continue to willingly send our sons and daughters to the Middle East to fight for democracy in Iraq, Saddam's WMDs, or whatever other trumped-up excuses for war our leaders can come up with to disguise our dependence on Middle Eastern oil.

Kent Boyles
Greensboro

Prevention of violence has been a position of the League of Women Voters of the U.S. since 1994. We support an active role for government and social institutions in preventing violent behavior.

One of the most violent actions occurring in Greensboro's recent history was the shooting at Morningside Homes on Nov. 3, 1979.

The League of Women Voters of the Piedmont Triad endorses the process that the Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commission is following to assemble a clear picture of that tragic event.

Many organizations, including ours, were asked to nominate people to the commission. We commend this effort to be inclusive. The commission now seeks the thoughts and memories of all. We hope the residents of Greensboro will avail themselves of the opportunities to participate and to read the report.

Knowledge and understanding of the emotions and actions of that time will aid in preventing similar events and in mending community fragmentation.

This commission is the first in the United States, and it can set the pattern for others to follow.

We thank the News & Record for its coverage of the meetings of the commission and hope that it will continue to report these conversations with the public.

Ellen B. Olson
Greensboro

The writer is president, League of Women Voters of the Piedmont Triad.

The following is a Counterpoint:

By Dr. Ronald L. Rubenzer

A long time ago, in a far distant school system, a group of talented students received special attention.

Imagine, if you will, students grouped on their exceptionally talented performance. These students, sons and daughters of taxpayers, received special equipment, treatment and specially trained teachers to help nurture their precocious talents. This special group even got to go on field trips.

Since we don't want to encourage a culture of underachievement, these students' skills are stretched to the limit with after-school events. The performances of this special group are proudly attended even by nonrelatives. All is well. It is a win-win situation. The students get to build their self-esteem by building their skills, and the school gets to show off its best students, demonstrating what a great school these students attend.

On the horizon, however, is a well-meaning group of people who feel their children are being shortchanged. For whatever reason, these children were not "tapped on the shoulder" to be in the program described above.

To equalize things, it is felt the special equipment, treatment, trips and specially trained teachers should be spread out for all children, regardless of need. Now all children can get a little more attention in developing their skills. Everyone will perform better, not based on need but on the even per-pupil expenditure of resources.

Well, in the name of fairness, there goes the varsity basketball team (those students who get special equipment, treatment, trips and specially trained teachers). Now everyone will shoot baskets a little better, dribble a little faster.

No student-athlete will be left behind, but then no potential varsity athlete will get ahead, either.

Now apply this logic to another high-performing group of children, the advanced learner program.

Watering down a program to raise the overall tide of performance of everyone sounds democratic. But the most undemocratic education is when "everyone" is treated absolutely equally, regardless of needs.

Some children will be "left behind" because they wouldn't get the support they need to finish the race. Some children, with the need to speed ahead (learn more), would not be allowed to get too far ahead, because they may get out of our reach and may raise the bar of performance for those who like the comfort of underachieving.

No child left behind does not mean let no child get ahead. There's a wise old saying, "Everyone according to their talents." Let's give all kids a chance to feel the thrill of success during their academic career.

The writer lives in Greensboro and is a licensed psychological associate and the author of "How the Best Handle Stress."

In his front-page story, "Van driver fights a murder charge," News & Record reporter Eric Collins asks, "How culpable should you be if your lack of vehicle maintenance causes a fatal car crash?"

He begins his story by inferring the minivan that plowed into a motorcycle, killing its passenger, is a case of poor vehicle maintenance — bad brakes. Collins wants us to consider if bad brakes warrant a murder charge.

To stoke the debate, Collins chose not to inform us until the very end of his story that after the woman leveled the motorcycle, she kept on going and drove straight home. We also learn in the end that at the time of her hit-and-run, the woman's license had been suspended.

This story was fabricated for public reflection about the charge of murder for poor vehicle maintenance. It wasted our time.

The jury learned in the opening statement that this was a case of hit-and-run vehicular homicide by a woman whose license had been revoked.

If we had been given the real facts early in this story, there would have been no need to ponder the charge for faulty brakes.

Mike Baron
Greensboro

A militant is someone who burns his draft card or her bra. An insurgent attacks military forces. People who deliberately murder innocent people for political purposes are barbarians.

Daniel J. Flak
Greensboro

In reference to the editorial, "Still out for summer" (July 28), I would like to let you and the writer of the article know that it was not just tourism that helped this to pass. I have nothing to do with tourism and neither do the more than 600 people who signed petitions in Rockingham and Caswell counties.

This was not just our counties. Parents and teachers from around North Carolina signed and helped this to pass. The tourism industry did try and failed a few years ago to get this passed. They were told that it was a tourism issue, and it was not passed until parents and teachers got involved.

I spent more than 50 hours looking up facts about other school systems in the country. The facts are that we had more teacher work days (21) than any other district that I could find in the United States. The U.S. average is eight.

We started back earlier than most. Florida also starts very early, but they get out in mid-May as we did when the early start date was implemented. There is so much more to say, like teachers' opinions.

Teresa Howell
Ruffin

If the Las Vegas furniture market is not successful it won't be the fault of the News & Record, our local paper.

The July 31 front-page stories, "A tale of two markets" and "Nevada shows promise" were unfair to High Point's International Home Furnishings Market that means so much to this area. This is just some of the praise I have been reading in your paper of Vegas.

Lawrence Flinchum
Julian

Most people know we have now extracted more than half of all the oil under the ground, and the cost of extracting the last half will get higher as oil companies are forced to drill deeper, go to more remote locations, and develop new technologies to get remaining oil. So what kind of energy bill does the Republican Congress pass? A bill that throws millions of dollars to oil companies in tax breaks.

The bill does not address any of the following options, any of which could help wean our country away from oil.

• "Fee bates." These reward purchasers of high-efficiency autos by charging buyers of less-efficient autos a fee and rebating money to those buying high-efficiency autos.

• Setting standards for more efficient tires. Requiring those tires could save more than seven billion barrels of oil in the next 50 years.

• Just eliminating the tax credit that drivers of huge SUVs get would have been a big step.

The Bush energy policy simply does not recognize that we must begin to find ways to get away from our dependence on oil. No wonder is was developed in secret with big oil.

James Bennett
Greensboro

Shame on you. I was appalled to see a full color picture of a naked woman in the paper this morning (Go Triad, Aug 4). It was bad enough knowing people were encouraged to participate in a "clothing optional" activity, but to publish a picture is truly offensive.

In case you thought this was funny, informative or in any way entertaining, let me tell that you it is not. You should be ashamed of yourselves for printing this picture.

Debbie Gilbert
Greensboro

"Not your dad's service scene" (July 31) was an interesting but somewhat inaccurate look into the current state of some service groups historically associated with Greensboro.

Earlier this year, the Greensboro Jaycees completely rewrote their bylaws, streamlining the process by which one can become an executive officer of the club. While other civic groups are said to be "exploring ways to revamp (their) board of directors," the Jaycees proactively addressed this issue by encouraging access to some of our leadership positions.

The executive committee of the Chrysler Classic of Greensboro, a PGA Tour event, currently features eight Jaycees (out of 11) who have been Jaycee members less than two years. In fact, Zack Matheny, listed in the article as saying the Jaycees didn't "make the cut," has actually joined the Jaycees and taken a leadership position on the Chrysler Classic executive committee. The information in your article must have been somewhat dated.

I would encourage any young person interested in becoming involved with the Chrysler Classic of Greensboro and the Greensboro Jaycees to give us a call. I think you will find plenty of outlets for leadership opportunities.

Justin Conrad
Greensboro

The writer is 2005 general chairman, Chrysler Classic of Greensboro.

I keep hoping that things will get better in Washington and that eventually the spirit of bipartisanship will return. Judging from the energy bill just passed, it ain't gonna happen.

Raise your hand if you think the oil companies need taxpayer subsidies. They have just recorded record profits, and fuels of all kinds steadily go up in price. It seems that the primary purpose of this bill was to repay campaign contributions with taxpayer funds. Robin Hayes, for example, received almost $130,000 from the energy industry, and, he, of course, voted for the energy bill. Even the people who drew up this energy policy admit that it will make little difference in the long-term cost of energy or the availability. This is because it does very, very little to encourage conservation, development of alternative fuels or more efficient use of fossil fuels.

Larry G. Mabry
Troy

With the passing of CAFTA in the U.S. House of Representatives by just two votes, I'm afraid that more N.C. and U.S. workers will be losing their jobs. Just like NAFTA, CAFTA will hurt furniture and textiles in North Carolina. It seems to me that President Bush is more concerned about giving American jobs to foreign countries.

Bush's priorities are in foreign countries and not in the welfare of American business or in American employees. Bush is not too concerned about jobs here in the United States. It seems to me Bush likes foreign imports coming in and no exports going out.

For the record, congressmen Howard Coble, Patrick McHenry and Brad Miller voted against CAFTA. N.C. Sens. Elizabeth Dole and Richard Burr are in favor of CAFTA. For the N.C. employees who lost or will be losing their jobs to imports, remember whom to vote for in the next elections.

Frederick Nimer
Greensboro

There's a bush that grows in my yard. At first, it rooted from a parent, doing whatever made the daddy bush happy. Later, it developed into a problem, choking out anything that got in its way.

I'm at a loss as to the solution to this problem bush. Maybe time is the answer and Mother Nature will take care of the problem.

Tish G. Gunn
Greensboro

I was disappointed in the misleading headline on July 19 that identified the Guilford County Schools as having "stumbled on the national tests."

First, the North Carolina tests are not national tests, and second, given the information reported, we do not know whether the schools stumbled or not. They may have been tripped by the arbitrary and systematically rising "standard" by which AYP is measured.

AYP is determined by the percentages of students clearing a standard, with no regard to their actual increases or decreases in achievement. If a student makes a two-year gain in one year but still does not meet the AYP proficiency standard, that student's gains are not recognized.

As the bar keeps getting higher, terminating with a 100 percent proficiency standard in 2012, increasing numbers of schools will be "stumbling" because of the unrealistic expectations set by these arbitrary, escalating standards.

This is truly accepting the Lake Wobegon effect that all children should be above average. High standards are laudable and important as goals, but there should be valid criteria for judging schools' results. The media are "stumbling" by not explicating the results in a more understandable and critical way.

Alex Epanchin
Greensboro

The writer is retired director of testing, Pinellas County Schools, Florida.

There is no clearer sign that President Bush is doing something right from a policy standpoint than when it irritates Sen. Ted Kennedy.

John Bolton, whose credibility is not an issue, goes to the United Nations with the full backing of the president. Bush, whose role is to set our foreign policy, had his job on the line less than one year ago. The president won an impressive victory, and if the American voters wanted Ted Kennedy's U.N.-loving foreign policy of vacillation and appeasement, they would have voted for his little liberal helper from Massachusetts.

Kennedy and the rest of his obstructionist cohorts would be wise to follow the advice of Thomas Paine: "Lead, follow, or get out of the way."

Donald Bernstein
Kernersville

Your front-page article Aug. 5 detailing the continuing failures of our public schools is disturbing but not surprising. The problem persists because we do not spend enough money on education. Perhaps another hundred million dollars or so would solve the problem. How about a billion? It's also obvious that we have far too few overpaid administrators. Even more surprising is how this can happen with the collection of geniuses we have on the school board.

The crux of the problem is that we test students on reading and writing. Bad approach. Let's test them on the important issues such as self-esteem and the virtues of diversity. The scores would skyrocket.

In the meantime, we need for the Democrats on the board of commissioners to institute an immediate 100 percent property tax increase and put in a countywide lottery so that something can be done about the embarrassingly low $43,000 average teacher salary. Of course, they have to work 10 months. We must also immediately add more administrators, bringing them up to level of the average parochial school system. Then perhaps we could get a quarterly, audited financial report signed by the superintendent (see Sarbanes-Oxley) detailing where every dollar goes.

Tony Moschetti
High Point

My experience with the YMCA goes back to 1931 during my last year at N.C. State University. That was the time of the bank closure. I was on the verge of having to leave N.C. State and go home. At that time, Worth Durgin, head of a YMCA at State, was able to persuade the business office to permit my enrollment as a student.

Later, when I entered medical school, I had, for the first year, enough money for tuition and a room but not to eat. Jonah Larrick, the YMCA director at the Medical College of Virginia, got me a job in the department of pharmacology.

My experience at the YMCA has continued since coming to Greensboro and has been wonderful. It is remarkable to see all the kids who enjoy the benefits offered by the YMCA, many of whom are able to attend because of the scholarships available. One added thing that we see every day is the good relationship between the races.

Many others and I have benefited greatly from our membership in the YMCA.

John Reed Bumgarner
Greensboro

I learned recently that our president is of the opinion that high school students should have Intelligent Design taught to them in their classes. According to the news report, he said, "I think that part of education is to expose people to different schools of thought." If we are to take his judgment on educational direction at face value, I agree. We should keep in mind exactly what this means.

Intelligent Design is not a scientific theory. It is a philosophical stance, one that is opposed to the philosophy of science. The philosophy of science is one of inquiry, at its heart saying, "We want to investigate what we don't know." The philosophy of Intelligent Design is one of ignorance, saying, "There are things we can never know, so we must accept that it's done by God." All students should be exposed to this difference. I think we should put this into effect at once. It would be a vital addition to any class on philosophy.

Eric Harrington
Greensboro

You recently printed a letter from a reader belittling the forecasting/reporting of "heat index" figures on local weather reports. I hope this gentleman never develops emphysema, C.O.P.D., asthma, bronchitis or heart disease because, to those of us who live daily with one or more of these conditions, knowing heat indices may mean the difference between getting out and enjoying some fresh air and exercise, or staying indoors fighting for breath.

Also, for this gentleman's information, the reason "heat index" does not appear in winter forecasts is because heat is generally not a factor in winter months, and the reason "wind chill factor" does not appear in summer forecasts is because chill is generally not a factor in summer months. Duh!

Some people have too much time on their hands, so they search out things to complain about. May I suggest, sir, that before you complain in a public forum about things that you deem ridiculous, you first should stop and consider that, to some people, what you deem petty may be very important.

John E. Marshall
Greensboro