News-Record.com

County commissioners will soon decide the 2006-07 school budget allocation. These are the same people who've repeatedly said "yes" to developers, adding about 1,500 students each year for a decade. That's enough to fill several new schools, yet Northern will be the first high school built in Guilford since Southwest was built in the '70s.

Our schools are overcrowded and underfunded (North Carolina ranks 43rd on educational expenditure per student). Commissioners remain "hands off" with regards to our schools until budget time, when these same "yes men" to developers become "yes men" to whiners who don't want their taxes raised or people who want to "punish" Terry Grier for policies they don't like. Ultimately, it's our children and teachers who suffer.

Commissioners, you need to assess your personal efforts to improve our schools this year. Have you reached out to state legislators to increase state funding? Have you worked with the school board to improve policies? Have you done anything to address low teacher morale due to the lack of adequate resources (especially teacher assistants)? Until you can answer these questions affirmatively, don't hold back the money our school system desperately needs to keep pace with the growth you've let happen.

Mary Fabrizio
Colfax

When I received a campaign mailer from Vernon Robinson recently, I knew what to expect. You see, I had been an interested observer of his runoff campaign against Virginia Foxx in the 5th District Republican primary two years ago. One of his ads had Virginia Foxx "morphing" into Hillary Clinton and stating that they were just the same.

To make such a claim, a person would have to be either hopelessly ignorant or totally dishonest. I think that dishonesty is the more likely explanation; therefore, I had no interest in what he might have to say about his current opponent ... it was sure to be more of his lies.

But, if we want to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that he really believed that 2004 ad, do we want a congressman who is so stupid (or so far to the right) that he can't see the difference between Virginia Foxx and Hillary Clinton?

Bert Smith
Greensboro

George W. Bush wants to sell land in the North Carolina mountains close to Ridgecrest Camps where I spend my summers. The land that is possibly going to be sold is near where campers at Camp Ridgecrest have had campouts for 77 years.

I go to this camp and if anything changes, it just won't be the same. I write to tell others what could happen if we aren't careful.

Many of the things the trees give us — like oxygen — help us through life, and the more trees that we have, the longer the life span of humans will be. The only thing that we are going to get out of cutting these trees is money for rural schools.

If President Bush had given all the money he had promised in "No Child Left Behind," he wouldn't have to make money by giving away land and logging trees.

Raleigh Guy Cothran
Greensboro
The writer is a student at Kernodle Middle School.

I am concerned for all citizens if funding is cut for public broadcasting, but most of all for parents of children who depend upon public broadcasting for their impartial news information and for creative and appropriate entertainment and education for their children from PBS.

Over the next few months, Congress, and particularly the House Appropriations Committee and its subcommittees, will approve actual spending amounts for programs like public broadcasting.

If they agree to President Bush's proposed 38 percent funding cuts, our local stations could be shut down and people could lose their jobs.

It's critical that supporters of public broadcasting actively communicate with Congress before the appropriations subcommittees finalize their funding recommendations. This is made easy at a Web site dedicated to supporting public broadcasting, www.TellThemPublicMatters.org. You can also find out more about the issue and keep up to date by visiting this site.

Linda L. Alton
Greensboro

The following is a Counterpoint column:

By Howard McBride

I read Michael Brown's article, "A voice for the homeless" (May 21), then I skipped up to the March 3 excerpt from his blog and read to the conclusion.

I was thinking to myself about how well he was handling his circumstances, and his thanks to the churches and people who were helping him was to be admired. Then, I went back and started reading his blog for Feb. 13. There starts the blame game.

George Bush stole the White House. His subsequent tinkering with the economy sent industries that typically use graphic designers into a tailspin. Brown blew all his credibility. Blame somebody else.

George Bush did not steal the White House, according to the Supreme Court. He did not cause Brown to lose his job any more than did Bill Clinton or Al Gore.

Most likely technology had a lot to do with the company laying off a lot of people, or it lost some clients. This is a changing world. Businesses were laying off people during Bill Clinton's term in office because of advanced technology, businesses moving to Mexico, etc. It serves no purpose for Brown to blame someone else.

If he is genuinely interested in working, Brown could find a job in the construction trades, manufacturing, warehousing, customer service, and lots of other areas. But he must convince the potential employer that he will work hard, be dependable and on time, be productive, and not be the whiner he showed himself to be on Feb. 13. Employers everywhere are looking for good people with good work habits. I hope Brown will learn them.

The writer lives in Morehead City.

I have a modest proposal to better address the immigration issue. It's based on the millennia-old proven policy of supply and demand. We all agree that, as defect-laden as it is, citizenship in the United States is as good as it gets for people. So why not offer it for what it's worth?

Let prospective citizens come in merely by registering at the border, have their photos and fingerprints taken, and let them enter the country freely. (For the NPR-ista, please note every U.S. citizen who has his photo in a high school annual, or was born in a U.S. hospital, has that same "privilege.")

Now the fun part: All noncitizens have an extra 1 percent in tax collected on their withholding taxes and other tax rates. It's an incentive to become citizens and a way to pay for the costs they impose on the country. Any employer who employs a nonregistered worker pays a $10,000 per-occurrence fine.

No goofy, wildly expensive and useless fences, no dying border-crossers in the desert, and no unpaid expenses for residents.
Cheers.

Warren Pegram
Snow Camp

We were dismayed with the editorial column (May 23) by Nicholas D. Kristof of The New York Times in which he compares the selling of Girl Scout cookies to deaths at the hands of al-Qaida.

Clearly, Kristof knows better; he contacted our national office, who told him we are very concerned about trans fats and are working diligently with our bakers to eliminate them. Also, his numbers were wrong. In the Triad, five of eight cookie types have zero trans fats.
By 2007, all Girl Scout cookies will have zero trans fat. (To clarify the labeling, FDA regulations stipulate that a serving with less than 0.5 grams be declared as zero.)

As we eliminate trans fats, we ask for continued support of the Girl Scout cookie program, which not only funds essential services for 16,000 Triad Girl Scouts but also provides girls with hands-on experience in skills they will use throughout their lives. These include teamwork, goal-setting, money management, oral presentation skills and customer service.

Tarheel Triad Council, a 13-county area, sells cookies each winter. For more information, go to our Web site at www.tarheeltriad.org, call us at (336) 274-8491, or send an e-mail to misc@tarheeltriad.org.

Lynn Burnette
Colfax

The writer is public relations director, Girl Scouts, Tarheel Triad Council Inc.

I applaud the Moses Cone Health System's plan to become 100 percent smoke-free. Secondhand smoke is a dangerous pollutant, responsible for as many as 62,000 heart disease deaths and 3,000 lung cancer deaths in adult nonsmokers in the United States each year. Secondhand smoke is harmful to young children and causes lower respiratory tract infections, asthma episodes, ear infections, and even sudden infant death syndrome.

As the major organization responsible for taking care of our community’s health, it makes perfect sense for Moses Cone to ban tobacco use on its property. In addition, Moses Cone has a responsibility to protect the health of its employees. Tobacco smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals and is a known carcinogen.

A recent study found that people exposed to smoke in the workplace were 17 percent more likely to develop lung cancer than those who were not exposed. Involuntary smoking makes the eyes and nose burn and can cause headaches and nausea in nonsmokers. It is unfair to nonsmoking employees to force them to breathe tobacco toxins.
Congratulations, Moses Cone. I appreciate your leadership and I hope other employers will follow your path to making Greensboro a healthier place to live.

Jennifer Kimbrough
Greensboro

I'm confused about the Senate's version of the (illegal) immigration bill, also known as the "let's reward the 12 million illegals who have violated our laws by illegally entering our country" bill. Democrats, real and closeted, tell us of the great benefits of having these folks here to do jobs "that Americans won't do."

I understand that to mean mostly low-paying jobs with no benefits. These people pay little or no income taxes and end up using more tax dollars in food stamps, Medicaid and other social programs. Most send their earnings back to their native countries. How does this help our country?

It helps the dishonest, corrupt politicians who see these people as future constituents. Since the Democrats can't get legislation passed to let felons vote, these mostly uneducated laborers who speak little or no English are the next best thing. These will be the next mindless lemmings voting for the Dems. This is another transparent ploy to further increase the size of government. We'll have millions of uneducated, low-paid workers straining our welfare system.

Who do you think will be paying the bills?

Tony Moschetti
High Point

I found David P. Haxton's letter (May 24) lacking the most important element. After cataloging a list of societies' failures at protecting their posterity with security walls, he concluded that a wall between the U.S. and Mexico is futile because the Sept. 11 terrorists came through customs.

He then proposes that there is surely a more intelligent way to secure our borders than what is being proposed by the "trite-phrase talking heads" who are "playing politics with national security" by proposing a wall to help control illegals. His letter left out the most important ingredient in this dialogue, and I quote him: "a more intelligent way to secure our borders." The problem developed from doing nothing. How can more of the same solve the problem?

Allen Bullard
Randleman

Thanks to the total corruption of our politicians the term "illegal" no longer has meaning. Because it is more important to pander to big business and its desire for cheap labor, our crooked representatives are concocting schemes to grant legal status to untold millions of illegal aliens.

Because it is more important to increase the voter base than obey existing laws, power-hungry Washington elites ignore the citizens' pleas and attempt to placate the invaders. Meanwhile, our taxes increase, our tax-supported social programs are drained, and our school systems are overrun.

Our inept leadership doesn't even have the good sense to rescind Section 1 of the 14th Amendment. Illegal aliens impudently give birth to automatic citizens while we watch in stunned disbelief.

When a government becomes so corrupt that it ignores the meaning of "illegal" for political expediency, then, we, the citizens, must intervene before it's too late.

John Pelliccione
Greensboro

I am indignant about the state of affairs in the United States. We send many of our citizens overseas to fight in foreign wars that cost us money and put us in debt.

Meanwhile, our legislators ignore the real problem. We have a large illegal immigrant population that refuses to learn our language or meet citizenship requirements.

Because illegal immigrants work for lower wages, fewer jobs are available for U.S. citizens. When will legislators wake up and do something about our problems?

Juanita Spalding
Greensboro

One of the nicer pieces I have read in the News & Record lately was reader tributes to their mothers on Mother's Day. I wonder, then, how anyone at your paper could have thought it was a good idea to ask readers to tell how their fathers embarrassed them for Father's Day.

I'm sorry, but I just don't get it: Celebrate mothers on Mother's Day, but put down fathers on Father's Day.

The kindest such letters would be of the form, "My father was a graceless oaf on some trivial occasion but I love him anyway." Hardly a fit companion for the Mother's Day pieces.

It may be news to you that there are lots of men in our community who are good, faithful husbands; supporting, nurturing fathers; leaders in our churches and community organizations; and heroes who defend our lives and freedom. If they seem to be rare, all the more reason to clearly and forthrightly celebrate the ones we have.

My father is such a man. I have embarrassed him many times, though he never showed it; he has never embarrassed me.

You should be embarrassed for even considering such a condescending feature.

John Guthrie
Browns Summit

As chairman of the Community Impact Committee for the United Way of Greater High Point, I would like to say a special thank-you to more than 100 volunteers who participated in our fund distribution.

They visited the partner agencies, studied budgets and program information and analyzed the results of work in the community. They also heard funding requests and allocated dollars entrusted to the United Way.

We appreciate their time and efforts. Their hard work and commitment demonstrated the sense of community investment that is the hallmark of our United Way, and those who support it.

We'd also like to thank our 30 partner agencies and volunteers. We are grateful for their partnership and support, and for their wonderful work to benefit others.

Molly Dickinson
High Point
The writer is vice president, marketing and communications, United Way of Greater High Point.

The following is a Counterpoint column:

By MARHTA JENKINS

Last year, Jessica Lunsford, a young Florida girl, was abducted from home and raped and murdered by a convicted sex offender just released from prison. Her death reveals that sexual predators, even when caught and convicted, are looking for their next victim. Not all are murdered, but psychological damage inflicted on defenseless children lasts a lifetime.

States including Florida have passed Jessica's Law, requiring mandatory prison sentences for violent sexual offenders. North Carolina has not.

The N.C. Federation of Republican Women is conducting a petition drive to let our legislature know that is critical for our children's safety. We have contacted legislators, but it's uncertain if this legislation will pass this year. I've contacted my Democratic counterpart and asked her for help. Children are children, not Republicans or Democrats.

In Fayetteville, a recently arrested sexual offender admitted assaulting more than a hundred children before being caught. In Florida, the rate at which sexual offenders repeat their crimes has dropped since the passage of Jessica's Law, so mandatory sentencing is a deterrent. A recent voter poll showed 74 percent favoring passage of Jessica's Law.

If government cannot protect children, then it is failing. I would urge you to contact your legislators in the N.C. House and Senate (919-733-4111) and ask them to pass a strong Jessica's Law. There are several versions being considered, but the strongest bill requiring mandatory sentencing, increased registration requirements and GPS monitoring of sexual offenders is Rep. Julia Howard's bill.

Stress that mandatory sentencing is critical. Sexual predators do not change; if they can get away with it, they commit their crimes again and again. Keeping them in prison is the best way to prevent harm to children.

In addition to contacting your legislators, you may sign the petition for Jessica's Law at www.ncfrw.com/programs/legislation/child_protection_amendment.htm

The writer lives in Chapel Hill and is president, N.C. Federation of Republican Women.

I want to respond to the article (May 22) regarding Moses Cone Health System enacting a strict smoke-free policy. I can't help but wonder whether the adverse effects of decades of tobacco use at least contributed to the illnesses of some of the most vocal complainers.

Many people, myself included, have lost someone dear to them due to the effects of tobacco. Each of these deaths could possibly have been prevented. As a nurse, I frequently care for patients who endure agonizing respiratory problems directly linked to a lifetime of tobacco use.

We need to give folks who wish to quit, or have already quit, every incentive to live a tobacco-free lifestyle. We need to ensure that all nonsmokers are able to avoid secondhand smoke.

Moses Cones is not alone in its efforts to improve the overall health of our community by banning smoking. Hospitals, restaurants, businesses and even entire countries have joined in. University of Missouri Health Care will ban employees from even smelling like smoke at work.

We should continue to support the efforts of agencies working to help smokers quit. Keeping Moses Cone smoke-free will be beneficial to smokers and nonsmokers alike.

Jill Ballance
Greensboro

Your recent letter from a fan of the Dixie Chicks (May 27) caught my attention and deserves a contrasting opinion.

America is a great country, and our citizens are at liberty to express their opinion on any subject, including political comments. That includes celebrities such as the Dixie Chicks.

Because they expressed their opinion regarding their dislike for President Bush in a foreign city (London), and not Dallas or Waco or Houston, I lost all respect for them. They did it primarily to sell records "over there," and not because they have bright political minds. Their comments, during a time of war, cost them dearly, primarily with the country-and-western fans who used to buy their records. They deserved the repercussions they received for their comments.

As a U.S. citizen, I have the right not to spend my money on any of their records, not to listen to them on the radio or TV, and to boycott any radio station that plays their music. Isn't America a great place to live?

Bob Goodman
High Point

The May 27 Counterpoint column by Viola Monroe is unfortunately typical of the misinformation being spread by opponents of S. 1955, the Small Business Health Plan (SBHP) federal legislation.

More than 43 million Americans have no health insurance. One reason is that many of these people lack access to more affordable group health plans. The SBHP concept simply allows non-profit trade associations to offer the same type of group health coverage enjoyed by persons who work for large corporations or government.

Critics claim that SBHPs will offer scaled-down benefit packages. In fact, SBHPs will be subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which makes it illegal to deny coverage to any eligible participant based on his health status. SBHPs will not be allowed to "cherry-pick," because sick or high-risk individuals could not be denied coverage. In addition, SBHPs will not be permitted to charge higher rates for individuals with pre-existing conditions, except to the extent already allowed under state law.

S. 1955 already has the support of 55 U.S. senators, including Richard Burr and Elizabeth Dole. Opponents have so far used election-year partisan politics, scare tactics and Senate filibuster rules to block a final vote.

Tim Kent
Greensboro

I don't understand why it is so hard for many of our city's leaders to accept the results of the report made by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. When facts that have been carefully researched and studied are denied by them, surely they are not setting a good example for this city.

Don't they realize that others in our state, and even abroad, are watching the results of this two-year study in resolving differences? Would they rather continue to be infamous in connection with Nov. 3, 1979, than to be famous in 2006 for taking steps to resolve a difficult and complicated conflict? Thank goodness the Rev. Nelson Johnson has the grace to apologize and admit mistakes. Is it all up to him to do it?

I was here in 1979 and was quite ignorant of the wrongdoing. I would like to apologize to Johnson, Jackie Clapp, Signe Waller and so many others who suffered. I hope others will join me in this.

Julie Shelburne
Greensboro

Recently, my wife and I were honored to view the graduation of the Greensboro College Middle College class. Several of these kids actually gave the commencement address. It was a real eye-opener.

They were a collection of 44 kids who, for various reasons, may have previously fallen by the wayside. Instead, the Guilford County schools have risen to their needs, and at least they now have a chance to succeed. They are a talented group and have tasted success in that atmosphere.

Terry Grier was there and should have been given more credit for fostering such a great program. He clearly has vision, and it showed that day. To those of you who sport those obnoxious bumper stickers and yard signs wanting Grier to leave, be careful, you just may get your wish. Guilford County would certainly be the loser.

Peter Peiffer
Greensboro

American drivers are the ultimate cause for the price of oil since we consume more per capita than any other country in the world. The average miles per gallon for all U.S. automobiles has gone down since the oil shortage of the 1980s. We should be ashamed.

As I am passed by a string of four or five SUVs (with one occupant) averaging in the low- to mid-teens in city mpg, I am disgusted with the American oil gluttony. We are all acting like the supply of cheap oil is unlimited by buying behemoths that consume a lot more gasoline than the average person needs to get around on their daily trips. The birth of the SUV and the gas-guzzler is the reason gasoline is $3 per gallon, not the sheiks in the Middle East.

America, stop wasting oil like it is your birthright. To continue wasting oil will ensure that the Middle East controls the world by controlling the oil. And the war on terror will continue to be funded by the SUV drivers in the United States.

Randy Scott
Greensboro

In the editorial, "The SCAT dilemma" (May 19), the writer claims that Greensboro is the only city in the nation that offers unlimited monthly passes to its riders. This is not the case.

Portland, Ore., as part of the TriMet lift program, offers unlimited monthly passes for $44 a month. Instead of threatening to delete the pass altogether, the price has gone up $10 over the last three years. While you have some riders who ride a lot, not everyone using a pass will ride 105 times.

There are more ways to solve these budget shortcomings without the scare tactics used every time GTA has an expected annual dilemma.

Ryan Perdue
Greensboro

The aquatic center proposed for inclusion on this fall's bond referendum would provide Greensboro citizens with:

I would like to make a suggestion. I think we should consider voting to make all elected officials — city, county, state and federal — work on a fixed salary. This should include the annual budgets they have with which to work.

Then at the end of each year, if there is any money still in the budget, 75 percent of that excess should be invested in ongoing projects — roads, schools, health care, child care, etc. The other 25 percent should be divided among the appropriate officials as their bonus. This gives them incentive to be more cautious with how the money affecting us is spent. It also gives them the opportunity to see how tax hikes, gas hikes and other increases faced by each of us affect a very large majority of their constituents.

Kathryn Sherrill
Greensboro

The air is not "stupid" ("Stupid air, it'll make us all itchy," May 30). People are, for allowing our environment to deteriorate like it is. That you would approve such a "stupid" headline shows bad judgment on your part, in my opinion.

Please don't be so "stupidly" common on such a serious issue.

But, if you think that is the way to get through to President Bush, you might be right. Problem is, he probably won't read it.

Arden N. Kirkman
Greensboro

Citizens should have easy access to reports for which tax money is paid. The League of Women Voters of the Piedmont Triad suggests that all contracts for studies or major proposals made by local governments require that the authors provide an electronically formatted version of the study or proposal. Then citizens can gain access to this information either on the Internet or by CD or DVD in PDF or another widely used file- sharing format.

We note that the Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commission produced its final report on the Internet at the same time that it gave its oral report to the community. The Guilford County Criminal Justice Master Plan (Kimme report), which was prepared at taxpayers' expense, merited similar treatment by the Guilford County government.

All citizens should have easily available information to help in making intelligent decisions when casting ballots.

Marlene Pratto
Rebecca Klase
Greensboro

The writers are both members of the League of Women Voters of the Piedmont Triad.

A statement that City Council member Florence Gatten recently made, "Greensboro is the only transit system in the country offering the unlimited-ride pass" (for paratransit), is false. In just a few hours, I found 15 systems offering an unlimited ride pass for paratransit and four systems offering free paratransit.

The GTA task force is proposing that the unlimited monthly pass for SCAT riders be eliminated. They are asking these folks to absorb an immediate increase of $1.62 per ride. (The monthly pass costs $35. Based on 60 rides per month, the price per ride is 58 cents. The full fare for SCAT would be $2.20, an increase of $1.62.)

The task force wants regular bus riders to absorb a 10-cent increase per ride and SCAT riders to absorb $1.62 per ride? This is a rate-hike tsunami. The monthly cost of someone riding 60 times per month would increase from $35 to $132.

Please contact the City Council and urge them to increase the cost of unlimited ride passes for SCAT riders in reasonable increments.

Please attend the City Council meeting at 5:30 p.m. today.

SCAT riders are not asking for a free ride, just a fair one.

Claire Holmes
Greensboro

I have some sincere advice for local residents. First, especially at 85, do not break your hip. Second, if you do, break the left one: You drive with your right leg. Lastly, be sure to employ the Greensboro medical establishment. My family physician of 25 years, whom I revere, told me many years ago that, barring a very unusual situation, you need not go elsewhere for medical treatment. In that time, I have given his dictum many tests and have found it to be true.

I am now very pleased to be a patient, as needed, of local outstanding physicians and surgeons of many specialities.

And there are two outstanding general hospitals. With 7,400 employees, not all will be A+, but in my experience, they strike a remarkably high average.

Of course, you, the patient, must do a lot of the work. Learn all you can about ailments, treatment and medications so you can better understand the doctor, ask relevant questions, and do what the doctor advises. And take care of yourself to begin with.

As my old dad used to say, "In the final analysis, everyone must kill his own snakes." (Apologies to herpetologists.)

Dan W. Maddox
Greensboro

Hank Powell's letter (May 30) explaining how the rules have changed for being a good Democrat since he "left the party more than 40 years ago" made me realize how sensible it is to be a Republican in the 21st century. Thinking back on how the Democrats were running this country in the 1960s, I can certainly see why Powell would choose to become a member of the GOP.

For example, back in the 1960s, the nation was being led by a cowboy president from Texas who continually sent thousands of young Americans to their deaths in a senseless war against a nation that had never attacked us. Thank goodness this will never happen as long as we have God-fearing Republicans in charge of our nation's welfare.

And, of course, there was all that crazy civil rights legislation that the Democrats were always getting passed into law back in the 1960s. Again, all I can say is thank the Lord that we have sensible Republican justices like Clarence Thomas to repeal all those so-called "reforms."

This is truly a great time to be a Republican. Thank you, Mr. Powell, for setting me straight.

Dana Hatcher
High Point

Truth? Yours, mine, theirs? Trying to "reconcile" is a tough undertaking. Most likely it has occurred all by itself — time heals as we move through the inevitable highs and lows of being here.

Doug Clark's column (May 31, "Commission proposes political agenda") was pretty much on the mark. And Mayor Holliday on your June 1 front page ("No apology necessary") said what I believe most of us feel. Regrets? Of course. Apologize? For the nut-case actions of loose-cannon activists on both sides?

Enough already. I feel reconciled and ready to move ahead through the tangled web of Dixie Chicks, "American Idol," gas-guzzling SUVs with cell phones but no turn signals, and all the other threats to a useful life.

Bill Beerman
Greensboro

I was suitably moved by Gary Parker's account (May 28) of his illegal immigrant grandfather's life and of his family's subsequent achievements.

As for my people, I don't know exactly when my ancestors came to this country, although I am given to understand it was well before the Civil War. I have no idea if they were legal or illegal immigrants. I do know that when they came there were vast areas of land as yet unconquered and prime for seizure and development. For this reason, waves of immigrants were both allowed and encouraged.

It's now 2006, and things have changed. The limits of our continental geography have long been reached. Our population continues to swell, especially with the influx of illegals pouring across our southern border.

I am reminded of the classic psychological experiment in which a colony of rats was confined in a closed environment. As they bred and bred, the psychological and physical stresses of overpopulation drove them finally into madness and terminal savagery.

It's something to think about. Our immigrant past need not commit us to a suicidal future.

Paul Miles
Greensboro

Amazing what titles our official national bureaucracy comes up with — FEMA "debris specialists." The devastated Katrina victims of Biloxi and Gulfport, Miss., are being denied $17 million after the FEMA debris specialists notified the county three times that contractors were "not performing their jobs properly" (May 29, A8, National Briefs.)

John Kincaid Sr.
Reidsville

In the May 28 edition of the News & Record, Dr. Paul Nagy, director of the Duke Addictions Program, Duke University Medical Center, is quoted: "Ultimately, what I know as a practitioner is that it takes a village to help people get through this, and a faith community is a substantial part of people's lives."

With all due respect to Dr. Nagy, I converted to agnosticism from Christianity before I determined that I wanted to give up the addiction of cigarettes. If a village can be defined as a prescription from my doctor on how to use the "patch" and lots of hugs from my husband alone, then Dr. Nagy's statement is partly true. However, this was not a "faith community." My husband does not believe in "God." It was simply my decision alone to give up the disgusting habit that ultimately helped me to change my life for a life of more productivity and less thought of when my next cancer stick would be.

I am ever grateful, though, for every person who tries to help the mentally ill. If only our government would help with "total employment" or social services for everyone, we might all be cured.

Judy Stierand
Whitsett

The following is a Counterpoint column:

By Bruce McCreedy

More than 50 percent of the fuel used in the world is fuel oil. Aircraft, ships, locomotives, construction equipment, farm machinery, trucks and, in many modern industrialized economies, automobiles are powered by fuel oils that are formulated for specific tasks. Diesel engines are 40 percent more fuel efficient than comparable gas engines and 65 percent more efficient than ethanol-fueled engines.

Since diesel engines are the most efficient use of crude oil for powering most of the machines listed above, industrialized economies that import energy have spent billions of dollars in R&D to clean up diesel fuels and improve the efficiency of Rudolph Diesel's 120- year-old invention.

Today, ultra-low sulfur B20 biodiesel fuel (20 percent bio oil) is available in most modern industrialized economies. The new technology diesel engines include injection systems, catalytic converters, turbo chargers and particulate filters, which make them more efficient and as environmentally clean as our standard gas engines. Unfortunately, B20 biodiesel fuel is not available in most of the United States.

We are spending billions of dollars to build new ethanol refineries. Environmentally, ethanol is very clean; unfortunately, it is not a very efficient fuel when used in a modern engine.

Unless your cash crop is sugar (Brazil), ethanol made from corn takes much more energy to produce than bio oil made from rape seed or soybeans. Presently, cultivating and harvesting one acre of corn costs the farmer $11 in fuel while harvesting an acre of soybeans costs $7.

Ethanol is cultivated and harvested by diesel-powered farm machinery and transported by diesel-powered trucks and trains, since it cannot be shipped through conventional fuel pipelines.

Most experts on the subject agree that it takes two-thirds of a gallon of oil to product one gallon of corn-based ethanol. Biomass ethanol can be produced more efficiently, but it still must be transported by truck and train for distribution.

Naturally, the petroleum industry is not too anxious to have its No. 1 customer include B20 biodiesel as an "alternative fuel." Light-duty diesel (automobile) engines powered by B20 biodiesel fuels require about 50 percent less crude oil than our present gas engines. That would definitely put a knot in "big oil's" knickers.

The writer lives in Greensboro.

I was one of 12 members of a mission work team in Gulfport, Miss., from Guilford Park Presbyterian Church, April 26-30, under the direction of the Presbytery of Mississippi's Disaster Assistance Organization.

Collectively, we were impressed and deeply moved by the love, appreciation and kindnesses shown to us by area residents. Their faces are etched in our minds, and they will forever be in our hearts and thoughts.

The Gulfport residents are a wonderfully proud people who have been struck a fierce punch that dropped them to their knees, but they have not stayed down. Their resilience and courage have been and will continue to be an inspiration for all of us who have come to know them.

We assured them that they are not alone in their struggle and never will be. Volunteers will continue in a steady stream for years to come. That's what Americans do for one another in times of crisis.

May God continue to walk with the Gulf-area residents and give them strength to face the daily frustrations and pain of loss and provide them with a vision and hope for the future.

Bob Kollar
Greensboro

The mudslinging has already started for the 2006 midterms. Vernon Robinson is attacking Congressman Brad Miller's sexuality even though Miller has been married to the same woman for 25 years.

Politicians who have nothing to offer and nothing solid to run on resort to mudslinging, nasty attacks and outright slander to get attention. Remember in 2004 how the Swift Boat Veterans maliciously attacked John Kerry, a man who volunteered for service in Vietnam and won two Purple Hearts, while George W. Bush's service record is still in question.

In 2000, Bush called John McCain unpatriotic, and literature distributed in his name suggested that McCain has an illegitimate African American daughter. McCain spent five years as a prisoner of war in the infamous Hanoi Hilton. His daughter was adopted from Bangladesh.

Bush also helped unseat Max Cleland, another Vietnam vet who left both legs and an arm in the jungle, calling him unpatriotic. One may have problems with McCain or Cleland on various issues, but their patriotism is beyond question.

The Bush campaign ran on mud and is now drowning in it.

Let's hope the Robinson campaign does not succeed in rousing the darkest in American hearts and chokes on its own dirt.

Jo Boykin
Greensboro

So, here I am watching local news, and I hear a story about High Point. My ears perk up. High Point? I used to live there. Then I see what the story is about, and I get sick.

Wal-Mart is planning on building a superstore ... in High Point ... on Fairfield Road. I scream out loud and jump up. "Honey," I yell, "do you know where that is? That's right next to Kmart."

Loyal News & Record readers might remember me from a few years back; I'm the girl who used to work at that Kmart. Obviously, I don't anymore, but though I've moved on, I have to admit that store has a place in my heart. And as annoyed as I got at Kmart's policies, I will never hate them the way I hate Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart is not the answer to better service or better treatment for staffers. And if you think Main Street is a pain to drive down now, just you wait.

So join me, please, in telling Wal-Mart no thanks. Archdale is full of good businesses that have become fixtures (including Kmart on Fairfield) and they need to be supported.

Candance Moore-Renigar
Winston-Salem

I was not surprised when I read about the students at Greensboro Middle College and their teacher cleaning the alley not one wanted to claim. Bob Owens was a teacher of mine at Northeast High School for two years. I know he was the only teacher to ever put his home phone number on the board and tell us if we ever needed him to call anytime.

Mr. Owens or "Big O," as we called him, thank you for being such a great teacher and making such a difference in my life. You touched many of us with your war stories and we will never forget the lessons we learned from you. It is nice to know you are still working with kids.

Lesa Holt
Brown Summit

The News & Record often brags about its focus on "local" news, but often editors don't practice what they preach.

I am writing to express my disappointment the newspaper chose not to publish a story about the arrest of a local man for a disturbing crime. That happened even though editors were advised of the arrest.
The story involved an arrest for two felonies: breaking and entering and larceny. This was no routine break-in. In a quiet neighborhood just north of upscale Lake Jeanette, a man was caught inside a home by the homeowner. In his possession were articles of underwear of the homeowner's teenage daughter. According to the investigating detective, the man had in his car a large quantity of young women's underwear.

It seems obvious that this was not a first-time act of this disturbed person. Would this crime have become worse? Would it have resulted in injury?

I don't know. But, residents of Greensboro ought to be informed of acts like these for their own safety.

The act of the man was criminal. The action of the editors are disheartening if they really mean what they say about the news of local interest.

John E. Moll
Greensboro

We are now within five months of the November elections and guess what? The Republicans worked up gay-marriage and flag-burning amendments for debate. That's right. While avian flu threatens our shores, while aliens enter illegally, while millions go without health insurance, while school budgets are slashed, these folks gin up worthless and divisive issues to draw attention away from the real problems we face.

Gay people and flag-burners do not threaten out country, but an incompetent president and his Republican lackeys do.

John W. Graham
Greensboro

A month ago Supt. Terry Grier invited me to learn about his budget. I asked for a copy before the meeting and received a couple of spreadsheets showing how much GCS hoped to get. Missing was how they would spend it (minor detail?).

Having blown millions of the $500 million in bond money we voted for new schools on frills, they now want more highly compensated administrators and need to pay for Grier's raise and incentives package.

Last year's budget included almost a half-million for "outside contractors" associated with a local church to teach racial sensitivity. Now they want to do it again.

Just these items alone would pay for 50 to 100 badly needed teacher's aides, or 25 full-time teachers. Now they are surprised there is no interest in the budget. There is interest (hundreds of millions over the bonds' lives), but who has the budget to discuss? Not us, the taxpayers.

Still waiting for my copy, Mr. Grier. Instead of new administrators to spend more money, how about supplies for our schools? County commissioners, no more taxes. Trim the fat. It should be easy. Taxpayers deserve real, managed budgets that get results.

Garth Hebert
High Point

President Bush preaches "freedom, freedom, freedom" to all the world. Bush is promoting a constitutional amendment limiting our freedom regarding whom we might choose to marry. Do we really want the government dictating whom we should or should not marry, whether based on gender, or as in the past, skin color or religion?

People are always extolling the virtues of freedom, but it always seems to be followed by "except." Although one man's freedom ends when it impinges on another's, how on earth does your freedom to choose whom to marry, even if I don't approve, impinge on my freedom to choose? Or does freedom mean freedom for you as long as you believe as I do? Or freedom for me, to heck with you?

Gloria McClanahan
Asheboro

The following is a Counterpoint.

By David Hodges

High Point is having to drop its red-light camera program because of an archaic constitutional rule that says 90 percent of all traffic fines must go to the local school system. Peek Traffic, the contractor used by the city to run the program, says the cost is about 70 percent of revenue. The Guilford County school system has applauded the Superior and Appeals courts' rulings that schools are entitled to 90 percent of that money from High Point — about $1.5 million.

Someone ought to explain to the schools that the red-light camera program just can't pull money out of the air. They've killed the program entirely. So while they may have a legal right to $1.5 million, the future revenue they can expect will be zero dollars.

Congratulations, you've just decreased your future income!

But the real losers? Motorists. Accidents at intersections in North Carolina cities where the red-light cameras were installed dropped, according to studies conducted by the Institute for Transportation Research and Education.

Other studies show that in High Point alone, total crashes decreased 15 percent, and right-angle crashes dropped 23 percent in the first year of the program. Total crashes decreased 9 percent and right-angle crashes 29 percent in the second year.

So thank you, Guilford County Schools. I feel so much better about my safety and well-being with your leadership in place.

The case may go to the N.C. Supreme Court on appeal. The court probably will uphold the decision. The law says what it says, and the court's job is to uphold the law.

I'd like to see the law changed (ahem, legislators). That way, companies like Peek Traffic can lock themselves in at a 10 percent profit (or some equally agreeable figure), with the rest going to local schools.

The bottom line is, everyone should want this program, and we ought to take steps toward getting it in place rather than pointing fingers and holding out our hands like the Guilford County school system.

The writer lives in High Point.

I hope the mayor and Greensboro City Council remember why we have SCAT transportation. So all our citizens have access to transportation.

You always find money to "give away" to any company that says they'll bring jobs here, but there's never money for our citizens most in need.

Councilwoman Florence Gatten says that spending $2.50 a ride won't keep people stuck in their homes. When people are on a fixed income they have to count every dollar. So, they have to make every outing count as well.

Does this mean, then, that they should only go to a doctor's appointment or social services office?

Suppose Gatten were only allowed "out" for such visits and couldn't afford to go out to eat or shop, etc. We take our good health for granted. I, personally, enjoy the fact that I am able to get in my car and drive to wherever I want, whenever I choose.

Let's remember those who aren't as fortunate. We all know there's money wasted in government.

I urge the council to look elsewhere for cuts.

Kathleen Perdue
Greensboro

I returned from vacation this week to be greeted by an unsolicited message on my answering machine from the Vernon Robinson campaign against Brad Miller for Congress. I am appalled and offended by the negativity, viciousness and inaccuracies of this message.

Among other things, it states that "these aliens" pay no income tax, when, in fact, state and federal income taxes are deducted from immigrants' paychecks. Nowhere in the message does Robinson offer any positive programs.

The entire message is filled with innuendo, fear, intolerance, inaccuracy and personal attack against Brad Miller. I consider it an invasion of my privacy to have this message left on my answering machine.

A voice claiming to be Vernon Robinson ends the message saying, "I approve this message." I don't know who Vernon Robinson is, but if the level of his message is an indication of his integrity and intelligence, I will not vote for him.

Evalyn Ryan
Greensboro

I recently noted that both the city of Greensboro and Guilford County were proposing tax increases for next year. Both requests come when the N.C. Department of Revenue is recognizing record receipts.

I recall a few years back that Gov. Easley was having a problem with his budget. I also recall that the N.C. sales tax contained 1 percent for local government.

To balance the budget, the one percent was no longer returned to counties. At that time, the consensus was that the state "stole" our money.

I think it is time for elected officials — state and local — to retrieve our money and balance our local budgets without tax increases. After all, it is the right thing to do.

Ken Conrad
Greensboro

Although our invasion of Iraq is arguably the most pointless military exercise in our history, I haven't until recently thought that we should pull out, under the theory that once that we broke Iraq that we had an obligation to fix it.

Now that our role is to babysit the growing Iraqi civil war, we have clearly reached a point of diminishing returns. We currently have enough force to keep the civil war at a low level but not nearly enough to resolve it. Our presence is more of a motivation and excuse for the rebellion than a deterrent.

The American occupation takes legitimacy from the nascent Iraqi government and acts as a crutch that keeps them from acting on their own. The Iraqi military will have little respect in their own country as long as it is seen as an adjutant to the Americans.

Our military role no longer makes sense either from an American or Iraqi perspective. It's time to start pulling our troops out and letting the Iraqis find their own way.

We may not like the results, but Iraqis will do a better job of figuring out what is best for their country than we have.

Marshall White
Archdale

The following is a Counterpoint column:

By Charlie Vickers

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission met for two years to determine what went wrong at the Klan-Nazi-Communist Workers Party shootings more than 26 years ago.

After two years they chose to lay most of the blame at the feet of our police department, stating the lack of police presence was the "single most important element" that contributed to the violence. They went on to suggest that the city of Greensboro should apologize.

Why not place more blame on the individual members of these groups who chose to bring weapons to this demonstration?

Why not place more blame on the individual members’ intolerance of the ideals of the opposing group?

Why not place more blame on the families that raised the members of these groups to have such hatred toward other human beings?

Surely one of these elements would be considered by most reasonable people to be more contributory to this sad event than lack of police presence.

What a very sad commentary on this obviously biased commission. It seems to me they have wasted two years of people’s time in order to issue a report they wanted to issue from day one.

Everyone in America has the right to peacefully demonstrate, both for and against issues before them. The catch phrase there is "peacefully."

No matter how anyone wants to spin the events that took place in 1979, if the participants had come peacefully, without choosing to bring weapons, there would be no dead bodies and no Truth and Reconciliation Commission to insult the very fine city of Greensboro.

The writer lives in Greensboro.

My husband and I got on our motorcycle recently and headed across town to meet the Patriot Guard Riders. The Patriot Guard Riders were to escort a fallen hero, Lance Cpl. Kevin Adam Lucas, to Calvary Church in Greensboro. The riders adorned their bikes with American flags, some large flags and some small.

I felt the pride of being an American. I also felt the pain and the loss of an American hero. I grieved for the Lucas family.

Guilford Country sheriff's vehicles led the family car, Patriot honor guard and the hearse carrying the fallen hero. More than 60 Patriot Guard Riders followed in formation. The bikes rumbled down the road with their flags waving proudly in the wind. Cars pulled over to honor the processional. Several veterans got out of their vehicles and stood at attention, saluting the fallen hero.

We witnessed the price of freedom. It cost one family their only son. Lance Cpl. Lucas made the supreme sacrifice. They not only said goodbye to their son, they said goodbye to a hero.

The memory of Adam's final ride in Greensboro will live in my mind forever. It was an experience of a lifetime.

Deborah Harman
Greensboro

I appreciate Ben Andrews' letter ("Moses Cone takes away pleasant social activity," May 29). You've got to wonder if Cone can afford high-powered fans. This is so silly, making smokers second-class citizens. First, it was inside, and now it's outside. What a farce. May I remind Cone that tobacco started here and made Annie Penn in Reidsville?

The government and hospitals have crucified tobacco. Don't you think it's about time for them to start in on beer, wine, liquor and illegal drugs? I guess those bring in money to the system.

I have yet to hear about a wreck killing someone and the remark being made, "Well, he or she had one cigarette too many."

Wyomie Kimbro
Reidsville

How refreshing to read David Brooks' column, "Many of us were wrong about Duke" (Second Opinion, May 30).

I was appalled when I heard educated, intelligent people say, "These rich Duke boys did it."

Now, to get a copy of the National Journal with the article by Stuart Taylor. I only wish you had printed some of his remarks.

Sallie Satterthwaite
Greensboro

When the historians sit down and write the history of the Nov. 3, 1979, bloodbath in Greensboro, in which Ku Klux Klan gunmen killed five Communist Workers Party workers, perhaps they would also like to know, since the Greensboro police and FBI had advance knowledge of the likelihood of this bloodbath, if the mayor of Greensboro then, Jim Melvin, also had advance knowledge. If not, then why not?

And if Mayor Melvin did have this advance knowledge, what measure did he take to prevent this bloodbath from occurring and the dawn of the day of infamy on Greensboro taking place? After all, in the final analysis, it is at the mayor's door that the buck stops.

N.M. Chopra
Greensboro

You titled a recent letter (June 3) about illegal aliens, "Blame the legislators." The last sentence said, "When will legislators wake up and do something about our problems?"

When will the American people wake up and do something about our problems? Americans are asleep, and the government counts on you remaining asleep. Even if you contact your legislators, they still kowtow to money and big business. Trust your Uncle Sam to take care of you.

We can learn from the illegal aliens' recent marches. Americans need to band together and then regularly march on the national and state capitals en mass to give a clear message that we will no longer stand by while America goes the way of the Roman Empire.

Awake, America, before it's too late. Or is it already?

Angela Cilluffo
Pleasant Garden

Here is a nightmarish bumper sticker for Howard Dean, Al Gore, Hillary Clinton, George Soros, Markos Zuniga, Michael Moore, Barbra Streisand, Cindy Sheehan, Alec Baldwin, Sean Penn and all the other liberal Democrats out there: Rove in '08.

Sweet dreams. Hee!

Fred Gregory
Greensboro

Back in January 2004, I had a statement to make. I had read and observed enough to see what I felt was coming. I had seen enough swagger (Texas walking) and arrogance to justify my feelings.

To make my statement, I had several dozen T-shirts printed. The shirts read, "George W. Our Weapon of Mass Destruction." I gave them to friends and others. I have had cataract surgery since, and can see magnified what I saw back in 2004.

What prompted this letter was the picture of the president on the Books page May 28 and all the accompanying articles. What I can't help but think is those who couldn't see what was happening back in 2004 can't see what is happening now. All I can say is that they have a problem. They are blind.

George Jackson
Greensboro

As with much written criticizing Democrats lately, it's difficult to know whether Hank Powell (May 3) is disingenuous or merely oblivious. He presents four points. Here are some responses:

1. Democrats are as happy as anyone to have the phone calls of terrorist suspects monitored. They object to doing it without judicial oversight. Former presidents required oversight.

2. Democrats object to changes in the tax code designed to benefit the rich. (Elimination of the tax on dividends, income the poor don't have. Changes in the estate tax: raising the amount a person can leave his children tax-free from $2 million to $3.5 million.)

3. Democrats have lost trust in an administration that's been caught lying many times. (They did know the pipes weren't for producing nuclear weapons, they did know who leaked Valerie Plame's name, and so on.)

4. Democrats remember that in the U.S., governing is supposed to be by the people, and take seriously their obligation to oppose bad policies. We agree Democratic leadership hasn't lived up to its obligation to provide solutions. But one solution begins by firing Donald Rumsfeld, the person responsible for beginning a war with no idea how to conduct it past its first stage.

Heather Gert
John Roberts
Greensboro

I'd like to congratulate the city on the completion of the South Greene and West McGee streets traffic circle. It only took a little longer than the private effort to tear down the Health Department and build First Horizon Park, and, it has the advantage of making one of our streets narrower. What more could we ask from the city?

Richard Evans
Greensboro

In response to your Associated Press article (May 29), "Museum wants all Purple Heart stories," let me tell you the rest of the story.

We have a new National Purple Heart Hall of Honor at the New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site in Vails Gate, N.Y., and it is seeking stories from Purple Heart recipients. These stories will be exhibited in the museum and in an electronic database.

To submit your story, contact: National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, P.O. Box 207, Vails Gate, N.Y. 12584. Phone: (845) 561-1765.

I am happy to be of assistance to Purple Heart recipients or spouses. I am the service officer for W.D. Hammer VFW Post 2972 in Gibsonville, and my phone number is (336) 446-0565.

Ernest C. White Jr.
Gibsonville

In an appalling use of the presidency, President Bush spoke out for enshrining discrimination in the U.S. Constitution. By supporting the Federal Marriage Amendment, the president opens the way to adding discriminatory amendments of all kinds.

The president supports preventing my child and millions of others from enjoying the rights and privileges guaranteed to his daughters. He endorses affirmation of an amendment to codify a particular religious point of view, in contradiction of the concept of freedom of religion endorsed for more than two centuries by our Founding Fathers and their successors.

It saddens me to see that he finds it necessary to spend time and energy on this discriminatory amendment when there are far more important issues at stake.

David Parker
Greensboro

The following is a Counterpoint column:

By Tom Murray

Lorraine Ahearn wrote about mental health care in North Carolina and the lack of access to care among Medicaid recipients (June 4). As a solution-focused therapist, I wanted Ahearn to offer more solutions in the article.

I offer two: streamline service delivery among private practitioners and promote a paradigm shift that views mental health as a public health problem.

First, Ahearn stated that "many therapists and psychiatrists don't accept" Medicaid. Therapists must be asked, "Why?" I bet therapists would want to minimize excessive paperwork, streamline authorization and improve reimbursement.

Moreover, Medicaid recipients appear to have higher no-show/cancellation rates than the general population. When a client misses an appointment, the clinician is not reimbursed for her availability, and Medicaid prohibits a clinician from charging for no-shows.

Secondly, mental health needs to be addressed as a public health problem. Currently, the mental health field is viewed through the lens of the medical model and led by psychiatrists. As a whole, psychiatrists prescribe and manage medication and very few are trained in psychotherapy anymore.

A public health model means that psychiatrists would serve in an auxiliary capacity as is the case in other successful public health programs. As a public health approach, mental health programs would educate people on how to have greater levels of mental health.

Such programs would de-emphasize what psychologist Barry Duncan calls the Killer-Ds (disease, deficits, disorders, dysfunction and disabilities) and emphasize counseling and teaching by professionals and laypersons alike. Counseling would stress a strength-based, solution-focused approach that honors the whole person. Teaching would emphasize how people can obtain greater levels of mental health by learning skills that lead to increased happiness, such as how to get along with the important people in one's life.

The medical model, which emphasizes the Killer-Ds, may create more problems. The public health model, on the other hand, declares that everyone has a role and capacity for greater health through education and advocacy.

By removing obstacles that restrict access to care and promoting mental health versus mental illness, all North Carolinians would be better off.

The writer is visiting assistant professor, Department of Counseling & Educational Development, UNCG; a licensed marriage and family therapist; licensed professional counselor and national certified counselor.

One of the things that bothers me most about the stated purpose of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is its claim that the 1979 shooting has not been discussed and has been swept under the rug.

I was a member of the Greensboro Human Relations Commission during that time (1978-1982). I attended numerous meetings and forums with thousands of residents, which included representation of many races, neighborhoods and constituencies from all across Greensboro and surrounding communities. The Rev. Nelson Johnson attended many of these meetings. I cannot understand how he and many others who were at those meetings can say that this event has not been discussed, debated and analyzed. There have been countless efforts over the years to improve race relations in our community, and they are ongoing.

There is nothing wrong with examining our past, including mistakes that have been made. However, we should not try to change the past to satisfy a few people who can't seem to let it go. We should spend our time, energy and resources on addressing current problems while moving forward. I agree with Mayor Holliday: "Regrets, yes; apologies, no."

Jerry W. Lawson
Greensboro

I am shocked that our government is wasting valuable time on the Federal Marriage Amendment. Even if one were to ignore the fact that this amendment is simply a method for discriminating against a small group of people, the question still remains as to what benefit the amendment would bring. It wouldn't improve our economy, it wouldn't speed the withdrawal of troops from Iraq, and it certainly wouldn't lower the cost of health care.

In the end, the president surely realizes that this amendment doesn't have the two-thirds majority that it needs in the House or Senate, let alone the votes of three-fourths of the states. This is simply politics as usual, designed to provide smoke and mirrors to distract the voting public from real issues during the 2006 elections.

Surely, we can find more relevant topics on which to concentrate.

Michael Kaplan
Greensboro

I get so tired of the people who do not read, or can't read, putting us up on such a high pedestal by thinking we are the saviors of the world and we stand for all things good. This always comes up when a Republican takes us to war.

Let me remind you that we took this country from the British first and then from the American Indians, and we did not gum them to death as the nuts now seem to think we should. You win wars by killing more of them than they do of you, and do it any way you can.

Remember Harry Truman (a Democrat) and the atomic bomb? It was the right thing to do at the time. It was also right when Roosevelt (a Democrat) pinned the Axis powers up until the war was over.

This generation, which is enjoying the best times of its life, wants this war over to stop the drain on their welfare system and the power it gives the Democrats over the masses. Let our military alone, and give them rein. There is not a draftee there, and they are good.

Ken Sawyer
High Point

It was good to see the traffic circle on page one of the June 2 paper. They are going in all across Europe so no one needlessly waits at a light with no traffic in sight, getting zero mpg at more than $6 a gallon. Their time has come here, also.

Traffic circles calm traffic. It's a permanent sharp corner. No acceleration through the yellow. No speeding through the green. No sudden braking when it unexpectedly turns red. All these are designed out. And multiple studies show them safer.

Look at the photo again. No wires scribble lines in the sky. The graceful space with a centerpiece is free of visual distractions such as posts and traffic lights. Fountains, anyone? During our inevitable blackout after hurricanes and ice storms, traffic circles still work; and there's never a light bill.

More fuel saving, safer, more beautiful, more reliable and cheaper. Question: Why aren't more of these in our city edges and country intersections?

James R. Jackson
Reidsville

As the city of Greensboro slouches toward a less than honorable decision to cut funding for the homeless (known to seldom vote in city elections, and why do we allow the homeless among us, anyway) — the question is begged:

How much would it cost the city to actually collect the more than $1.5 million in parking tickets it has failed to collect? It would seem that Greensboro is rapidly becoming a city without a heart.

Whoops. We are the city. Might be a good idea to vote, huh?

Lonnie Groendes
Greensboro

The following is a Counterpoint column:

By Ned Van Buren

In 1959, I watched an engine run on peanut oil at the GM Tech Center.

In 1967, a friend of mine quit the Detroit Mass Transit Board because, as he told me, the oil-and-engine people on the board were subtly sabotaging its efforts to rally support for a proposed monorail system to transport people from the suburbs into the city. There was also little support from the general public. "They want to leave the city on their time, not the monorail's," my friend told me. "They" were the motorists who flooded the expressways leading into Detroit, usually with only one passenger — the driver behind the wheel.

When the first oil embargo hit in the early '70s, we heard talk from grim-faced legislators seemingly resolved to pass legislation that would require the downsizing of automobiles, the idea to improve gas mileage by reducing their weight.

So, scrolling ahead some 30-plus years, what has happened? Instead of downsizing, we have abundantly bought into bulkier, gas-guzzling dinosaurs, the epitome being the behemoth called the Hummer, getting something like 15 miles (or less) to the gallon. So much for improving gas mileage.

Our response to the stratospheric gasoline prices at the pump? We protest, whine, blame the president, the Congress, the greed of oil companies for greater profits, the Middle East, conspiracy at the gas pump among retailers to gouge consumers, all the while ignoring our own greed. It's anybody but us, we cry in our ongoing national pity party — while ignoring our insatiable appetite for high-performance engines that zip from 0 to 60 in 8 seconds, stretch limos, 80 mph (not 55) on the expressways in bigger, heavier cars.

The current national mood leaves much doubt that any national soul- searching or mirror checking will soon take place because we might see ourselves for the spoiled, self-indulgent people we are.

No. It's not the Middle East. It's not the oil companies. It's not the president. The Congress. The gasoline retailers. It's us. All of us.

Shame on us.

The writer lives in Greensboro.

I am an avid fan of Reba McEntire, the Dixie Chicks and country music. I also love my country and the freedom to speak my opinion — even about President Bush.

I watched the recent country music awards show and was very disappointed with Reba's comments referring not very subtly to the Dixie Chicks. However, I will not stop buying her albums. She is a talented lady and, although I may not respect her opinions, I respect her right to make them known.

I watched the "Larry King Live" show the other night with an interview of the Dixie Chicks. I was surprised that these ladies had been threatened and were blackballed by the country music industry.

It is important to Americans that we be free to express our opinions without death threats and loss of income. We don't ever want to lose this privilege.

The Dixie Chicks are not the only citizens of this country unhappy with our president, whose approval ratings indicate there are many who agree with them. And, despite the negative reactions from country music, according to the Billboard charts, the latest Dixie Chicks album was the No. 1 CD in its first week of sales.

G. Elaine Huddy
Jamestown

Regarding the June 5 editorial on earlier sit-ins in Wichita, Kan., than in Greensboro:

Although the Wichita sit-in, staged at a drugstore lunch counter in 1958 was no less important, it, too, was not the first. In 1943, CORE (The Congress of Racial Equality) used this method of protest in Chicago, and later in 1949 in St. Louis, and Baltimore in 1953.

The difference between the earlier protests and the Greensboro sit-ins was that the Greensboro protest galvanized a whole movement, not by civil rights organizations, but by students. The sit-ins by the N.C. A&T students was the catalyst for the whole 1960s confrontational movement that included blacks and whites, and thousands were arrested.

After Greensboro, sit-ins sprang up all over the South until the lunch counters were desegregated.

The sit-in movement also led to the Freedom Rides to desegregate transportation.

Douglas Stephens
Brooklyn, N.Y.

President Bush's rush for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage doesn't go far enough.

Same-sex relationships should be banned. Same-sex people shouldn't be allowed to go out together, hang out together, go to church together or attend any function together.

Let's do it right.

It's against God's law, the Bible says.

The people in Salem, Mass., had it right. Burn them at the stake.

Hold it for one minute.

I am a God-fearing U.S. Army war vet, a super senior, married all my life.

We bought our house in High Point from two ladies who lived together. Nice people, very intelligent, educated, neighborly, friendly. They are sorely missed by the neighborhood.

Psst ... they were gay.

For the life of me, I cannot find any negative effect that they had on anyone — or on the community. Quite the contrary.

All men (and women) are created equal.

Max Roseman
High Point

It is encouraging to note evidence of opposition to more bond referenda which, of course, would result in increased property tax, the most onerous and unfair tax ever devised by scheming politicians.

Think of it. Property taxes are not based on income, purchases or even wealth, but simply on one's having equity, no matter how small, in a home or automobile. And the legislature adds to the travesty by authorizing a revaluation every eight years, which always results in an increase in the tax.

Not satisfied with this scheme, politicians also have come up with the "bond issue," which also must ultimately be paid from additional property taxes. But guess what? You don't even have to be a property owner to vote on these issues. This system is not only unethical, but probably unconstitutional, if challenged.

Other states are becoming more enlightened. I believe it was Missouri whose governor recently refunded a budget surplus to the taxpayers rather than create a bonanza or wasteful spending, as occurred in our own state. Other states have no property tax, and still others permit no increase as long as the home is owner-occupied.

Wake up, taxpayers. It's your money.

William K. Oden Jr.
Greensboro

In response to Randy Scott's letter, "Drivers of big vehicles contribute to oil crisis" (June 5):

SUVs are not the reason for the oil crisis. They may play a very small part, but is by no stretch of the imagination even close to being a large contributor.

Instead of blaming SUVs, why not focus blame on increased demand for oil abroad (China), the demonic president of Iran, which produces and controls one-fifth of the world supply, but, more importantly, the liberal idiots you elected who keep shooting down legislation to open oil exploration in Alaska and more of the Gulf of Mexico region?

How about the recent discovery of oil deposits off the Cuban coast? Guess who is already there looking for it. China? Of course. And why? Because our liberal leaders in Washington have no backbone, and as long as they are in office, they never will.

These are the reasons for the oil crisis, not SUVs. Please get informed.

Richard Sanders
High Point

Is the city of Greensboro really serious about these proposed cuts in the budget? I am in favor of the tax increase as long as it is needed. I understand that the price of living has gone up. We can't live today with yesterday's prices. There is too much at stake.

Cutting jobs is uncalled for. Shutting down two lakes where my son and I can fish? Boot the homeless? Umm, do they understand more homeless, more problems? Vagrancy, theft, panhandling? That would take up even more taxpayer dollars.

Weigh the pros and cons. If anything, cut some pay in the Parks & Recreation Department. There are more than a few making more than $125,000 a year. That is not good. They need to trim their own fat before putting others out. Golden rule. This is just ridiculous.

Mike Foye
Greensboro

I fully support Lake Daniel resident Jonathan Faw and zoning enforcement officer Ron Fields in their efforts to stop Rum Monkey's use of searchlights as a permanent advertising display. The night sky belongs to us all and should not be taken over by commercial interests. Imagine the blinding spectacle if more nightclubs and other businesses decide to use searchlights.

We need less light pollution, not more, and I suspect many Greensboro residents can no longer see the Milky Way from their homes.

As a private pilot, I believe that such powerful searchlights have the potential to blind those flying at night. Fifteen seconds or so without reference to instruments or the horizon while flying at night can lead to vertigo and loss of control. The FAA may be interested in Rum Monkey's lights as well.

Rufus Honeycutt
Denton

Someone once said, "Your rights end where my nose begins." He wasn't just talking about someone's fist or the annoying smoke from someone's cigarette. He was talking about searchlights on top of a restaurant that flood the night sky and annoy the people who live in the neighborhood.

I also think he was talking about people who put power poles in their yards and mount dusk-to-dawn street lamps on them. I don't mind you having your yard lit up all night, but must I put up with your light shining onto my patio or into my bedroom all night?

I called Duke Energy and asked if I had any recourse through the power company. The customer representative sympathized and said they'd had numerous calls but there was nothing the power company could or would do about it.

Do we really have to put up with someone's annoying light? Couldn't Duke install a lamp shade to keep the light on that person's property?

Or, as in the restaurant's case, couldn't the city or county levy fines on them on our behalf?

I'm sure a hefty fine would make my neighbor wake up and see the light.

Tom Netsel
Jamestown

I quote Mona Charen from her June 3 column: "... Abu Ghraib, which did not involve killing or torture..." She needs to look at all of the pictures and she will see the blood-smeared floors and beaten bodies.

The most common definition of water boarding I have heard is that the victim is made to feel "as if they are drowning." In fact, they are held until the lungs fill with water and they convulse or lose consciousness.

Then they are revived and drowned again. I spoke with a torture survivor last weekend who described the experience.

We Americans must take responsibility for what we allow to be done in our name and not hide behind incorrect terms and denials. Nothing less is at stake than the soul of our nation. Only mass public opinion will reverse the evil path we are on. Speak out.

Don Morgan
Greensboro

The recent proposal by the Greensboro Transit Authority to eliminate the SCAT unlimited ride monthly pass for people with disabilities would be devastating for many. For a population that has the highest unemployment rate among any group in the nation, people with disabilities cannot withstand another barrier to living independently.

While transportation for people with disabilities must be accessible, it also must be affordable as well. The economic status of people with disabilities should be taken into consideration when determining fare structure.

The quality of life would be greatly diminished for many disabled people if this proposal passes.

Statistics show that 80 percent of people with disabilities who are unemployed want to work but cannot find jobs because of discrimination. This disturbing statistic indicates that the vast majority of people with disabilities are willing to work if given the opportunity, and accessible transportation is a key component in securing employment.

The Joy A. Shabazz Center for Independent Living urges the Greensboro City Council to reject this proposed fare increase by GTA and give people with disabilities the opportunity to maintain their independence.

Dennis Burgess
Greensboro

Because one man complains, the world is supposed to stop spinning on its axis. The stars evidently should rescind their duties at night and leave us in utter darkness.

Because one man complains, some dogmatic and dictatorial city regulation may be unnecessarily enforced.

I am referencing the complaint that made the front page of the B section of the News & Record (June 6), in which one lone ranger has decided to ignite a personal crusade to have the spotlights removed from the Rum Monkey Restaurant.

Someone, please help me with this one. I do not possess a Ph.D., (actually, I do) but it should not take the illumined to comprehend that this is such a trivial issue in the grand scheme of life.

There is a war going, students are being inequitably educated, Greensboro's homeless situation is beyond problematic, but a complaint about spotlights?

In my opinion, this "Salem witch hunt" mentality can produce far more long-term and harmful effects than any spotlight ever could. Let us give our attention to more pertinent matters and turn a deaf ear to the frivolous complaints of one overzealous man.

Jeremy Johnson
Greensboro

The following is a Counterpoint column:

By JIM GUTSELL

Public attention should be given to events threatening the future of our very special Farmers' Curb Market. This market, started in 1874 and one of the oldest nationally, is a significant jewel in the city's crown.

The market has enjoyed enormous health. In recent years, under part-time management, it has developed exciting vendors, grown new customers, given birth to spring and fall pottery festivals and spun off several lively craft shows.

A regular visitor of ours from New York always heads for the market on a Saturday morning. Last time he came back with four pounds of sushi grade tuna. I go for the wonderful eggs, vegetables and butter, and really fine cheeses.

Apparently, all city agencies are preparing bare-boned budgets to meet Councilman Mike Barber's request for a reduced tax increase. In this slimming process, the divided position called City Beautiful Specialist and Farmers' Market Coordinator is a candidate for sacrifice.

That reduction would mean a stripped-down market operation at best.

Some years ago, when I was a vendor, there was talk of a plan by the assistant city manager (now manager) to make the market a city vehicle depot. A recent attempt was made to move the market across Murrow Boulevard so it can be "downtown." This notion may still be active. We have an all-weather venue that does not need fixing or alteration to serve some other purpose.

The loss of a coordinator will absolutely mean the loss of the pottery festivals, just as we are acquiring regional status. A large and impatient list of potters waits to gain entrance to these events, some from Seagrove.

Our old Farmer's Curb Market should be cherished and fostered for its many contributions to the quality of civic life. It is the place for regional food, local flowers and multitudes of crafts, and a place of unparalleled communal mixing.

Attention needs to be paid. We really should not endanger the health of what many a city would beg to have, our market.

The writer lives in Greensboro.

The board of directors of the Guilford Education Alliance studied the board of education's proposal for increased county funding for our schools for 2006-2007 and requested the county commissioners fully fund the request. We are grateful for the commissioners' past support of our schools and ask that it continue.

This request includes $19 million to fund salary increases for locally paid teachers to match the legislature's proposed 8 percent state teacher salary raise, increased costs to heat and cool our buildings and provide transportation, and local costs for the projected 1,750-student enrollment growth. These increases are necessary to maintain our system.

Additionally, funds are requested for program enhancements: to provide transportation to maintain stable school enrollment for elementary students whose families move many times during the school year, for staff development to decrease student suspensions, for foreign language teachers in elementary schools, and to increase the local pay supplement for teachers so that we can compete with other counties to attract highly competent teachers.

These enhancements reflect the needs of our schools to improve our children's education. We have a responsibility as citizens to ensure our community's future by providing a sound education for our children.

Margaret Bourdeaux Arbuckle
Greensboro

The writer is executive director, Guilford Education Alliance.

Our school system is top-heavy, incompetent and less then honest.

Dr. Eric Becoats, the chief of staff, said: "I oversee the day-to-day operations of the school district and interact with senior university, business, government and community officials," etc.

I think overseeing the day-to-day operations makes him responsible for Dudley maintenance. I guess he was busy interacting on major issues.

Alan Duncan, board chairman, said: "We have 115 schools. We don't follow when the air filters are changed in those schools."
True enough, except they did allow our system to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a process management system, which was a "certified" quality system that supposedly included detailed maintenance procedures and processes that should handle this. It didn't. Why?

Dr. Terry Grier, superintendent, said: "Significant reductions in the size of the central office staff have already been made. At 1:1,229, GCS currently has the lowest central office administrator staff-to-student ratio of comparable districts within the state. You will note that we could increase our central office by 230 percent and still be below the state average. The size of our central office has not significantly increased since these numbers were released."

This is simply not true. Why say it?

David Colin
Greensboro

Apathy surrenders many rights. I hope your recent article will shine public scrutiny on Rum Monkey and teach them some truths about society.

Many inconsistencies exist in restaurant owner Chris Wollin's position. If he believes the city is stretching the definition of what a sign is, I would urge him to research some definitions and rethink his position. Wollin states the lights "are a form of advertising," and "anything can be twisted, but I don't know of anybody who would consider a light a sign."

A sign is a form of advertising which is "(a) device placed on or before a premises to identify its occupant." The lights are a sign.

He claims, "We're not breaking any laws." Running the lights is "conduct that is prohibited and has a specific punishment (as incarceration or fine)." Wollin tries to shift blame, putting the onus on the city to prove the lights are a sign.

How might Wollin interpret more complex codes involving safety, food preparation, cleanliness or employee pay? Before visiting Rum Monkey, see if the lights are on and ask yourself if you think the zoning code is the only one being ignored.

Jonathan Faw
Greensboro

1. Believe everything your Republican president says as gospel truth. It doesn't matter if he's later proved wrong, e.g., WMD, just change the rhetoric to justify war. Above all, support never-ending, pointless, bloody wars in as many countries as possible. It's good for the economy. Ask anyone at Halliburton.

2. Bush can't be wrong because of the indisputable evidence given to him by those towers of truth and information: the CIA, NSA and FBI. We know they tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, even when they don't have all the facts.

3. Whenever anyone questions our Iraqi war policy, point a finger in their face and yell, "9/11." Tell them how most of the terrorists are Algerian, not Iraqi. Wait, don't say that. They'll wonder why we're waging war in Iraq (see No. 1).

4. Whenever someone disagrees with Bush, wave an American flag in their face and yell, "traitor." Never mind the facts; just scream at him and poke him in the eye with the flag. That'll teach him. Then squash him like a bug. That's a good Republican.

Ralph David Westfall
Greensboro

Readers of the News & Record should be advised that a recent article by Richard Barron mistakenly referred to Raleigh when referencing Raleigh-Durham International Airport.

Raleigh-Durham International Airport is not located in Raleigh, nor is that community the primary destination for travelers through RDU.

RDU is actually located nearest to Morrisville, midway between Durham and Raleigh. The airport is also co-owned by the city and county of Durham and the city of Raleigh and Wake County.

It is also not accurate to use the term Raleigh-Durham. The accurate reference is to RDU or the full name, Raleigh-Durham International Airport.

Like the Triad, the Triangle is poly-centric and not centered around any one city.

Reyn Bowman
Durham

The writer is president and CEO of the Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Thanks for publishing the terrific ads supporting the lesbian and gay community. The public support of straight people is essential to the fight for equality under the law for LGBT people.

The public support from the religious community, as seen in the ad (June 13), also is essential to the march toward equality.

Ellen W. Gerber
High Point

The following is a Counterpoint column:

By Ivan Saul Cutler

North Carolina's myopic legislature is saying, "Drop dead, High Point Furniture Market."

In planning to cut the state's investment – from $1.75 million to $750,000 – to bolster marketing for the mammoth trade show, misguided lawmakers have transformed themselves into unwitting supporters – even pawns – of the aggressive Las Vegas Market bent on seizing North Carolina's crown jewel of global home furnishings trade shows.

With less money for marketing, the legislature is gratuitously giving the Las Vegas Market an unexpected gift of support from North Carolina lawmakers clearly disconnected from reality.

Might as well pin "I support the Las Vegas Market" badges on all legislators predisposed to fund almost everything except the state's premier income-producing events.

Gutting marketing funding for the Market by almost 60 percent constitutes a vote of no-confidence in High Point, the Piedmont and the event itself.

This wrongful course is certain to reverberate around the world and send a message that the High Point Market isn't worth it. By implication, it also means that furniture apparently lacks clout in Raleigh.

Unfortunately, a pervasive myopia about the Market extends beyond Raleigh. Local and regional governments are equally unfocused on and detached from its economic significance despite studies and reports about the event's substantive income-producing stature.

The legislature, as well as Piedmont county commissioners and city council members, must reassess how constituents benefit from Market tax revenue, and invest in this worthy enterprise.

The financial tendrils extend all over our state. If the Market dwindles — and it could without prudent financial subvention by state and local governments — the loss of revenue from property, use and income taxes will be severely felt, not to mention the embarrassment the state will feel if it declines to support a renowned homegrown international event.

The negative effect of a weakened Market will mean more than higher taxes to compensate for the shortfall. Property values in High Point and nearby cities will be affected.

In response, citizens need to reciprocate with an outpouring of anger, even rage over the legislature's likely stupid action. Let lawmakers know they could be punished come November for taking the low road to High Point.

The writer lives in Greensboro, follows the furniture industry and writes a daily weblog, www.insidefurniture.com.

The News & Record has periodically drawn attention to public "benefits," which help recipients pay their medical bills. Such communal relief efforts highlight the fact that our economy and our health care system are in trouble.

"Benefits" are heartwarming. They assist people who need help. But the larger question is this: What about all the other unfortunate folks not lucky enough to have a "benefit" given for them? Do they lose everything simply because they were unlucky enough to get sick? The answer, often, is yes.

"Benefits" have been organized in Greensboro for beloved teachers, hairdressers and musicians. Some of these people had jobs which included health coverage and some didn't — but they all provided for themselves before illness struck, and they've all been overwhelmed with medical costs ever since.

Responsible citizens, who pay their bills and contribute to society, are increasingly in danger of losing homes, savings and good credit ratings because of health care debt.

No one chooses to develop cancer, or have a stroke, an auto accident or a child with leukemia. Such misfortunes shouldn't also result in loss of one's home or life's savings.

We need universal health care coverage.

Maureen Parker
Greensboro

Although two or three military team investigations have recently been made and others are still under way, the question of whether American Marines deliberately killed two dozen unarmed Iraqi civilians, including women and children, with no regard for their lives, has not been answered.

If one report can be believed, about 20 Marines went on a rampage after learning that other Marines had been killed by insurgents. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld denies that Marines performed such an act, and President Bush has echoed Rumsfeld's opinion.

Both these officials insist that core values training has been given to all Marines and they say such inhumane actions are inconsistent with the principles of that training.

In my view, any Marine who took such action, regardless of rank, should be promptly dismissed from the service with a dishonorable discharge in hand.

Patriotic Americans do not want them representing this country in any branch of military service.

Al Stewart
Greensboro

My husband and I have been happily married for the last 20 years, but now we're really worried. According to the White House, our marriage is in danger.

Why? According to Mr. Bush, it's all because our nice neighbors down the street, Joe and Don, want to formalize their commitment to each other.

Gosh, we're in a dither. Good thing George W. Bush sounded the alarm. We would have gone on thinking our marriage was in good shape.

Just one thing: Can anybody explain just how the happiness of Joe and Don threatens our marriage, our community or our nation? We haven't been able to figure that out.

Tracy Carpenter
Greensboro

I promised myself I would write about the exceptional young people who somehow managed to graduate in spite of the many obstacles they faced ("Pomp and difficult circumstances," June 4).

Since there is a limit of 200 words or less for each letter printed, I decided to let these students know how much I admire them just by mentioning their names: Katina Matthews (single mom); Ryan Cheshire (autistic); Youlee Sun (limited English); Hanady Asad (Hurricane Katrina evacuee); Nadia Allen (Katrina evacuee); Walter Jordan (quit sports to work and help family); Jaron Wilson (gave up spring break to help hurricane victims), and Fred Russell (has a learning disability, but still graduated with a 3.2 GPA).

How easily it would have been for any or all of them to just quit, but they stuck it out. I guess the old saying, "It's not what happens to you that counts, but how you handle what happens to you that counts."

When I think about these students, the words courage, character, integrity and responsibility come to mind. There is hope for the younger generation and I think it began with these young people.

You're all assets to your communities.

Shirley J. Wright
Greensboro

I have been a SCAT rider for almost six years and enjoy the ability to travel independently. I have used SCAT for various things like going to school, attending National Federation of the Blind meetings and even going to the gym. You could say that I am one of those people with a disability who has an active lifestyle, and rightfully so.

When I lost my sight at 16, I swore to God that I would not allow anyone to hinder me, and that I would always be independent and free. I was very upset when I learned that the City Council had tentatively decided to increase our fares so drastically. They have offered no compromise.

Immediately, I began thinking about myself and others who ride SCAT to do our daily tasks. Many people will have to give up the basic human right to be independent and free. It is a shame that some will have to decide what is more important, food or transportation.

The council is trying to tell us where and how many times we are allowed to ride. Allowing them to do this will be taking away the very essence of me and others like me.

Kinyata Williams
Greensboro

Recently I had the opportunity to visit Southwest Middle's seventh-grade awards ceremony. As we, the proud parents, sat on one side of the gym with the whole seventh grade on the other, I marveled at the diversity of the children facing us. At that moment, several things crossed my mind.

Those who call Southwest parents unmentionable names without coming here to see this are ignorant and out of their minds. Those who say those kids need diversity are also ignorant and hypocritical (you know who you are).

Travel up to Northwest and Dudley and you will wait 10 minutes at the end of the day to see a different colored person come out.

Meanwhile, parents from both sides of High Point fight to keep their children at neighborhood schools. The penance we pay for not having a school board representative is having our community ripped apart. Somebody needs to stop this injustice.

Martin Phillips
High Point

It's nice to see your look at the war on terrorism is still as one-sided as ever. Your article "Al-Zarqawi's end mostly symbolic" (June 9) lives up to all my beliefs about your support for the troops and the war effort.

Al-Zarqawi was a major player in the bloodshed in Iraq. But to you, not that big a deal. Which do you hate worse, Bush or our troops? You will never give either credit for anything positive. To most everyone else, besides the mainstream media, this was a good thing.

Your article should have been in the editorial section and not the front page. The front page is supposed to be for news, not opinion.

Bobby Cole
Randleman

I was delighted to read Deborah Hayes' refreshing and insightful column (June 7) about what we owe teachers. She's right on target. And a heartfelt thanks to every teacher in Guilford County devoted to teaching our children. I agree with Deborah's assessment of the unbelievable devotion, creativity and caring that the "Dream Team" her son's middle school provides, and I was surprised that the name of this school is mentioned nowhere in the column.

New Garden Friends School is the Triad's only pre-K through high school Quaker school and deserves to be recognized for not only hiring and supporting members of the Dream Team and their like, but also for delivering to this area an innovative form of education that addresses the hearts, minds, bodies and spirits of every member of its community — and it's been doing this for 30 years.

To the teachers at New Garden Friends School, Guilford County Schools and everywhere, thank you. You make a bright future possible.

Susan Poulos
Greensboro

I wonder if I am the only reader who was offended by the article by your writers, Michelle Jarboe and Katie Reetz (June 9): "If you want to date us, guys, here's some tips."

It appears that these women view "dating" as synonymous with "bedding," judging from their discussion of what a man should and should not wear in bed ... on a date!

I thought the News & Record was trying to be a family newspaper. Shame on you! By trying to give a few readers a chuckle, your writers have put at risk many of your impressionable, dating, teenage readers. Do we really need more promiscuity, teenage pregnancies and STDs?

Peggy Johnson
Greensboro

It is with a good deal of frustration that I am writing this letter. My husband and I have owned a business on South Elm Street for nine years. We have enjoyed the increasing activity and traffic in downtown as it has benefited our business and the growth of a vibrant downtown. However, the increasing traffic brings parking issues. My frustration is twofold: greedy landowners who would rather hold on to vacant land than lease it for parking, and inconsistent parking enforcement by the police department.

The first issue is with greedy landowners. Those people who wistfully think someone is going to pay their exorbitant prices are out of their minds. Downtown is successful because of entrepreneurs' efforts and business acumen — not an influx of big money.

My second nemesis is the police patrols that readily ticket my customers during my business hours and yet ignore the later-night party crowd of people who are parking illegally. My customers are parking and walking to our business while my neighbors' customers are parking anywhere and the police are nowhere to be seen.

If these issues are not recognized as problems, further growth and investment in downtown business will be less attractive.

Susan Roberts
Greensboro

The president's praise of illegal aliens as law-abiding and hard-working contributors to our society is misplaced. Those aliens have been from the beginning, and continue to remain, at odds with our laws on immigration. They are here illegally and, therefore, they are lawbreakers. Although illegal aliens may conform their behavior to our laws, conforming behavior does not make them law-abiding; satisfactory behavior just makes them less notorious. Rather than label less-notorious illegals as law-abiding, it would make more sense to label them stealthy.

James Parsons
Winston-Salem

I urge you to ask City Council members not to close lakes Brandt and Higgins. These watershed parks are vital to Greensboro's recreational landscape.

For the past 12 months, these parks have serviced almost 135,000 visitors. While the previous recreational offerings centered around the traditional outdoor activities (fishing, boating, sailing and hiking), more recent offerings include canoeing, kayaking, environmental programming, adventure racing and watershed trails. Lakes Brandt and Higgins host some of the most popular events: the Flying Frog Adventure Race, the Haunted Trail and the Outdoor Skills Camp.

These new options are reaching out to a new generation of Greensboro's citizens. Now more than ever, our community needs these leisure and recreation resources. So many demands compete for our time each and every day. The city has a responsibility to provide these facilities that offer our citizens diverse opportunities. Leisure services are vital to Greensboro's community and have received strong citizen approval with a recent $34.2 million bond referendum.

I work for a magazine that celebrates the beauty, history and culture of North Carolina. These facilities embody the beauty, history and culture of Greensboro.

Lynn Tutterow
Greensboro

I could not believe when I read the News & Record on June 6 and did not see any reference at all to it being the anniversary of D-Day. This should have been front-page headlines! How sad that our paper does not even recognize such an important day in our country's history.

God bless all of our heroes killed and wounded that day and all men and women who serve around the world to protect our freedoms we enjoy today — freedom of the press being one. Shame on our country for forgetting! As for me and my family, we say God bless America and thanks to all of our veterans!

Wanda Thornburg
Greensboro

Editor's note: Coverage of D-Day events was in the June 7 edition.

When they came out in my favorite magazine with the "Da Vinci Code Diet," I had to agree that perhaps too much is being made of the book and movie. Channel 2's anchorman said it was "much ado about nothing." I have to say it indeed is something.

There's a book out about the deception of "The Da Vinci Code." It's very important to realize Jesus is the personification of God, the Son part of the trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit or Ghost. Therefore, Jesus would not have married a woman he'd had to cast demons out of any more than he was gay, and there's also been that supposition.

If men can reduce God to someone just like them, they can excuse their own sin, and how could God forgive anyone else or be anybody to revere and have faith in? How could a mere man create the universe or do anything supernaturally? The Bible would then be null and void. There are those who say "The Da Vinci Code" is just a story, like Ron Howard, the director of the film. They do then need a disclosure on the movie and in the book to admit it's fiction.

This book and movie are the devil's design to destroy faith in God. Have nothing to do with them.

Carol M. Pulliam
Kernersville

As an active member of the local Sierra Club and the Greensboro community, I urge Mayor Keith Holliday and members of the City Council to consider alternatives to closing Lake Brandt and Lake Higgins in the midst of budget cuts this year. I love renting kayaks at Lake Brandt on sunny afternoons and enjoy watching herons sweep across the sky when I'm out hiking the Piedmont and Owl's Roost trails at least a few times each month. I know many fellow Sierra Club members and other outdoorsy Greensboro folks who feel the same.

I'm currently enrolled in a budgeting class at UNCG. Last week, we discussed an example in which the city of New York made major budget changes that impacted dollar figures in a positive light, but impacted the daily lives of citizens (a community green space was involved) in a very negative way. I hope the leaders of the city of Greensboro do not make the mistake of choosing quantity of dollars in the city's budget over quality of life for its residents.

Once again, I urge our elected officials to make wise choices that promote the health and well-being of our community.

Catharine Sutherland
Greensboro

The writer is vice chairwoman, Piedmont Plateau Group of the Sierra Club.

I would really like to know what happened to our constitutional rights. I smoke and am not very proud of it. I've been smoking since age 12. It is a very bad habit and very hard to quit. I know it is a drug and it has got me hooked. But if I was to quit, I would have to carry a wheelbarrow around with me to carry my belly.

I know the doctors and businesses around make a big deal about it, stopping you from smoking in public places. I've even heard on TV in a certain place in California, you have to be a certain amount of feet away from a person if you smoke or there is a big fuss over it.

But what about alcohol? Even NASCAR banned smoking advertisements, but they ran a car last year advertising the nicotine patch. I pull for Dale Earnhardt, but what about the sponsor (Budweiser)?

In this country, you can drink but please do not smoke. I ask: How many people have you ever heard of who caused accidents or claimed lives smoking while driving? But alcohol-related accidents have cost a lot of lives.

We are no longer a free country to do what we want when we want.

James Lewis
Reidsville

Although agriculture is not as visible in the media as biotech or law or banking, agriculture and agribusiness provide more than 60 percent of our state's economy. But our agricultural heritage and economy are threatened by the very growth that makes our state's overall economy so strong. Rapidly increasing land prices driven by population growth are threatening the viability of our farms.

One very important way to support agriculture is through farmland protection. Reps. Pricey Harrison, Harold Brubaker, Dewey Hill and Alice Underhill recently introduced House Bill 2493 to appropriate funds for farmland preservation. The bill would provide $10 million for the acquisition of agricultural conservation easements or for the preservation of farmland as provided in our state's General Statutes. Currently, the bill has more than 80 co-sponsors, a clear majority of the House.

By protecting farmland through the purchase of agricultural easements, we reduce the value of the land and help keep it in production forever. It's worth noting that most state funds used for farmland protection are matched by federal funds, making a sound investment even better.

Rep. Harrison deserves the appreciation of all North Carolinians, not just the agribusiness community, for her leadership on this issue.

Carolyn Allen
Greensboro

I was very saddened, indeed shocked, to see the picture of children in the First Presbyterian Preschool taking part in "basic training" patterned after army training (page B1, June 2). The thought of these children being taught that participating in the army — war training — is fun and the preferred way to solve conflicts that our country may encounter is depressing and surely does not represent the best values that we want to instill in our young children.

Do we really want to teach our children that using guns is the best way to solve problems, as implied in the picture of the children holding guns? Most disappointing is that these activities took place under the auspices of a Presbyterian Church, which espouses Christianity and presumably the teachings of Jesus concerning peace and loving thy neighbor — not violence.

It is my hope that preschools, and all schools, will teach children creative ways of solving conflicts rather than resorting to force.

Marilyn White
Greensboro

Editor's note: The children in the photo were participants in "Fit n' Fun," a program not affiliated with First Presbyterian Church.

Thank you for the ad regarding discrimination against the gay community (June 13). I am sure those opposed to equal rights for gays are opposed to freedom of the press. It's their response to the ad that determines their position.

Arnold Nuckles
Greensboro

Why is Commissioner Bruce Davis against school resource officers having Tasers? If any students are choosing to make violence a part of their school day, then they should have to answer to law enforcement.

Tasers are just one tool to counter violent individuals. Would Davis prefer them to use a nightstick? How about the officer's fist? There is always the gun, but I know our fine school officers are trained to deal with violent people via other means.

I, like Sheriff Barnes, do not understand why Davis fears for the safety of someone who has chosen to bring violence to our schools. Our school campuses do not shield a violent offender from the law. People committing violent acts in public are subject to being put down by law enforcement. If you take the Tasers away, you have only three choices. Which one do you choose, Mr. Davis? Fist, nightstick or gun?

Joe Henzler
Jamestown

The following is a Counterpoint column:

By MARCI BROWN

Representatives of the North Carolina Department of Transportation have missed the point of the Girl Scouts' appeal for reconsideration of the highway widening plan for U.S. 421 between N.C. 68 and Sandy Ridge Road (News & Record, June 8, "Road plan pits Girl Scouts against DOT").

The Girl Scouts recognize the potential for future growth in Colfax. That is one of the primary reasons they chose to stay in Colfax when they began their search for property for a new corporate headquarters, urban nature preserve and program facility for girls back in 1998. Good timing, hard work and tremendous community support made it possible for the Girl Scouts to acquire Magnolia Manor and complete their Girl Scout campus in 2004.

Regardless of how one feels about the Girl Scouts or Magnolia Manor, the community must rally to save this small bit of green space in an otherwise industrial area along West Market Street. To build the road as planned will not only take the gardens and picturesque pond, but will destroy 10 to 12 irreplaceable, century-old willow oak and magnolia trees.

The Girl Scouts need everyone's help to save these natural treasures for all of the citizens of Colfax and surrounding communities. Once the trees are cut down, they can never be replaced in our lifetime — or even that of today's smallest Girl Scout's grandchildren.

Letters of support for reconsideration of the plan as it is currently drawn should be addressed to state representatives, local officials and to Kimberly Hinton, NC DOT, 1583 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1583. Or try calling your state representatives. Their telephone numbers are listed under the "Site Navigation" links at http://www.ncga.state.nc.us.

The writer is CEO, Girl Scouts, Tarheel Triad Council, Inc.

The big news in the June 9 News & Record is the City Council is only going to raise taxes by 4.75 percent. This means no more police officers this year.

I sure am glad to see they are still giving $1.1 million to Roy Carroll so he can rehab the old Wachovia building. I guess we see what's important to our elected officials.

Last night on the news, Sgt. Steve Hunter was interviewed about the shortage of downtown beat officers given the influx of people at night now. Helping a rich developer get richer seems to be the priority. Think about that when you get mugged or witness the fights that go on outside the numerous bars at night. Maybe we should call
Roy Carroll when help is needed.

James Poer
Greensboro

The best part of living in the midst of a cultural renaissance in the Triad is discovering new talent. Add the Triad Pride Men's Chorus to your list of "must sees."

A recent concert, "NOTE-ably Q: Music For Us, By Us, and About Us," contained all the elements of exquisite entertainment.

The 35-member chorus sounded like one voice while the individuality of the members was allowed to shine. The show ranged from clever to touching to empowering to just downright fun. The energy in the theater was inspiring.

There was truly something for everyone's musical preference, from "Tonight" from "West Side Story" to "Circle of Life" by Elton John to "Constant Craving" by k.d. lang.

For more information, visit www.triadpridemenschorus.org.

Amy Wood
High Point

After attending the report release ceremony of the Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commission, I have never been more proud of this community. The release of the commission's report marks a historic moment: the first time that an independent, democratically selected group of U.S. citizens has assembled solely for the purpose of uncovering the truth. Their mission is a noble one — to heal Greensboro's racial and social wounds left after the horrific events of November 3, 1979.

Contrary to the expectations of those who claimed that the commission was biased toward the victims, the report actually distributes blame among nearly everyone involved.

In its recommendations, the report suggests, as a start, that all responsible parties offer apologies to the community. This seems little to ask in light of the all the suffering resulting from the shootings, and some (such as Nelson Johnson) have already shown the courage to apologize and to admit to their shortcomings.

The report concludes that, at the very least, the city of Greensboro failed to protect the public on that fateful November morning. Mayor Holliday now has the power to begin the healing with a simple, heartfelt apology. May he, and Greensboro, rise to this occasion.

Dean Driver
Greensboro

How refreshing to read something positive and supportive concerning the ethical treatment gays and lesbians in our community. The Straight Allies and the Triad Equality Alliance ads hit at the heart of discrimination rampant in this country.

Unfortunately, the president has used these issues to deflect the American people away from the failures of his own policies and low ratings in the opinion polls and to gain support for the religious right, one member of which is in town protesting the dedication of a statue of Billy Graham. This same group is also protesting at the funerals of fallen soldiers claiming that America is too soft on homosexuals.

I hope that these ads and the hateful actions of some will call attention to the wrongs perpetrated against gays and lesbians.

Mike Barringer
Greensboro

It is refreshing to see a columnist and political analyst say something positive about the victory in Iraq. With the death of al-Zarqawi (the street thug and sociopath of the 21st century), the head of the snake has been cut off. I agree with Mona Charen's June 10 column ("Zarqawi's death a victory for civilization") and would like to e-mail her my congratulations for stating the facts about this evil person. Other columnists need to follow her example instead of writing misinformation material.

Yes, war is hell but so is the price of peace in this 21st-century world. Life has a value, but only those of God's children know this fact. Those terrorists' Islamic god is not our God.

God bless our free speech and way of life in the United States of America.

Paul C. Heist Sr.
Greensboro

Bridging Neighborhoods

Betsey Baun/Special to the News & Record

Our elected officials make time to honor neighbors and participate in community events. Mayor Holliday, and City Council members T. Dianne Bellamy-Small, Goldie Wells and Yvonne Johnson, help Max Thompson's family cut the ribbon to dedicate a footbridge that connects the Aycock and Fisher Park downtown communities. The celebration showed how one citizen can make a difference.

Betsey Baun
Greensboro
president of Aycock Neighborhood Association

I am very disappointed to read of Joe Killian's article (Life, June 16) about the Greensboro "Entourage." Going back a few weeks, I was saddened by the letters that critiqued Thirsty Thursday and how there is an idea that downtown Greensboro is solely a singles scene of young drinkers who live a decadent lifestyle. This article will only fuel the fire of those who think poorly of the downtown night scene.

I am also saddened by the irresponsible comment about drunken driving that two of the entourage made. As a 20-something with money and time invested into Greensboro nightlife, I must say that not everyone shares the attitude or lifestyle of this over-glamorized group of guys. My friends and I spend a lot of money to hire drivers and limos to drive us safely from the bars back to our homes.

Greensboro residents, please continue to support our downtown life and know that not all of the younger crowd are so engrossed in irresponsible and self-gratifying behavior.

Josh Madsen
Greensboro

Thank you for your informative, front-page, multicolor article concerning the major problem of consumers not receiving their rebates for purchased electronic items.

Oh, and thank you for the black-and-white article (one-fourth the size) telling me that the death of al-Zarqawi was mostly symbolic. I guess the significant intelligence information found was not that important. I feel fortunate that my local newspaper is unbiased and dedicated to informing me about the important news of the day.

Tom Rafferty
Summerfield

After reading the articles (June 4) regarding the Truth & Reconciliation report ad nauseam, I found nothing unexpected in the outcome. The Commission's pre-ordained mission was to elevate these communists to sainthood, failing miserably to do so.

I was interested in two facets of the report. I noted that the American Communist Party is the "peaceful" chapter of this international terrorist group and that they demand a monument be erected to their dead comrades on U.S. soil. A communist is the same no matter where he or she resides. Their goal is your freedom and the destruction of the United States unless we kowtow to their fruitcake ideas. They may erect their memorial in Cuba, a more fitting site for their ilk.

Nothing in this event has changed over the years. A group of communists picked a fight with the Klan and neo-Nazis. They got exactly what they went after and that is the end of it, or at least ought to be. The best monument to all three of these terrorist groups is to dump them on the trash heap of history and forget them.

Ian A. Millar
Kernersville

As a longtime subscriber of the News & Record, one of the great joys of the weekend paper is the reviews of the different arts venues in Greensboro. The reviews not only help my family plan our weekend entertainment, but most importantly, they remind us of the rich and vibrant arts life we have in Greensboro in the areas of dance, theater and music.

How disappointing it is to see so little being reviewed recently. As an example, "The Matchmaker" has recently begun at Triad Stage. It is a truly outstanding play but nowhere did I see any review of it in the paper. Why not? After all, Triad Stage as well as the Broach Theater, the Carolina Theater and the Cultural Center are vital to the cultural and economic health of Greensboro.

Please tell me this is an oversight and you haven't abandoned the arts in Greensboro. You are an important link in reminding us to support the arts and the artists who dedicate their lives to enriching ours through their artistic talents.

Patricia Fairfield-Artman
Greensboro

I am not against immigration, but I am against illegal immigration and any action that would reward it with amnesty. I cannot believe it is in the best interest of this country to absorb millions of poor, uneducated people who do not speak English.

Millions already are straining our social, educational and legal services. Others are involved in criminal activities, from drugs to murder. Orange County, Calif., is home to 275 gangs with 17,000 members, 98 percent of which are Mexican and Asian. No one knows how many of the estimated 12 million-plus illegal immigrants are terrorists. Make your own estimates.

Millions of these immigrants are good, hard-working people who want to improve their lives. However, there are billions of people throughout the world who would like the same thing. The best thing we can do is try to export freedom and capitalism, not import poverty. I will pay more for produce, or do without, if I have to. Jobs will get done although the wages of the poor legal immigrants who obeyed the law may increase.

Ed Preston
Greensboro

On June 17, I saw a superb play, "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill," at the Broach Theater, starring Janice Price as Billie Holliday. Holliday's was a tragic story, and Price is unbelievably good at bringing it to life with song. No thanks to the News & Record, which failed to review the play due to "budgetary constraints," we were told. Shame on you, who are supposed to be downtown supporters.

The play continues through June 24 at 8 p.m. I hope readers will take it from me that this is one of the best theater experiences I have had in recent memory and pack the house for the remaining performances.

James Bennett
Greensboro

Editor’s note: The News & Record published articles June 15 and 16 in advance of the play.

Regarding the letter "Not fit for young readers," (June 18): Why does everything in this world need to be "family" oriented? I am glad we have a newspaper that does not edit writers based on "family values." If you are worried about kids reading about people having sex before marriage (shock), then you should really be fearful of all of the other articles in this newspaper about people being shot to death in New Orleans or kidnapped in Iraq, or any of the other current events in our world. We wouldn't want their young eyes to see the truths in this world, would we?

And, please, if any young person out there was struggling with the decision of having sex, and that article convinced you to go ahead with it, please let us know. I think we'd all like to know just how many people were encouraged to have sex because of what two women wrote in a local newspaper.

Lindsay Lamar
Greensboro

I have sent many e-mails to school board members Kris Cooke, Marti Sykes, Deena Hayes, Walter Childs, Dot Kearns and Susan Mendenhall in the past months. None has deemed my concerns worthy of a reply.

I have asked them to reconsider the busing of High Point students for "diversity." These schools are already diverse, more so than many other Guilford County schools.

With the high cost of gas and the budget cut, I ask them once more to ditch this plan and return to neighborhood schools. If they won't do it for the students, they should do it to save money. If they won't change their minds, they at least should let the public know the logic behind this plan.

Carol Dunn
Greensboro

I sit here, after watching a television interview with Commissioner Bruce Davis regarding school resource officers carrying tasers in our local schools, wondering how any sane person could vote such a person in office.

Mr. Davis states, in summary, that those who join any law enforcement agency or the military should expect to get hurt sometimes and that tasers are unnecessary. It is very obvious that this man has no idea what can and sometimes does go on in our schools these days.

Let me put it to the commissioner like this: Any student who comes into our schools only to cause problems and take away from the education of the other students, thereby requiring an SRO to be called, should expect the possibility that he might face the consequences of his actions. I’m also wondering how parents would feel if their child was in danger at school and had to wait for a patrol vehicle to arrive instead of having a SRO on site. Thank God for our SROs!

Brian Holbrook
High Point

In recent days you have printed so many stories related to bigotry as it connects to the newly released Truth and Reconciliation report, the police department mismanagement, Project Homestead debacle without accountability, and the list is endless.

While that surely has pleased some of your readers, it has angered just as many. Fact is that history is just that — history.

I can truly say that after opening the June 13 paper and seeing not one, but two full-page ads in an attempt to stop bigotry, I took a deep breath and felt so proud to be a citizen in Greensboro. While we can offer apologies for ways in which people have been treated, many times those are mere words.

These ads are efforts that you and I can join now and be a part of in the future. Instead of offering apologies for atrocities either you or others have created, take time to do something positive now and in the future.

Way to go, News & Record.

Lee Huggins
Greensboro

This year, the U.S. Senate has a chance to move legislation forward that would provide money to create housing that low-income victims of the hurricanes, along with other low-income residents of our state, can afford. Unfortunately, senators have decided not to act on this critical opportunity.

The Federal Housing Finance and Reform Act of 2005 (S190) seeks to regulate mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. However, the bill has stalled since passing out of the Senate Banking Committee.
With this bill, the Senate has an opportunity to create an affordable housing fund, dedicating 5 percent of Fannie and Freddie’s after-tax profits to produce, preserve and rehabilitate rental housing for low-income people, as well as assist first-time home buyers.

By pushing for the bill S190 to come to the Senate floor for a vote, and by creating an affordable housing fund within the legislation, Sens. Burr and Dole could help free up as much as $1 billion for much-needed low-income housing.

We urge the Senate and our senators to work toward achieving the goal of a decent, safe and affordable home for every American citizen.

Wayne Dawson
Burlington

I read with interest a recent letter from Phyllis Lambeth regarding her mission trip to the Gulf Coast, and would like to add to her call to help the people of this devastated region.

I also volunteered recently with Habitat for Humanity’s St. Bernard Recovery Project in Chalmette, a suburb of New Orleans. The project involves removing debris from flood-damaged homes so residents can begin the rebuilding process — not just of their homes, but of their community as a whole.

While I was there I met many people with church groups such as Ms. Lambeth mentions, but I also met many smaller groups: college students on spring break, small groups of friends, and so many individuals who came by themselves, all sharing a desire to help their fellow Americans in their time of need.

The spirit of the people of St. Bernard parish is nothing short of amazing. Hurricane Katrina flooded all 27,000 homes in the parish and they know that they are all in this together. But they cannot do it alone. Please consider volunteering a week of your time to help these people rebuild their lives and their community.
For more information, go to http://www.habitat-nola.org/projects/st_bernard.php.

Jim Scott
Greensboro

Regarding the Baptists' "dueling doctrines":

It's hard to see how the Calvinists could be wrong. Neither faction argues that God is waiting to discover which of us he will save. Both agree that at the beginning of time, God knew precisely which individuals he would save come the end of time. And both should agree this set could never be added to or subtracted from, because that would imply that God was wrong — and both factions agree that is impossible. On what grounds then, do the anti-Calvinists allow for extra salvation?

The article indicates little, other than the fact that some believers find Calvinism distasteful, particularly the "idea that all human beings lack free will and Christ died only for the elect …". But what other conclusion can be reached if the existence of God is a reality? If the eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, sovereign creator of the universe has always known that I will not be saved, where is the room for my salvation? Where is there room for human freedom at all in that scenario?

The Calvinists follow their premises to their most logical conclusions. They may not paint the prettiest picture, but they do faithfully reproduce the landscape.

Tracey Lane
High Point

Thanks for printing the ad on the injustices associated with discrimination in this country (June 13). As we could all see, throughout history people have tried to change the Constitution to fit religious beliefs.

Thank goodness well-minded citizens have held onto the fact that our forefathers wrote our Constitution and Declaration of Independence to be for all the people, all the time, not some of the people, some of the time.

Karen Warner
High Point

This is in response to "What happens when there is no Plan B" (Ideas, June 18). What a shame that today’s society wants to always look for the easy way out. As responsible, educated adults in a marital relationship, these people should have taken the few minutes it takes to use proper protection in order to prevent their third pregnancy instead of relying on emergency contraception.

What do their actions say to the young, sexually active people who don’t want to take the time to use contraception? Sounds like place the blame on others instead of the need for a little self-restraint (and that human life is expendable).

How selfish to blame the doctor, pharmacist or the government, for that matter, for their inaction. No one forced her to have sex, not use contraception or to have an abortion. These were all decisions they made together when their passion overruled their intelligence. Let's think about the consequences of our actions, or, in this case, inaction.

Pamela Fleming
Greensboro

Your story, "Entourage," (June 16) was an insult to every young adult in Greensboro who strives for more than the stereotypical "party animal" image.

I am sure the one man's mother is extremely proud to know her son drove his car in a drunken stupor and couldn't remember it. Is their pursuit of a contest to get on the show by the same name worthy of so much ink?

Last November, 30 young Greensboro residents put together a clever 30-second film that won them a trip to California, entrance to a private party hosted by Microsoft and the showing of their film several times on MTV.

In addition they each won the brand new 360 X-Box video system two weeks before it went public. Your paper didn't print that story until my daughter wrote and submitted it to GoTriad, which ran it several weeks after the fact.

I hope these four dolts win that contest and Hollywood loves them. That's four less uncreative souls hanging out in Greensboro.

Mary Coyne Wessling
Greensboro

Recently, I witnessed something that was very upsetting.
My neighbors are good neighbors, never bothered anyone and seem to be very nice.

On one recent mid-morning when I went out to feed my dog. I noticed a goat tied to a tree next door. Two men came out.
One untied the goat and the other had a 2x4 board.

I knew what they were about to do. They beat that goat to death in the backyard. I came inside and called the police who assured me they were within their legal rights. I found this to be wrong.

I am aware people have animals slaughtered. However, I have never seen it within a neighborhood for all to see.

Is this what America is turning to? It's now OK for people to kill animals in plain view for everyone, including children, to see?
I find this disturbing and inhuman. I am ashamed the city of Greensboro would allow this in any neighborhood. It makes me sick to my stomach.

There's a place for that kind of thing. The neighborhood is not one of them.

Ann Minish
Greensboro

I have a concern about the complacency of our government officials. I have written the North Carolina senators and Rep. Howard Coble a number of times and have participated in several mailings in an effort to resist the privatization of Social Security over the past couple of years.

Sen. Dole has sent me several form letters. The only difference in the letters has been the date at the top.
Sen. Burr usually just doesn't reply although there were two letters with minor differences.

Representative Coble's responses were the same with one exception. He attacked a mailing from the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare as a fund-raising ploy. Looks like they got his attention.

N.K. Cline
Greensboro

I received a letter on June 12 from the Department of Veterans Affairs. It stated that data had been stolen from the VA containing names, Social Security numbers and dates of birth of 26.5 million veterans. An ignoramus employed by the VA took home personal data on his laptop and it was stolen.

I served in the Marine Corps from 1952 to 1956 and was honorably discharged. I performed no reserve duty, and have never been to a VA hospital. That was 50 years ago. Why would anyone have my information at their disposal after this length of time?

Was I up for recall? I think just more asinine stupidity by our overstaffed, overpaid government agencies.

From this day forward, I must constantly monitor my credit record, not the VA.

The burden is now on me. This person will probably be retired, with a full pension, maybe a new identity and relocated.
Just might be a good idea. Some old vets may be interested in this idiot's identity.

W.A. Ward
Greensboro

Edward Cone's intriguing article (Ideas, June 18) about the Truth and Reconciliation process suggested that the "survivors apologize for their part" to initiate the apologies requested of others. His introspective article provided an insight — remove the word "apology" from his text and insert the word "forgiveness." Ultimately, this is a spiritual healing. Should the survivors forgive first — they would initiate an openness that is required for truth and reconciliation. Forgiveness initiates healing in the "forgiver" and opens the door for others to heal.

Forgiveness is about the truth of the matter and it allows others to engage in that truth. An apology is worthwhile, forgiving heals.
Another article in that edition— the "Plan B" op-ed about the 42-year-old working mother who attempted to acquire a morning-after pill and had an abortion — blamed the current "administration" for her pregnancy.

She took no responsibility for her actions and faulted everyone else. Meanwhile, her children will suffer from her lack of responsibility and the emotional pain of an abortion she chose to blame "politicized religion."

What is truly needed is a spiritual healing and responsibility — a better world waits for us.

Randal Romie
Greensboro

In response to Richard Sanders letter, "SUV's less harmful than China, Iran and liberals" (June 14), oil prices in this country are finally starting to reflect the worldwide realities of the oil market. If you don't believe that our ridiculous consumption levels and our head-in-the sand attitudes to global warming and pollution are not a huge part of what you call "the oil crisis," you are the problem.

We must reduce our reliance on foreign oil by reducing consumption and by creating alternatives to oil, not by ruining pristine areas of Alaska and by further destroying the Gulf of Mexico. The oil in those areas would buy us, at most, another 10 years or so at present consumption levels.

Mr. Sanders, last time I checked, this country was being run by right-wingers like you, in the back pocket of big oil and the insurance industry. I am surprised you didn't blame the Clintons.

With the advantages Republicans hold in Washington right now, if yours were such great ideas, don't you think they would be law?

Richard Welsh
Greensboro

In the Counterpoint (June 13), Ned Van Buren wrote, "In 1959, I watched an engine run on peanut oil at the GM Tech Center." His implication was that General Motors suppressed that technology.

Van Buren hasn't paid attention to the myriad diesel car owners now running their vehicles on used cooking oil.

Van Buren then railed that the public is still buying bulkier, gas-guzzling dinosaurs, getting 15 miles per gallon or less. Sir, your head is somewhere else.

Compare the smaller size of today's average car with those of the 1970s. Also, compare the average 20 to 35 mpg today with the 12 to 15 mpg back then.

Technology has come a long way and hybrids will soon become commonplace.

William Lawson
Stoneville

In your editorial, "Marry, divorce and sue" (June 13), you established the basis for arguing that this law (alienation of affection litigation) be abolished but did not identify it as such.

As Greensboro attorney Lonnie Albright points out, alienation of affection is used as leverage to negotiate a better divorce settlement. Perhaps in addition to abolishing this legislation, we should also abolish the no-fault divorce.

In doing so, we would allow an avenue for the aggrieved spouse to collect damages for the loss of the marriage. Should it be fair for a faithful spouse to see his or her hard-earned capital fly out the door to an unfaithful spouse?

Under our current laws, the alienation of affection litigation is the only potential penalty for an unfaithful spouse.

Give the aggrieved spouse another option to collect damages and alienation of affection becomes a moot point.

Ritchie Russell
Greensboro

I have read lately that the Greensboro Police Department is experiencing dwindling response times. I think I have the answer. All you have to do is drive on New Garden Road in northwest Greensboro and you'll surely find a couple of Greensboro's finest working a speed trap on a consistent basis.

But seriously, I don't think I have ever seen more police hounding one road since I've lived in Greensboro. The road is wide at most points and it's easy to go over the posted 35 mph speed limit.

Heads up, future drivers on this road.

Paul Jacobs
Greensboro

As a believer in and follower of Jesus, I was thrilled to see two ads in the paper recently which condemn the use of my faith to discriminate against gays.

In one, respected leaders of the faith community speak out as straight allies. In the other, we are reminded that the Bible has been perverted throughout its history to defend what are really cultural norms.

As an Episcopal hymn states, "New occasions teach new duties; time makes ancient good uncouth."

Jesus said nothing about homosexuality.

Patricia Boswell
Greensboro

As a veteran and as a caring human being, I am pleased that Congress has done something to curb the unconscionable harassment by hateful bigots at funerals of slain servicemen and women.

I support the right of groups, no matter how despicable their beliefs, to have the freedom of speech which was granted all persons under our Constitution. But, I believe that when the exercise of such rights injures innocent families and mourners, a line has been crossed.

My question is: "Where was Congress when these same contemptible bigots were shouting the same detestable epithets at the funeral of gays and lesbians?" I believe Congress's excuse for doing nothing to protect the families and mourners of this group of citizens was something to the effect that the foul behavior of these bigots was protected by the First Amendment.

So, what is it? Does the First Amendment protect bigots when they are harassing a segment of society which some consider "sinful," but does not protect bigots when they are harassing a segment of society who are considered righteous?

Or, is it that Congress can pass laws protecting the families of slain servicemen and women but will not offer the same protection to the families of gays and lesbians?

Terry May
Greensboro

Your June 16 editorial, "TV Cable competition will benefit consumers," is on target regarding the impact of the Video Service Competition Act under consideration in the state legislature: greater choices and lower prices for consumers. However, it missed the mark on two key points.

First, not only do HB2047 and S1559 include some of the strongest anti-discrimination language of any similar legislation, but refusing to offer service based solely on a customer's income is against current federal law. Local telephone companies already serve everyone — regardless of race or income — on their existing networks, which will also be used to provide cable TV.

They have never discriminated before when providing voice and data services and have no intention of beginning to do so with cable services. Besides, discrimination is also bad business since studies show low-income and minority populations are desirable cable customers.

Second, the bills are expressly designed to preserve municipalities' revenue by replacing franchise fees with a tax on video services, whether provided by a land-based or satellite competitor. For consumers hungry for true competition in cable, these balanced bills offer their best hope.

Chuck Greene
Winston-Salem

The writer is Piedmont Triad Area Director, BellSouth.

I would like to nominate Bruce Davis, county commissioner, for "Stupid Statement of the Year," i.e., using Tasers at school. "Our cops and SROs knew when they signed on the dotted line they could be hurt." Davis is so anxious to protect his race, he doesn't realize the Tasers could save a person of his race one day.

Carolyn Brown
Greensboro

If U.S. Marines really did massacre civilians, including women and children, in the town of Haditha last November, punishment may fall on those culpable at the scene. It's not likely fault will be found farther up in the chain of command in Iraq, much less in political leadership in Washington.

There's something wrong here. It is not to excuse the soldiers to say that their actions were terrible because the situation in which they were placed was terrible.

But in modern warfare, the line between military and civilian targets has long been obliterated. In World War II, both sides killed hundreds of thousands of civilians in bombing raids. I witnessed the smoldering remains of entire cities as a young serviceman in Japan just after the surrender — from firebombing before our atomic bombs.
Yet, we hear few voices today raised against war as the greatest man-made scourge on earth. We seem to accept war as necessary. It wasn't always this way.

After Word War II, common people and statesmen in this country uttered the words "World peace" with passion.

Where are all these peace lovers today? Can we seriously consider ourselves a great nation if, instead of working tirelessly for world peace, we now start wars of our own?

R.C. Smith
Jamestown

I am a student from Kernodle Middle School. In science class we learned about the environment and I would like to write to you about a problem we are having in the Greensboro area.

There are many people who just don't care about what they are throwing outside their windows, and that is just wrong. People are also dumping out their garbage into lakes or streams and don't care what might happen to the animals that might get hurt or die, like the fish. There is also pollution in Greensboro and we need to do something about it. We should walk more instead of driving to places because driving causes pollution and that might hurt the birds and might hurt us too, because we are going to breathe in oxygen.

I hope that people would stop throwing their garbage into streets and lakes. Instead they should throw their recyclables into the recycling bin so they can stop cutting a lot of trees. Trees give us oxygen.

Enrique Agaton
Greensboro

Regarding "Life imitates art: Entourage" (June 16), since when is a young adult becoming publicly intoxicated to the point of memory blackouts and operating a motor vehicle considered art? I thought it was against the law.

It is unbelievable that the News & Record would glamorize and promote this irresponsible, dangerous and wasteful lifestyle. Please be sure to print a follow-up story when one of these young men, or someone inspired by their example, dies or kills somebody in a tragic alcohol-related incident.

Richard Rumley Jr.
Greensboro

I know many people already know about the genocide in Darfur. But not a lot of people are doing anything about it. We have already killed at least tens of thousands of people because of the war in Iraq. I think it's about time we started saving some people instead of killing them.

Almost every country hates us and I think we should show them what good we can do. I know our country can do this. I know we can make a difference and save a child's life. But, instead, we decide to follow around Paris Hilton and Lindsey Lohan like they are a higher power than us. But they are not. They are actually a lower power because they make bad choices in their lives. They spend their time and money shopping rather than donating it to charity. They have everything they could possibly want.

People in Darfur don't have anything they need. I just wanted to make everyone aware of that so maybe they could make the right choice to help save a person's life.

Ali Rothbart
Greensboro

The writer is an eighth-grader at New Garden Friends School.

Recently, I watched "100 Years -- 100 Cheers." It was a great show.
I have often wondered what happened to the good movie producers. Why can't we have them again? Our teens don't know what they are.
You can learn from them to be inspired, like "A Raisin in the Sun," "An Officer and a Gentleman" and "The Killing Fields." Three greats and a lot more.

Thelma Blanton
Greensboro

I find it amazing that there is such a lack of oversight with regard to all the road construction going on. I believe that the lack of proper signage at construction sites is a major issue.

One such example is the newly revised intersection of Guilford College Road and Mackay Road. For weeks now, there have been no street signs erected at this intersection. Is it so hard to erect temporary signs in the absence of permanent ones? Why couldn't they use the old signs in the meantime?

Another instance was when they closed Hilltop Road at Bridford Parkway. There were no warning signs along Hilltop Road between Stanley Road and Bridford Parkway indicating the closure.
I believe there should be a DOT official assigned to inspect road construction sites and issue fines for failing to erect proper signage. It seems that these construction companies can do whatever they want without any regard for public safety or common sense.

Larry Barnett
Greensboro

The only division in Westerwood is the endless opportunity the News & Record gives a few individuals (same individuals every time) who always find time to criticize anything positive that the rest of the neighborhood defines as an asset.

The Greensboro Department of Transportation works well with the majority of residents in Westerwood to improve dangerous traffic and pedestrian problems. As usual, these same repeating individuals (originating from a protest against historic district designation) always protest vehemently against all things that the neighborhood residents approve (four-way stops, speed-limit signs, traffic medians).

The lack of judgment in giving in to such drivel and the lack of research into the background of such negative reactions does not say much for News & Record standards.

Todd Rotruck
Greensboro

Since President Bush has recently pushed to amend the Constitution with a definition of marriage as a union between one man and one woman, I'm really curious. If this constitutional amendment had been successful, would that have made adultery a felony?

Cheryl Bridges
Greensboro

Your choice in running the June 18 column, "What happens when there is no Plan B" allows a strikingly stark insight in the mind of a liberal.

The story revolves around the angst of a 42-year-old attorney and mother of two who laments the lack of availability of the "morning after" pill. As a result of her subsequent pregnancy, she seeks out an abortion — a most unpleasant experience.

However, her story reads more like a cathartic tale of a woman with a guilty conscience. In short, she chooses to have sex without easily available contraception. Then she makes a couple of phone calls to acquire the pill, but is rebuffed by her doctor. Her midwifery practice is booked — that's the extent of her effort since "the weekend was approaching."

Especially telling is the phrase, "my husband and I considered our family complete." Instead of seeing this circumstance as a gift from God, the pregnancy is clearly an inconvenience to her established yuppie lifestyle. Instead of a sympathetic victim, she comes off as a self-absorbed elitist.

Finally, when personal responsibility fails, blame the source of all the world's problems — the Bush administration.
I find it ironic the News & Record would print this story on, of all days, Father's Day.

Mike Kendro
Greensboro

I find it hard to understand how Thomas Sowell adheres to right-wing ideology when, if it were not for the sacrifices of Martin Luther King, his followers and progressive whites, he might well still be picking cotton on some North Carolina tenant farm.

Richard Lloyd
Thomasville

Regarding recent stories about the Kansas sit-ins:

The sit-ins in July and August 1958 in Kansas's largest city, Wichita, preceded Greensboro's by 17 months and were the first student-led sit-ins so far documented. Other sit-ins also took place in 1958 after the Aug. 11 ending of the Dockum Drug Store sit-ins in Wichita. The significance of the Wichita sit-ins is that they were 1) the earliest we know of now; 2) they were the first successful student-led sit-ins; and 3) they resulted in the desegregation of the largest drugstore chain in the state of Kansas, Rexall.

The network of colleges that played each other in sporting events was important in carrying the word of this sit-in to other schools and communities. The first chapter of my book on the civil rights movement in the Midwest, "Dissent in Wichita" (2001), tells the story of the sit-in and explains the national NAACP's opposition to students' plan.

The book has stood the scrutiny of many reviewing scholars and won three awards. It is published online by the University of Illinois Press as one of its eBooks, so you can read about it there.

Gretchen Eick
Wichita, Kan.

So now are we proud of ourselves? Is revenge complete? The bloody face of our enemy is on the front page of our newspapers for us, our children and God to see. Only the beginning, for a hundred, a thousand will rise in place of Al-Zarqawi, the criminal we turned into a martyr. On and on it goes. Our arrogant, deceitful president will gain some poll points, for what? So his blundering, self-righteous will, fueled by Christian fundamentalism, can continue to bankrupt our economy and integrity, and make mockery of the words of the Master he fails so miserably to know.

Before the Iraq war, a coalition of religious leaders tried to meet with Mr. Bush to consider alternatives to war, but he refused to see them. This is his answer, and always has been: Old Testament religion. In the White House, in Iraq, on the front page. Are we proud Christians now? Mission accomplished? Or just the beginning? The beginning of what?

Ask Mr. Bush what has really begun next time he rides in on his Hollywood photo-op helicopter, or his red, white and blue Humvee. But don't expect the truth, unless you believe war is the only answer.

John Paul McNeil
Greensboro

Earlier this month my son graduated from high school. This was a very momentous occasion for me as his mother, but I could not let it pass without placing credit where credit is due.

I owe a great deal of both of my children's successes to the Guilford County Schools. So many parents want to criticize the schools for their children's failures, but I want to give praise and accolades to all the teachers, administrators and staff who have made my children successful.

My children have always felt loved by their teachers and staff, at Guilford Primary, Guilford Middle, Claxton Elementary, Kernodle Middle and Western High School. Their teachers have pushed my children to do their absolute best no matter what their limitations. Having a child with learning differences has been difficult and challenging but the support we have received has proven extremely successful. My son is college-bound and feels ready for the challenge.

So I want to share our success with our school system provided by Guilford taxpayers. I want to thank you all for your part in making this one mother very proud and most grateful.

Lori Tucker and the Mattina children
Greensboro

My son is in the military overseas and I was telling him about the protesters here at soldiers' funerals. He was not aware that this was going on.

Here is what he had to say: "I am willing to die for any American no matter what they believe and that's what makes me different from them."

This is from a soldier who is away from his family and new wife. I think that people here need to know that this is how our soldiers feel, or at least, this one anyway. Maybe we should stop and think about what the soldiers are giving up just so Americans can have the right to protest.

My child is willing to give his life for any American, whether you agree with the war or not. And this is the thanks he gets for it. What a shame.

Cynthia Ulma
Reidsville

At a high school graduation I attended last month, the glee club members were the only ones singing our national anthem. At a Grasshoppers' baseball game last week, a soloist sang the anthem while fans stood and listened.

During a recent visit to Ireland, I attended a Gaelic Football match in Dublin. Eighty thousand fans sang the Irish national anthem. Every person there sang — every word, out loud and with passion, from beginning to end. It was the most impressive thing I remember about the event. And at every dance hall and pub in Ireland that has a music program, the last song of the evening is always the national anthem sung by all there, standing in reverence.

In America, we typically can be found listening to soloists, many of whom are mediocre or who take liberties with the melody. But I am less critical of the soloists than I am of the passive listeners who show indifference. At sporting events, they should encourage everyone to sing. Singing the "Star-Spangled Banner" doesn't require talent. It takes pride in our flag and in America where we have the freedom to sing our own national anthem.

Phil Koch
Greensboro

Regarding your editorial, "An eye on Big Brother," (June 1):

Yes, now that the county jail is expanding, Big Brothers/Big Sisters will have to find a new home after years of serving children from our little house on Edgeworth Street.

However, I want to reassure you that, as the song says, "A house is not a home." The home that is the heart of our program lies in the little moments and big magic that take place between our children and volunteers. It lies in the caring and compassion of our staff and in the many organizations that support us as we deliver a valuable and needed service to the children in or community.

I am confident that our future home will also be a place where children and families can receive quality and caring service.

Robin Williams
Greensboro
The writer is program director for Big Brothers/Big Sisters.

Frankly, I'm beginning to miss "Greens-boring." It seems that recently much of your Life section's news is focused on new drinking spots. Then the June 16 article on "Entourage" gave attention, front and center, to a group hoping to win a prize for "getting wasted," womanizing, and being stupid and vulgar.

But you made me just plain mad with your casual attitude towards driving under the influence. I quote one of those young men: "You don't remember (the events in digital pictures)? ... Man, that was, like, 6 a.m. You were so wasted. And you drove, too."

Why not use your skills and space to do investigative reporting on the number of repeat DUIs, and the number of resulting deaths and injuries? My friend Malai will have plenty of time to read it. After several surgeries, she still has months of recuperation because of someone "wasted" driving on the wrong side of the road.

The proposed taxis on South Elm are a good idea. What about some police cruisers as well? Perhaps the Greensboro police will make a note of the four "famous" young men and their license numbers.

Marcia Woodward
Greensboro

I have a concern about the complacency of our government officials.

I have written the North Carolina senators and Rep. Howard Coble a number of times and have participated in several mailings in an effort to resist the privatization of Social Security over the past couple of years.

Sen. Dole has sent me several form letters. The only difference in the letters has been the date at the top.

Sen. Burr usually just doesn't reply, although there were two letters with minor differences.

Rep. Coble's responses were the same with one exception. He attacked a mailing from the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare as a fund-raising ploy. Looks like they got his attention.

N.K. Cline
Greensboro

Your paper should not have given any attention to a couple of malcontents in Westerwood complaining baselessly about the new median on Hill Street. A beautiful median with trees and flowers is an amenity that just about every other neighborhood in Greensboro would love to have.

My hat is off to the good folks in Westerwood who accomplish so much for their neighborhood. Greensboro would be better off if all neighborhoods had the benefit of a strong, active neighborhood association like Westerwood's. The true sense of community and diversity in Westerwood is noted in the June 2006 issue of "Our State" magazine, something that all of Greensboro should be proud of.

Spencer Warren
Greensboro

It is great to see that some of our City Council members have got enough guts to do the job that they have been elected for. We cannot keep on just going up on the tax rate to cover everything.

There are things that we would like to see, but some things have to be left as is and there are things we need to cut out. Some people will have to bite the bullet harder than others. Some will have to find other work while others will need to work harder.

I am a disabled veteran who fights pain every day because I can only do so much with what I have. We have already paid a big price for our country and are proud to do so. Others can also pay the price to live in their country in other ways.

Hold the line to tax increases and find other ways. Many thanks to those who hold the line.

June Pardue
Greensboro
The writer is an ex-POW.

Two News & Record articles (April 27 and May 31) reported that HDR Engineering presented Heart of the Triad (HOT) plans for approval to the six governments with an interest in the HOT land. The study is to be completed by the middle of the summer. Additional funding, $500,000 this year and $1.5 million next year, for continuing planning was requested from the General Assembly.

High Point and Kernersville are agreeing on parts of Guilford County that each will furnish with utilities and ultimately annex. Kernersville now plans a 327-acre business park in western Guilford County. Town officials claim to have been working on this for 10 years.

Agreement between High Point and Kernersville, and the business park show the HOT planning process began long before the HOT Steering Committee was selected (with no local residential representation) and HDR was hired. Once the HOT study is completed this summer, the additional $2 million in tax dollars is not needed. It is clear the purpose of the HOT Steering Committee and HDR's "Charadettes" was to precondition the residents to accept new rapid development.

North Carolina has a $2 billion tax surplus this year. Let's try something new. Return it to the taxpayers instead of finding new ways to spend it.

Jimmy Morgan
Colfax

It's in the words. "Quoting" some interesting wordplay lately in the News & Record.

Recent editorial: "Fundamentalist preacher." I certainly agree that this preacher's actions around military funerals are crude and offensive, but your reference to his "church" (in quotes) was as heavy-handed as putting "African American" in quotes would be.

June 17 editorial: "Landfill bill." Yes, landfills are necessary but "make money" is their prime directive. University studies report vast, unpopulated, open space available for landfills but many officials rationalize putting them in near-to-town poorer areas to save trucking costs at the expense of adjoining residential area unfortunates. Please balance landfill support with some political reality from the front lines. See it at www.thedumpsite. homestead.com/

June 17 Counterpoint: "Taking low road to High Point Market." If a "renowned homegrown international event" can't pull its own weight sufficiently to carry on without government subsidies, maybe it's not a truly competitive market.

June 17 letters: "Happy marriage?" Nobody's stopping what Ms. Carpenter delicately called "commitment" and "happiness" in Joe and Don's arrangement but she skirted the part that Joe and Don also want to legally call it "marriage."

Loie Priddy
High Point

Yes, another president has brought us into another internal war in a country not unlike Vietnam. We're fighting for a populace that can't, or won't, fight for themselves. We're fighting an ignorant people who claim to be fighting in the name of religion but treat humanity with such inhumane conduct that only Satan himself could be pleased.

I say to the president of the United States, keep a watchful eye. Allow the dogs to fight within their own cage, solve their own problems and create their hierarchy. It will eventually wash. Look at a unified Vietnam. Then look at North and South Korea. Which populace seems more peaceful, content and presents the most stability for world peace?

Sometimes our way is not the best way for someone on the other side of the world.

Why haven't we learned that, or is it true that history just repeats itself?

Neal E. Hall
Reidsville

The following is a counterpoint:

By Billy F. Hammack

Suppose you were in your kitchen sipping your morning cup of coffee and reading the News & Record. All of a sudden you hear a loud noise, you rush into your living room and realize that your home has just been broken into and it was not Juan Valdez and his mule.

Although we vaguely remember that our home is our castle, we don't remember the Mexican War of 1846-1848 that we fought and won. Many Mexicans still feel that the territory they lost, and more, is still rightfully a part of Mexico. They still feel that they have a "right" to a place at the American Table.

You see Mexicans on TV, waving their Mexican flags, speaking Spanish and claiming they are being treated unfairly. Are you ready to agree and feel sorry for these poor "immigrants" and allow them to continue to break our laws? Apparently, our Senate feels this way.

These "immigrants" have broken down the door of the United States of America and made an illegal entry. Some have decided to take what they want to have by illegal means. When I lock my doors at night, I am protecting my home. Our border should be protected the same way.
These 12 million illegal immigrants are no different from a plain old home invasion, are they? In theory, it is the same thing and it makes me very angry. The law says that my home is my castle and you cannot enter — unless you have my permission.

It is the same with our country at our borders. You must have permission to enter. These illegal immigrants, mostly from Mexico, are spread all across America. Don't you think there may be a terrorist or two hidden among this large number?

Unfortunately, our Congress is playing politics while all these illegal immigrants are taking advantage of our social programs that are meant for legal, taxpaying citizens. Nero is fiddling while Rome burns.

When will members of Congress do what we elected them to do, protect our country and our way of life? There is a legal way to enter our country. If you knock on our door, let us know what you want in English. We will usually invite you in.

The writer lives in Greensboro.

I am responding to the individuals who have the opinion that they have a constitutional right to use tobacco products. Unlike the Second Amendment, which guarantees people the right to keep and bear arms, there are no constitutional provisions that address tobacco use.

Tobacco use is not a right; it is a behavior. Federal, state and local governments have enacted laws that govern all types of behaviors. Business and property owners have the right to establish what behaviors are acceptable on their property.

Most places ban firearms, which we have a right to own, and tobacco use seems to be a behavior no longer acceptable at a growing number of places. So let's not confuse rights with behaviors.

No one has ever had such unlimited freedom to behave the way we want when we want. You do have the right to choose how to live your life, as long as it is lawful and does not violate another individual's rights.

So, when you are prohibited from using tobacco products on public and private property, there are no constitutional rights being violated. You are being told that using tobacco is an unacceptable behavior.

Bryan Koontz
High Point

Did Jesus marry Mary Magdalene, as the "Da Vinci Code" declares?

No, he did not, for He knew an Old Testament prophecy about himself which told him not to marry anyone in this life, for it asked, "Who shall declare his generation (descendants), for he was cut off out of the land of the living?" (Isaiah 53:8).

He also knew that his bride-to-be would consist of the Church, the many Christians "like the sands of the sea" who would believe in him as their God and Savior and serve him. Jesus will marry them when the Church Age is over.

The marriage is described in brief detail in the Book of Revelation with these words:

"Let us (Christians) be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him,
for the marriage of the Lamb (Jesus) is come, and his wife has made
herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in
fine linen, clean and white, for the fine linen is the righteousness
of saints. ... Blessed are they who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb" (Revelation 19:7-9).

What a difference is that from the sordid fiction of the "Da Vinci Code."

The Rev. Warwick Aiken Jr.
Eden

I realize a lot of columnists have agendas that seem to be more important than reason or common sense, but the opening sentence of Rosemary Roberts' column (June 9) really surprised me. It read: "Except for the slaying of the Iraqi terrorist leader, it's been a lousy week for President Bush."

Of course, she is casually referring to the military strike which killed Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. He was, by all accounts, one of the leaders of the terrorists. Osama Bin Laden had referred to him as a "Prince of al-Qaida."

No matter what else may have gone wrong with the administration (and yes, certainly a number of things have), one would think the finding and killing of such a target would make it at least a "decent week" for President Bush, regardless of almost anything else that would have happened. But evidently Roberts disagrees.

Perhaps this esteemed writer could now be transferred to the Sports Department. Her first column could open as follows:
"Except for winning the Stanley Cup Championship, it's been a lousy season for the Hurricanes."

Fred Pearlman
Greensboro

Surprise, surprise, the City Council finally has awakened from its slumber in la-la land to recognize the need for more police officers — a whopping total of 32. Wow.

People, this city is annexing land at a phenomenal rate. We need more police officers. We need additional fire stations. An addition of 32 officers is good, but certainly not great. We need double that for the year 2007.

I dare say we will find ourselves again addressing the need for more officers and fire stations in 2008.

A swimming center at a cost of $9 million is a luxury we cannot afford, as well as the $5 million for the Civil Rights Museum, along with several other "wants" in question.

Set aside the "wants" for the "needs." Otherwise, when you find yourself in need of a police officer, call a lifeguard.

B.L. Woltz
Greensboro

Bravo, Ed Preston (letter, June 22). You have written just what I have been saying to anyone who would listen.

I have no problem with immigrants who come to this country through the proper channels in order to make a better life for themselves and their family. However, I very much resent those who come here illegally to take advantage of all this country has to offer.

Jan Flowers
Stokesdale

By Steve Gorden

Nelson Johnson, in his June 14 guest column in the News & Record titled "Truth report is a gift — read it," has it right on at least one point.

A "gift" it had better be because no one in their right mind would pay for it. The people performing in this idiotic circus sideshow just can’t seem to get over themselves and surely are legends in their own minds.

One thing in particular that supports this thought comes from Mr. Johnson himself. He states, "Under the watchful eyes of the world, the commission’s report provides a historic opportunity to do something extraordinary." World? Historic? Extraordinary?

My business travels take me to all parts of this country and to others at times and I have yet to see the bold headlines in the local newspapers in the various cities and towns I visit extolling this supposedly great body of work this "commission" threw out.

Curiously, I haven't seen any of the local television news stations in those cities and towns that are so allegedly breathlessly watching this performance in Greensboro, breaking their programming for the latest word from the "commission."

Historic? Moon landings are historic.

Extraordinary? I think aliens from outer space landing in Greensboro would fall under this category.

The only people who give a whit about this "commission" are the silly people who can’t get around something that happened between two fringe groups more than 20 years ago, and the lapdog liberal media in this town who support their attempts to brainwash the general public.

The writer lives in Kernersville.