News-Record.com

Anita Campitelli's claim (Dec. 12) that the "Official English" movement is xenophobic was inane and her attack on Charles Davenport was contemptible.

The U.S. has always been a country of many languages, but the common language is English. My mom tells of my immigrant grandparents ignoring her if she spoke to them in Croatian – that's how important learning English was to them. It was key to being sure that their children could succeed in their adopted country.

While the U.S. has always been a country of many languages, it has never been a country of two languages. Witness the Sears clothing department sign "Men" with the inimical "Caballeros" underneath. Go to south Florida or southern California and find enclaves generations old where young adults cannot speak standard English. These are not immigrants of the same ilk as my grandparents.

Aquinas said it best: "Diversity of language alienates men from other men." Communication is hard enough without language barriers. Immigrants come here for better lives; a key to getting that better life is learning English. Providing government services predominantly in English is a positive motivator in that direction, not xenophobia.

Walter J. Sperko
Greensboro

"American melting pot needs many languages" (letter, Dec. 18) has got to be one of the most inane letters to the editor this year.

Olsen's obvious anti-American stand against the English language being the "official" language of our country clearly places him among the plethora of those seeking any means to weaken our country and, in general, set various ethnic groups on one another. We waste millions of dollars every year printing all sorts of documents in Spanish to placate Hispanic groups, many in this country illegally. Why are we not printing these documents in Swedish, French, German, Chinese and so on? After all, it is only fair to do so in order to not insult our other ethnic groups. Political correctness demands it.

If you come here seeking the freedom this country offers, then join the rest of us to make and keep our country strong. If you want to keep your "old country" and your "old language" to heart, then go back where you came from.

Ian A. Millar
Kernersville

Melanie Rodenbough's "Why you should be an angel" on Dec. 24 touched me.

Yes,it is easy for some of us to buy a Christmas gift for a child in a children's home. But is it easy to change the laws to give the poor a "living wage" for their employment so that they would not have to send their children to children's homes?

Crimes might go down. Stealing may not be necessary. With a "living wage" people would be able to feed their families and brain cells would benefit from good nutrition.

Not all children who enter children's homes are from broken homes. Some children have lost their parents altogether but this is a small portion of the whole. Some of their parents want the children. Most do not have the means.

Why should they sacrifice for the whole?

Judy Stierand
Whitsett

My questions are: What do all of the residents of Pleasant Garden want the future of Pleasant Garden to be? How do we, as a town council, gather information, research and investigate to find the answer to this question?

The next step is to make connections, be open to all new thoughts and ideas and create theories outside of prior knowledge. Then we come to the community-building process where all is shared and discussed.

Continuing this learning cycle, we need to take time to look back at the question, reflect, draw conclusions and find pathways to solutions. Most times this leads to new questions and the dynamic, ever-changing factors allow for an organized and logical process that includes all of Pleasant Garden, not a small minority.

I believe in the people that are the town of Pleasant Garden and will continue to work as hard as I can to make informed decisions for what is right for our town.

I remain faithful to you and proud of what we are creating.

Anne Kearns Hice
Pleasant Garden

With the result of the last election, Americans have presented an edict to all of our elected U.S. Senate and House members.

That edict is to get out of Iraq, secure our borders and not approve a "guest worker" program.

Such a program would give amnesty to illegal immigrants.

Those officials who do not follow this edict should be recalled from office for supporting that which is illegal and for not supporting the will of the American people.

Immigration, properly controlled, is a part of the American tradition and good for America. But it must be legal and it must be controlled.

There are many immigrants who have spent much time, money and effort to become citizens of this great country and they are still waiting for their turn.

Permitting illegal immigrants to jump in front of them would not be ethical.

William Joseph Colozzi
McLeansville

By Eleanor E. Greene

The following is a Counterpoint.

I was saddened to read Joy Brightwell's "Let's Spread the Word on SIDS" article (Dec. 17, Guilford Record) and to learn that her grandson died from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Unfortunately, her family is not alone. Last year, SIDS claimed the lives of 105 North Carolina babies, seven in Guilford County.

I support Ms. Brightwell's plea for better SIDS education by physicians, nurses, and hospitals and for an informed public. The N. C. "Back to Sleep" campaign, a partnership between the N.C. Division of Public Health and the North Carolina Healthy Start Foundation, promotes infant safe-sleep and SIDS risk-reduction strategies like putting babies on their backs to sleep and creating clutter-free and smoke-free sleep environments.

Understandably, families who experience SIDS seek answers or products to prevent these deaths. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics cautions that home monitoring devices should not be used as a strategy to reduce SIDS and families should avoid commercially marketed devices.

Ms. Brightwell's call to action is timely. Later this month, the N.C. Child Fatality Task Force plans to ask the General Assembly to appropriate funds for a statewide safe-sleep and SIDS risk-reduction campaign. All Guilford County citizens should voice their support for this initiative.

Dr. Eleanor E. Greene, M.D., M.P.H., lives in High Point and is secretary, Board of Directors, the North Carolina Healthy Start Foundation.

In a recent interview (Dec. 17, News & Record), Gov. Easley responded to a question about state workers negotiating contracts: "The state cannot strike against itself." But don't North Carolina's teachers deserve to have some say in the rules that govern their relationships with their supervisors?

When anyone suggests teachers — the largest body of state workers — be allowed to negotiate contracts, an old fear is wheeled out about schoolchildren languishing while their teachers strike.

"We must put our children first!" it says in quavering tones — as if that's ever happened in this state.

I don't think changing state law will solve all problems, and, yes, the governor has to enforce laws passed by the legislative branch, but I hope he will consider these questions:

Don't most states with strong teachers' unions have a surplus instead of a teacher shortage?

As long as there is a shortage, won't students in poor districts always be at a disadvantage?

Will raising teacher pay be enough to address this issue?
What about the connection between teacher morale and student performance?

And does North Carolina have anything to brag about yet?

John York
Greensboro

We often set goals for ourselves at the start of the New Year. As parents and grandparents, we should encourage our children and grandchildren to set goals as well.

We hear of poor academics, obesity, drugs, and the overuse of Nintendo, X-Box and the Internet by our youth. Set positive standards of reinforcement to encourage good study habits, good exercise and eating habits, wise choice of friends who do not exert negative peer pressure, and allocated time on the Internet and game playing.

Never ever give up on your children or grandchildren. Team with their teachers at school to reinforce good study habits in the home. Obtain suggestions from the school for books that your child should read. Education is the equalizer. Have family meals so you can talk over how everyone's day went.

Encourage and plan activities that build self-esteem. Today's youth are our leaders of tomorrow. Have a healthy and happy 2007.

Joe Plante
Summerfield

This week we have seen the passing of another U.S. president, Gerald Ford.

When Ford assumed the presidency following Richard Nixon's resignation, he said, "My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over."

Hopefully, in January 2009, when another new president takes office, he or she may be able to borrow this statement from former President Ford, as George W. Bush leaves the White House.

Joy Bolling
Stokesdale

Greensboro has been searching for a title and identity. I suggest "Greensboro: City of Placards."

Many business owners and residents feel entitled to post signs proclaiming low cost mortgages, post office hiring now, learning centers, cash for your house, etc. Invariably these signs appear on the public right-of-way and in the dark of night.

Some time ago a representative of the streets department told me city workers try to remove illegal signs when they are able. The signs appear in bursts and workers don't have time to pick up all of them.
The signs are an eyesore and rapidly become litter underfoot, in the street, in trees and even in our streams. There are legitimate ways to advertise.

A recent sprouting of green signs touted a learning center. Think of the message this sends to students: Be irresponsible, break the law, stick a sign up anywhere. It's making a buck that counts for them. It's easy to solve the problem.

Take down illegal signs when you see them.

Ernie Schiller
Greensboro

I am glad to see that City Councilwoman Sandy Carmany has brought common sense and reality to the council. Specifically, she proposed in December a motion that disabled riders pay standard bus fees for riding the SCAT routes for passengers with special needs.

This issue has boiled since a biased committee of City Council, SCAT and GTA decided what changes in fares were needed. Without seeking enough input from the disabled community, a decision was made that enraged citizens and required council reconsideration.

GTA and SCAT proudly proclaim that all SCAT services are paid from local funding and comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

It is too bad that they didn't take time to read the North Carolina Persons with Disabilities Act.

This law reads in part (NCGS168A-8): "... public transportation systems may use alternative methods to provide transportation for persons with a disability, as long as persons with a disability are offered transportation that, in relation to the transportation offered to other persons is ...in similar geographic area ... for fares not greater in price ...with reasonable response time ... with similar hours of operation."

If Carmany's proposal is adopted by the GTA board, GTA finally would be complying with the law.

James Wells
Greensboro

We should come together, regardless of our political affiliations, and celebrate our core values and establish a Bill of Rights Day. I would like to urge our town to celebrate The Bill of Rights for several reasons.

First, the Bill of Rights declares the idea that makes America unique. We have rights as individuals, it says, and government must respect them. Most other countries do not have a constitution with such a clear statement.

Second, our Constitution would not have become the law of the land without the Bill of Rights. Several states refused to join the Union unless the Bill of Rights was included. When Virginia ratified the Bill of Rights on Dec. 15, 1791, only then could the United States become a new nation.

Third, our military people have served, fought and died to preserve the Constitution and our Bill of Rights. To celebrate Bill of Rights Day on Dec. 15 would annually remind us of how their sacrifices preserved not just "the country," but some very specific guarantees of liberty.

Fourth, an annual Bill of Rights Day would remind all members of government -- policemen, prosecutors, bureaucrats, judges and politicians -- that government exists to serve, not to rule, the people. Our civic core values lie in the Bill of Rights. What American could oppose the concept of preserving all of the Bill of Rights for all citizens?

Jack D. Wyatt
Greensboro

I am writing in response to the letter, "I am my parents' child, not their adopted child," by Lisa Bernard (Nov. 28) concerning the Senate's vote to open adoption records in birth certificates.

The rights of both the biological parents and the adoptee are sacred, and to try to place value on either party's rights is preposterous.

The biological parents of the adoptee have a right to the privacy of their identity, particularly if the parents do not wish to have their identity or reasons for adoption revealed.

Their reasoning for this secrecy can be for many things, including well-being or protection of both parties.

The only advantage of having this information available would be for biological history, which at this point can only be attained with parental permission.

Autonomy also plays a factor in the parents' rights as it requires the capacity to integrate the past while making decisions about the future. The parents should not have to feel threatened by invasion of privacy and instead, be able to write their own life stories while handling their situations accordingly.

Caroline Deal
Burlington

I recently read the comments (Dec. 12) from T.L. Froning concerning the accountability of parents at Dudley. Amen.

When did we charge our school systems with the responsibility of raising our children? This accountability starts at home. So many children these days are raising themselves with little help from parents, and this causes issues at school.

As in my household, children should be taught how to act in school, to show respect, and should understand that repercussions will ensue for bad decisions at school.

I have two teenagers in high school, both of whom have never been in trouble, never been pregnant and also understand what is acceptable in our household concerning grades. It simply starts with standards, values and morals obviously much higher than these children at Dudley are getting at home.

D.K. Young
Oak Ridge

Now that the Democrats are back in power, maybe now we can see what their plan is to win the war on terror, win the war in the Middle East, secure our borders, north and south, stop global warming, and make the world a better and safer place. And what is their timetable for doing this? We know how much they love timetables.

I think six months is plenty of time for a party that has had six years to think of a solution. We all know they told us once in those six years, because they have whined and complained and called the other party incompetent and stupid. We can finally see what they can do, now that they control both houses and will be writing all new bills and controlling the purse strings of the government.

Makes you wonder why it has taken six years before they waited to help tackle these problems — because now your security and livelihood depend on them doing what is right for this country, and not just for their party.

Bobby Cole
Randleman

The northwest part of Greensboro is smothered under many tons of leaves sitting on the curb waiting for the city to pick them up. We were promised that if we put the leaves on the curb by Nov. 2, they would be picked up by Dec. 21.

The city manager, Mitchell Johnson, hasn't had time or is incapable of taking care of this mundane task. But he has had time to falsely accuse the chief of police of racism and lock him out of his office. He has even had time to hold city meetings to ask the public what they wanted in the next police chief.

What we want is a chief left alone to do his job and a city manager who will stay out of the chief's business.

Al Myrick
Greensboro

The Iraq Study Group speaks ominously about "dire and deteriorating" conditions yet states that, "We agree with the goal of U.S. policy in Iraq."

With misleading statements such as " … subject to unexpected developments in the security situation on the ground, all combat brigades not necessary for force protection could be out of Iraq," one could almost forget that more than half of our forces in Iraq are not combat brigades, that many of those supporting troops must have force protection, and that the phrase "unexpected developments" leaves much room for equivocating.

Moreover, the study group wants the "withdrawn" troops to be "redeployed" either inside or outside of Iraq.

On Nov. 7, did we vote for troops to be transferred to "permanent" Iraqi bases or to increase troop levels?

This administration, if it knows history at all, is condemned to repeat it. Three years and 60,000 deaths after repelling the North Korean invasion of South Korea, we negotiated a settlement of the status quo. Following a failed policy of Vietnamization, we left Vietnam after 10 years, 55,000 dead, and again a status quo.

Defense Secretary Gates and Grigori Rasputin seem intent on repeating our tragic foreign follies in Iraq.

Gerald W. Meisner
Greensboro

It appears the cat is finally out of the bag concerning our reason for invading Iraq ("Saddam’s execution ends feud with Bushes," Dec. 31). What a revelation to know that 3,000 American troops have given their lives because the Bushes had a burr under their saddles over Saddam Hussein's hatred of them. All the drivel concerning weapons of mass destruction, mushroom clouds, threat to the security of the United States and on and on was really just to cover up the real reason, getting rid of Saddam because of his threat to kill Daddy Bush and Barbara and Laura. The jury is still out on the accuracy of the threat, according to the article in the paper.

Will the American people ever get their bellies full of these people and demand accountability for the irresponsible conduct that has caused such harm to our country and our young men and women who serve in the military? We can only pray that the day of reckoning is fast approaching. January 2009 cannot come fast enough for me.

Betty Edwards
Greensboro

"Saddam hanged, death spurs demonstrations in U.S., abroad." Respectfully, I must submit that, while the technical definition of the word "demonstration" fits, in common parlance it has a generally negative connotation. I must say, I fail to find any negative in this development, nor did I find any reference to mass demonstrations of those unhappy with this development. Instead, I saw Iraqi-Americans dancing in the streets.

I would suggest that a more appropriate headline would have been: "Saddam hanged, mass celebration in U.S., world."

Tim Tessier
Greensboro

"Generations in the workplace" (Dec. 31) is dead on. This is the first time in history that we have had four generations in the workplace, and according to USA Today, more than 60 percent of employers say they are experiencing tension from employees from different generations.

Generation Y, the most recent group to join the work force, has its own attitudes, beliefs and expectations about how work should be done. This generation comes with a can-do attitude that can be difficult for traditionalists or baby boomers to accept, especially when they challenge the status quo.

How can employers bring harmony to a generationally diverse group of employees? Let me offer a few suggestions that have helped me:

• Don't stereotype others because of age; creativity doesn't have any age limits.

• Place emphasis on goals and what people share, and how differences can create learning opportunities.

• Younger workers, don't dismiss the abilities of older co-workers.

Employees are forcing organizations to return to basic management principles, and though it is important to understand how to retain and recruit Generation Y, employees must apply "best practice" management, which works for all employees.

Phyllis Avery
Madison

The following is a Counterpoint
By John Beaman
There have been recent letters to the editor and even a "wish" from John Blust, our representative in Raleigh, complaining about Greensboro's traffic-light coordination system as being nonexistent or flawed. This is simply not true.

Greensboro has the best traffic-signal control system in North Carolina and probably South Carolina. Charlotte's is a nightmare and Raleigh-Durham's is a complete nightmare. Chapel Hill-Carrboro does not have or want such a thing since they hate cars, people and any sort of growth.

Thanks to the great planning of Greensboro in the late 1950s and 1960s, a "Thoroughfare Plan" was created and has been largely carried out by the Greensboro Department of Transportation.

GDOT was the first in the state to have a computer-controlled traffic-light system in the 1970s, and it is still the best in the state. There are more than 200 lights under this control.

One can drive north-south and east-west on Greensboro's major thoroughfares without hitting a red light. These include Friendly Avenue, Market Street, Smith Street, Battleground Avenue, Holden Road, Freeman Mill Road/Eugene Street and Wendover Avenue. However, there is a trick: You must drive the speed limit of 35 mph. The vast majority of Greensboro drivers do not do this, or even close. The computer control system is set for 35-39 mph. Go over this and you will hit one red light after another. Drive 35 and you will make them as they change. Early morning and afternoon rush hours are an exception, of course, as there are so many cars in storage lanes at lights, they cannot start moving before the oncoming cars arrive. However, at other times, drive 35 and you will rarely hit a red light.

West Wendover is a problem. There are so many cars all the time, and people speed. They hit lights. However, drive this at non-peak times, drive 35, and red light hits are not common.

Speeding is an epidemic in Greensboro. Have you driven on any thoroughfare lately at 35 mph? You will be run over and glared at. Places like Cone Boulevard, Holden, Elm Street, etc., are jokes. People drive at least 10-15 mph over the posted limits.

So, slow down, make the lights and lower your frustration level. Don’t blame your speeding on the traffic-light control system.

The writer is a retired city employee and lives in Greensboro.

Lately, the Greensboro Police Department has gotten a bad rap. Well, in the event of the mall shooting, I would like to say how impressed I was with the city police. As a mall employee working the evening of the shooting, I couldn't believe how fast and effective the police were at getting everyone out and locking down the mall.

On the other hand, even though the mall security did help get everyone out, they did not help all of us to our cars safely. I really hope that the mall and police get things together and do whatever is necessary to install better safety.

We all remember what happened to Carolina Circle Mall.

Brooke Strickland
Greensboro

I am a sixth-grader writing to disagree with Gary Marschall's letter (Dec. 28).

First, yes, our founders were Christian, but without the Indians helping them get food, they would have died out before they lived one year here.

Second, a small party of Jews landed here in the 1500s. So, not everyone here in the 1700s was Christian.

In this wonderful country, you have to remember that we have more than one religion, more than one cultural type, more than one language. I believe we should try not to offend any one of them.

Alexander Jacobson
Greensboro

This is in reference to Ernie Schiller's letter (Jan. 2) about illegal placards.

Our main intersection of Alamance Church Road and Southeast School Road at Alamance Elementary School is constantly being inundated with signs, and our neighborhood is vigilant about removing them on a regular basis. Neighborhoods have to protect their areas from self-indulgers.

For anyone's information, we check with the authorities. North Carolina's General Statutes, Chapter 136: Roads and Highways (paragraph 32), specifically prohibit erecting signs. Violators face a Class 1 charge.

We also checked with Duke Power, and they do not grant permission to attach anything to their poles citing the safety issue. In fact, they wrote us that we are doing them a favor by removing the signs and the nails. (Telephone service in our area is underground.)

So, neighbors and neighborhoods, take charge.

Gail Feddish
Greensboro

The article about "new" tests being no more effective at predicting heart trouble (Dec. 21) is just as misleading as Dr. Wang's commentary in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Of course, the standard risk factors — high blood pressure, high cholesterol, family history, age, smoking, obesity, lack of exercise and diabetes — are all accurate predictors of heart disease.
Most importantly, they are all additive. In some combinations, they are exponentially indicative of increasing risks.

C-reactive protein and homocystine are only modestly additive, and this study did not even include ferritin and fibrinogen, which are also additive.

Beta natriuretic peptide (which was originally derived from brain tissue and is produced by a dilated heart) is much more important in diagnosing and managing heart failure than in predicting heart attacks.

The economic implications of insurance company limitation based on this study are all population statistical analyses.

One in a million doesn't matter if you're the one, and we deal with one patient at a time, and those algorithms and paradigms have to be applied to individuals. Population studies are only a starting point.

John R. Dykers Jr., MD
Siler City

While doing the annual property tax filings, I was reminded that Guilford County taxpayers maintain two separate tax departments, two courthouses, two register of deeds offices and no doubt two of something else.

How many other counties in North Carolina do the same?

Bill Franklin
Jamestown

Saddam Hussein did not bedevil the Bushes. Both father and son allowed him to become an irritant that, particularly with George W. Bush, became a misguided obsession.

What they wanted and still want is unhindered access to Iraqi oil. The son wants to rape the rich resources and prostitute the population of Iraq.

George W. blundered into an unwinnable war and paved the way for the unconscionable murder of Hussein. It wasn't Bush's call whether Hussein should remain in power or be removed, and it was never his call to determine if Hussein should live or die.

Our government epitomizes the wrongs attributed to the late Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi people. If Hussein, as a recent article claims, bedeviled this father-and-son duo, it's because they took his every move, comment and action personally.

Now that he has been murdered for crimes against humanity, what have we to show?

The current Bush administration is also guilty of crimes against humanity. This president has become a poster boy for foreign policy failures, war mongering, deceit and clumsy, ill-advised efforts in modern day imperialism.

Theresa Bennett-Wilkes
High Point

The following is a Counterpoint column.

By Tom Phillips

Your recent editorial, "A need for leadership" (Dec. 31), misses the point. Yes, we do need "great clarity of vision" and we need to decide "What it is we want to do?" But we shouldn't blame the failure of some of the bond proposals on a lack of leadership.

Frankly, many of the bonds deserved to fail. I believe that our citizens are telling us that they want Greensboro to be a city that lives within its means. They want a government that will focus on needs rather than wants.

The War Memorial Auditorium bond was one that was specifically mentioned as failing because of a lack of commitment.

I personally supported the bond because the facility desperately needs renovation, but I also knew that this would be a hard sell. Most of our citizens view this as a special facility that they do not use.

Other cities that have similar facilities rely on full or partial funding from private sources. Greenville, S.C., Charlotte and the new Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville are good examples.

I would point out that when the public voted to renovate the coliseum, the so-called "leadership" in the community was opposed to it after they had failed not once but twice to get it passed.
During the past 20 years, while we have supposedly "just sort of got the lights on each day," we have seen a lot of changes that have had an impact on what we can do.

Gone are the days of federal revenue sharing, and state funds have been cut while state and federally mandated programs have grown.
During the same time, we have lost several major corporations that not only provided jobs and tax base butalso provided support for community "wants."

While we need to decide what we want to be, we can't continue to try to be all things to all people. Bill Cosby said, "I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody." Sometimes leadership requires saying "no."

The writer is a member of the City Council.

I have to respond to Bob Slone's letter (Dec. 31). He complains of Wendover Avenue traffic problems and how "residents of New York City would never put up with the disgraceful way traffic flows in Greensboro."

I am a fifth-generation native of Greensboro and am so sick of people moving here just to complain about how much better it is where they used to live. Mr. Slone, here is a little advice that might help you: Go back. I remember a lot of things that were better here before our traffic increased. I am not upset with people moving here from other states unless they are just going to complain that it's not like where they used to live.

In my job, I have traveled to 31 states and have driven in New York City traffic. I'll take Greensboro any day for many reasons. In case Slone has not noticed, we have more serious problems than him getting to Costco late.

I wonder how many of our local leaders are from somewhere else that was so much better than Greensboro. I think we had a police chief recently from somewhere north of here who destroyed our police department. However, a Greensboro native was not acceptable as a chief.

Lane Roberson
Greensboro

Recent state and national coverage of medical advances and disease-management programs have raised the public's awareness of the need for effective health management. As a business owner, I know that having a healthy work force is critical. At Asheboro Elastics, we need healthy people.

That's why I am so dedicated to helping North Carolina find new ways to encourage "health care" as opposed to "sick care" for our citizens. Asheboro Elastics has created and implemented programs to help our employees to better manage chronic disease and their general health, since we all know that disease can rob us of our ability to live long, happy and productive lives.

There are many ways that every person in our state can get involved in making a difference. I encourage every member of our community to begin by joining me in being active in the North Carolina Coalition for Healthy Solutions. This coalition is collecting data for an economic impact study that will help us understand the cost of disease compared to the cost of prevention and management. We need your input now. Please visit www.ncchs.net to find out how you can help.

Keith Crisco
Asheboro

The writer is president of Asheboro Elastics.

Regarding the letter by Taffy London ("Feral cats are menace to birds, neighborhood," Dec. 19):

I believe many readers would be shocked at the number of cats living on our streets. I, too, am upset at the irresponsible owners of cats and dogs who allow their pets to roam our streets. Many pets are thrown away like trash and allowed to have litter after litter, causing problems at our animal shelter and for our rescue groups. I am a member of a rescue group in Greensboro, and it is the people, not the animals, causing these problems.

Responsible owners keep their animals safe and spay and neuter them. I, and many friends, feed feral groups daily. We also capture as many animals as we can. We socialize and adopt out the ones we can. The cats that are too wild to be adopted are spayed and neutered so the cycle will not continue.

If London wants to help stop the problem, she is encouraged to join any rescue group. Help get the word out. The rescue groups try their very best to do what they can to educate people as well as help the homeless animals.

Beth Thomas
Greensboro

Anyone else in touch with the irony in President Bush's elegy for Saddam Hussein? "(He) was executed after receiving a fair trial — the kind of justice he denied the victims of his brutal regime," Bush is reported to have said.

Which of President Bush's prisoners in Guantanamo has received a fair trial? What does this have to say about the nature of President Bush's regime?

Charles M. Hawes
Greensboro

The media are about to ram down our throats that the 3,000th soldier has been killed while serving in Iraq. A little perspective? The city in which most of these reporters reside has seen more than 3,600 murders in the same time that our soldiers have been deployed in Iraq. Granted that New York has nearly 2 million more residents than Baghdad, but then again, the "insurgency" in New York isn't using roadside bombs — yet.

Jim Sartwell
Liberty

Sixty-three percent of Guilford County Schools students graduate in four years and Terry Grier is quoted as saying, "If it takes five years, that's fine" (News & Record, Jan. 4). This underscores the problem with third-party payers.

As a taxpayer, I think it is wasteful of the limited dollars and seats to have a student spend a fifth year in high school, especially when it might be 37 percent of high schoolers. Suppose the taxpayers agreed with Terry Grier and said that five years is fine, but you're only going to get four years of dollars to do it. Maybe more students would graduate in four years.

Libby Thompson
Greensboro

Sonja Elmquist is reporting only one side of the story in "New law is a boon for tenants' rights" (Dec. 30). Whom should the landlord contact and collect from for the following damages?

 Doors torn off hinges; jams ripped out.

 Slit or pushed-out screens; storm doors warped by wind.

 Holes in sheetrock.

 Ceiling fans hanging with dirt and grease.

 Won't change heat filters, resulting in furnace repair.

 Carpets soiled beyond cleaning that have to be replaced.

 Electric ranges beyond cleaning.

 Knives and forks stuffed in disposal unit.

 Used sanitary napkins tossed in corners.

 Urinating in heat ducts, requiring new ducts.

 Feces left in unflushed commodes.

 Bathtubs and showers never cleaned.

 Ripped-out towel bars and paper holders.

 Tampering with electric meters, attempting to get free electricity.

 Parking on the lawn rather than paved pad.

They can't pay rent, but they have a big-screen TV and cable in every room. It takes 30-plus days for the eviction process while the tenant lives free in your property and leaves the water bill unpaid. There are good landlords providing top-notch rental properties, but because of disrespect and no help from the system, it's becoming impossible.

Edna Fields
Climax

The anti-impeachment faction of the Democratic Party seems to be arguing that if Congress holds the administration accountable through impeachment it may prove detrimental to the party. This "party first, country second" thinking is what characterized the previous Republican Congress, to the detriment of the nation.

Many arguments have been put forward against this constitutional remedy, all of them rationalizing why we shouldn't do the right thing. To those who fear the cry of partisanship, should the promoters of the Clinton impeachment now be rewarded by the de facto abolition of impeachment? No future president is likely to achieve the standard set by this one. Their act, while failing to remove Clinton, appears to be the only thing standing in the way of justice now. What a pity.

If presidential misconduct is allowed to stand, all future presidents will act in the secure knowledge that they, too, can send Americans off to die for their own agenda, or any other abuse of power they choose if unchecked by Congress.

There are thousands of inmates in our prisons who are guilty of less damaging offenses than those of this president and vice president. Why should the latter be immune to accountability?

Scott Smith
Greensboro

What a fabulous article on Salvatore Matthews (Jan. 4)in Go Triad. You caught Salvatore's most intimate thoughts regarding his passion and expressed it so well.

Being the owner of a small business/restaurant, I can really relate to his thoughts that you reiterated so well.

From my perspective, the opening and closing paragraphs were so right, and the body of the article was very enjoyable.

I look forward to seeking out Carla Kucinski's columns in your paper. Congratulations, News & Record, you have quite an enjoyable writer on your staff.

Ben Roberts
Greensboro

The following is a Counterpoint.
By Kaye Gable and J. Laurence Ransom

We are writing in response to the Dec. 17 article, "Let's spread word on SIDS," by Joy Brightwell.

The sudden or unexpected death of any infant is tragic and devastating to the family. Any medical professional involved with a case of SIDS mourns for and with the family. Unfortunately, the article has significant inaccuracies that will unnecessarily add guilt to the grief these families experience.

Brightwell states, "What has driven me to write this is the lack of information available to patients and virtually all infants are at risk. I was outraged to discover that the hospital did not discuss with parents what we do and don't know about SIDS." She adds, "I made the heartbreaking discovery that there is a monitor that could save lives of these infants, but no one knows about it." The monitor Brightwell refers to is the Babysense V Infant Movement Monitor.

Readers need to know that, despite extensive clinical studies over the last several decades, there is no scientific proof that home monitoring can prevent SIDS. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is the recognized authority on much of what is considered standard of care for infants. This body of physician scientists has published numerous policy statements on SIDS and has made specific reference regarding the role of home monitoring. In the journal "Pediatrics" Vol. 111, No. 4 (April 2003), the explicit statement is made that, "Home cardiorespiratory monitoring should not be prescribed to prevent SIDS." In a more recent policy statement, the Committee on the Fetus and Newborn of the AAP (recommendation No. 9) advises: "Do not use home monitors as a strategy to reduce the risk of SIDS ... there is no evidence that use of such home monitors decreased the incidence of SIDS. Furthermore, there is no evidence that infants at increased risk of SIDS can be identified by in-hospital respiratory or cardiac monitoring."

SIDS remains unexplained and is not preventable. Proven practices that can decrease the risk of SIDS to any given infant do exist. These practices have been part of the Women's Hospital postnatal teaching program for decades. Such practices include using a supine sleep position, a safe sleeping environment, encouragement of breast feeding, and the elimination of prenatal and postnatal exposure to tobacco smoke. In contrast to the lack of scientific data on home monitors, the above-recommended practices do have a scientific basis and have been promoted by the AAP.

Dr. Gable is chief of pediatrics for Moses Cone Health System and medical director, Normal Newborn Nursery, Women's Hospital of Greensboro. Dr. Ransom is medical director of Neonatal Intensive Care, Women's Hospital of Greensboro.

How appropriate that Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn, should choose for his ceremonial swearing-in a Quran once owned by Thomas Jefferson.

While known for many things, Jefferson wanted only three of them noted on his tombstone — that he was the founder of the University of Virginia, the author of the Declaration of Independence and the author of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom.

That statute, which has been used as the basis for religious freedom clauses by other states and in the Bill of Rights, reads in part: "(N)o man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinion in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish enlarge, or affect their civil capacities."

Words worth remembering by all people of faith and especially by those who have spoken so harshly of Rep. Ellison and of our other Muslim brothers and sisters in recent weeks.

The Rev. Michael Cogsdale
Lenoir

The writer is president, North Carolina Council of Churches.

Here's a New Year's resolution for the media: Let's quit whining about the "victims" of Katrina. Bob Herbert, in his column (Jan. 2), sobs that poor blacks aren't welcome back in New Orleans. They aren't welcome anywhere else, either. Houston doesn't want them; the crime rate there spiked as a result of their arrival.

Herbert places blame on city, state and federal government — in short, everywhere but where it belongs. The "victims" have suckled at the government teat for so long that they are incapable of taking care of themselves. They will be parasites wherever they land.

It's no wonder they are unwelcome. Those with the gumption to do so have moved on with their lives — 16 months having elapsed.

It is not really the people themselves who are unwelcome. It is their culture of dependency. Forty-two years of the "war on poverty" have produced that culture, in which one never fully matures, but is dependent upon the government for all things.

Government leaders have done such a marvelous job of wiping out poverty; let's have them take charge of our health care next.

Robert Hudson
Pelham

Regarding the issue of parking fees in downtown Greensboro:

What about the needs of retired older adults? How about giving them an exemption from either parking deck charges or parking meters. This would also be a good idea for bus fares.

My case in point: After retiring a couple of years ago, I soon realized that I could not manage to live on Social Security alone, but I was able to find part-time employment with the same nonprofit I had retired from.

That's the good news. But parking was and is a problem due to the cost, either from meters, the parking deck or tickets.

The deck at $50 a month is out of the question; the constant running in and out to plug meters is a pain, and once in a while I get busy and forget, so then I get a ticket. (The holiday didn't seem to affect the city's good humor, though, and I got more tickets than usual.)

Old retired adults shop, too (as well as work), so I would think a more helpful attitude toward them regarding parking decks, parking meters, tickets and buses would help all of us.

Gloria R. Parrish
Greensboro

Not once in the past week or so have I heard the media state the principal reason President Ford lost to Jimmy Carter in 1976 — the 11 former Confederate states' fetish to have a president from the Deep South and east of the Mississippi.

Of these 11 states, the GOP carried five in 1964; five in 1968 (George Wallace had five and Hubert Humphrey just one); and all 11 in 1972, 1984, 1988, 2000 and 2004. In losing causes, the GOP got seven in 1992 and 1996.

But in 1976, the fetish resulted in Carter carrying all 11 Southern states except Virginia. Had Ford carried the same five as Goldwater in 1964, he would have won.

In 1980, having suffered greatly under Carter's recession and double-digit inflation malaise, these states went Republican 10-1.

Al Shumard
Greensboro

The following is a Counterpoint column:

By Carl Monroe

Last week, my wife and I watched, remembered and gave thanks for President Ford as services were held and high tribute paid to him. Indeed, he was a great gift to our country and deserves greater recognition for his leadership than can be summarized or has ever been recognized.

During the years when he was a congressman from Michigan, it was my privilege to meet with him to discuss pending legislation concerning the labor and economic issues as they affected the construction industry. Our meetings occurred early mornings in Washington, sometimes over breakfast.

Congressman Ford would come to the hotel, rain or shine, and spend an hour, or sometimes two, giving me and several of my fellow contractors an update on pending legislation. He would frequently sit relaxed and fiddle with his pipe as he thoughtfully shared his insights into the challenging issues of the day. He would give us a heads up on what could be bad legislation, and he would lend support for good legislation. His soft-spoken, kindly responses carried credibility, and his predictions were always on target.

This kindly gentleman gave his time and talent to a few contractors far beyond his legislative district in Michigan. This, indeed, was the measure of a man destined to give much more in service to his country. I shall ever be grateful to him for his gift of time to me and the way it enriched my life.

It is my hope that as he has gone to rest, America will remain a grateful nation for one of her own who gave so much of himself to his country.

The writer lives in Greensboro.

My daughter and I had the worst experience at a large retail bookstore tonight. My daughter has a serious illness, which requires her to use a wheelchair to get around.

She has been so very ill the last few days, and the thought of going to the bookstore today to find a special book really brightened her day. Once we arrived and went inside this enormous bookstore, I was not able to take her down aisles to have a chance to look at all the books due to the aisles being blocked with merchandise. Many times I had to back her out of aisles and take the long route around just to end up at another dead end.

This is one reason why you don't see the handicapped out in public. So sad.

Sheila Clark
Browns Summit

This long-winged turkey vulture was recently photographed flying over southeast Guilford County from a flock of 20 or more that was feeding on nearby carrion (dead meat). The turkey vulture (also known as the turkey buzzard) has many qualities that make this species one of nature's most fascinating birds.

Turkey vultures average a 6-foot wing span, weigh about three pounds and can soar up to 20,000 feet using the thermal currents (rising air) to maneuver in the sky. They can swoop up to 60 mph and can smell fresh carrion from more than a mile away, which is unique in the bird world.

Because of their eating habits, many have dismissed the turkey vulture as a dirty or diseased bird, but the opposite is true. The vulture's digestive system houses enzymes and acids capable of killing most bacteria and viruses that enter it. They spend up to three hours per day preening their feathers.

Turkey vultures, often referred to as "nature's garbage men," serve a very useful purpose as they clean up carcasses left on roadsides and eliminate the spread of disease by devouring these dead animals. For their service, this winged wonder is a federal protected species.

Bob Burwell
Greensboro

The following is a Counterpoint

By Hank McGovern

In his recent column, " 'Dogmatism' has become code word" (Jan. 1), Jonah Goldberg distorts perspectives consistently and reduces critical thinking, the essence of science, to silliness.

He begins with the ludicrous statement, "Have you heard the news? Belief is bad" and subsequently equates conviction and certainty with dogmatism. Dogmatism involves a rigid stance on truth without evidence for conclusions. Dogmatism is characterized by arrogance. Neither conviction nor certainty necessitate rigidity, arriving at conclusions without evidence or arrogance. Conviction can be a strong belief based on evidence, and certainty is probabilistic, i.e. a truth is highly likely to be true or valid.

The issue he addresses is not a trivial one. If more people used critical thinking in their everyday lives, the problems that plague our society would be substantially decreased. How many times a day do people jump to conclusions without examining evidence for their conclusions, only to get angry or depressed? How many social and international problems are based on knee-jerk reactions? Shouldn't the term "holy wars" be oxymoronic? What's so holy about them? The God with which I am familiar would be opposed to wars. Unfortunately, religious dogmatism serves as the fuel for the destruction of trillions of lives via war.

The survival of our species and our world depends on our beliefs. Our beliefs generate our behaviors. The most important focus needs to be on how we arrive at our beliefs and how we can make them congruent with our most vital values.

Goldberg disparages "Bush hatred" partially based on his "messianic certainty." One only needs to be reminded that Bush indicated to insiders that God told him to invade Iraq. Unfortunately, as Richard Dawkins states, it would've prevented a war if God had told him there were no weapons of mass destruction. If Bush were familiar with simple logic, he wouldn't have confused Saddam Hussein with Osama bin Laden. Now the world pays for the delusional quality of our president whose dogmatism and arrogance supersede his knowledge of logic exponentially.

In recent years the Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler wrote a book, "The Art of Happiness." They posited that happiness is based on compassion. Much evidence was offered for their conclusion. Hence they were certain but not dogmatic. It was a proposition that could be tested and verified. Moreover, each individual person can perform their own experiment by defining compassion and happiness, behaving according to their definitions and observing the results. That kind of experiment involves a scientific approach and critical thinking and can lead to favorable outcomes.

The writer is a licensed psychological associate living in Asheboro.

It's time to decide whether to send more troops to Iraq or to scale down our presence and eventually leave. President Bush wants us to sacrifice and send in more troops. So far his actions have led us tragically the wrong way. So far we have been given too much disinformation and too many lies. I have learned not to trust my government and I am ashamed of my country because we torture people. My country is better than all this. "We the people" have spoken and it's time for a new direction.

Instead of blindly acting on what Bush wants to do, we should consider what the people of the country we invaded want. It is, after all, not ours or Bush's country, Cheney's, Halliburton's, the oil companies' or anybody else's except the people who live there. Our unthinking and blundering presence is a big reason for their unrest. The most we should do is help them achieve their goals and then get out of the way.

No matter which way we go, let's do it for the right reasons. It's the only way that we can once again hold our heads up high.

Scott Sellars
Greensboro

On Dec. 6, Cornelius "Corey" Williams took flight from this life, losing a battle with cancer. Corey was 16 and a sophomore at Dudley High School. His death has been referred to as a wake-up call for teens. This is a prime example of the fact that every day is not promised and you must live each day as if it were your last.

This has personally been a wake-up call for me because I now look at life in a different perspective, and I want to be right with God and everyone else before my times comes. Someone my age has died. Who says the same can't happen to me?

To all the teenagers out there, it's time to get right. We'll never know when it's our time to be called home.

Paris Smith
Greensboro

The writer is a student at Dudley High School.

Some suggested solutions for the traffic problems on Wendover:

• Post the speed at which lights are timed. People will drive at that speed, as they very quickly find out they can move through faster. If the lights really are computerized, vary the timing depending on traffic density, and post this on electronic overhead signs.

• Erect overhead signs for I-40, in both directions, like on High Point Road. Drivers constantly change lanes at the last minute because they cannot see the tiny signs on Wendover.

• Erect directional signs for the major stores so that out-of- area shoppers will know where to turn. Have the stores pay for the signs, which also would be good advertising.

Is anybody in authority listening?

Paul Levy
High Point