… Editorial: Children caught in crossfire

The biggest hindrance to law enforcement solving crimes including these is the lack of cooperation from the public who knows what happened. I fully understand that people are afraid to come forward with what they know for the fear of retaliation, but this puts everything in a catch-22 situation. Citizens are afraid to take their neighborhoods back so this type of violence will continue and young people will continue to get killed.

— Phillip Bradshaw

The problem, as I see it, is two-fold. The first is the issue of guns (which was heavily emphasized in the editorial, I noticed), where the implication is that citizens are supposed to feel guilty about their right to bear arms. They are supposed to give up these rights, in part anyway (via more stringent gun-control laws), and assume that they’re helping the situation.

The second part of the equation is that liberalism has achieved its goal, that being what is sometimes referred to as “control the speech, control the people.” You see, you can’t talk about the underlying problems that caused these shootings without being called a racist. You can’t talk about the failure that public education has become without being accused of being against education. You can’t discuss the decline of morals and values across the country without being labeled a bigot.

Yes, you can get a police officer fired for expressing his thoughts, but you can’t manufacture outrage from the public when the majority of these people aren’t allowed to utter a word about how they feel. But good luck trying.

—Steve Pender

This editorial is parroting the same false information that the gun control groups keep touting. How will restricting access to weapons to people who can legally own them stop the criminals from getting them? They don’t go through a background check. The up-tick in violence will only get worse if the drug and gang problems of this area are not contained. Also, parents should be taking responsibility for their kids instead of blaming the police for all the problems. As we have taken God out of our schools and out of our community, our community has fallen prey to the ones who would do evil to us. Drug deals are happening in parking lots all over town and nothing is done. Why? Witnesses are afraid of reprisal or being labeled a racist.

— Ronnie Fulcher

I agree, you take God out of schools and try to remove him from everywhere anyone can see and you expect peace. No, the only thing you’re going to see is the devil and his helpers running rampant. But most people don’t see the combination. I pray for our young people, that they see the light before they see the darkness. Wake up, America.

— Bonnie Beaver

Gun control laws do not work. I’ve never seen a gun get up and decide to go shoot someone. Criminals don’t obey the laws. The laws only hurt those who wish to own a gun legally.

— James Lambert

… Hidden blessings in bee problem

Hopefully, they’ll be able to extract the bee wax and honey, because once the bees are gone, other insects and rodents could go after it, unimpeded

— Jeff Morris

Our dance recital had to be moved and, thankfully, the good folks at Livingstone accommodated us and were very gracious. Thank you for not exterminating the bees and thanks to Livingstone for the welcome!

— Kelly Hain

… Bees force school system to change graduation plans

I have two children in two counties graduating this day. Before this change took place today I was able to attend both. Now I will miss my daughter’s graduation because it is at the same time as her sister’s in Statesville. This is unfair to change the time at such a short notice. I am the only parent my children have since losing their father 2 years ago. My child deserves to have a parent at her special milestone.

I understand moving the venue due to bees, but when I asked why the time was changed I was told “it may be raining in the afternoon that day and it may be hot.” Are you serious? It may rain that morning, too; it doesn’t just rain after noon.

— Miriah Mahler

Look at the reverse side. For many years, ever since graduations were forcibly removed from their respective campuses over a bogus excuse of “safety” … there have been many hundreds of family members who did not get to see their graduate’s ceremony due to space constraints. …

Yes, it could be raining that morning, but the chances of afternoon and evening thunderstorms are always much greater than the morning.

— Mike Shue

I don’t know why they can’t have graduation at their own schools in the first place. I was able to graduate from East.

— Renee Talley

These were changed many years ago because of 9/11. It is time to move them all back to the school campuses! There is no more danger at the school campuses than at Catawba, and there is more room for parking and more familiar surroundings.

There will always be conflicts, but the time is over to crowd everybody into Keppel with no parking.

— Ralph Walton

… Letter: Oppose the ‘ag-gag’ bill

Barbara Hart is wrong, HB 405 Property Protection Act is not Ag-Gag. It does not make investigating illegal, but provides property owners a legal remedy when eco-terrorist groups like the Humane Society of the United States trespass, stage and fabricate non-existent infractions. This bill is necessary because of the dishonest and illegal activities of H$U$.

Please contact Governor McCrory and urge him to sign HB 405 into law.

— E.P. Ratledge

… Commissioners to vote on prayer lawsuit Monday

If Craig Pierce, Jim Sides, or any other elected official wants to pray in public in any way they personally see fit, I would fight to the death to allow them to do so. But that is only when they are doing so on their own time and not while carrying out their duties as an elected official.

When a elected official takes on that mantel in performance of the job they were elected for, they must represent all of the people whom they represent. This includes everyone: Christian, Jew, Muslim and even FSM. A public official must respect that he/she represents all people in performance of their duties, and thus gives up some aspects of their private citizenship.

It is with this logic the courts have ruled in the past, and which dooms any attempt at an appeal.

— Eric Shock

What’s in your heart and what’s in the law are two entirely different things. Religion has no place in government.

— April Sherrill

The commissioners need to worry whether they’ll be jailed for contempt for doing an end run around the injunction using a chaplain who himself is an appointed agent of government.

— William Hysinger

,,, Letters: Let us pray

The whole prayer issue has nothing to do with the Constitution (other than going against it), and it has nothing to do with prayers or Christianity (I don’t watch sports, but it wouldn’t bother me if last night’s game was mentioned during a meeting). No, it’s just the thrill these people get controlling the speech of others. (And for some, it’s just further a battle against the county commissioners; they would be silent if this was against the city council.)

— Steve Pender

“Unlike President Obama, I feel we are a Christian nation and very accepting of contrary religious beliefs.”

1. America is not a Christian nation. There is no national religion. That’s the entire purpose of the first amendment.

2. America is not exactly the most accepting of contrary religious beliefs. Many Protestants still dislike Catholics and vice-versa. Mormons are mocked incessantly. There is still an unfortunate amount of antisemitism. And there is a tremendous amount of vitriol from Christians, Jews and  atheists alike towards Muslims.

— Greg Hicks

… Letter: The rest of the amendment

Todd Paris came across with the passage from the Sermon on The Mount a few days ago, about not praying to be seen of men. This is one of two favorite out-of-context passages liberals like to use. (The other, of course, being “Judge not,” which if applied as liberals would like to see, would make it impossible to have rule of law in any domain.)

Perhaps Mr. Paris has not read other Bible passages, such as Joel’s call for a solemn assembly, or Daniel’s opening his window three times a day to pray to God, when doing so would mean being cast into the lion’s den.

— Stephen Owen

Again, there is nothing wrong with people who are elected to office praying when and where they want.

There is a problem with government officials favoring a specific religion in their capacity as a government official through either word or deed.

I truly cannot grasp why that seems hard for people to understand.

— Greg Page

.. Man of honor: Navy diver Dowd Dunn Sr. proud of his career

This is a wonderful account of a great person and neighbor. I had the pleasure of working with Dowd Dunn at Vogtle Nuclear plant and with Carole at Jenkins County Hospital. They lived across from us most of their 30 years in Screven County. I really miss having Dowd as my neighbor! Although I knew that Dowd retired from the Navy, in all this time, he never told me about his time in the Navy. He was always in the “present”, not dwelling on the past. I so enjoyed reading about his service to our country to protect our people. I am humbled by Dowd’s long Navy career. Thank you for honoring Dowd Dunn!

— Billie Rooks

… Masonry student heads for national competition

Great job! Our schools need more vocational offerings like masonry and cabinetmaking. One teacher cannot hope to offer the class to all the students who want these classes in our larger high schools!

— Ron Turbyfill

Awesome accomplishment for Luke (Dutton) and the West Rowan High School masonry teachers and students! These students will graduate with a much-needed skill that will help them to provide for themselves and their family. And they will be a productive member of the Rowan community! Learning a trade is a great skill that more of our students need to understand and get involved! Congratulations, Rodney and class!

— Bill Owens