Letters to the editor — Monday (9-14-2015)

Published 12:28 am Monday, September 14, 2015

City should build on 10G momentum

The Internet is consumed daily by average home in America. Faster Internet speed is sought after by people from every walk of life. Fibrant’s 10 gig Internet speed offered to Salisbury will definitely attract future residents as well as gain the favor of the public. I think it would be a good idea for Salisbury to continue the momentum in the news. Fibrant is a great company on the rise and will most likely generate more publicity for the town. There also will be other upcoming opportunities, such as the Ahold-Delhaize merger, the recent retail expansion and energy conservation efforts that could potentially bring the eyes of America to Salisbury. Salisbury is a beautiful place with hard-working companies, businesses and people that deserve great PR.

— Heather Barfield

Salisbury

Selection vs. election

Recently there was a posting on Facebook called “New American way of life.” Basically it is true because some people do trick the systems into giving them a free ride through life while the taxpayers foot the bill. This situation, along with their tax dollars being sent to other countries, is a double whammy for them. The unfair part is that all taxpayers have to do this with the exception of President Obama, whose money goes nowhere, not even to Kenya.

Not only do they take the taxpayers’ money, but they also want to take the retired peoples’ Social Security benefits. Fact is, the elderly and we baby boomers worked to support ourselves and pay into the system for our retirement benefits instead of expecting our elders to pay our way through life like some of the younger generations do today. Once a person is old enough to work, it is their responsibility to support themselves.

It’s a good idea to clean house in 2016, but one problem stands in the way. That house can’t be cleaned if the next president has already been “selected” to take the throne and to carry on what the current president has begun. All you have to do is read between the lines to see this and to know who that person is.

Elections as we’ve known them thus far are over with; now they are “selections.”

— Ellie Mae Lambert

Salisbury

Smoke-free parks

This little boy was doing his homework and asked his daddy if he could help him. His dad said, “Sure. What do you need?”

Little boy: “I’m trying to find the common denominator.”

Dad: “You mean they haven’t found it yet? They was looking for that thing when I was in school!”

So if anyone read Monday’s (Sept. 7) story, “Granite Quarry board will hear about tobacco-free parks,” you might have noticed something. Of all the parks in this region that have become tobacco-free, two were missing – Rowan County and China Grove. We think we have found the common denominator – Don Bringle. He is director of Rowan County Parks and the mayor of China Grove.

Thank you, Steve Joslin, for understanding what we’ve been pushing for, now for over 10 years.

— Whitey Harwood

Hillbilly Hiking Club, Rowan County

Targeting Todd Paris

I read Saturday’s article about Salisbury City Council candidate Todd Paris “alienating” his traditional base of support. Last year, it seemed Mr. Paris had a willing partnership with the Salisbury Post, as he sought to defeat County Commissioner Jim Sides. Now that Mr. Paris has focused the cross-hairs on incumbent City Council members, however, it seems that the Salisbury Post has Mr. Paris in its cross-hairs.

So when the Rowan Free Press offered to publish Mr. Paris’ verifiable, but unflattering facts, some of the old base of supporters from La Resistance are now attacking the media. But what about the message? Ad hominem attacks on the Rowan Free Press and Todd Paris still do not explain the $12.6 million Fibrant losses for 2014, nor the $4 million liability for overhead fiber optic utility lines that do not meet the National Electric Safety Code standards.

When will the Salisbury Post address these two issues? Or is the Post wedded to doing whatever it takes to prevent Salisbury’s bond rating from taking another fall? Judging from the hypocrisy I see, the Post simply enjoys picking winners and losers, in its own quest to become king-makers.

— Chris Borre

Salisbury