Do students feel secure?

The right to bear arms, as it is typically understood today, is not a Second Amendment right. That right, as typically understood today, is guaranteed by the Supreme Court in Heller v District of Columbia, not by the Second Amendment.

In the view of many, including myself, the court ignored the first half of the amendment, which reads, “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State.”  Today we call the “well-regulated Militia” the “National Guard.”  We also have a tendency to ignore the phrase “well-regulated.”

Missing from the court’s deliberations, and rejected by the court, is any consideration of the constitutional significance of what is necessary to maintain the “security of a free State.”

Ask any school student if they feel secure.

— Roger Hull

China Grove

Medicaid expansion ball in state House’s court

As a native North Carolinian, and proud graduate of Hood Theological Seminary, I’m encouraged by the recent revelations that N.C. Senate leader Phil Berger and colleagues have passed a Medicaid expansion bill through the Senate. This gives me tremendous hope for the future health and well-being of our state. It further solidifies my belief in the efficacy and power of prayer to bring about reconciliation and justice.

Currently, North Carolina has one of the highest rates of uninsured people in the country at over 1 million. This number represents an untold and unnecessary amount of grief and suffering for hard working and low-income people. For North Carolina to be considered one of the best places to live in the United States, this number has to change.

Now the ball is in the N.C. House’s court, and if they act now, they can reduce the number of uninsured North Carolinians significantly by expanding Medicaid.

Medicaid expansion would increase access to mental health and substance abuse services for children and young adults who have been adversely impacted by COVID 19 and the opioid crisis. Medicaid expansion would provide support to self-employed individuals,small business owners and employees, helping to create safer and healthier workplaces. On the eve of our second federal holiday celebrating Juneteenth, Medicaid expansion is also a necessary step toward eradicating the health care disparities and discrimination that lead to higher rates of illness and death for African Americans and other marginalized communities.

With so much at stake and so much to gain, I urge House Speaker Tim Moore, Representatives Julia Howard, Wayne Sasser, Harry Warren and the rest of the N.C. House to move our state forward by supporting and passing Medicaid expansion to close our state’s coverage gap once and for all.

— Rev. Dr. Floyd Wicker II

Fayetteville

Traffic checkpoints yield positive results

On behalf of concerned citizens of Salisbury and Rowan County, I would like to congratulate our local law enforcement agencies, including the Salisbury Police, Rowan County Sheriff’s Office and other municipal police departments, for their efforts in addressing local criminal and traffic violations.

According to articles in the Salisbury Post, several recent traffic checkpoints resulted in multiple arrests for felony and misdemeanor criminal violations. These include, just to name a few: drug crimes, stolen vehicles, felony gun violations, probation violations, outstanding warrants for arrest, as well as many traffic violations, i.e. unregistered vehicles, no or expired driving licenses, failure to maintain insurance, etc.

In a time when our community has been criticized for excessive crime, it is reassuring to know our local law enforcement is doing a commendable job of identifying criminals and taking action to help eliminate or reduce crime in our area.  Please keep up this good work.  Let’s restore our reputation as a safe community for our citizens and their families.

— Ronnie Smith

Salisbury