Same-sex marriage foes skew statistics

In response to your Oct. 14 article “First same-sex couples receive marriage license in Rowan County”:

Clerk of Court Harry Welch is quoted as saying, “I am very disappointed that one individual appointed by the President can over turn a law voted on by the majority of North Carolina citizens.” That statement is wrong on several points.

Republicans have repeatedly said 60 percent of North Carolinians voted against same sex marriage rights. This is a prime example of twisting numbers. The Republicans very purposefully arranged to have the vote on Amendment 1 take place on a primary voting day. Primaries almost always have a much lighter turnout than the general election. Sad to say, only 34.66 percent of registered voters bothered to vote on in that election. True, 61.04 percent of those voters did vote in favor of Amendment 1. That means 21 percent of registered voters voted in favor of Amendment 1 — a far cry from saying 60 percent of the state voted against same sex marriage.

Welch is also quoted as saying one man overturned the law voted on by the people. He knows better. The case started off before a U.S. District Court judge, whose ruling was appealed to a U.S. Court of Appeals, where three federal judges ruled on the case. That case was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Nine justices evaluated the case and returned it to the Court of Appeals without comment

The purpose of a Bill of Rights was to withdraw certain subjects from political controversy, beyond the reach of majorities and officials and to establish them as legal principles. One’s right to life, liberty, and property, to free speech, a free press, freedom of worship and assembly, and other fundamental rights may not be submitted to vote; they depend on the outcome of no elections..

— John C. Thomas

Salisbury

Bible lessons

(The writer is responding to two letters in last Sunday’s paper, “Schools teach facts” from Dennis Hawley and “Bible teaching” from David Cook.)

Mr. Hawley manages to  slander N.C. schools and “teachers.” However, he saved his vitriol for the Bible, using such words as “malarkey” and “fairy tales.” He does all of this with not one fact.  How easy it must be to make  demeaning statements to impressionable people without any facts.

I don’t have enough faith to be an atheist. However, I do have the faith to be a Christian. I am commanded to study the scriptures and to be ready to give the reason for my hope. The writers of the New Testament encouraged people not to accept Christianity by just faith, but to also use reason.

By the way, what theory of evolution do you prefer? I can think of five different theories off the top of my head.

He says teaching the Bible in school is unconstitutional. The Supreme Court ruled in 1963 (Abington School District vs. Schempp) teaching about religion and using the Bible may both exist in any curriculum if they’re not part of religious worship, but are integrated as a part of the offering within the secular (public) program. The Supreme Court reaffirmed this in 1980 (Stone vs. Graham) by stating the Bible may constitutionally be used in an appropriate study of history, civilization, ethics, comparative religion or the like.

I have no problem for my child to be taught about the Bible in school.  Do you realize how many years the Bible was used to teach reading and writing as well as used in other grades until “progressive” education came about? Now, if they have an altar call, I have a problem. In what world is it OK to teach our impressionable children how to use a condom by placing it on a banana?  Oh yea.  That would be our world.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

— Ron Russell

Mt. Ulla

Truth makes you free?

The political cartoon on Friday would indicate the reason the Ebola virus has not been cured was cuts to the CDC. In fact, Ebola has not been a priority of the CDC.

They do have thousand of very worthwhile projects where billions of dollars have been allocated. Some of these projects include, Why Pilots Should Not Fly When Drunk, Why Male Fruit Flies Choose Young Female Fruit Flies Over Older Female Fruit Flies, etc.

There are pages of these types of projects you, as taxpayers, fund through CDC. The next step will be to blame the Republicans for the CDC cuts and Ebola. If the Post believes its motto, it will change its name to, The Official Democratic Organ Of Rowan County. Its new motto, Never Let The Facts Influence Our Opinion.

— John Sims

China Grove

Endorsement letters

Letters endorsing candidates in the November election should be delivered to the Post’s newsroom by 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30, to be published before the election.