Readers’ comments on www.salisburypost.com

Rowan commissioners appeal ruling on prayer

The irony here is too delicious. Yesterday, we read the commissioners are spending $500,000 to buy a brand. Not invent a brand or be a brand. Buy one.

Today, we read that the commissioners are spending money to appeal a lawsuit rather than change a few words in their prayers to include all people and all faiths.

Spending money to buy a brand. Spending money to destroy a brand. …

We need a new brand for Rowan County. I agree with that. If they started by dropping the lawsuit, we would save a lot of money and begin the process of building a stronger brand.

— Sam Post

Mad Ave branding is superficial veneer. This is an opportunity that I hope will not be missed to move in a direction of real progress and a half a million dollars saved to be spent on something worthwhile.

— Marilyn Harrison

I’m so glad our commissioners are tackling super important issues like this instead of other less important things like what to do with that silly old mall, how to bring jobs to the area or even how to help better the county in general.

— Clay Boger

We have an ever-growing, nationwide problem of liberal judges interpreting the Constitution to meet their own anti-Constitutional socialist views which always, naturally enough, lead to the further erosion of individual freedoms and personal liberty.

Freedom of speech, and the freedom to not have one’s religious views trampled by the Federal government, are unalienable rights, guaranteed in the Constitution. On the other hand, there is no guaranteed “right” to not be offended, as is the claim (as usual) of the leftists.

— Steve Pender

Many, many people read the Constitution to say that the government should not favor one religion over others; that doesn’t mean they are evil or part of a vast conspiracy against your world view.

— Doug Sokolowski

Should be interesting to see how this works out. Hopefully freedom of speech will win out

— Mike Jones

… Voucher decision should have been big news

With regard to the recent court decision on school vouchers, there may be a reason the education establishment doesn’t want to talk about it. Vouchers cost, per Mr. Turbyfill, $6,000 per student, a bit less than public schools. In fact, if all of the private schools in North Carolina shut down it would drive our education budgets through the roof. Or simply degrade the quality of education even more.

Three questions remain; are their teachers unqualified, is the education provided by private schools below standard, and are admission policies discriminatory?

I don’t have answers to these questions, but I’m confident the education establishment does. With that said, stories in the newspapers seem to suggest that private school students do at least as well academically as those in public schools. As for teacher qualifications, there doesn’t seem to be a loud outcry from parents about unqualified teachers. I checked and the Catholic Diocese of Western North Carolina has strict policies forbidding any form of discrimination in admission, except that parishioners’ children do get preference (their parents pay the bills).

— Jack Burke

Putting public money into a religious school violates separation of church and state. Is this where our tax dollars should go?

— Karen Puckett

… Study: Rowan’s youth fell behind just after recession began in 2008

Certainly we’ve been short-sighted for not having fully funded the big green dome on the central office, which would show the priority we place on public education. Then all standardized test scores would rise to the very top in the seven-county region. Would they not?

— Jeff Morris

Scores would increase further with a red dome!!

— Chris Borre

The problem began long before anyone thought of the big green dome.

The deferred maintenance of public school property, the challenging teacher working conditions, the public schools being used as a political football, salaries being so low that in some cases teachers qualify for food stamps and require second jobs in order to support their families, and the negative effects of childhood poverty should have been addressed long before the dome.

— Reginald Brown

At best, standardized tests like those used by most school systems are accurate predictors of socio-economic levels. In communities where families are struggling to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table, parental support for a child’s learning is sacrificed. Not by choice, but as a matter of survival.

Working in an alternative high school a few years ago, I noticed that I saw the mother of one of our most problematic students almost every day. In the morning, she worked the drive-thru at a local burger/biscuit store. In the evenings, she worked as a salad prep at another local restaurant.

Her teenage son was often unsupervised. By choice? I think not. Who works multiple part-time minimum wage jobs by choice? She’d likely be roundly criticized for drawing assistance rather than working. How dare we criticize her for working 60 hours a week at two crappy part-time jobs? The choices made by so many in our community are bitter.

— Ron Turbyfill

… County seal may not disappear as part of rebranding

The Fisher family has long been a part of Rowan County, going back to the 1700s, when my ancestors came down from Pennsylvania by way of Germany. There are still many Fishers living here and contributing to Rowan County. It’s sad to think that my brother’s seal would be replaced by a firm that has no ties to Rowan County, except to its $500,000. By the way, Mr. McCombs married a Fisher.

— Diane Fisher Hill

So we spent $73.50 in 1969 and we are spending how much — oh yes, a half a million — to find out what the new seal will look like and then there is no telling how much it will cost to change everything. And we are doing this why?

Not to mention another half-a-million dollar opportunity going not only out of county, but possibly out of state.

— Cathy Basinger

This is absolutely ridiculous. The money could easily go towards fixing our school system, or towards other much-needed community issues to make our county more attractive to companies and people looking to relocate.

A flashy logo won’t fool anyone except our county commissioners into a false sense of accomplishment. …

As a real estate professional in this community, the three things that keep coming back to haunt us are education, crime and lack of quality employment.

If you start investing in and demanding a better education system, the other two issues will be nonexistent. $500,000 could be a step in the right direction supplementing teacher and principal pay. Mooresville is a “School of the Future” Why can’t we strive to be one too?

— Greg Rapp

Any “rebranding” should draw from the works of the Rev. Jethro Rumple and James S. Brawley.

— Mack Williams

… Michael and Laurie Grubb: Thanks for the friendliness

As one of the great grandsons of Henry Clay Grubb, I appreciate reading about my family’s history, so many thanks for sharing this story.

— George Grubb

Thumbs up for Mollie! She’s a great Downtown Salisbury ambassador.

— Pam Hylton Coffield

… Clyde: A few more words about the Confederate Monument

As per a letter to the Post 20+ years ago, never once passing our beautiful statue have my eyes seen color; all I have ever seen was an angel of glory coming to take a soldier home.

Thank you, Clyde, for your common sense voice in such a crazy “you offend me” world.

— Lesa Gobble

Great words! You should run for City Council!

— Linda Holshouser

… Flower power: McCoy’s garden blooms for the Humane Society

Jean and Rick are two of the most compassionate animal advocates I know. When you see her garden, you can only imagine the amount of work that goes into it. And if you are a master gardener, then you actually know, especially with the extreme heat this year.

But the amount of money Jean has raised for all the animals of this county over the years by using her love and skill is unbelievable! The “Coffee and Cutting” of 2015 was spectacular!

— Nina Dix

Wonderful and beautiful way to raise money to save animals. By the way, the cocks comb is on the rooster’s head, not his chin. A wattle hangs from his chin.

— Vera Cope

… Melani Lippard: Statue could honor everyone of Civil War era

I appreciate how eloquently you’ve shared your thoughts. Have you taken the time to really listen to the thoughts from the other side?

I agree that removing Fame is probably not necessary, but I do want to address your stance that seems to deny the sincerity of those who want it removed. …

My response is that we have come a long way, but racism is still rampant. There are people alive who remember “whites only” practices. To believe that we have eliminated all the scars, both emotional and financial, in one lifetime defies logic. You like the flag and Fame and see them as heritage; others have seen it used in ways that insult and threaten them. Which side is “finding things to be upset about?”

— Cathy Mahaffey

… Editorial: Progress in West End

I’d like to see the city revisit the investment in body cameras for all police officers. They would help to get at the truth for both sides of accusations. We don’t want unwarranted police violence and we don’t want officers accused of it where there was none or where it is justified in the circumstance. It’s a knife edge balance, but one worth pursuing.

In my opinion, cameras would go a lot farther towards calming fears than better finger printing equipment, and a change in budgeting can’t be impossible at a time when we publicly acknowledge the problem of police over-reaching across the country. An ounce of prevention, and all that. I’d like to hear what people in, for example, the West End think about this.

— Whitney Peckman