Let’s promote culture of peace

The forum at Hood Seminary last Thursday evening was a significant beginning to a conversation long overdue in Salisbury. The fact that the tragedy in Charleston brought such emotion to the surface is very sad. Thanks to Dr. Vergel Lattimore and Hood Seminary for making it possible. The purpose of the forum was to begin a healing conversation, and the panelists did an excellent job of opening up that discussion. Rev. Dr. Ken Walden stated it will be necessary to give Time, Intentionality and Courage to this process of healing. I wholeheartedly agree with that premise.

As members of the Covenant Community Connection, the faith- based arm of the Human Relations Council, we have been working toward the goal of bringing about better understanding and mutual respect of all members of the community regardless of religion, race or culture since 2000. Some of the opinions and emotions shared by the participants of the forum were reminiscent of past Meet Your Neighbor Forums sponsored by CCC. Some of the suggestions offered have been encouraged through events such as Let’s Get Connected Day, sponsored by CCC. However, it is obvious that now is the time to go deeper in our discussion and sharing of feelings. The beliefs and symbols I hold dear in “my group” just may bring pain to another “group.” We need to hear and understand the “other’s” pain.

Is it possible to create a culture of peace? We have posed this question before in this space. It may not be attainable in reality; we can only hope, pray and keep on giving our Time, Intentionality and Courage to the process. Meet me at one of the many Peace Poles the CCC has placed in Rowan County and we will continue the healing.

— Betty Jo Hardy

Salisbury

Understanding the statue

Amidst the recent controversy surrounding the Confederate Statue in Salisbury, I would like to offer a few thoughts. While racism is a problem and offers no progress for our changing society, focusing solely on racial matters surrounding the statue is not giving the issue its due diligence. In some instances, it seems that some are so blinded by eliminating racism that they refuse to adequately understand the circumstances surrounding soldiers from the South during the Civil War.

During the war, southern states lost greater than 490,000 men, 31,000 from North Carolina alone (civilwar.org). While mortality was high on both sides, the South was left with the task of rebuilding communities without federal aid or pensions for Southern families who had lost fathers, husbands and sons. In some instances, these communities were badly burned and looted by Union forces. Reconstruction was a detriment to the South, creating widespread poverty in a region that lost half its total economic wealth as a result of the war.

More importantly, 94 percent of men in the South did not own slaves. Slavery was the divisive political issue that ignited the war, but was not the deciding factor as to whether or not men took up arms for the Confederacy. Defending their home, family and community was. While 6 percent of men in the South practiced the intolerable act of human bondage, it is not fair to punish the majority who took up arms to defend their homeland. It is an injustice to try to erase their sacrifice from history and our community. Let the statue be viewed in the light of its original intent; not to stand as a symbol of the ignorance of the 6 percent, but to honor the sacrifice of those who bravely died in defense of what they held dear.

— Tucker Osborne

Salisbury

Education priorities

I am excited that Rowan Salisbury Schools is about to have a state of the art central office. However, it disturbs me as an educator that with all of the disparity in our schools in this county that we need to spend $320,000 on a decorative dome for the building. If the Wallace family really wants to help the children and schools, that money would go a long way in helping to secure materials and salaries for teachers. It makes me question our real dedication to the children of Rowan County by those who have the where-with-all to help.

No one really cares about the structure; it is about what happens inside of it. I am glad we now have a safe building to work in, but really … a dome? If they wanted a dome they should have planned for the cost in the first place so that the Wallace family could use that money productively in the schools for children.

— Shirley Disseler

Salisbury