Mexico’s tragedy:
corrupt leadership
I looked forward with hopeful anticipation to your four-part series on the chaos along our border with Mexico ó hopeful that some light might be shed on the root cause of the problem rather than its shameful effects. I was disappointed, however, in that the reporter seemed to view the whole sad situation through the wrong end of a telescope.
Mexico is a beautiful country, blessed with all of the resources necessary to make it a thriving nation. It has thousands of miles of breathtaking coastline, opening west to the Pacific and east to the Gulf and the Atlantic. It has fertile land and precious minerals, including untold amounts of oil. It has a population of hard-working, family-oriented, Christian citizens with a proud heritage and a climate that draws tourists from all over the world.
Why, then, has it failed in spite of such blessings? It’s because of decades of corrupt government, and no one, from Washington, D.C., down to the Salisbury Post, seems to have the guts to call it what it is. Only corrupt government can turn paradise into such a wretched hell-hole.ó Ed Tompkins
Salisbury
Political dogfights
Kathleen Parker (Jan. 17 column) concluded that “In the end, the Democratic Party may be hostage to its own noble intentions. By co-opting equality as their party’s identity and making victimhood their rallying cry, the battle for race and gender necessarily has become a fight between race and gender.”
Perhaps it is we, The Public, who hold the Democratic Party, and all of America, hostage as we clamor for more race and gender biased “news.” Like spectators at the Coleseum, or, dare I say, football and hockey games, we are sucked into the dogfight. “Just entertainment,” we say. And that is what we’ve made of politics. By being unwilling to check facts, ask pertinent questions; unwilling to value educational and experiential backgrounds above race, gender, and, yes, the commonality with our own backgrounds, no matter how ill-equipped they might be for the job, we push all candidates to feed us exactly what we lust after … more and more “entertainment” and less and less thought-provoking discussion and evaluation.
Let’s all prove that we have evolved beyond race and gender by participating in intelligent debate.
ó Whitney Peckman
Salisbury
Safety concerns
I agree with previous writers regarding county commissioners allowing someone a permit to fence 30 large tigers and lions in Rowan county.
My parents live on property that joins the back of this “zoo,” and they have many neighbors. Someone is playing Russian Roulette with these people’s lives. The adjoining neighbors in all directions have children and pets who are in direct line with these cages. Who made the trip to inspect this situation? Obviously no one audited it for years under the previous owner, suspended now for cruelty and neglect of these poor animals. How does a person qualify for a permit in a residential area when they were denied a permit in South Carolina? We need to know what emergency procedures she will have to notify neighbors when an animal escapes. How will they be communicated to when it is safe to go outside?
This is outragous. I think there should be a thorough investigation into how this permit was allowed to happen.
ó Leesa Dawson
Richmond, Va.
More on Merry
I wanted to thank the Salisbury Post for your coverage of the story about Merry the puppy. I’m one of the many people that donated money to help pay for Merry’s medical bills. I was very disappointed with the results of the recent court hearing in this matter and was hoping to see a follow up story based on what happened at the trial, according to the District Attorney’s office. Again, you’ve done a nice job on this story ó I’d encourage you to keep following it through.
ó David S. Melin
Charlotte
Editor’s note: The Post published a follow-up story on Wednesday.
Our first Be a Santa to a Senior program in Salisbury was a huge success. We at Home Instead Senior Care were overwhelmed by the tremendous support of this caring community. Not only did you respond with wonderful gifts for needy seniors, but also with offers to volunteer to help with the wrapping, delivering and more. The outpouring of support was incredible and folks truly went above and beyond.
We provided gifts to over 70 needy seniors in three different locations here in Salisbury, and they were most grateful. Your efforts truly mattered.
We want to especially thank the youth group from Community Baptist Church which created beautiful Christmas cards for all the seniors and came caroling at Brightmoor Nursing Center; all three Walgreens stores for displaying the trees with ornaments for each senior; WSTP, the Salisbury Post and Senior Savvy for helping us get the word out about BASTAS.
We look forward to an even bigger and better Be a Santa to a Senior program next year!
ó Jena Hare
Salisbury