Serious errors in judgment
First off, I would like to openly wonder why, on the Salisbury Post’s online article comments section, several people are claiming county employees support Jon Barber and are trying to brown- nose Mr. Barber anyway? I know several county employees who would definitely differ in their opinion of him. Maybe it was just the same person multiple times; I don’t know.
Second, not long ago, people were chastising Laura Lyerly, saying she should not be allowed to run or serve because of some majorly wrong actions years ago. Mr. Barber’s lapse happened just this year and was an even more egregious example of flawed decisionmaking than Ms. Lyerly’s crime. Granted, these may not be the same people complaining about her and supporting him, but it seems like so many berated her actions and now several people are coming out and supporting Mr. Barber for a DWI!
Should he resign or be kicked off the commission? I don’t know, but from both Mr. Barber and Ms. Lyerly, these are the same type of serious errors in judgment that are the reason Rowan County is in the state it is now. All cynicism aside, this isn’t the best we can offer, is it?
ó Brendan Davidson
Salisbury
Our energy future
Gas prices are soaring, and many are in a financial bind with no end in sight. The average American family is struggling due to higher fuel prices and grocery bills. What are members of Congress doing to help the crisis we face? Talks of drilling off the coast are becoming more popular, as this seems like a logical answer.
In my opinion, this is not the answer but it seems like more of a “quick fix” than anything. Why is there not more talk of renewable energy or ways to save the resources we have now? Every day, our resources are diminishing because of heavy human use. The demand for oil is just that and I believe that we as an American people believe it is an infinite resource.
The solution would be to drill off the coast and in 10 years, we will have a 35-year supply of more oil to use. What will happen when the 35 year supply is gone? The average family in America doesn’t have 10 years to wait for lower gas prices, but of course, our congressmen and -women have plenty of time. This is why we need to find sources of renewable energy. There are things we can do now to ease problems in our lifetime.
For instance, we could drive only when necessary; we could take our soda cans and bottles to be exchanged for money; recycle newspaper; collect rain water to water our plants instead of using sprinklers; walk or ride bikes to work and to friends’ houses. Something else that is equally as important would be buying our groceries locally. Not only will buying locally help those who own local businesses, it would offer a healthier alternative! Of course, this will not help tonight or even tomorrow, but our future depends on the small things we do now!
ó Kathryn Undercoffler
Salisbury
Bill would expand
battle against AIDS
I’m a member of the ONE Campaign, an advocacy organization dedicated to fighting global AIDS and extreme poverty around the world.
In the past five years, America has made tremendous progress in the battle against HIV/AIDS, thanks to an unprecedented, bipartisan initiative called PEPFAR (President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief). So far, PEPFAR has given more than 1.4 million people, mostly in Africa, the chance to regain their lives with medicines and treatment. It is an example of American leadership at its noblest. We have saved lives, alleviated suffering and prevented millions of children from growing up without parents, and in the process, we’ve displayed a different face of American foreign policy, one other than our military might.
But now PEPFAR’s time has run out and needs reauthorization. Today, there is a bipartisan bill that is awaiting a Senate vote to expand PEPFAR, provide more lifesaving drugs and save more lives, but some senators won’t even allow it to go up for a vote.
I strongly urge these senators to stop the delay, put the bill up for a vote and reaffirm this emerging American legacy of compassion and hope through medicine.
ó Stephanie El
Kannapolis