Letters to the editor – Wednesday (1-14-09)

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Road carries Julian family name for a good reason
True, Martin Luther King deserves to have a street, road or avenue named after him. This was done last year.
Some time ago, the same subject came up and the talk was to run Martin Luther King Avenue beyond U.S. 601 to include Julian Road. Deservingly so, this was turned down by the City Council.
I think it’s time for Salisbury to realize there are other people who deserve to be honored. What King did for his race and this nation was great and will be remembered forever.
Now, where did the name of Julian Road come from?
Cecil and Floyd Julian were early pioneers to Salisbury. They owned the land on the west and east sides of I-85. This was farmed and brought forth big families. I knew all the family. One son of Floyd Julian was a war hero from the Korean War and World War II. This was Lt. Col. Howard Julian. He served as long as his health allowed.
If the Julian Road sign is ever moved, it will hurt hundreds of families and many friends.
I am asking local leaders to disallow this change. King has a street. Please don’t take away from one hero to give to another.
ó Ralph Williams
Salisbury
Land in question is God’s
There are some things in this life that I am really ignorant of. Fortunately, the Bible is not one of them.
When Anne W. Lipe made the statement in the Jan. 9 issue of the Post that “the West Bank and Gaza constitute territory that is illegally occupied by Israel,” she not only displays her ignorance of the scripture, she also enters into my territory.
Let’s be clear. That land is not owned by anyone but Jehovah God. He can give the land to whomever he chooses. Now, according to scripture, God chose to give that land as an inheritance to the literal 12 tribes of the sons of Jacob and their descendants. That, of course, constitutes the nation of Israel.
Anyone else occupying that territory is a guest, tolerated by the Jews. Other than that, they are interlopers and trespassers.
ó Mitch L. Canupp
Kannapolis
Road repairs made a mess
I just want to tell you how disappointed I am in the mess on the road to West Rowan High School. I pay my taxes and thought the state could patch a bad place on the other side of the bridge going from Barber Junction Road. But no, the place is worse now than before. They are doing a bad job or just don’t care what they do, but it is damaging my car. I take my grandson to school because he is handicapped. I am still mad because nobody seems to care.
ó Mildred Bumgarner
Woodleaf
Thoughtless use of ‘r’ word
I missed a teaching moment in my courtroom Thursday afternoon (Jan. 8), and it has been heavy on my mind ever since. I was sentencing a young person who happened to have a minor prior record. She was trying to discount the past events in her life and told me that “all that stuff was just retarded.”
As the parent of a child with mental retardation, I find this use of the “r” word to be highly offensive. I cringe each time I hear the word used with such thoughtlessness. Unfortunately, I have been cringing a lot lately. I have no idea why the word “retarded” has become a frequent substitute for words such as stupid, silly, irresponsible or unacceptable, but such usage is commonplace. It is also insensitive and hurtful.
My daughter has mental retardation; she is not stupid, silly, irresponsible or unacceptable. Each time the word retarded is used as a pejorative, it demeans my child and all persons who were born with developmental disabilities.
I challenge everyone to ban the inappropriate use of the “r” word and to not miss an opportunity, as I did, to take corrective action.
ó Beth Dixon
Salisbury
Dixon is a District Court judge.