Letters

Published 12:00 am Monday, December 3, 2012

Pessimistic about next four years
What can we expect these next four years under this president? Change. Now same-sex couples can be legally married with all the benefits of traditional married couples (in nine states and the District of Columbia).
Obamacare will be in full force. Many good doctors and nurses will quit their profession because of conscience. The government will tell doctors who they can treat and who they cannot.
These past four years, 4.8 million babies have been aborted. We could probably expect an increase these next four years.
Unemployment is still in the double digits (in three states). Now America has more takers from the government than givers in this economy. If this continues, we will surely fall.
While all these ungodly and unconstitutional things are going on, Islam is gaining ground in America.
I guess you’ve noticed Israel cannot count on this president to back her up. This president and his party are more faithful to Islamic extremists like the Muslim Brotherhood, who is definitely the bad guy, than to Israel, a country that has been bombarded by Hezzbollah for months.
Isaiah 5:20 says, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter.”
Ronald Reagan said, “If we ever forget that we are one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.”
— Jeff Karriker
Mooresville
Zero tolerance
Salisbury officals are praising the quick response of the Fire Department, but why? Look at the facts. To start with, why was it only four males that were disciplined? To be terminated for sexual activity on the job, you would think there needs to be a woman somewhere. Don’t you think?
If there is zero tolerance, then why only three terminated?
Then you write that Parnell is going to review actions from 2011 to see if any were ineffective, and create a revised zero tolerance. The last time I looked zero means none. So how can none be revised. I think the officals are not telling the whole truth about this matter.
Zero means that five should have been dismissed, the way I see it. People need to look at what is really going on here is all I’m saying.
— Janice Sells
Spencer
Stupid question
Regarding the “My Turn” column of Nov. 26 by Mr. Paul Bardinas, I would like to comment on the question asked of Mr. Marco Rubio in an interview by GQ magazine. Mr. Rubio is certainly one of the candidates for the Republican nomination for president in 2016.
The question was, “How old do you think the earth is?” In my opinion Mr. Rubio’s answer was intelligent and honest. It was the question that was stupid. With all of the problems facing our country today, how many Americans really care how old the Earth is and what difference does it make anyway? Are future presidential candidates of both parties to focus on issues or will stupid questions like this be the “litmus test” ?
I believe Mr. Bardinas’ real issue with Mr. Rubio is his religious beliefs. When it comes time to depart from this Earth, that departure will be more peaceful with faith in God rather than scientific data.
— Jimmy Hensley
Woodleaf
Carson duo signs
Congratulations to Allison Blackwell (Catawba) and Kelly Dulkoski (Kennesaw) for signing to play basketball with these colleges. The reason for my letter is to ask why you couldn’t have found a way to have both of these girls’ pictures on the front page? I for one feel it was more important to have both girls pictures on the front page than reading about Atlanta beating Charlotte. I hope that next time you have a choice like this you will do it differently.
— Linda S. Thompson
Richfield
Worth fighting
This holiday season, I am thankful for the military service members that protect our freedom. These brave men and women should be taken care of during and after their service to our country. Tragically, off of the battlefield, military suicide rates are increasing. One neglected at-risk group that needs more support is service members that suffer from military sexual trauma (MST).
One in five women and one in 100 men report suffering from MST while serving our country. According to the Veterans Health Administration, rape is the highest conditional risk for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and those that suffer from PTSD are at a higher risk for suicidal behaviors.
This year’s heart-wrenching documentary, “The Invisible War,” uncovers issues of MST and its link to adverse health effects and suicide. When Kori Cioca, a Coast Guard veteran, read her own suicide note, the sense of isolation and agony that resulted from her rape was painfully obvious. The service members interviewed are great defenders of the country, yet who has come to their defense?
Recently, President Obama signed the Executive Order 13625 which seeks to improve military mental health services. Unfortunately, MST is absent from this order. The policy can be amended to include MST, and MST-specific suicide prevention programs should be developed.
Let’s support our troops all year long by supporting MST research and suicide-prevention programs. These men and women tirelessly defend our nation. Let’s make sure that these heroes are protected too.
­— Meagan Davis
Carrboro