In response to the June 23 editorial “Still all in this together”:

This is a well written editorial and worthy of your time to read, if you haven’t already. The question begs: Why would they possibly do this?
The editorial states: “The vote in 2011 went like this: Jim Sides’ motion to zero-fund the council passed 3-2. Chad Mitchell then made a motion to set aside $3,150 to be earmarked for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Breakfast, and it passed unanimously. …
“The council has even less chance of representing all Rowan citizens without county appointees, but no one can claim to be surprised by the commission’s action. Under current leadership, expectations for this board do not include improving relationships or bridging divides.”
Of all the large problems/opportunities the county commission has on their plate, the notion of defunding and then refusal to even participate in the county’s Human Relations Council is a huge slap in the face and thumb of the nose.
It’s almost incredulous that in 2013, here in Rowan County, a majority of the elected county commission could have the unmitigated gall to openly disrespect all the diversity present here (and everywhere) and then go off to a restaurant and celebrate.
Evidently, these three Magi must feel politically invincible!
In the words of Cory Booker:

“Grace isn’t a statement before meals. It’s a way of being. It’s kindness in action, generosity embodied and a soul revealing its true light.”
— John T. Blair

Salisbury
What ever happened to the good old days when the worst things we had to fear on the 4th of July were traffic jams and wayward fireworks?
According to the Department of Agriculture’s meat and poultry hotline, this year’s top threat is food poisoning by nasty e. coli and salmonella bugs lurking in hamburgers and hot dogs at millions of backyard barbecues. The hotline’s advice is to grill them longer and hotter. Of course, they don’t bother to mention that the high-temperature grilling that kills the bugs also forms lots of cancer-causing compounds.
Luckily, a bunch of enterprising U.S. food manufacturers and processors have met this challenge head-on by developing a great variety of healthful, delicious and convenient veggie burgers and soy dogs.
These delicious plant-based foods don’t harbor nasty pathogens or cancer-causing compounds. They don’t even carry cholesterol, saturated fats, drugs or pesticides. And they are waiting for us in the frozen food section of our supermarket.
This 4th of July offers a great opportunity to declare our independence from the meat industry and to share wholesome veggie burgers and soy dogs with our family and friends.
— Shane Pappadopolous

Salisbury