Your May 28 editorial questions if Senator Richard Burr is a friend to veterans. As further evidence, where was Senator Burr in February when Senator Sanders, chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs committee on which Senator Burr is the ranking Republican, introduced and debated an important piece of legislation that strengthened veterans services and added much needed resources?
Only two members of the GOP — neither was Senator Burr — supported the important and much needed funds. The bill could not pass because of the GOP filibuster. It is indeed tragic that all veterans are not served in a timely manner, but thousands and thousands of veterans have been added for service in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and for the Agent Orange tragedies, without more sufficient funds.
Senator Burr should have been in the forefront of those seeking funding and answers to the problems before he threw such a heavy stone by writing his divisive letter. While he criticized the veterans groups, you can see Senator Burr leaving the committee hearing while they are testifying, and he failed to even ask them questions.
Does Senator Burr merely want to score political points, instead of trying to correct a bad situation and help veterans? Veterans need help finding solutions, not the creation of more problems.
— Pat Bullard
China Grove

Just before I retired for the U.S. Army, my uncle, a retired USAF enlisted man, said that I should request to have a retirement physical, and I got one. After I retired, the VA gave me another one three months later. I believed this action eased my entry into the VA medical system.
I moved to Mocksville after retiring from the Army in 1984 at Fort McPherson, Ga. I checked into the W.G. (Bill) Hefner VAMC in late 1984 to renew all my medicine prescriptions.
All the years since then, I have received treatment for service-connected injuries and other things. I twice spent a week in the medical wards, once for a back injury and once for after-effects from a prostate biopsy. I have always received excellent treatment from all assigned doctors in the various clinics.
All the attention the VA medical system has received in the news lately is bad. I believe that it looks like it is coming from the larger medical centers where there is a large population of veterans looking for medical service.
Part of the problem comes from veterans not getting exit physicals before leaving the respective service branches. This makes it harder to prove service-connected problems and get VA medical treatment.
The U.S. military should require that all personnel get exit physicals. This would help later with the VA medical system.
— Richard C. Davis
Mocksville

As a proud American it makes me sad to see Barack Obama’s lack of interest in the serious problems of my country. We have a minister in a jail in Iran, a pregnant woman with two American children who is facing stoning and death in Sudan because she converted to Christianity, and an American Marine in jail in Mexico because he made a wrong turn at the border. We have four Americans dead from a terrorist attack in Benghazi, we have our bravest and best suffering and possibly dying due to a broken VA system, we have conservatives being harassed by the IRS, and all we hear from Jay Carney is Mr. Obama is going to have an investigation before making a decision.
What investigation did Obama require when he congratulated two athletes for coming out as “gay”? What investigation did he require before he had a huge party with Paul McCartney and he and Michelle Obama had a wonderful evening of music?
What has happened to America? Whether Democrat or Republican, you should be outraged. Where is the mainstream press that used to hold politicians accountable? What has happened to Congress?
Could it be there are too many career politicians in Washington? CNN used to be a news source where you could find some degree of truth … that day is no more. Thank God for Fox News and a few other sources who do excellent reporting.
This has nothing to do with political affiliation. I’m proud to be an American and am thankful God has blessed my country and me and my family. It saddens me to see America on the path she is on today. The next coffins that come home may be your son or daughter, the next Marine being held in Mexico may be your son, the Christian woman awaiting the horror of Sharia law may be your daughter … maybe then you’ll expect more from news media and the president and Congress. God bless America!
— Beverly Williamson
Landis

I am president of the Tarheel Beagle Club located in Cleveland. I have devoted most of my adult life to competing and hunting with beagles and Labrador retrievers. I have placed or won competitions with my dogs at more than 50 clubs in 12 states, including two national championships. As an American Kennel Club (AKC) certified beagle field trial judge, I have judged competitions across the country, including national championships. I would like to inform you that breeder bill HB930 sponsored by Rep. Jason Saine of Lincoln County is unnecessary and would be detrimental to hobby breeders across the state.
This is a bill the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has pushed county to county and state to state. Saine claims to have written this bill personally. What a coincidence that it mirrors everything the HSUS has been touting for years. It is basically the same bill Rep. Don Davis claimed to have written when it was defeated a couple of years ago.
The term “puppy mill” has been tossed about for decades by HSUS to disparage legitimate dog breeders and arouse the intense emotion needed to pass overreaching legislation. The fact is, there are substantial laws in place, including sanitation laws, to protect animal welfare in our state. Supporters of more laws always claim it is only to stop those “evil puppy mills,” but that is not the case. The regulations end up having impact on legitimate and responsible hobby breeders, sportsmen and those who also breed working and service dogs.
HSUS has invested millions of dollars here, including keeping a full-time lobbyist to push the agenda in N.C. She has recently garnered support from our supposedly conservative Gov. Pat McCrory and his wife. Hobby breeders, sportsmen and sportswomen and farmers are fighting back. We will not stand back and watch these outside interest groups decide how the good people of N.C. will be regulated. Say no to HB930 and say no to HSUS and animal rights activism in North Carolina.
— Keith Loudermilt
Statesville

It seems there have been three or four wrecks at the intersection of Woodleaf Road and Enon Church Road since the installation of the flashing lights warning us that a vehicle was entering the intersection. Apparently some folks tend to ignore the warning signs. People, slow down before someone gets killed.
— Julia Wetmore
Woodleaf