Suggestions for the West End
There has been increased attention given to the quality of life in the West End of the Salisbury community. Many of the issues residents are concerned about can be evidenced in other parts of Salisbury. This situation, therefore, is not relegated to one sector, but is a community issue that deserves wide attention and engagement.
Crime certainly is a popular topic found daily in the Post and is clearly a detriment to the lifestyle sought by West End residents. A police precinct is scheduled to be set up in the area. While this is to be welcomed, precincts have come and gone as soon as crime is reduced. One additional element I would recommend would be to introduce surveillance cameras in high-crime areas.
Many have questioned West End residents’ failure to step up and report criminal behavior that they witness. A major explanation is fear on the residents’ part if their involvement becomes known to thugs in the area, especially if their name must appear on a warrant. I would suggest the Salisbury Police establish a program where witnesses can report anonymously via a 1-800-GETMONY number and receive a gift card from a local establishment.
A good start to address many of the community’s concerns would be to give more opportunities for Salisbury’s youth to be active in their free time. The Miller Recreation Center was at one time a primary activity center for youth that no longer serves that purpose, leaving youngsters, particularly in the West End, searching for something similar. Mentoring young people with vocational skills and teaching basic athletic routines only supplements whatever parenting is in place.
Every year, public school proms are rarely held in their respective schools. Why not increase city revenues by offering the Civic Center for rent?
Lastly and generally, are there any plans for providing young people activities that would be productive and time consuming, particularly in the summer time?
— Sanford Silverburg
Salisbury
In defense of Mac Butner
I never thought I would find myself agreeing with Jack Burke, but I do agree with most of his letter (Salisbury Post 7-16-14) about Mac Butner’s recent controversial comments.
Arguments can be made about wording and intent of the First Amendment, but generally accepted is the premise of free speech and expression by any individual, anywhere, on any subject.
Otherwise, censorship prevails and only those expressions deemed PC pure would pass the smell test.
The Post (editorial of 7-5-14) referred to Butner’s “racist and homophobic comments,” attributing those to “listening to way too much talk radio and confusing bigotry for true conservatism.” I listen to talk radio and watch conservative TV commentators. I see very little persuading me to change my conservative feelings.
The way the U.S. is headed under the Obama Administration places us not too many years away from looking like so many other third-world countries. Is that racist?
Butner’s comment about the Moral Monday protesters was reasonably accurate. If most of those people had good jobs to go to, how could they be in the street protesting?
The NAACP, an organization whose time has come and gone, has no conscience when it comes to demanding the time of poor blacks and a few misguided white liberals to do its work. Most of these subversive organizations and their leaders have left the poor shackled to government entitlements, aka vote buying. To state that is not racist, it’s simple fact.
Try viewing this from someone who has been there, as stated in Star Parker’s book: “Uncle Sam’s Plantation: How Big Government Enslaves America’s Poor and What We Can Do About It,”
And before the red-hatted liberals of La Resistance get too excited about Butner’s so-called bigotry (and perhaps mine, as far as that’s concerned), I would suggest reading at least one of Parker’s books.
— Bill Ward
Salisbury