Generous donors know value of education

Thanks to Ralph Ketner and Fred Stanback, children in the Rowan County Schools will receive a book and hopefully learn from the wonderful experience of words Mr. Ketner gave two contributions totaling $15,000, and Mr. Stanback upped the anti with $46,000.

I was quite excited to read about this fund and envisioned an outpouring of contributions from educational colleagues, book clubs, and community leaders as the Salisbury Post patterned the drive after “Christmas Happiness,” always successful for children to have gifts and food for Christmas. Feeding minds through books can accomplish gifts of education, not always taught in the classroom. Rowan County residents let our students down on this drive.

Superintendent Moody stated that 30 years from now, her dream would be for students to reminisce about their own summer book. What I remember about reading growing up in South Mississippi … waiting patiently and sometimes impatiently for the delivery of the “Weekly Reader,” visiting our tiny little library in our small town, coming home with books to savor until our next trip, reading “Peyton Place,” with a flashlight as a teenager (my mother would have killed me), and being angry with my father who refused to buy a television because of his belief was that one can learn more from books and newspapers than “that contraption.” Actually, he was wise, but finally relented when my sister in high school had to raise her hand as the only person who did not have a television to watch a repeat of Sputnik. My memories certainly make me a dinosaur, but I still enjoy reading Faulkner, Willie Morris, Eudora, Gaither, Margaret Mitchell (born in Mississippi), and today Grisham and Donna Tartt. Also much more.

A lesson to be shared with Rowan County students: Both Mr. Stanback and Mr. Ketner recognize the value of education. Teachers in our school system should require students to thank these gentlemen when school resumes in the fall. A thank you note is never too late.

— Julie Pinkston

Salisbury

Belief alone isn’t enough

As I read Mr. Hudson’s “My Turn” article in Tuesday’s Post, I underwent many emotions: anger, embarrassment, shame — but mainly hurt. These emotions weren’t toward him, rather at my brothers and sisters who claim to be Christians. Lots of what Mr. Hudson said I agree with. Unfortunately, people I know tend to pick and choose verses of the Bible they want to follow and base “moral conduct” on.

At least we all believe that the historical Jesus lived. I also believe in all the fantastic feats he performed, termed “supernatural” by Mr. Hudson. As far as believing the many authors of the Bible, I choose to believe this as well. This is just as I choose to believe the many authors of my history and other books of study.

Where I agree with Mr. Hudson is that it is not enough to believe; you also have to apply and follow the instructions as well. My math book says 2+2=4. As long as I follow this along with everyone else, books will balance. If some choose not to follow these instructions, balance is thrown off and conflict usually occurs.

Christians, it is time, really past time, to break up the “country club” and follow our instruction book. Yes, and all of it. Love one another no matter the circumstances. We must remember we are all God’s creations — humans, animals, birds, plants, etc. He (Jesus Christ, God) says we are favored more to him but all of his creations are equally important and loved. He will tend to all our needs as long as we are obedient. We (Christians) have deviated from his desires.

My prayers are for wisdom to carry out the words and desires of my most heavenly, gracious and loving Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

— Jeff Long

Salisbury

What the Bible says

About  lesbians and homosexuals: They should fight the temptation because the Bible says in Leviticus, “Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind, it is abomination.”

Straight people must fight temptation, such as drugs, alcohol, etc. Also in Romans: This cause God gave them up unto vile affections for even the women did change the natural use into that which is against nature.”

This letter is in case people don’t know.

— Sterling Weaver

Salisbury

Troubled by trucks

Outside in the yard Tuesday evening, I hear a familiar sound: A tractor-trailer going over the curb turning from Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue onto Hill Street. As he came around, he pressed down on the gas so hard the truck appeared to fly up the hill. My husband decided to drive up the hill to see where this truck may have gone.

Curtis said that the driver’s wife picked him up. About that time, a car came down the hill slowly, passed the house, made a U-turn at the bottom, sat there for a while, then took off.

Within minutes two Salisbury police cars quickly turned onto Hill Street. We were so surprised with the speed at which they came onto the street, we were looking around trying to catch what we must have missed.

The female officer strode across the street and told my husband it was not his job to tell someone they were speeding and what business was it of ours where this person parked his tractor-trailer?

The person in the tractor-trailer had parked in the lot across from Cone Mill, and he asked why my husband was writing down numbers off his truck. My husband told him the truth — the driver had taken the truck over a curb, then took off on a street with a 25 mph speed limit. And the mill parking lot was not, as far as my husband knew, overnight parking for trucks.

We advised the officer we had tried to have something done about speeding and big trucks on Hill Street, with no success. Hopefully someone will take over the mill and be aware that there are people who have spent time and money to fix up old mill houses on this street and would appreciate having their feelings being respected.

— Terie Brown

Salisbury

Target non-taxpayers

To the tax office personnel and Rowan County powers that be: If you would retrieve the moneys owed by all those non-taxpayers listed in last week’s many pages (Advertisement of Tax Liens, in Friday’s Post), you would not have to penalize those of us who are responsible enough to pay ours, even when it puts us in a bind. Many of us are seniors, widows, widowers, etc. on a very fixed income.

Many names listed are known around Salisbury, and if they gave up some extracurricular activities could probably pay. Why should those of us who worked very hard have to make up for the partiers, gamblers, drinkers and druggers.

Penalize these people and leave the responsible taxpayers alone. We pay enough!

— Grace B. Campbell

Salisbury