Please don’t take down the beautiful angel

I was born and raised in Rowan County and the Confederate monument statue has always been there.

My father, Floyd Beaver, was killed in Germany in World War II. I was 4 years old and my sister, Barbara, was 2 months old. The statue always reminded us that there was an angel like this one to take our father to his heavenly home.

Three uncles served in World War II; another was captured in Korea, and my husband served in Vietnam. So we have good reasons for it to stay where it is. If we go around taking down all the monuments, before long we won’t have any history left.

Life is too short to be angry about something that happened over 150 years ago. We need to think of how we can go forward and not backward. Please don’t take it down.

— Sandra B. Mills

Salisbury

What would Indians say?

Racism? Violence caused by this issue probably wouldn’t occur if people didn’t waste their time dwelling on what happened decades ago, which has become history and should be left in the past. Mankind’s goal should be moving forward and teaching children we are to love everyone, regardless of what lifestyle they have chosen.

True history: In 1492, Christopher Columbus and other white people came to this land, which was already inhabited by Indians, but he got the credit for discovering America. The white people took all of the lands, killed Indians and burned their homes. They raped female Indians and started the mixed blood of white and Indians.

The guns, whiskey, horses were brought here along with bad diseases the whites spread among the Indians, causing more deaths. Indians remaining got put on reservations.

Slavery started in 1619 and produced black and white babies. Later on, other races came to continue mixing races, and it’s still occurring. Not very many if any 100 percent full blood people are here now.

Land? Mankind claims they own all of it, but in reality God owns everything and will take it back in the end. The believers will have a new, peaceful home, but the non-believers, Satan and demons will be on this old earth burning forever in a lake of fire.

— Ellie Mae Lambert

Salisbury

My solution

In my life of almost 82 years, I have seen more than my share of ignorance and absurdity. If you are able to see, hear and read, you know exactly what I mean.

My answer to this is very simple: ban everything. There is absolutely nothing, and I mean nothing, in this world that does not offend somebody.

I await a better answer to the constant, unbelievable ridiculousness going on in this world, the USA and even next door.

— Clinton Sechler

China Grove

Joy was taken away

I am a 70-year-old resident of a local retirement center. In the middle of the year, I will be here a year.

I left a home I lived in for 69 years. Nothing was ever stolen from me but maybe a small amount of money. I lived alone. My life revolved around music and my savior, Jesus Christ. Buying and collecting records was one of my hobbies. My love of music came from my mom and dad, who loved to dance and listen to music.

I am going to say, to whoever went into my house and stole a record player that was given to me as a Christmas gift, and one I cannot replace, you took away lots of joy from me. I know I will have to forgive you, but I just pray that the convicted power of Jesus will fall down on y0u and make you miserable, if you’ve still got a conscience.

— JoAnne McKinney

Flag, gays, guns

I want to thank Melanie Chilson for her letter. I’m proud of my Southern heritage. My great-grandfather didn’t own slaves. He didn’t enter the Civil War until the Yankees burned his home and fields. He fought to protect his land, not slaves.

On the issue with the Confederate flag, what will happen after all the Confederate flags and everything that goes with them are taken down or removed? What’s next?

It seems black people believe that after they get what they want, we will be one big happy family. Get real. All this is doing is making more hate and racists.

Also, this is putting a flame under the real Southerner. Confederate flags are selling like hot cakes. I see them everywhere. I have a small one, but I will be flying a large one soon. I’m fed up. The flag had nothing to do with those killed.

You can take down the flag and other things, and gutless leaders can give in to whatever black activists want. But you will never take my Southern rebel pride and heritage away from me. I was born a Southerner and I will die a Southerner.

On the gay issue, I expect to see a large outbreak with AIDS. If you get it, blame yourself.

On guns, it’s real simple. If you want mine, take it from my cold, dead hands.

— Jim Younts

Salisbury

Enough about race

They finally got the Confederate flag down in South Carolina. An article in the paper talked about race relations. One of the best ways to have better race relations is for the African Americans to quit pushing so much for things for themselves without trying to integrate whites into their stuff.

In the 1960s, what better education did African Americans get in white schools that they didn’t get in their own schools? The black schools got hand-me-down materials; I realize that. They didn’t have playground equipment that was as good. But when it comes to education, I don’t see where African American students entering white schools were accomplishing a thing.

Things have changed, especially with the person we have in the White House. What more could they want? If you look at about every place we use now, African Americans are just like white people. If they’re not accomplishing, it’s not because of race. For either one, white or black, it’s out there. I wish everyone would stop talking about race relations.

— Leroy Earnhardt

Kannapolis

Our punctuated past

Well, here’s how I see it about the statue “Fame” on West Inness: I think not about the past of 150 years ago, nor the past of 106 years ago. Instead, I think of something more personal, more self-centered. I think of my past, growing up in Rowan County and Salisbury.

On those days when I walked or drove by “Fame,” I saw it as a mark of punctuation in the events of that day in my life, much like a comma, period, etc., not particularly meaning anything, just saying “Salisbury,” much the same as the Wallace Building and Sidney Blackmer’s house said “Salisbury” as well.

— Mack Williams

Danville, Va.