… Letters: Who is the real victim?

Why is it ironic that people who were victimized are against the people who did the oppressing pretending they are martyrs?

Also, because you seem to be confused, transgender humans are humans, the same species as you … I’m not sure why people think humans having rights somehow means you’re going to have to start sexing up a sheep.

— Greg Page

Wedding presents will be cheap, bring a bag of grass, hay, corn or some good old wet dog food.

— Leo Smith

Should county clerks who are Quakers refuse to issue gun licenses because their religion is founded on pacifism? Should a Muslim flight attendant refuse to serve alcoholic beverages because his or her religion insists on temperance?

— Reginald Brown

I think respect for the rule of law is necessary for a republic to prosper, and her job is not the hill I wish to die fighting for. … How do you think the happy couples would have reacted had she returned to work after the last court order and cheerfully issued every marriage license, wishing each couple a long and happy life together? Many, if not most, came to pick a fight. They were bullies, not Ms. Davis.

— Bruce LaRue

… U.S. 29 bridge will open; Peeler Road will close

Seems to me like a great excuse to funnel Peeler and Peach Orchard into a convenient location for a license checkpoint.

— Donald Rattray

The intent of the U.S. 29 bridge is to separate cars from railroad tracks and prevent collisions, according to the Department of Transportation’s project plans. This has nothing to do with license checkpoints.

— James Lambert

… Commissioners OK construction of new airport hangar

The $2 million we’re spending on the Airport is much like the $2 million we spent last year. It’s almost as much of a recurring expenditure as the $4 or $5 million a year we’ve been shelling out for that old leaky mall.

— Carl Prine

In the mean time, I’m just over here wishing for a dog park.

— Crystal Gale

While driving in west Rowan this morning playing my favorite game, dodge the potholes, and pondering on the teachers assistants that will probably lose their jobs and the kids that won’t get drivers ed — plus all the poor people that may or may not eat tonight — I took great solace in the fact that the office staff of RSS will have a fine new facility, with a super dome, and the wealthiest members of Rowan County will have a place to store their airplanes. That gives me great comfort.

— Jerry King

… My Turn: We can’t keep waiting until next year

What, pray tell, would you do, Larry Bowyer? It’s easy to criticize but much more difficult to pitch in and help. Poverty is the No. 1 predictor of test scores and overall academic achievement. Your anecdotal example doesn’t negate the mountains of research that prove that effect.

— Cathy Mahaffey

Here we go again, blame the mirror for what is reflected by society. I am curious. What public school districts in our state have plus 90 percent of their students on grade level? Where are these districts?

— Reginald Brown

Mr. Bowyer’s letter serves to tear down rather than build up. Thank goodness some of the voices out there are encouraging.

— Karen McGee Puckett

… Four arrested after disturbance at Catawba College

I know K-9 units and other police spent quite a bit of time searching a block off campus in our residential neighborhood. … Neighbors of the college who were not informed and were also at risk are very upset. Why can’t we find out what happened?

— Annie Belle

In my 30-year career in law enforcement, I can think of only a handful of times we went door to door notifying residents of an active situation, and those notifications were made after off-duty officers had been called in and reported to the scene. This provided the additional manpower needed to perform such a task while still handling the active situation.

— Bryan Ritchie

… 15 people in jail charged with murder, waiting on trials

The extraordinarily high number of murders is not the fault of the elected DA. Ms. Brandy Cook manages her office with professionalism and individualized attention to each case that her office is responsible for prosecuting. Trying murder cases is a very labor-intensive task. And while preparing those cases for trial, her office also has to grapple with the extraordinarily high numbers of property crimes and domestic crimes.

— Jeff Morris

12 of the 15 individuals in this story are being held for murders committed outside of Salisbury, in places like Kannapolis, China Grove, Spencer and rural Rowan County. Of course, this fact does not conform to the anti-Salisbury narrative.

— Joe Morris

Does the DA need more assistants?

— Dianne Shepherd

… Schools’ long row to hoe just got longer

When I took Psych 101 … the prof explained her grading policy the first day. “7.5 percent of you will earn an A. 7.5 percent of you will earn an F. The rest of you will fall somewhere in between. 60 percent of you will make a C.”

Applying statistical results to schools ensures winners and losers. But that’s not very important when you’ve busted your butt all year to teach your students and your school comes out with a D or an F.

It’s one thing to grade a college class this way. It is a demoralizing and inappropriate way to evaluate the complex and year-long work of teaching and learning.

— Ron Turbyfill