Where is the commitment to serve our country?

Does anyone remember when free men fought for their country to keep it free? Freedom is not free.

Just what would you be willing to give to your country to keep it free? I believe it was Nathan Hale who said, “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”

And of course we remember what John F. Kennedy said. “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.”

It’s hard nowadays to find anyone willing to give anything to their country. The young people don’t have to serve in the military any more since Nixon did away with the draft in 1973. That’s over 40 years ago. The Vietnam War was the cause for that decision, too many young men being used up in a no-win war. It’s still going on today. The all-volunteer military is being asked to do the impossible.

My question to this country is what are we willing to give up to keep it free? Conscripts will not work, and the all-volunteer force cannot  be expected to do it for us.

Contracted people are doing a large part of the duties once done by the military. If we pay someone else to fight our wars or just stand guard duty, will our country be better? We are willing to pay someone else to do the dirty work. That’s a shame. Sounds like a mercenary army hired for service in the army of another country. What are you willing to give to your country? I have discovered that most people are takers and not givers.

— Hugh Martin

Salisbury

A way to speed train travel

Our U.S. transportation secretary and vice president were in Charlotte last week. One thing they talked about is having fast trains. I know there is no way to prevent it. I would like fast trains. But if you want trains to be fast, get them off the ground. In other parts of the world, they have bullet trains, but they’re not on the ground. They’re either magnetic levitation trains or monorails. Since they are going to put in tracks from Atlanta to Washington, how many crossings are they going to close and make it hard for people to get from one side of the tracks to the other?

Amtrak very seldom gets below 60 mph. That’s plenty fast for this area. If they want to go 100 mph or faster, they need to get the trains off the ground.

Another thing, when are the police going to be held responsible for killing people the way they have been in the past few weeks? An officer in Charlotte killed a woman because she had a knife. He should have been able to disarm her without killing her. Police should be trained better in self-defense without using their weapon.

Why aren’t officers prosecuted the way civilians are? If it was me, and I was trying to protect myself the way the news said he was, I would have been in jail that night and not be able to get out.

— Leroy Earnhardt

Kannapolis

More than a house was saved

Thank you will never be enough — to the South Salisbury, Faith and any fire departments that were on standby. They responded to a chimney fire at our home on Feb. 19/20. Their strength, determination and dedication will always be remembered. These men saved so much more than just our home. We are forever grateful to all of them.

— Chris, Kara, Kayley, Tristan

and Damian Ruhnow

Salisbury

Goes around, comes around

It is only fitting that the UNC Poverty Center, born of politics, should die a political death.

— M.B. Blankenship

Woodleaf