From public schools to concerning questions about “biblical citizenship”, harm from Trump’s lies, to ineffective and MAGA Dan Bishop, to LGBTQ+ rights; local writers have much to say!
Salisbury Post – October 17, 2024
No fact checking please – Donald Trump refuses to do any interview or debate if he will be fact checked. There is a good reason why. He lies. He lies about the 2020 election. He lied about FEMA helping citizens of North Carolina. He lies about the economy. Inflation is down to 2.3 percent. Gas prices are down. The stock market is at an all-time high yet he says we are a nation in decline. Unemployment is down and he says we are becoming a third-world country. He lies about climate change. He is convicted of sexual assault and claims to be the protector of women He lies about migrants eating pets in Springfield, Ohio. He lies about migrant gangs taking over Aurora, Colorado. Local and state officials beg him to stop lying. These allegations are false. He lies that countries are emptying out their prisons and insane asylums and send them over to us. He claims Venezuela’s crime rate has dropped by 72 percent because they are shipping all their criminals to us. He threatens to use the military against his opponents. He says he will only accept the results of the 2024 election if he wins. It is clear that he is in mental decline. He thinks Obama is president and he recently told his supporters to be sure to vote on Jan. 5. At a rally in Arizona, he said he was in Pennsylvania. His lies have consequences. Legal immigrants are being threatened. Election workers are receiving death threats. But he does not care. He doesn’t want to be fact checked. Only a liar refuses to be fact checked. There is only one choice this year. Turn the page on Donald and elect Kamala Harris. — Steve Albanese, Salisbury
Harris and Walz for LGBTQ+ rights – Growing up as a member of the LGBTQ+ community in North Carolina, I’ve seen and experienced firsthand the challenges that come with navigating a world that doesn’t always accept who you are. For LGBTQ+ youth today, those challenges are even more apparent, especially with figures like Donald Trump, JD Vance and North Carolina’s own Mark Robinson working to dismantle the progress we’ve fought so hard to achieve. Trump and his allies are pushing dangerous policies that would make already difficult times even harder for LGBTQ+ youth, creating a hostile environment where people are made to feel unsafe and unwelcome. In contrast, Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz have been champions for LGBTQ+ rights. Vice President Harris has fought tirelessly to expand protections for LGBTQ+ students, and Governor Walz’s commitment to the community goes all the way back many decades when he served as the faculty advisor for the LGBTQ+ student alliance at his high school. Their track records show that they believe in creating a future where every young person, regardless of their identity, can grow up feeling supported and protected. That’s why it’s more important than ever to support leaders like Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. They will stand up for our community and ensure that the next generation of LGBTQ+ youth in North Carolina can thrive. — Alex Blumenthal, Salisbury
What is biblical citizenship? While I agree wholeheartedly with the title of the recent My Turn column, “Separation of church and state doesn’t mean Christians stay out of politics.” I have questions about what biblical citizenship means. This phrase appears seven times in the argument presented but I am still not sure what it means and what it has to do with separation of church and state. Since the phrase was recently coined, it is good to think about what it means in terms of definitions. Let’s start with “citizenship” whose basic dictionary meaning is “the position or status of being a citizen of a particular country” in the sense of nationality. It refers to the legal rights and duties of individuals attached to nationality. “Citizen” means a person who is a member of a particular country and who has rights because of being born there or because of being given rights, or a person who lives in a particular town or city. It is clear what American citizenship or being an American citizen means. It is clear what a Rowan County citizen or Salisbury citizen is. But what exactly is biblical citizenship? Who lives in the Bible? Can people be citizens of the Bible? How does one qualify to be a biblical citizen? Is the Bible a nationality, a city or a place? Even if we are to take it to mean that the Bible teaches on the topic of citizenship, what does the Bible teach about citizenship? Is there one voice on the subject? If there are many voices, who chooses the right voice. It seems to me “biblical citizenship” is a deceptive term that has nothing to do with whether or not Christians should participate in the public square. There are good arguments for why Christians should participate fully in the legal rights and duties of the country, county, city and place that they are citizens. But nobody has the right to trample on the rights of others. — Dora Mbuwayesango Salisbury
Read more at: https://www.salisburypost.com/2024/10/17/letters-to-the-editor-oct-17/
Salisbury Post, October 13, 2024
Harris’ character flaws don’t compare to Trump’s – I appreciate the Post for publishing articles supporting differing viewpoints. As hard as I try though, I cannot resist reading one right wing writer’s submissions. I know what I’m going to get before I even start, but I can’t look away — much like a bad accident. This particular article focuses primarily on the character and morals of Vice President Harris. That’s really grasping at straws. Yes, VP Harris might have made some decisions in her personal life that the author deems immoral. A few questionable decisions are part of life for all of us. That is not a lasting reflection on one’s lifelong character. Contrast that with her candidate who has lived an entire life of greed, sin, hatred and deceit. The author excuses his entire vice-filled life as a “flaw.” She concludes the article saying that his political policies worked. Really? How? Maybe for the wealthy, especially the men. A second presidency would only be worse. Wake up before it’s too late. He created our current environment of violence and hatred and continues to do so. His dereliction of duty on Jan. 6, 2021, is a national disgrace and the ultimate moral failure. — Joanne Bryla China Grove
Dan Bishop’s lack of response – Over the past six years, I have written 22 letters to Dan Bishop as my state senator and my U.S. Representative. I only received two responses, or more accurately, acknowledgements, since all I received were pre-fabricated policy statements apparently based on a keyword search. If an unaffiliated voter like me gets so little response from Mr. Bishop, I can imagine what it’s like for his Democratic constituents. A person like Dan Bishop who has so little respect for those they represent that they refuse to address their heartfelt concerns doesn’t deserve any political office, including that of Attorney General of North Carolina. — Thomas J. Strini, Spencer
Trump’s FEMA statement endanger storm victims – For all of my neighbors in Rowan County that are thinking of voting for Trump, please pay attention. If his lies and behavior haven’t changed your mind because you like his “policies,” please pay attention to what he is doing to our neighbors in the western part of our state. His lies about FEMA not being there to help them has caused some to not sign up for help that they are deserving of. Do you know how much harm this causes? The president isn’t giving one cent of that money to illegal immigrants. Trump is trying his best to use the misery of others for political gain. His lies about COVID cost this country a million lives. Don’t let him cost us any more. — Robin Hager, Salisbury
Read more at: https://www.salisburypost.com/2024/10/13/letters-to-the-editor-oct-13/