News & Record Letters to the Editor RSS

News & Record Letters to the Editor RSS http://www.news-record.com/opinion/letters Recent Letters to the Editor en Submitting a Letter to the Editor http://www.news-record.com/content/info/submitting_a_letter_to_the_editor <p>Letters to the Editor must be restricted to 200 words or less; Couterpoint essays must be 400 words or less.</p><p>You must provide your real name, home street address, and a daytime phone number. Only your name and town of residence will be published.</p><p>All letters are subject to editing. We will not publish unsigned letters, and only one letter is allowed per writer every 30 days.</p><p><a href="http://www.news-record.com/content/info/submitting_a_letter_to_the_editor">read more</a></p> Letter to the Editor Help Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:42:25 -0400 spaschall 62919 at http://www.news-record.com U.S. health care hurt by unhealthy lifestyles http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/us_health_care_hurt_by_unhealthy_lifestyles <p>Gary Parker writes in the N&R that other countries’ health care systems and life expectancies are better because they have national health systems.</p> <p>Much of the difference in life expectancy between the U.S. and other countries is a result of our unhealthy lifestyles. Obesity is rampant even among the young, which leads to many health problems. I once saw a U.S. tour group in China with a very overweight woman member. The Chinese  stopped to stare, then laughed hysterically. They seldom see fat people, except foreign visitors.</p><p><a href="http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/us_health_care_hurt_by_unhealthy_lifestyles">read more</a></p> http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/us_health_care_hurt_by_unhealthy_lifestyles#comments Letter to the Editor Sat, 04 Jul 2009 03:00:00 -0400 63484 at http://www.news-record.com Give youthful offenders an alternative to prison http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/give_youthful_offenders_an_alternative_to_prison <p>I am very much for revising the habitual-felon rules with more programs for nonviolent drug users being put in place.</p> <p>Long prison terms are costly and make inmates bitter against society. We also should take another look at more first-offender and intervention programs for youth up to age 21 who are nonviolent but made a mistake.</p> <p>Giving them a record for the rest of their lives hinders them from getting a decent job. If kids are using drugs and got caught, get them into a drug-intervention program.</p><p><a href="http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/give_youthful_offenders_an_alternative_to_prison">read more</a></p> http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/give_youthful_offenders_an_alternative_to_prison#comments Letter to the Editor Sat, 04 Jul 2009 03:00:00 -0400 63480 at http://www.news-record.com Leaders ought to read bills before voting http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/leaders_ought_to_read_bills_before_voting <p>As a concerned American, I am sick and tired of our politicians, both Republicans and Democrats, passing legislation they have not  read. Voting on 10-page or 1,300-page bills that nobody reads is an outrageous dereliction of duty and an insult to the American people.</p> <p>I propose a simple piece of legislation that all politicians will be able to read. It is only one sentence: No congressman or senator may cast a vote on any proposed legislation unless he/she has read it.</p><p><a href="http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/leaders_ought_to_read_bills_before_voting">read more</a></p> http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/leaders_ought_to_read_bills_before_voting#comments Letter to the Editor Sat, 04 Jul 2009 03:00:00 -0400 63483 at http://www.news-record.com Keep city farmers’ market local, green http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/keep_city_farmers_market_local_green <p><em>Counterpoint:</em></p> <p><strong>By Marie Hopper</strong><br /> </p> <p>I am writing to express my support of keeping our local farmers’ market local.</p> <p>As a health-conscious and planet-conscious consumer and local citizen, I feel it is vitally important to support family farms and those folks who toil in the fields to produce our food. Allowing re-sellers at the farmers’ market devalues the hard work of those who physically grow our food and makes it much harder to be a green consumer.</p><p><a href="http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/keep_city_farmers_market_local_green">read more</a></p> http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/keep_city_farmers_market_local_green#comments Letter to the Editor Sat, 04 Jul 2009 03:00:00 -0400 63479 at http://www.news-record.com Time for new president at Greensboro College http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/time_for_new_president_at_greensboro_college <p>Greensboro College changed my life and made me the person I am today. In addition to my degree, I graduated in 2005 with a whole new set of life skills, including leadership abilities, a proficiency for critical thinking, and a keener sense of the world around me.</p><p><a href="http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/time_for_new_president_at_greensboro_college">read more</a></p> http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/time_for_new_president_at_greensboro_college#comments Letter to the Editor Sat, 04 Jul 2009 03:00:00 -0400 63482 at http://www.news-record.com Bobb deserves praise for his tenure at UNCG http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/bobb_deserves_praise_for_his_tenure_at_uncg <p>Hats off to Ed Hardin regarding his story about UNCG Athletics Director Nelson Bobb. UNCG did “lose a good one.” I had the opportunity to work with him on the Advisory Council for Inter-Collegiate Athletics (ACIA) for three years, and being a UNCG alumnus, spoke with him at various UNCG sporting events.</p> <p>I doubt many ADs throughout the country care for their athletics departments (coaches, administrative staff and student-athletes) and university the way he did and still does. He told me he was “a Spartan, and proud of it.”</p><p><a href="http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/bobb_deserves_praise_for_his_tenure_at_uncg">read more</a></p> http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/bobb_deserves_praise_for_his_tenure_at_uncg#comments Letter to the Editor Sat, 04 Jul 2009 03:00:00 -0400 63485 at http://www.news-record.com Redefine normal rainfall http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/redefine_normal_rainfall <p>After reading the June 23 article regarding rainfall, I wonder if it’s time to redefine the “normal” amount of precipitation.</p> <p>We’ve had summer droughts for several years, and we’re always told what our rainfall is compared to the “normal” amount. Should the water authorities use a different term, such as “desired”?</p> <p><strong>J.C. Winkler<br />Asheboro</strong></p> http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/redefine_normal_rainfall#comments Letter to the Editor Sat, 04 Jul 2009 03:00:00 -0400 63481 at http://www.news-record.com United States is not, repeat not, a theocracy http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/united_states_is_not_repeat_not_a_theocracy <p>I hope I was not the only reader to notice the troubling connection between Bobbie Hege’s letter, “On issues of abortion, turn to the word of God,” and the political cartoon, “Theocracy Explained” (June 24).</p> <p>In her letter, Hege wrote that “there’s no excuse in God’s word” for permitting abortions and that “denying God’s word ... is never the correct answer.” In the cartoon, Iran’s supreme leader lectures the Iranian people, “You vote, God decides.”</p><p><a href="http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/united_states_is_not_repeat_not_a_theocracy">read more</a></p> http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/united_states_is_not_repeat_not_a_theocracy#comments Letter to the Editor Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:00:00 -0400 63477 at http://www.news-record.com Greensboro College will emerge stronger http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/greensboro_college_will_emerge_stronger <p><em>Counterpoint:</em></p> <p><strong>By Edward Sanz and Paul Schmidt<br /></strong></p><p><a href="http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/greensboro_college_will_emerge_stronger">read more</a></p> http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/greensboro_college_will_emerge_stronger#comments Letter to the Editor Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:00:00 -0400 63472 at http://www.news-record.com Don’t let Y fail http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/don_t_let_y_fail <p>Citizens of Greensboro, wake up to what’s happening to your YWCA! How can we justify letting the Y sell its building and have to relocate and curtail its many services?</p> <p>Do you even realize how beneficial these services are to the community? Who is going to take care of the children of those parents who work — many of them in services that help keep our city running? </p> <p>Surely there is some corporation/business whose budget could include helping the Y.</p> <p>Yes, times are hard now, but not investing in our children should not be an option!</p><p><a href="http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/don_t_let_y_fail">read more</a></p> http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/don_t_let_y_fail#comments Letter to the Editor Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:00:00 -0400 63476 at http://www.news-record.com It’s time to fix nation’s health care problems http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/it_s_time_to_fix_nation_s_health_care_problems <p>The debate over health care insurance has been heating up. There is certainly ample evidence that the current health care environment is unhealthy: 46 million Americans are uninsured, health care costs are becoming unaffordable, and even the insured cannot see “their doctor” promptly.</p> <p>Some people say they don’t want to pay for others’ medical expenses. Unfortunately, they already are. Millions without coverage go to the emergency room where routine care is most expensive and the bill eventually goes to the taxpayer.</p><p><a href="http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/it_s_time_to_fix_nation_s_health_care_problems">read more</a></p> http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/it_s_time_to_fix_nation_s_health_care_problems#comments Letter to the Editor Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:00:00 -0400 63475 at http://www.news-record.com Regrets only http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/regrets_only <p>Since our City Council has set an example for our citizens by regretting the CWP/Klan-Nazi shootout (by an overwhelming vote of 5 to 4), I have been fretting over their regretting. In fact, I have never heard anyone say that they do not regret this shameful episode. Was their action necessary?</p> <p>After much serious thought I have determined that regretting is probably a good thing! In order for all of our citizens to participate in regretting, I propose that our City Council set aside an annual Regret Day for this purpose. I also propose that Regret Day be a holiday.</p><p><a href="http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/regrets_only">read more</a></p> http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/regrets_only#comments Letter to the Editor Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:00:00 -0400 63478 at http://www.news-record.com Williams holds college’s best interest at heart http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/williams_holds_college_s_best_interest_at_heart <p>I have concerns after reading your recent article, “Greensboro College fending off creditors” (June 28). How was the detailed accounting data from the college’s accounts payable records obtained, since the college is a private entity whose accounting records are not matters of public record until made part of a legal proceeding?</p><p><a href="http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/williams_holds_college_s_best_interest_at_heart">read more</a></p> http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/02/article/williams_holds_college_s_best_interest_at_heart#comments Letter to the Editor Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:00:00 -0400 63474 at http://www.news-record.com Atheism doesn’t affect whether God exists http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/01/article/atheism_doesn_t_affect_whether_god_exists <p>In response to Tom Arcaro’s column June 28 (“Nonbeliever: Is there a place for professed atheists in America?”):</p> <p>I fail to understand why some folks are offended by my atheism. After all, neither God’s existence nor nonexistence is determined by my absence of belief.</p> <p><strong>Guy Sinclair<br />Graham</strong></p> http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/01/article/atheism_doesn_t_affect_whether_god_exists#comments Letter to the Editor Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:00:00 -0400 63350 at http://www.news-record.com