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Published Sat, Jun 05, 2010 02:00 AM
Modified Sun, Jun 06, 2010 12:04 AM

The bumbershoot

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Jan Staricha: A Christian view
The passing of Amendment One was a protection of marriage, which God created. Many people are upset with Christians wanting this protection. Marriage is and always was between a man and a woman. Christians get their direction and information from the Holy Bible. God did not leave his creation without direction. When people try to take matters into their own hands (or definitions ) they get themselves into problems. Many want to do just what they want to do. They will not listen to instruction.
Nick Solovieff: Merely a distraction
Regarding the May 11 front-pager “Romney classmates recall attack on teen thought to be gay”: I couldn’t help but shake my head upon reading it, “it” being the headline. Yes, I was immediately disappointed because while our country continues to have economic problems, Democrats seemingly aim to distract and sway voters via recalling Romney’s high school bullying days. But these same, heartstring-pulling Dems who aim to stay in power by distracting the public are only hurting this country by bolstering taxation and social programs, for example.
Charlie Board: Econ 101
So Rick Martinez argues in his May 9 column that health care costs are high because families aren’t paying enough out of pocket. This is the kind of plausible sounding but absurd argument one gets when one lets ideology trump the data.
Mark Gill: Love, unstoppable
For those rejoicing, or despising, this recent constitutional vision of North Carolina, know this: An unstoppable force has not met an immovable object; this too shall pass. While sanction is found within certain communities where it is feels better to be well-thought of than to be of well thought, take comfort in knowing the human spirit, whether morally free or ignorantly shackled, has always grown to love more, not less. That is the unstoppable force.
Jennifer Julian: Mission: Divorce
To any North Carolinians who voted in favor of Amendment One because of “Christian values”: Congratulations, you have succeeded in forcibly imposing your religious beliefs on those of us who do not share them. Since the Bible has as much to say in regards to the “evils of divorce” as to the “evils of homosexuality,” perhaps that should be our next mission. Any marriage where either partner is a divorcee should be unrecognized in this state because, according to the Bible, that’s adultery, and you wouldn’t want good, God-fearing taxpayers supporting a Den of Sin.
Sarah Stein: Vatican, sex, sin
I was dismayed to see the latest move by the Vatican to target women in the U.S., now stooping to much younger girls, those in the Girls Scouts (“Catholic Church asks Girl Scouts to address concerns, clarify programs,” May 12 news article). This follows closely on the attack on the Leadership Conference of Women Religious reported in the paper earlier this month.
Ashleigh Cannon: Standing in dissent
The writer of the May 14 letter “The people spoke” echoed what I have heard a lot recently when he said “respect the decisions, the process, live with it” or move. However, this position seems to forget the lessons of history – that real, meaningful, important social change has happened when the minority was willing to stand up time and time again and say the majority did not speak for them. Our system of democracy does mean that all are subject legally to the will of the majority, but it has not ever meant silent complicity. It is both halves of that equation that make this country great.
Thomas Baker: Worthless primary
Once again I voted in a primary election in which the presidential candidate of my party had already been chosen, thereby rendering my vote worthless. Where is it written that a handful of states get to choose presidential candidates and the voters of North Carolina and other states are left out of the selection process?
Jan Feather: Insult times two
Gov. Beverly Perdue’s assertion that voting for traditional marriage makes North Carolina “look like Mississippi” only shows her sour grapes and is insulting not only to the entire state of Mississippi but to the 61 percent of the voters who did vote for the amendment. Truly a classless statement and one of the reasons I am glad she is not running for re-election.
George Johnson: Mitt’s memory
I find it significant that Mitt Romney doesn’t remember the attack he led against fellow student John Lauber in high school (news story, May 11). Why do the five friends who witnessed or participated remember it perfectly? Why did the victim carry that terrifying memory with him all his days? Were Romney’s bullying “hijinks” so common that he can’t separate one from another in his memory?