Raleigh News & Observer Logo

What you’re saying: Matthew Anscher, Rob Ransome, Ariana Mangum | Raleigh News & Observer

×
  • E-edition
    • Customer Service
    • Support
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Sponsorships
    • Stay connected
    • Mobile & Apps
    • Facebook
    • Google+
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • Social Media Directory
    • N&O Store
    • Buy Photos
    • Databases
    • Archives
    • Newsletters

    • Blogs
    • Columnists
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Health
    • Local
    • North Carolina
    • Nation/World
    • Science
    • Thumbs Up
    • Traffic
    • Weather
    • Weird News
    • All News
    • Counties
    • Durham County
    • Johnston County
    • Orange County
    • Wake County
    • All Sports
    • Baseball
    • Canes
    • College
    • Columns & Blogs
    • High Schools
    • NASCAR & Auto Racing
    • NBA
    • NFL
    • NHL
    • Olympics
    • Outdoors
    • Panthers
    • Soccer
    • Schools
    • Duke
    • East Carolina
    • NC State
    • North Carolina
    • All Politics
    • The North Carolina Influencer Series
    • State Politics
    • Blogs
    • Columnists
    • PolitiFact
    • PolitiFact NC
    • Rob Christensen
    • Under the Dome
    • All Business
    • Blogs
    • Columnists
    • Health Care
    • Personal Finance
    • Real Estate
    • Shop Talk
    • Stocks Center
    • Technology
    • All Living
    • Video Now
    • Best-Kept Secrets
    • Blogs
    • Celebrations
    • Comics
    • Family
    • Fashion
    • Fitness
    • Food
    • Games and Puzzles
    • Home and Garden
    • Horoscopes
    • Mouthful
    • Past Times
    • Pets
    • Religion
    • Travel
    • Video Now
    • Arts News
    • ArtsNow
    • Books
    • Contests
    • Dining
    • Entertainment
    • Games
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Nightlife
    • Television
    • On the Beat
    • Happiness is a Warm TV
    • All Opinion
    • Columnists
    • Dwane Powell
    • Editorials
    • Influencers Opinion
    • Letters
    • Opinion Shop Blog
    • Other Views
    • Submit a Letter
  • Obituaries

    • Advertise with us
    • Place Ad
    • Apartments
    • Cars
    • Homes
    • Jobs
    • Legals
    • Obits/In Memoriams
    • Weddings
    • Today's Daily Deal
    • Special Sections
    • Today's Circulars
    • Rewards
    • Photo Store
  • Classifieds
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Cars
  • Homes
  • Legals

Chapel Hill: Opinion

What you’re saying: Matthew Anscher, Rob Ransome, Ariana Mangum

Rooting for Duke

The fact that the state hired such a homophobic, heterosexual supremacist harridan as Margaret Spellings to run UNC in the first place is the best case for taking all education out of the hands of the state, especially higher education.

As a gay man and a survivor of unspeakable physical and emotional abuse as a child at the hand of public school officials in this very town, I will be rooting extra hard for Duke this year and every year until she is fired or UNC’s charter is revoked, whichever comes first.

Matthew Anscher

Formerly of Chapel Hill, now of Salinas, California

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to The News & Observer

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

Not the answer

A recent letter seemed to advocate for stricter gun laws – to feel safer.

Perhaps she would be more secure where the gun laws are very strict – like Washington, D.C.; Baltimore; New York; Chicago; San Francisco or Los Angeles? Maybe even Mexico City?

Why do I keep reading that where gun laws are least restrictive and more people own them, that crime seems to be much lower? Assault guns? Firing fully automatic? Very few of those out there.

Don Holloway

Chapel Hill

What the ‘12’ stands for

From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. The carol “The 12 Days of Christmas” was a catechism song for young Catholics.

The song has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality that the children could remember. The repetition helped to memorize the song.

My True Love refers to God, the Partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.

Two Turtle Doves refers to the Old and New Testaments.

Three French Hens refers to Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues.

Four Calling Birds refers to the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.

Five Golden Rings refers to recalled the Torah or Law, the first Five Books of the Old Testament, the “Pentateuch”, which gives the history of man’s fall from grace.

Six Geese A-laying refers to the six days of creation.

Seven Swans A-swimming refers to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments: Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.

Eight Maids A-milking refers to the eight beatitudes.

Nine Ladies Dancing refers to the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.

Ten Lords A-leaping refers to the ten commandments.

Eleven Pipers Piping refers to the eleven faithful apostles.

Twelve Drummers Drumming refers to the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle’s Creed.

So now you know.

Rob Ransone

Pittsboro

Why kill ‘gators?

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission’s plan to consider an alligator hunt is an ill-conceived notion all around.

According to news reports, the basis for the commission’s consideration is that when biologists went looking for alligators by taking boats through the swamps in the middle of the night, they saw a few more than expected. So if we see some animals, we must automatically kill them? Alligators are a threatened species in the state. What will killing them accomplish?

Furthermore, the commission wants people to kill the alligators with harpoons, bows and arrows, and wooden clubs. That kind of cruelty harkens back to the ancient Roman Coliseum when men tortured animals to death for public amusement. The proposal is for nothing more than unimpeded cruelty exacted on animals whose only “crime” was being spotted in their natural environment. And let’s not play ignorant of the obvious: Stalking alligators through the swamps and attempting to kill them will undoubtedly result in human injuries, and possibly even casualties.

Alligators seek to avoid contact with humans. But if we go looking for trouble, we shouldn’t be surprised if they give it to us.

Michelle Kretzer

The PETA Foundation

Norfolk, Virginia

The wrong emphasis

This time of year bothers me by its strong emphasis on commercial profit. Christmas is a religious holiday not a shopping spree. It’s a time of reflection and hope that in this terribly upset world with nation fighting nation that there will be peace.

We need peace and hope for a future that will allow people to prosper and to find happiness. We don’t need any more hatred; we have seen enough wickedness and killing.

Its not about getting things and fighting in stores for them. The baby who is born at Christmas was poor. He had no proper bed only a manger and swaddling clothes. Yet he brings peace. Look to his coming as a time of hope and reconciliation.

Ariana Mangum

Chapel Hill

Letters policy

Please send letters of up to 300 words and guest columns up to 600 words to editor@newsobserver.com. Thank you.

  Comments  

Videos

Canes scarred but get road win over Panthers

‘I didn’t take it as a major warning,’ Mark Harris says of son’s ‘red flags’ on Dowless

View More Video

Trending Stories

Three observations from No. 8 North Carolina’s 88-72 road win over No. 1 Duke

February 21, 2019 02:18 AM

What in the world happened to Zion Williamson’s shoe? A sneaker expert weighs in.

February 21, 2019 05:15 PM

If the shoe splits, repair it: Nike execs fly in for impromptu talks at Duke

February 21, 2019 08:12 PM

Will Zion Williamson play again for Duke? He’s listed as ‘day-to-day.’

February 21, 2019 04:43 PM

This tiny T. rex relative — called the ‘harbinger of doom’ — was just discovered by an NC team

February 21, 2019 01:28 PM

Read Next

Chapel Hill News

What happened to compassion in our policy making? Allison Mahaley

By Allison Mahaley

    ORDER REPRINT →

June 03, 2017 07:00 AM

“I don’t usually make political posts, but what happened to compassion?”

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to The News & Observer

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE CHAPEL HILL: OPINION

Join me on journey to help all students in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools reach their full potential – Pam Baldwin

Chapel Hill News

Join me on journey to help all students in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools reach their full potential – Pam Baldwin

June 02, 2017 10:34 AM

Chapel Hill: Opinion

Don’t count your TOD chickens before they hatch – Tony Blake

June 02, 2017 09:00 AM

Chapel Hill: Opinion

What you’re saying: Horace Johnson, Lynne Kane, Stanley Robboy and Elyza Halev

June 02, 2017 05:00 PM
What you’re saying: Chris Lillie, Steve Case, Charles Humble and Judith Ferster

Chapel Hill: Opinion

What you’re saying: Chris Lillie, Steve Case, Charles Humble and Judith Ferster

May 26, 2017 07:21 AM
Dining for Dollars: Come support Chapel Hill-Carrboro Meals on Wheels on Wednesday night

Chapel Hill: Opinion

Dining for Dollars: Come support Chapel Hill-Carrboro Meals on Wheels on Wednesday night

May 22, 2017 11:40 AM
Trust is not enough: Chapel Hill’s housing dilemma – Ted Vaden

Chapel Hill: Opinion

Trust is not enough: Chapel Hill’s housing dilemma – Ted Vaden

May 19, 2017 11:41 AM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Raleigh News & Observer App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Triangletoday.com
  • Legal Notices
Advertising
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Our Ads
  • Place a Classified
  • Local Deals
  • N&O Store
  • N&O Photos
Copyright
Commenting Policy
Report News
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use


Back to Story