1/27 Forum: We need to keep the Spirit of Party out of our universities.

Politics mars UNC

I naively thought the self-evident value of the University of North Carolina as an internationally-ranked institution constituted a kind of physical barrier against party politics and favoritism. Not so. In just a few years the legacies of Frank Porter Graham and William Friday have been undermined by an activist and partisan UNC Board of Governors, a board whose membership has been inflated by political appointees.

Membership should not be predicated by allegiance to a party or personal alliances but by career experience in higher education and an appreciation of the unique role universities play in advancing NC’s economy. The recent dismissals at the highest levels of UNC are not only a serious threat to the oldest public university and the UNC system but to the state and its ability to attract sustainable employers. The Amazons, Apples, and Googles of the world, even if offered enormous tax breaks, will balk at the slightest appearance of sectarian governance. The people of NC would be wise to heed the advice of George Washington— “Let me warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party.”

E.T. Samulski, Emeritus Distinguished Professor

Chapel Hill

Real game

Apparently, the Democrats in Congress think the average person on the street is ignorant to their real end game on the wall. If 90 percent of the people coming across the border were likely to vote Republican, Chuck, Nancy and their constituents would be fighting all out for the wall!

Chip Turner

Clayton

Equitable representation

I’m researching equitable judicial representation for a school project. Through this research, I have come to see how biased our justice system really is.

The problem here simply comes down to money. Many cannot afford high quality lawyers to fight their cases in court, so they turn to public defenders. While public defenders are the solution to acquiring affordable representation, many are overworked and simply do not have time to properly take on a case. This leads to the bigger problem at hand; when public defenders are overworked, many do not get the justice they deserve. Ninety five percent of the cases given to a public defender result in the defendant pleading guilty. Many Americans do not attempt to take their cases to court due to this fact.

There are effective solutions, like giving public defenders the tools they need to succeed. If Congress could pass legislation to work towards an effective solution on this issue, one of the biggest problems facing the United States today could be solved.

Mya Hutter-DeMarco

Pittsboro

Dark money

Democrats like to pretend that they are concerned about big money in politics and especially “dark money” (from anonymous donors). A piece in the Wall Street Journal on Jan. 24 explodes this myth. Liberal groups took in almost $80 million in dark money in last year’s election cycle and the liberal group called Majority Forward was the biggest nonprofit spender. Think of this the next time you see that hit piece on Tillis on television where they want him to vote against his party and in favor of open borders. It is paid for by Majority Forward.

Vincent M.DiSandro Sr

Hillsborough

Convention of States

There have been a couple of letters lately praising U.S. Rep. George Holding’s proposal for term limits for members of Congress, which I totally agree with. Term limits would make them care more about the people instead of making a career of being in office. However, his proposal has no chance of getting through Congress because they are not going to vote against their personal interests.

That is why the Convention of States is our only hope. This is a presently active process to get a term limit amendment to the Constitution. Such amendments can be obtained using Article 5 and Congress has no significant say in the process. I highly recommend you get familiar with Article 5 and get the easily obtained information on the Convention of States process going on now and then get involved.

This country’s future is not bright unless we limit congressional terms and also put limits on debt.

Dennis House

Chapel Hill

Unrelated causes

I would like to make one correction to your coverage of the confrontation among the three groups in Washington, D.C., this past week-end. The students in the MAGA hats are not “white Catholic boys,” but white boys who attend a private Catholic high school. They may or may not be Catholic.

In addition, I find it interesting that all three groups were there to bring attention to their particular issue, none of which had anything to do with the other two. None of the groups should be shouting at each other for any reason. Such behavior proves that my grandfather’s advice to his children to “keep their nose on their own plate.” is still applicable today.

Carol Alverson

Cary

Better design

Durham Area Designers is writing to voice our support for GoTriangle’s new design for the proposed light rail. We applaud GoTriangle for finding a solution that would allow the tracks to pass under Duke, Blackwell and Mangum streets and over Dillard and Fayetteville streets. These changes protect downtown Durham and create opportunities to enhance the urban environment.

As GoTriangle seeks to lock down funding and cooperative agreements, we want to reiterate our support for the project. The light rail plan is an essential first step toward a regional transit system that connects people and places and improves quality of life in Durham and the Triangle. Just as importantly, it will guide how our communities grow in a less car-dependent manner in the decades ahead.

During the next few months, progress will be made on key details — such as station design and access — that will define the light rail user experience for years to come. We look forward to working closely with GoTriangle and Triangle residents toward the development of high-quality station design and connectivity. If done properly, these details will encourage light rail ridership and contribute to the long-term health, character and vitality of our communities.

Dan Jewell, Durham Area Designers president

Durham

Red wolf

I am a 17-year-old high school student, and I am writing to express my gladness with the recent ruling where a federal judge ruled against the US Fish and Wildlife service when they attempted to roll back protections for the North Carolina red wolf. It is good we have a system of government that can keep other branches in check. It is imperative to protect the endangered species because they are an important part of our environment, and it is crucial we keep fighting to preserve them for future generations.

Ehme Moore

Raleigh