1/29 Letters: Light rail will help affordable housing residents.

100 percent for light rail

I write this in support of the Durham-Orange Light Rail. I have lived in Durham for 42 years and seen major changes to our community. During this time, I have worked and worshiped in our downtown and seen the decline and rebirth of Durham. I haven’t always supported these changes, as I opposed the building of the ballpark and the Durham Performing Arts Center. I was wrong about both and appreciate our elected leaders who made these projects a reality. This time I am 100 percent supportive of the DOLRT.

I am currently serving as the Chair of the Board of the Durham Housing Authority, where we have developed a 10-year plan to expand the availability of affordable housing in downtown Durham. The Authority plans to build more than 2,000 units in downtown that will assure that Durham maintains economic and ethnic diversity in our downtown. Diversity is one of Durham’s major strengths. The light rail will be available to those residents to assure they have access to educational opportunities, health care and employment. The planning of this expansion of affordable housing has been in partnership with GoTriangle to assure our residents will have access to the services they need to be successful.

Dan Hudgins

Durham

Duke’s apology

As an older adult in America, it is disappointing to see a headline that Duke University apologies for a member of their faculty expressing their opinion regarding the use of language other than English in a public place (“Duke apologizes after professor tells students not to speak Chinese,” Jan. 28). To me this does not rate headlines but is a sad commentary on the extent we have gone in our country for ‘political correctness.’ Some English speaking countries require you to speak English in order to immigrate to their country. If I went to China, I would try to respect their language and speak it whenever I was around people, and only in private would I speak English. I realize that these students are not immigrating to our country, but they should be respectful of others when in public places. Speaking loudly in a public place in your native tongue when others around have no idea what is being said is rude.

Jane M. Campbell

Chapel Hill

Professorial freedom

Carol Folt must be rehired as chancellor of UNC-Chapel Hill. The forced resignation of Chancellor Folt spells the death knell of an independent UNC system. No decent professor or education professional will work for a system where they do not have the independence to educate students. “Let the educators educate” has always been the historical catch-phrase describing the relationship between the NC legislature and the university system. Disagreements over the university budget are the norm but nit-picking educational policy is new and dangerous.

An independent UNC is a world-class institution. Professors’ freedom to teach students without worrying about an intrusive legislature is key to that success. Today’s legislature is imposing their radical agenda on the university. Interference in educational policy sends the wrong message to University personnel and will result in the loss of qualified staff, the inability to attract top-tier professors and the decline of the high world standing of the university. I doubt the people of North Carolina want to degrade “the university of the People.”

Carol Folt has been an exceptional chancellor that the university cannot afford to lose.

Henry S. Thomassen, UNC Class ‘75

Stafford, VA

Journalists’ access

The League of Women Voters of NC is concerned about a recent decision to relocate the press room from the first floor of the General Assembly Building to a much smaller space in a corner of the basement. The League has long held the belief that a transparent, open government is a requirement for good government. Citizens who cannot attend these meetings rely on journalists to inform them.

The League is concerned that the decision to move the press room will decrease access to legislators by credentialed journalists and affect their ability to report to the people on actions taken by the GA.

We understand that office space is a valuable commodity, but so is public information. We encourage legislative leaders to reconsider this decision and allow, even encourage, the work of journalists to inform the people of NC about their state government.

Janet Hoy and Karen Bean, co-presidents, League of Women Voters of NC

Raleigh

This story was originally published January 29, 2019 at 12:00 AM.