Raleigh taser death settlement is not justice | Opinion
Raleigh’s agreed monetary settlement for the taser death of Darryl Williams is a sham. It is nothing more than a bribe to make the plaintiffs go away. There’s no trial, no airing of the details, no establishment of guilt or responsibility. The clear message is that the police can do whatever they want as long as some money is paid afterwards. This is not justice.
Peter Aitken, Chapel Hill
Non-partisan mockery
NC law wisely makes school board seats nonpartisan, ensuring our children’s education stays above partisan tribalism. Yet on Nov. 25, 2025, Wake County Schools trampled on that principle.
In a strict 7-2 party-line vote, the Democrat majority appointed Jennifer Job — an active, elected officer of the Wake County Democrat Party (regional vice chair for Apex) — to fill the District 8 seat through 2028.
Seventeen qualified citizens applied and interviewed in good faith. The majority ignored them and went straight to the party roster. The message to every parent: your voice only matters if you carry the right party card.
David Prickett, Wake Forest
Data center costs
Two recent articles caught my attention. The cost and energy impact of data centers and the request for rate increases to build capacity for additional power demand.
These centers add huge demand for power. The benefit goes to the data center operator. So should the cost. Allowing that cost, which is much higher than normal pre-existing residential and industrial use to flow to and be spread over existing “normal” power users seems totally inappropriate. The rate commission should force allocation of that incremental power plant capacity cost to be paid by the data center operators and owners.
Doug Johnson, Durham
House Speaker wrong
On Nov. 20, NC House Speaker Destin Hall told a reporter “ICE and CBP have a difficult job… we just ask that they come back.”
None of Hall’s constituents got to weigh in on whether we wanted masked federal agents flooding our cities, smashing car windows and abducting parents while they shopped for groceries. People are still avoiding places they work, shop and worship, even though they know the CBP agents have departed.
And Hall wants them to come back?
Well, I don’t.
Calvin Allen, Black Mountain
Standing with immigrants
The recent story about a possible ICE raid in North Carolina spread fear and paranoia in the immigrant and refugee community in NC. The data clearly shows that most of those detained in such raids have no criminal record.
Our organization, Muslims for Social Justice, stands alongside countless Muslim community members in the Triangle who now fear something as simple as attending prayer, sending their children to school, or showing up to work. No one who has fled persecution, war, or genocide should face renewed trauma in the place they hoped would offer safety.
Yet even in these difficult times, a powerful source of hope endures: neighbors, volunteers, and community organizations uniting to protect and uplift one another. By deepening these networks of care, we can ensure that North Carolina remains a home where every person is treated with dignity and can live without fear.
Manzoor Cheema, Raleigh
Medicaid and my family
The recent story “NC Medicaid cuts spur emotional testimony as GOP leaders decline to return” highlights the perils facing children dependent on Medicaid services, especially those with disabilities.
As a parent of an 8-year-old who relies on Medicaid, I have seen firsthand how vital speech therapy can be. My daughter struggled with certain words, and without therapy we might have resigned ourselves to that reality. Thanks to six months of Medicaid-covered therapy, her speech, confidence, and academic performance have all flourished. She now participates fully in class and social life, a transformation that goes far beyond words.
During these sessions, I met children with autism, developmental delays, and rare conditions — all depending on consistent care. Cutting these services would push them back into silence and leave families in despair. Policymakers must not balance budgets at the expense of vulnerable children. Restoring funding is essential to protect their right to thrive.
Arif Sahrif, Apex
This story was originally published December 7, 2025 at 6:27 AM.