7/31 Letters: Transgendered people ‘not alone’ in fight for their rights

Regarding “Trump’s order: Bar all transgender troops from U.S. military” (July 26): This president, who was unwilling to serve in the military himself, is willing to destroy the lives of the transgendered men and women who chose to bravely serve America. How dare he?

It seems the only thing this administration is good at is fostering a climate of xenophobia, bigotry and fear. The president has done nothing to improve the lives of the residents of this country; taking away clean air and water protections, attempting to take away health insurance from the most vulnerable in our nation, and banning innocent, war-ravaged refugees seeking solace on U.S. shores is not leading America into greatness, but into disrepair.

To the people of the transgendered community, in the military or any other profession, please know that they are not alone and that there are so many of us standing ready to fight for their rights at every level, whether it be in the bathroom, the classroom or the workplace. We’re here, we stand with them, and we’re not going away.

Bike paths help cities

This summer, Durham released its first Sustainability Report. The report shows that Durham has 40 miles of bicycle lanes and experienced a decrease in fossil fuel emissions. When in the process of revitalization, encouraging a more aggressive shift to sustainable planning is essential. Multi-modal transportation is an attractive smart living feature to younger generations looking for urban lifestyles.

Today, Triangle residents experience traffic congestion due to the area’s large number of commuters. Residential developments in Morrisville and other areas have allowed for some people to live in neighborhoods in close proximity to where they work. Bicycle paths would benefit both parties by easing traffic, decreasing parking needs and improving air quality as the area becomes denser. Smart cities like The Hague, Netherlands and Freiburg, Germany use bicycle pathways and highways to lower gas emissions and decongest roads. In these cities, I saw the possibilities where families and employees in RTP can benefit from these decreased transportation costs. Putting sustainability initiatives first and increasing efficient transportation systems are crucial in fulfilling RTP’s the goal of growing and becoming a hub for business and innovation.

Barber a ‘troublemaker’?

Regarding “Rev. Barber a ‘troublemaker’ ” (July 21): Some people complain that Rev. William Barber is a “troublemaker,” and they are 100 percent correct. Life would be much simpler without people like him stirring up trouble all the time. Just think of all the past trouble from pests like Jesus, Ghandi, Mandela, and Rev. King. Life would be so much simpler if people would just know their place and stay there.

This story was originally published July 30, 2017 at 6:00 PM with the headline "7/31 Letters: Transgendered people ‘not alone’ in fight for their rights."