NC has an ‘earn while you learn’ legislature

Regarding “Lawmakers will vote on rewrite for amendments” (Aug. 24): Another special session of the NC General Assembly. This is a remedial government. How many times will the Moore-Berger assembly have to call special sessions to redo their poorly designed legislation?

We have “earn while you learn” legislators. They are so dedicated to their regressive agenda and they are so poorly equipped to implement it that they have to keep redoing it over and over again.

What is the cost of these “special sessions” to North Carolina taxpayers? There are 120 representatives and 50 senators. And then there are their staff members. This could easily exceed the $50,000 a day figure that was cited. This waste must end.

Voters will remember how inadequate the members of the House and Senate are in November and replace them with candidates that know how to govern. North Carolinians deserve better than what the Berger-Moore assembly has given us.

Clearance ‘fuss’

I don’t understand all the fuss with the press and liberals over President Trump pulling John Brennan’s and others’ security clearances. The point is, Brennan is the former CIA director. The key word is former.

I have friends that are retired military and federal employees that had top-secret clearance. Once they retired, their top-secret clearance was ended.

Brennan is no longer the CIA director. Why should he and other retired people still have access to top-secret clearance? The way he has attacked the president shows he can’t be trusted.

Clearance remains

The clearance of the author of the letter to the editor ‘Need to know’ (Aug. 19) did not terminate when he retired from service.

I am a retired Navy cryptologic officer (O-5) and hold a top secret (Special Intelligence) clearance. Both are conferred for life. My service, my commission and my security qualification constitute a badge of honor I will never betray. While I was in service, “need to know” provided me access to a limited compartment of classified information in order to do my job. At retirement, I was “debriefed” and, having no further “need to know,” my access to classified information was terminated, but not my clearance.

In the event of a national emergency or “needs of the service,” I can be recalled to active duty. Since my rank and clearance remain in effect, only my access to classified material based on “need to know,” will be reactivated.

The president lacks any understanding of the threat to our national security by throwing away John Brennan’s experience and knowledge.

Tolerance needed

Regarding “Protesters topple Silent Sam Confederate statue at UNC” (Aug. 20): These monuments are art, historical artifacts and the property of the people of the great state of North Carolina. Art is supposed to make you feel something – good or bad is defined by the viewer, not the object itself.

History should be proudly displayed as our past, so that we can move forward without repeating it. How an individual or group of individuals feel about a memorial does not give them the right to destroy it, remove it or rename it. To do so is to obliterate history itself and replace it with intolerance.

Choosing to destroy, vandalize or alter what belongs to someone else as an expression of your emotions or opinion is a crime, one that is unquestionably punishable by law. These illegal actions should not be tolerated or overlooked by those in authority .

As history has shown, this type of prejudice serves to inspire and empower the actions of one assembly’s opinions over others, and ultimately over all. Farewell diversity, tolerance and inclusion; we have lost much ground this year.

‘Come together’

Like other UNC faculty brats, I learned to ride a bike on the walkways around Silent Sam. Some 50 years later while visiting home, I am delighted to see his pedestal drawing diverse people to sit, make new friends and discuss what happened this week.

I hope UNC can install abstract sculpture atop what remains, and design discreet seating in this iconic spot for all to come together and continue our journey.