Trump plans 3 executions before Biden takes office. This terrible practice must end.

Executions

The federal Justice Department plans to execute three death row inmates in the days before President-elect Joe Biden takes office: Alfred Bourgeois, Cory Johnson and Dustin Higgs.

The first two men have intellectual disabilities making it unconstitutional to put them to death. This is Trump’s final and chilling act of cruelty.

These men have been failed by a host of policies and lack of funding for education, mental health care, neonatal health care, and poverty. Our societal failures led to their incarcerations.

We know that the death penalty does not deter the act of criminal murder. It is time to end this terrible practice and time to fund human services that support growth and prevent unproductive behavior.

Karen Moorman, Durham

Lt. Governor

Regarding “NC’s lieutenant governor should be a partner, not a foe,” (Nov. 23 Opinion):

Granted, this job is a step up for Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, but let’s not assume that he is not up to the position.

I voted for Gov. Roy Cooper and Robinson, because I recognize and appreciate both Cooper’s competence and Robinson’s undivided support of the Second Amendment.

This position seems to be mainly an insurance policy for leadership, so if we are looking to other states for examples I suggest we follow the five states that don’t even have the lieutenant governor post. This will save the state the salary of $136,000, plus the cost of per diems and benefits — and will cut down on election signs.

Robert Rose, Apex

Buy local

Beginning in March small businesses were dealt a serious blow from the COVID-19 virus.

Many of these businesses were built on dreams of regular people who risked everything to create a future. They’re the backbone of the local economy, typically contributing more local tax revenue than their better known competitors.

So while chains like Papa John’s Pizza thrive on increased take-out, the local restaurant is suffering. While Amazon, Walmart and Home Depot thrive on delivery, small local businesses struggle to connect with their customer base.

As we move into the holiday season, let’s put our dollars with small local businesses. Without these hardworking entrepreneurs, we’ll end up beholden to the corporate monoliths. Buy local, support small business.

Robert Hopper, Cary

Nation must unite

Let’s bury the hatchet, America.

I am registered as unaffiliated and I did that solely because I was fed up with the way the left and right were, without regard for our fellow citizens, polarizing this country and making it impossible to govern.

This did not start four years ago. It started with the impeachment of President Clinton and continued through with President Trump.

We all desire to live in a country that continues to be the best place in the world for us, our families, and our fellow countrymen.

We are in the worst health crisis this country has seen in 100 years and must work together as a nation to get past it.

Let’s bury the hatchet and let those who’ve been elected to make decisions have a chance to prove themselves. We can vote again in two, then four, years on on how they are doing. God bless us all.

Clyde Harris, Wilson

Media objectivity

An AP article on the Nov. 21 front page said President Donald Trump made an extraordinary attempt to “subvert the results of the 2020 presidential election.”

“Subvert?” I recall the continuous shenanigans of Democrats in the House and Senate, all their incessant jabberwocky about Russian collusion, income tax inquiries, faux Impeachment, and general undermining of the Trump administration for the past 46 months. Were those not attempts to subvert the current administration?

Hopefully objective, nonpartisan journalism will return to the media, but I doubt it

Rod Butler, Swansboro

Judge Farmer

I write with sadness to note the passing of Judge Robert Farmer, a long-serving judge in Wake County who also served as the senior resident Superior Court judge. To young lawyers who began the practice of law in Wake County in the 1990s, Judge Farmer was a hero. His temperament and character were models for us, not just as lawyers, but as good citizens. He will be missed but certainly not forgotten.

Mitchell Michael, Raleigh

Climate change

Regarding “No Green New Deal,” (Nov. 22 Forum):

Saying the Green New Deal would be a disaster for the U.S. turns the climate crisis into a partisan issue, which of course it is not.

Earth is warming up, faster than ever before, with powerful leaders and decision makers at the helm.

Our planet will survive, bruised and parched and flooded. But the human species, will it survive? We can already see the suffering hurled at us by rising waters, hurricanes, wildfires, unhealthy air, drought, economic instability, hunger, migrations, and wars.

We must slow down Earth’s warming. The good news is that we know how to get started now: There are already several bills in D.C., in particular H.R. 763, which puts a price on carbon — and is bipartisan.

Ingeborg De Becker, Hillsborough