NC 12 is an unstoppable problem. State leaders should stop throwing money at it.

Close NC 12

Regarding “Maintenance of NC 12 a challenge to fix with climate change, development,” (Aug. 8):

The state must stop throwing money at this unstoppable problem. It is unfair to the taxpayers of North Carolina and it only delays the inevitable.

NC 12 must be closed to allow nature to take its course. To allow current residents of the northern Outer Banks to adjust, the state should:

▪ Buyout properties north of Cape Hatteras (a lot cheaper than current plans) and help with resident migration.

▪ Reinforce ferry service to Cape Hatteras for residents choosing to stay, with the ferry service their only connection to the mainland.

▪ Fix the shoaling problems for ferries servicing Ocracoke.

It’s time for all of us to face reality and realize the Outer Banks along N.C. 12 face a perilous future that can’t be fixed by throwing money at it.

John Maas, Raleigh

A pandemic lesson

If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that child care is the backbone of our economy, a public good that all of us benefit from, whether or not we have young children.

Ray Boling, Durham

Mandate vaccine

I was overjoyed when the state mask mandate was lifted in May. I’m terrified that the rate of vaccine refusal might reverse that decision and I believe we need a vaccine mandate for everyone who’s medically eligible.

I am bewildered that vaccination is treated as a personal choice when masking was not. We know that vaccines are very low risk; millions of people have been vaccinated, and adverse effects are quite rare.

Sensory issues make it intolerable for me to wear a mask for more than a minute or two. This affected me nearly every day during the mandate, while vaccination required only two small pinches and a few days of sore arms. The several days of illness friends experienced with vaccination would still have been far preferable to months of exclusion from public spaces. Even now, some important activities remain unavailable to me, from the basic self-care of a dental visit to the joy of browsing library shelves.

I’m beyond tired of this anxious and restricted world. Mass vaccinations are the ruby slippers to take us all home.

Kimberly Israel, Durham

Stand up, GOP

I enjoyed reading Republican Phil Kirk’s Aug. 7 Forum letter. He showed leadership when he said many of our citizens were making poor decisions by not getting vaccinated. Kirk is a responsible Republican with common sense and showed leadership by publicly addressing the pandemic. Frankly, I thought responsible Republicans with common sense were extinct. However, there is plenty of opportunity for elected Republicans to stand up and join Gov. Roy Cooper and lead by using their bully pulpit to encourage constituents to get vaccinated and stop the spread of COVID-19.

Ed Terrell, Raleigh

NC’s Lt. Gov.

Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson recently said politicians who encourage people to get the vaccine “should be voted out of office.”

How dare he and others in the GOP politicize the pandemic. COVID is not a political issue. It’s a health crisis.

On Jan. 10, I gave up my GOP affiliation after 44 years. Those who voted against the Electoral College results and refuse to support the Jan. 6 commission do not support democracy. The right to do something is not always the right thing to do.

Robinson should support the governor during this pandemic. Disagree in private, but show a concerted front in public. He does not deserve to represent North Carolina during this, or any, crisis.

Sharon Tabor, Black Mountain

Proud Olympians

Marc Thiessen’s Aug. 8 op-ed “Celebrate Olympians who love America; ignore the rest,” reflects a profound misunderstanding. The Olympians he praises, and those he condemns, both love America. The former are happy just to be here. The latter seek to make it better here for the former and for others who are disadvantaged.

Thiessen’s comments remind me of the words of the segregationists, their apologists, and the timid in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Responding to demonstrations and demands for equality, they said the same things. It seems the more things change, the more things stay the same.

Randolph Rodgers, Raleigh

This story was originally published August 9, 2021 at 2:41 PM.