If Lt. Gov. Robinson can’t serve all in NC he should step down

Mark Robinson

I am appalled by the remarks of Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson. As a Christian, his use of the pulpit to spread a message of hate offends me. Perhaps he hasn’t read Luke 10:27 where Christ says love your neighbor. What is even more bothersome is the message Robinson sends young people. LGBTQ teens have a higher rate of suicide. He is supposed to serve all the people of North Carolina, including LGBTQ persons. If he cannot in good conscience do that, he needs to step down.

Henry Jarrett, Raleigh

Vile comments

Republican Rep. Keith Kidwell and Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson have every right to complain about vile messages they received from those who don’t agree with them. However, Robinson has a history of making disgraceful comments about others.

When will Robinson and Kidwell speak out when their supporters call President Biden and other Democrats “satanic pedophiles”? How about condemning the threats being made against doctors, school board members and teachers by vaccine and mask opponents?

By all means, tell us how hurtful it is to receive messages of hatred. But as leaders in this state, have the courage to condemn the hate and threats of violence when it comes from your supporters.

Mark Slattery, Raleigh

Set an example

Regarding “Orange County school board passes resolution against Proud Boys,” (Oct. 13):

The speakers at the Orange County school board meeting were removed because they did not follow plainly stated rules. Instead, they purposely flouted the rules to create a spectacle. It was bad behavior and the N&O article gave them the attention they were seeking. It’s my hope that future school board meeting attendees will express their views without resorting to yelling and that board members will no longer feel it is necessary to hire extra security for meetings. As the adults in the room, we need to set a better example for our children on constructive ways to disagree.

Kelly Suttles, Hillsborough

Redistricting

Regarding “As redistricting kicks off, what we’ve seen and what’s to come,” (Oct. 11):

There is no good reason to split Wake or Mecklenburg counties into more than two congressional districts. This should be addressed before the draft redistricting maps are proposed.

Once maps are proposed North Carolinians should be given the chance to review them and provide feedback in public hearings — in-person and online. Hearings should be held everywhere they were held prior to drawing of the maps, plus in every country with more than 100,000 citizens.

Without doing so, there is no way they can claim that this year’s process was truly transparent.

Jill Mertens, Raleigh

Election claims

Republican and Democratic judges jointly agreed that a defamation lawsuit can continue against Gov. Pat McCrory’s 2016 defense fund and legal team. (Oct. 6)

The case stems from a blitz of bogus claims of voter fraud in an effort to overturn an election. Sound familiar?

Fortunately, Republican-led election boards refused to wither in the face of heated rhetoric about fraud in 2016. They threw out the bogus protests and upheld the rule of law.

Like those officials in 2016 and the judges this month, thoughtful Republicans on schools boards, election boards and other governing bodies are putting common sense and the rule of law ahead of partisan interests and hot rhetoric. They deserve our thanks. Our democratic republic depends on the courageous acts of officials who rise above rise above fear or reward for the good of the whole.

Bob Hall, Durham

Informed voters

The Oct. 9 article about political campaign signs got me thinking — who would be so small-minded to go around defacing these? But perhaps a more important question is why put them up at all?

The expense and effort put into these signs indicates they work, and that is worrisome. Do we want people deciding their vote based on these signs, as opposed to candidates’ qualifications and stances on the issues? Or on sound bites and attack ads?

A successful democracy depends on an informed electorate and we seem to be moving in the wrong direction in this regard.

Peter Aitken, Chapel Hill

This story was originally published October 13, 2021 at 1:37 PM.