Reaction to McClatchy decision to stop running political cartoons | Opinion

To our readers: Because of changing reader habits, McClatchy will cease publishing daily opinion cartoons beginning this month. We have long been proud to publish the work of Charlotte’s Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist Kevin Siers, who has provided readers with sharp, artful and insightful commentary that holds officials and institutions accountable. He has been a valued voice and leader on our editorial board.

Local opinion journalism remains core to McClatchy’s mission and success. We are committed to elevating strong voices who bring deeply reported, urgent local opinion journalism to our readers.

Peter St. Onge, NC Opinion Editor and McClatchy Opinion Editor

Kevin Siers

Regarding the decision to stop publishing political cartoons, I’m not sure which readers’ changing habits you are talking about, but this reader looks forward to seeing political cartoons in the paper and wishes there were more. I especially enjoy Kevin Siers’ and I agree with your assessment of his talents. In fact, McClatchy has given several good reasons for continuing to publish his cartoons.

Ken Richardson, Durham

District Attorneys

Regarding “DAs wield great influence with NC lawmakers, emails show,” (July 19):

The writer is executive director of N.C Center on Actual Innocence.

The viewpoint of the N.C. Conference of District Attorneys is important when it comes to justice. The problem is when viewpoints of the conference are bought hook, line and sinker by members of the General Assembly and others, without any vetting.

North Carolina has had its most important and effective accomplishments when all viewpoints are at the table. In criminal justice, that includes victims, prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, law enforcement and experts. Chief Justice I. Beverly Lake Jr. (who I once clerked for) was the last leader courageous enough to do that on an ongoing basis, and we need to have a similar process in place so recommendations for continuous process improvement can be logically and rationally discussed.

As is, the bullying loud voice of the DA’s conference distorts the truth and prevents progress that can increase the reliability of convictions without decreasing the conviction of the guilty. Everyone is happy to listen to the voice of the DA’s conference — they just need to speak it in public with truth, and not behind closed doors or in baseless emails to representatives.

Christine Mumma, Durham

RDU parking

Regarding “RDU plans to build 7,000 new parking spaces. What will that mean for the environment?,” (July 16):

Instead of more clear-cutting and increasing the amount of impervious land, build parking decks at existing parks. Or, at the very least, all new parking should be parking decks.

Rick Rambo, Apex

Parent’s rights

Regarding “NC bill would help parents remove school leaders, prosecute librarians,” (July 12):

If the parent’s rights legislation passes in North Carolina, I predict that the first year a superintendent of schools will be fired for being too “woke” for some parents. The second year a superintendent will be fired for being “insensitive” to other parents’ woke choices for their kids, and by the fifth year all superintendents will feel as caught between conflicting forces as the average British imperial official in America in 1772.

If the real aim is to destroy public schools, the North Carolina General Assembly is right on track.

Pat Carstensen, Durham

Superintendents

The writer is an NCSU professor emeritus.

Some in the N.C. legislature want to make school superintendents subject to dismissal if they are named by five or more parents in complaints against the school system. It doesn’t matter that there are many hundreds of parents, but only five can destroy a school superintendent. Thus, rule by minority.

What is good for the goose is good for the gander. Maybe if five constituents complain about the job performed of a state representative, that lawmaker should lose their job. Chaos will rule.

There is a system for evaluating school superintendents. Legislators, put yourself in their shoes. Are you perfect? If so, proceed. But I’d like to meet that perfect person.

Daryl Bowman, Raleigh