Dismay over Trump has resulted in a call to action, not a meltdown

No meltdown for me, just a call to action

Forum writer Hartley Simpson doesn’t have a grasp on the dismay millions of people feel in seeing so much of what we hold dear under attack.

I hardly consider myself a “leftist,” but I have felt a strong call to action to fight against attacks on our environment, women’s reproductive freedom, and affordable health care.

I’m not having a meltdown. I’ve never in my 70 years seen so many people just itching to get involved, either by funding organizations they support or showing up when needed.

Just wait, Mr. Simpson.

Political correctness run amok: HB2

It seems to me our preoccupation with political correctness and concern about offending minority and fringe groups has gotten out of hand.

HB2 is a prime example.

Between the Charlotte City Council and the N.C. General Assembly we have taken what was a non-issue and blown it all out of proportion.

Was there really a problem before Charlotte made it one? And is not the HB2 response a classic case of the law of unintended consequences?

In all this nonsense the will of the silent majority – some may call them Trump voters – seems to be ignored.

Fringe groups and minorities are driving political thought and legislation to the detriment of society at large.

Grow up, legislators; set aside pettiness

We get it N.C. legislature, you resent the larger, metropolitan parts of North Carolina – the equivalent of the “cool kids” you knew and resented in high school.

But this is not high school. You need to grow up and stop putting your own petty grievances ahead of the fiscal well-being of our great state.

Do your jobs, or you may find yourselves looking for new ones in a couple of years.

You won’t see me setting foot in N.C.

A few weeks ago I booked a trip to North Carolina. With the election of Roy Cooper I felt North Carolina had re-announced itself as a creature of the 21st century.

Was I ever wrong.

As I write, N.C. legislators have scuttled to their gerrymandered hidey holes for the holidays, having hamstrung the incoming governor and left HB2 in place.

I have canceled my trip. I know the loss of one tourist will make little difference, but perhaps these legislative actions will affect the vacation decisions of more than a single tourist.

Atheist, humanist view not represented

The Dec. 27 Opinion page was entirely devoted to “Faith Leaders’ Perspectives” on despair.

Since the non-religious make up a quarter of the population, one would think it wise to include comments from a Humanist celebrant or such a leader within the atheist community.

The assumption that only the religious have something to say about escaping from despair is fallacious.

Obama turned his back on Israel

I was stunned when I learned that the Obama administration had basically sided with the U.N. Security Council in condemning Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

What this does is give additional fodder to countries that oppose Israel.

I believe Obama did this as a vendetta toward Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Everyone knows they have not gotten along; this is payback by Obama before leaving office.

Perhaps the new administration will be able to repair the damage. I hope so.

Mourning the loss of Charlotte’s soul

To some it is growth, but to many of us it is viewed as a loss.

Our city has sold another one of its open green spaces to a developer.

Every day we are literally witnessing the chipping away of all buildings which have history and have brought together people of diverse backgrounds – SouthEnd’s Common Market and the Double Door Inn, to name a few.

Charlotte is becoming bland architecturally as well. This has left me longing for places and spaces that connect people in our community.

This story was originally published December 28, 2016 at 2:10 PM with the headline "Dismay over Trump has resulted in a call to action, not a meltdown."