Observer forum: Letters to editor | Charlotte Observer

Biased mainstream media think President Obama is inevitable

With the likes of network anchors Charlie Gibson, Brian Williams and Katie Couric accompanying Barak Obama on his “historic” trip to the Middle East, mainstream media bias rears its ugly head once more.

There are plenty of voters who'll turn out in November to support McCain and dispel the mainstream media dream of the inevitable President Obama.

Bill McGraw

Mint Hill

America's wealthy do

quite well after taxes

The Tax Foundation reported last week that the top 1 percent of taxpayers have 22 percent of all income earned in the United States and the top 5 percent have 37 percent. This compares to the bottom 50 percent of American wage earners, who receive only 12 percent. That means 3 million at the top have incomes and wealth that are twice that of the bottom 150 million Americans.

I doubt there is much need to worry about the amount of income taxes paid by the top 1 percent. They tend to do quite well on an after-tax basis.

Donald Latham

Charlotte

How much confidence does

Berry's signature inspire?

Boarding an elevator this morning, I noticed the safety inspection certificate signed by Cherie Berry. Climbing the stairs, I wondered if these inspectors are as competent as those overseeing workplace safety.

Joe O'Connor

Matthews

In response to “Why should taxpayers pay for kids' poor decisions?” (July 21 Forum):

Plain old bad luck put

some families on welfare

I don't condone irresponsible parenting, but not all families on welfare are there because of poor decisions or bad moral values. Some of them have had plain old bad luck. With limited health-care options, rising gas and food prices and few decent paying entry level jobs, many families find themselves in poor financial shape despite their best intentions.

Refusing to help struggling families with small children is a much more startling example of poor moral values than any single bad decision made by a teenager.

Page Lee

Charlotte

What decent person wants

to punish innocent children?

The real victims of this crime against the taxpayers are the children born to these mothers. Their only sin is to have lost the birth lottery.

What decent person wants to punish them?

John Archibald

Charlotte

It's hard to feel bad about Arlington's loss of view

I couldn't help but smile as I read about the plight of the Arlington residents facing the end of their skyline view of downtown. I don't think they were too concerned about the residents of Factory South, whose skyline views were blocked when the Arlington was built.

Anything that blocks my view of the “Pepto-Bismol” building is a welcome addition to the Charlotte skyline.

Jim Belvin

Charlotte

In response to “Massage parlor owner charged” (July 21):

Police could have learned

about Island Spa in Observer

In the report about the Island Spa massage parlor, police said that customers found advertisements on Craig's List.

This must be very disturbing to the Observer's marketing people. You have been running ads for this establishment in the sports section for some time.

D.P. Rittenhouse

Charlotte

Legal massage parlors

aren't fronts for prostitution

Ten years ago, the N.C. legislature passed a bill requiring licensure of massage therapists and restrictions in use of the term “massage” to those who are licensed. This was done to protect the public by setting education and examination standards for practicing massage therapy. Massage therapy was moved out of the adult entertainment business codes to health care, where it belongs.

Your headline and story helped reinforce the image of a massage parlor as a front for prostitution. We who practice massage therapy would have appreciated it if you had mentioned that this business was also violating a state regulation.

M.K. Brennan

Charlotte

Is this how police should

be spending their time?

Don't we have more important things for our limited, under-paid police force to worry about? Is a shady massage parlor contributing to violence, murder, drugs, robbery or other “real” crime? No, it's not.

I'm cognizant of what occurs in these “massage parlors,” and frankly I could care less. The service is consensual and the employees are fully aware of what they're getting into.

Vic

You showed us the women,

but where were the men?

I see the women's pictures and names in the article, but what about the men who visited the massage parlor? Where are their pictures? What are their names?

There is a market for this industry only when there are customers! I would prefer to know who the real criminals are.

Ann Strickhouser

Charlotte