Observer Forum: Letters to the editor 03.04.15

In response to “Charlotte LGBT ordinance fails 6-5” (March 3):

Wrong to use religion to justify discrimination in any form

I don’t understand being so caught up in religion that you lose compassion and discriminate against other human beings.

Gay people aren’t different. Transgenders are not confused. If there is a difference and confusion it is because society has made it so.

We all deserve the freedom to be our true, best selves without living in fear.

Marni Cummings

Concord

Vote by Charlotte City Council was a display of cowardice

The excuse many people gave for opposing LGBT access to bathrooms was that predators could don women’s clothing and assault someone in there.

The only actual wolf in sheep’s clothing I saw in the reports was ethical cowardice and bigotry being disguised as “morality.”

How about an ordinance that says you can’t discriminate against anyone, period?

The cowardice shown by the Charlotte City Council leaves my wife and me shaking our heads in sorrowed amazement. Shame on them.

Tom Sisk

Pittsboro

In response to “Republicans taking country down disastrous path” (March 3 Forum):

Excessive spending by Dems damaged our nation’s credit

I don’t think the Democrats do much right, but one thing they do a lot better than the Republicans is articulate their position.

It doesn’t hurt that the media in this country are very liberal, but nonetheless, every conflict or controversy is blamed on the Republicans because the Democrats and media spin it that way.

The only thing that “damaged our nation’s credit” is years of Democrats spending more money than we have.

Tripp Cherry

Matthews

In response to “New teacher pay would rise to $35,000 in budget plan” (March 3):

Gov. McCrory’s teacher pay plan will hurt North Carolina

North Carolina’s governor wants to raise beginning teachers’ salaries while flat-lining senior staff.

Experienced teachers are not leaving education, they are moving on to get a competitive salary.

Our state will continue to grow because of tax incentives, but our education system will spiral downhill.

Private schools can accommodate many of the new executives moving to North Carolina, but the cost of our state’s growth will be our principle of equal education for all.

S. Jeff White

Charlotte

My taxes went up; I feel duped by Republicans that I voted for

The N.C. legislature used the communication techniques employed by the Democrats for Obamacare in their portrayal of “reducing state income taxes.”

They misrepresented the impacts of their actions.

My taxes have increased by 100 percent over last year.

We are retired with significant medical expenses, and the reduced allowable deductions have caused this dramatic increase.

To add insult to injury, we are also stuck with the increase on our private medical insurance due to Obamacare taxes applied to our policy premiums.

I have lodged my complaint to all the Republican politicians I voted for in 2014 and have received no response from any of them.

The lies and lack of response is more maddening than the tax increase.

Ed O’Hara

Weddington

In response to “The vaccination question” (March 1) and related articles:

Vital to get balanced view of risks, benefits of vaccines

Thank you, Karen Garloch, for one of the few articles we have seen that presents a balanced view on the potential side effects of vaccines.

Our 21/2-year-old granddaughter recently had an adverse reaction to an MMR vaccination.

Four weeks later, we are very fortunate that she has regained most, but not yet all, of her previous abilities, personality and behavior – helped significantly by early medical recognition and intervention.

Karen Garloch’s article and our own recent experience underline the vital importance for parents to be informed, not only about the benefits of vaccinations, but also their risk of potentially devastating adverse effects.

Hans and Karen Diessel

Davidson

Tired of picking up the phone only to hear a robot voice

I am a human being. If you dial my telephone number, and expect to have a conversation with me, you must also be a human being.

Al Krantz