Opinion articles provide independent perspectives on key community issues, separate from our newsroom reporting.

Letters to the Editor

Costly political conventions unfair to Duke customers, shareholders

Was that a loan or illegal contribution?

In response to “Duke Energy wants GOP here in 2020 despite DNC cost” (May 4):

Tom Daoust
Tom Daoust

When Duke Energy loaned the Democratic Party millions for its 2012 convention in Charlotte and Democrats failed to pay back $6 million of it, Duke shareholders were left holding the bag.

Since the loan will most likely never be repaid, would someone please explain why that little trick would not be considered an illegal campaign contribution by Duke Energy?

And how is that fair to shareholders, not to mention utility customers?

Tom Daoust, Concord

Rosenstein, Mueller just seeking the facts

I am deeply concerned as a North Carolinian that a member of Congress from our state is attempting to aid the president in crippling the Mueller investigation.

If there is, in fact no collusion, no obstruction of justice and it is a “witch hunt,” why not let the investigation finish?

The attacks on Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Special Council Robert Mueller – both Republicans – are totally without merit. These men are career law enforcement officials who are simply following the facts wherever they may lead.

No one is above the rule of law in this country and our society has survived 200-plus years because our Founding Fathers created a document to ensure that continues to be the case.

Jack Matthews, Charlotte

Don’t make U.S. one big sanctuary city

It is very unfortunate that many immigrants living in this country, who are good, decent people, are caught up in a trap for which both parties are responsible. However, when an illegal immigrant is in America, they have broken the law, period.

Some local county commission candidates say they oppose the federal 287(g) program, which sends illegal immigrants to their home country. The message – they support illegal immigration?

Obviously, rule of law means nothing to those who will “swear to uphold the Constitution” etc., and put this country on the road to “sanctuary city” status.

Cheryl Jones, Charlotte

Valid reasons for 287(g) deportations

In response to “ACLU ads target sheriff’s candidate” (May 4):

I heard Mecklenburg Sheriff Irwin Carmichael on the campaign trail state that the top two reasons for deportation under the 287(g) program in Mecklenburg County are DWI and assault on a female.

Who would you want deported?

Tom E. Bowers, Charlotte

That was a tasteless, hateful monologue

In response to “Sarah Sanders deserved the roasting,” (May 3 Forum):

Trigg Cherry
Trigg Cherry

No one deserves the crude, disgusting and offensive “roasting” that Sarah Huckabee Sanders received.

The media put on full display its bias and hypocrisy in allowing this comedian to speak the way she did at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

There is a difference in a spirited roast and a tasteless, disrespectful and hateful monologue delivered at the dinner.

Trigg Cherry, Charlotte

How we got on this path of incivility

In response to “Sarah Sanders deserves respect” (May 2 Forum):

Arnie Greives
Arnie Greives

I agree that any jokes told at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner should be lighthearted in nature, rather than hurtful.

If we continue down this path of growing incivility, who knows where it will end. Perhaps one day we might even have a president who mocks the disabled, demeans the physical appearance of his female adversaries, and calls people by malicious nicknames.

Arnie Grieves, Charlotte

A bad vibe to NRA meeting in Dallas

In response to “More than 70,000 NRA members expected in Dallas for meeting” (May 4):

I was a young child at the time of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, but it is still seared into my memory like nothing else in my lifetime.

I therefore find it both ironic and poetically just, in a horrible sort of way, that Dallas should now find itself at the “epicenter of the nation’s gun debate.”

I don’t know if there are any lessons to be drawn here, but there’s a historical echo, or in 1960s lingo, a bad vibe, to all this that leaves me uneasy and wondering just how much we’ve learned since those “four dark days” so long ago.

Joe Elliott, Asheville

This story was originally published May 5, 2018 at 12:00 PM with the headline "Costly political conventions unfair to Duke customers, shareholders."

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