Don’t lose the ‘craft’ in craft beer

In response to “Craft beer deal would allow biggest NC breweries to expand” (March 15):

Brewers are claiming that the cap under the current law stifles growth, since production is capped. However, isn’t the point of producing limited quantities of a handmade product to signify it is a craft?

Significantly expanding will make OMB and NoDa breweries in Charlotte become more like the big ones, Coors and Budweiser, which are owned by major corporations.

Sure, most businesses are all about making money. However, how greedy can these breweries get without diminishing what is considered craft? Being a craft beer drinker, I see that coming.

Danton Cardoso, Charlotte

Tillis won’t get this Republican’s vote

I’m a registered Republican voter in Mecklenburg County very disappointed in Sen. Thom Tillis’ flip-flopping on his vote regarding the Trump national emergency declaration. But I’m not surprised.

Tillis got some fawning press coverage by playing the role of honest conservative legislator deeply concerned about the unconstitutionality of President Trump’s warrantless emergency declaration. But in the end, he inevitably caved and obeyed the Trump administration’s dictates.

I’ll be supporting Tillis’ rivals in the upcoming GOP primary. And if he survives that primary, I’ll support the Democratic candidate who runs against him.

Michael A. Clark, Charlotte

Silent Sam deserves a place of honor

In response to “Lock Silent Sam away for good” (March 13 Forum):

First of all, most Confederate soldiers were not slave owners, and these brave and heroic soldiers were fighting for states rights and to be independent of the North.

If these men were traitors, then I guess the colonies were also traitors for rebelling against England.

So Silent Sam should be given a place of honor – to honor these brave Confederate soldiers.

Clyde Garris, Cornelius

Stop ignoring those who hire illegally

In response to “Trump is hurting NC farmers” (March 13 Opinion):

Large numbers of refugees have attempted to come legally in the last few months, and those who are anti-immigrant are twisting the legal argument.

These recent arrivals are fleeing from danger in Central America. They followed the rules and presented themselves at the border seeking asylum. This is the worldwide method for people seeking asylum and they are being treated as criminals for following accepted norms.

A huge part of this problem stems from the fact that for years we have encouraged illegal immigration by not enforcing laws against illegally hiring these individuals.

We needed the workers, so we quit enforcing the law because politically that was easier than changing it.

Jack Berryhill, Charlotte

Understanding the purpose of bail

In response to “Do prior crimes not even matter?” (March 13 Forum):

I spent 20 years in law enforcement in upstate New York. It really bothered me as a deputy to see criminals get out of jail before we finished our arrest paperwork.

But a very smart lawyer explained to me that although our system isn’t perfect, it’s the best in the world. By virtue of the U.S. Constitution, a person is innocent until proven guilty. Being arrested does not make them a criminal. It takes a jury of 12 people to make them a criminal, after a fair trial with all facts presented.

Bail is set to secure appearance, not as a means of punishment. If a person is arrested and innocent, this makes perfect sense. Unfortunately, criminals do take advantage of this, but that is no reason to punish those who may be innocent.

Gary Caton, Stanley

A bigger picture on corporate tax cuts

Recent articles and opinions regarding how some corporations pay very low taxes or no tax at all do not tell the whole story.

Taxes levied against corporations are simply passed down to the customers. That’s you and me. So we are the ones who actually pay the corporation’s taxes.

In addition, any cost of doing business is marked up prior to being included in a company’s price for its goods or services.

Peter McLean, Rock Hill

Find balance on political hyperbole

In response to “Ridenhour turned me off from the start” (March 13 Forum)

Political hyperbole has always been with us, but not in its current steroidal, hysterical form. Newt Gingrich’s “don’t win but destroy” philosophy matched to tailored news and social media have clearly given outrage and indignation a new frontier.

It’s something to keep in balance in the coming months as reactionaries try to capture our intellects.

Earl Gulledge, Charlotte