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

Letters to the Editor

Time for President Trump to reveal the imminent threat that led to Soleimani’s death

Trump must reveal the imminent threat

Suddenly, our “America first” president decided to kill Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and risk plunging the United States into the mother of all Middle East wars without articulating an imminent threat.

Was this sudden move politically calculated to rally Americans around a war-time president? What better way to turn “victimhood” at the hands of the impeaching Democrats into a winning strategy in November?

Is Trump defending our national security or is he undermining national security and regional stability to get re-elected?

Joseph Salerno, Charlotte

Joseph Salerno
Joseph Salerno


World under Trump is more frightening

I am growing so weary of the Republicans repeatedly saying Democrats hate Donald Trump and those who voted for him.

I am not a Democrat, but it appears that the Republicans’ abhorrence of President Obama continues to this day. He has been out of office for over three years but the Republicans still use him to gin-up their base.

Republican Paul Gosar recently tweeted a fake picture of Obama with a caption indicating the world was better off without him as president. I, for one, disagree. Today, the world seems scarier with Trump as president

Kelley L. Walker, Hickory

Trump did what he needed to do

Gen. Qassem Soleimani’s job was to kill Americans. The president’s job is to kill people who kill Americans.

Russ Wood, Charlotte

Turn around this march toward war

Sue Friday
Sue Friday

Gen. Qassem Soleimani was killed as an enemy of the United States, but the people of Iran mourn the death of a hero.

Right vs. wrong, enemy vs. hero, defense vs. aggression, all are a matter of perspective. Young men and women on both sides are being readied for war. How do we turn this around? Does God (Allah) take sides?

Sue Friday, Davidson

The ‘nervous Nellies’ of the GOP

Jim Cherry
Jim Cherry

Regarding “Cracks have appeared in GOP unity on impeachment,” (Jan. 5):

Sens. Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins and Mitt Romney are the “nervous Nellies” of the Republican Party. These folks need to develop some backbone. When impeachment votes come up they panic and scatter like a covey of quail.

Democrats have never made a convincing case for impeachment of our president because there are no crimes. They are simply scared to death of President Trump winning a second term in 2020.

Jim Cherry, Charlotte

No more lifetime seats in Congress

It is time we realized that it is Congress that is the real problem and is dividing us.

The Founding Fathers never intended that being a U.S. senator or representative would be a lifetime career. It was intended for them to come for a few terms and then go back to their former careers. The problem is that too many of those in Congress today never had another career.

We currently have a Congress full of politicians, not statesmen. They are all only interested in getting re-elected, not doing what is best for the country. It is time to get rid of all of them. Vote for candidates who support term limits.

Rick Toot, Matthews

Go with a better bus system instead

Sheila Evans
Sheila Evans

Regarding “A solution to Charlotte’s growing traffic problem,” (Jan. 6 Opinion):

I respectfully disagree with Shannon Binns’ op-ed regarding bikes and scooters. More bikes and scooters would only result in an unattractive clutter.

The best traffic solution would be buses that can be used in a multitude of ways. Shopping centers and rail depots could be parking destinations for bus pickups to the SouthPark and uptown areas.

Also, buses can be easily re-routed in the event of an emergency. Fast rail and (groan) streetcars would be rendered useless if electric grids were compromised, leaving only bikes and scooters to carry a minimum of people out of harm’s way.

Sheila Evans, Charlotte

To cut crime, citizens must demand change

It’s time to do something about guns and murder in this city! I am a Charlotte native, born and raised. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is the only government entity that seems to be doing its job, only to see murderers and thieves released from jail, slapped on the wrist, and given an ankle bracelet.

Charlotte, get organized! Stop putting up with this. Demand changes!

Laurence Jordan, Rock Hill

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This story was originally published January 8, 2020 at 5:00 AM.

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