NC teachers, don’t strike. Work through legislative channels to get better pay

Best path for NCAE: legislative channels

Regarding “Should NC teachers strike over pay?” (Jan. 26 Editorial):

We have to keep in mind that government employees don’t generate profits, but they do lobby for more tax dollars, as evidenced by the North Carolina Association of Educators, which wants more money for teachers.

When government employees strike, they are in essence striking against you and me — the taxpayers who fund their salaries.

President Roosevelt, a champion of labor unions, said in 1937 that “attention should be paid to the obligations of public servants to the public itself, and that a strike of public employees to obstruct operations of the government is unthinkable and intolerable.”

If the NC teachers do strike, I fear their favorable public perception will take a turn for the worse. They should let the NCAE work through the proper legislative channels to handle the pay issue.

Kenny Colbert, Cornelius

A wrong idea about what teachers do

Regarding “Teachers are always asking for more,” (Jan. 29 Forum):,

This Forum writer has the wrong idea about teacher pay. Teachers do not get paid for evenings spent grading papers and writing lessons plans. All the money they get in the summer is some that they have set aside from each paycheck during the year so they’ll have something during the summer.

Teachers are underpaid, overworked, and get burned out long before they reach retirement age. So, please reconsider your stance on teacher pay.

Elaine Derry, Concord

Graham’s sin is promoting hate

Regarding “Franklin Graham’s deceptive defense of bigotry,” (Jan. 30 Editorial):

Franklin Graham has once again has reared his ugly head only to have it chopped off at the neck. I applaud the two cities in the United Kingdom for banning his traveling road show of hate, and I hope others follow their lead.

He‘s correct in calling himself a sinner, but not because the Bible says he is, but because of his hateful and discriminating behavior against a segment of the human race.

Larry Vogt, Mooresville

Put pressure on Norfolk Southern

Regarding “Idle tracks run from north Meck to uptown. Will commuters ever ride the Red Line?” (Jan. 28):

These tracks run through all the northern communities to Statesville before heading to Greensboro. Rail service could run all the way from Statesville and provide another option for commuters to Charlotte.

Federal and state legislators in these areas should make it a campaign issue to put pressure on Norfolk Southern and the U.S. DOT to permit CATS usage of the right of way.

I moved to Charlotte 33 years ago from Cleveland, which had light-rail service to the airport before I left. I’ve used the CATS Blue Line from Pineville since it started. Congestion in Charlotte needs all the help it can get. The Red Line is needed!

Walter Boris, Pineville

A dangerous idea from Dershowitz

President Trump’s attorney, Alan Dershowitz, said Trump’s quid pro quo is not an impeachable offense because the president believes that his re-election is in the national interest; therefore, anything he does to try to get re-elected is OK.

What a bunch of nonsense! If Dershowitz is right, that means it’s OK for any presidential candidate to seek and accept help from foreign countries as long as they believe their election is in the public interest. That’s not only a foolish idea, but a dangerous one.

Do we really want a president who is beholden to another country? How can we ever be sure that such a president is acting in our best interests?

Dianne Mason, Matthews

Unbelievable that Burr would do this

Regarding “The pathetic impeachment pandering of North Carolina’s senators, (Jan. 29 Editorial):

As chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Richard Burr knows better than most just how dangerous President Trump and his administration are to America. It is unbelievable that he would vote against impeachment. Apparently one’s oath of office to uphold the Constitution is worthless. Shame.

C. G. Kilburn, Monroe

Fried chicken from plants? Sacrilege!

Regarding “Is KFC’s fried meatless chicken ‘finger-lickin’ good?’” (Jan. 29):

Fried chicken made from plants is demented, un-American, a mortal sin, sacrilege, and an affront to Southern culture. Somebody should burn in hell’s cafeteria for this.

P.S. Colonel Sanders, Andy Griffith and Muddy Waters should all rise from the grave to protest this.

Ted Holland, Cornelius