George Floyd and others like him are guilty of nothing but being black in America

Deaths like Floyd’s are unconscionable

The delayed or lack of legal and societal responses to the racially motivated deaths of George Floyd and so many other innocent people expose a vile corruption and inherent hypocrisy in the American soul. It is not brave, divinely inspired, or legal for an armed police officer to kill an handcuffed man by kneeling on his neck. It is unconscionable for fellow officers to allow this.

It is not brave or legal for armed civilians to shoot an unarmed man assumed to have committed a crime but guilty of nothing but being black. For centuries such atrocities have been tolerated and justified by believing the victims were inferior. Baloney! Insecure hypocrites consider others inferior to feel better about their own moral bankruptcy.

Richard Sorensen, Charlotte

Charlotte businesses need the RNC

Regarding “If RNC leaves NC, other states say they would welcome Trump,” (May 27):

Hotels, restaurants, transportation, entertainment, retail and numerous other businesses in Charlotte are holding tight to the hope that the Republican National Convention will be held in the Queen City. Politics aside, these businesses want and need the hospitality revenue to keep their businesses afloat after such a devastating blow to the profit and loss statement for the past 10 weeks. Cooper’s slowness in reopening N.C. gives me the impression he cares little about the Charlotte community’s needs. I hope our governor works very hard to confirm the convention in Charlotte.

Traci Cockerham, Charlotte

RNC must agree to these three tenets

While there is much we don’t know about COVID, there are three guidelines that public health experts agree mitigate the spread: wash your hands (a lot), wear a mask and social distance.

It is reasonable and good public health policy to ask 50,000 visitors from across the country to abide by these guidelines to protect the people of Charlotte-Mecklenburg if they chose to visit our city. Hopefully the RNC planning committee will agree and make it known that they expect their visitors to abide by these basic, proven practices. That is not asking too much given the perils and uncertainties we’re facing.

If an agreement cannot be reached between the parties involved, a public official’s first responsibility is to the health and safety of the community they represent. That seems pretty clear to me.

Mary Klenz, Charlotte

Cooper is having to treat us like kids

For the sake of jobs and the economy, we do need to open up faster. Want to know what is limiting that? It’s not Gov. Roy Cooper, it’s you. Gov. Cooper is opening things the way he has due to the irresponsibility of people to observe social distancing, wear masks, and generally be respectful of their fellow man. He’s having to treat us as children because that’s the way a lot of folks are acting, by ignoring health officials and congregating in groups, and spreading disease (cases have already increased).

I’m all for opening things back up quickly. The choice is actually in our control. Behave like an adult, and you can be treated like one.

Charles Fortanbary, Charlotte

Football decision pressures families

A May 29 article reports that Providence Day and Charlotte Christian plan to begin “a modified version of a summer program” on June 8 for their football programs. Since this announcement comes in the middle of a two-week spike of COVID-19 hospitalizations, I question those decisions.

However, what concerns me more is the statement by Coach Chad Grier of Providence Day: “I’m a big believer in parents doing what is best for their kid. If you want to send them, come on, and we’ll do it as (safely) as we can and get the most out of them that we can. If you don’t want to send them, that’s your prerogative.”

Well, I agree that parents must decide what is best for their child. However, I ask Providence Day administrators and other leaders to think of the peer pressure they apply to families.

Roger Barbee, Mooresville

Don’t demolish the Barringer Hotel

Regarding “Inlivian unveils affordable housing plan in uptown” (May 29):

A city that is not building is a city that is dying. However, Charlotte is on a lifeline of support for its severe lack of historic architecture, something normally considered a cultural asset.

The recent announcement that the likely demolition of uptown’s Hall House, formerly the Barringer Hotel, is especially concerning. Undertaking a full interior demolition to rehabilitate the building for affordable housing is the answer. Demolishing the grand historic North Tryon Street facade is not.

Christopher Lawing, Charlotte