Here’s how Charlotte can fix racially offensive street names. It worked in Seattle.

A fix for street names that offend

On Feb. 24, 1986, Seattle residents awoke in a county named for William Rufus DeVane King, a slave-holding North Carolinian and 1852 vice presidential candidate. They went to bed that night in a county named for Martin Luther King Jr. And it was all so simple! As the King County official who proposed the switch said: “We won’t have to reprint stationery or change road signs or anything like that.”

King County’s alchemy ought to be instructive to the 15-member committee now charged by City Council with reconsidering Charlotte’s own racially offensive public nomenclature.

Morrison Boulevard, for instance, honors Gov. Cameron Morrison, the decades-long race-baiter whose farm would become SouthPark. Wouldn’t the city’s character — and image — be better served by renaming the street for Nobel laureate Toni Morrison, the late Black novelist?

And what about Stonewall Street — how about ditching the Confederate general and commemorating instead the historic Stonewall Riots that launched the gay liberation movement?

Lew Powell, Charlotte

Berger ignores the will of the people

Sen. Phil Berger and Republicans want schools to reopen immediately should read the hundreds of comments made Wednesday while the CMS Board discussed reopening plans. They ranged from “they want to kill our kids” to “who is going to teach the kids when all the teachers are dead?”

Since the pandemic hit, many in the GOP have defied not only science but the will of the citizens who are trying to keep themselves healthy.

Lucille Howard, Charlotte

Bishop Jugis, where was your mask?

Regarding “Charlotte Catholic Diocese celebrates opening of seminary,” (Sept. 16):

It is very disheartening for those of us trying to cooperate with the COVID-19 restrictions when we see the bishop and his gang without masks and not distancing. They will tell you that their No. 1 issue is “respect for life,” but when our religious leaders (present and future) blatantly disregard practices that can save lives, it’s difficult to see where the respect for life is. They have the right to disregard safe practices in their own house, but please don’t publicize it for all to see.

Kenneth Schammel, Cornelius

Trump knew, but pushed for RNC

On Feb. 7 Bob Woodward recorded President Trump saying “This is deadly stuff” about COVID-19.”

Yet Trump pushed for 19,000 people to gather in Charlotte for the RNC, despite potentially spreading the virus to the Republican faithful and all the Charlotteans who would be making the event possible.

On May 25, Trump tweeted: “Unfortunately, Democrat Governor, @RoyCooperNC is still in Shutdown mood & unable to guarantee that by August we will be allowed... full attendance in the Arena.” Gov. Roy Cooper refused to surrender.

Between Feb. 7 and May 25, an estimated 110,000 Americans died from COVID, but Trump was happy to risk North Carolinians for his celebration.

Doug Puzia, Huntersville

Clock is ticking on Charlotte bonds

Regarding “Former CLT mayor: Voters need to hear more about bonds on the ballot,” (Sept. 15 Opinion):

Former Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts’ dismay with the lax PR effort to explain and justify almost $200 million in bonds appearing on the November ballot is spot on.

Why aren’t business leaders, elected officials and government agency directors working in unison to educate the voters on the intent and context of the bond request and why it’s important to pass the bond package despite the burdensome recession and pandemic? And where is the media in getting the word out? My friends and neighbors are filling out their absentee ballots now, and early voting is less than a month away. There is no time to lose.

Martin Zimmerman, Charlotte

Maybe all of us should take a knee

When players take a knee during the national anthem, they are thinking about the words “home of the free and brave.” They are honoring the sacrifices that people have made to make this phrase true. You could also think of the sacrifices of the military and countless others to achieve this dream. To honor the sacrifices of so many, everyone should take a knee.

Deborah Quick, Charlotte

What I’d tell that conservative teen

Regarding “Teen angry at mom’s comments on politics,” (Sept. 15 Dear Abby):

The 16-year -old boy who wrote to Dear Abby is a very conservative young man, but his single mom is a staunch Democrat. He likes to wear “conservative slogan apparel,” but mom says he is not allowed to “represent ‘us’ like that.” Mom says he’ll never get a girlfriend or find a job with his beliefs.

I can verify one Republican who has a great job and a wife. His name is Donald Trump!

Bob Mays, Charlotte