Why forcing out businesses like Book Buyers does more harm than good

Book Buyers

A used bookstore in Plaza Midwood, Book Buyers, has been told to leave so property owner Eastern Federal Corp. can create a new design and tenant mix. Removing this business is not in the best interest of east Charlotte.

The inclusion of a book seller in a neighborhood, especially one providing reading material at affordable prices, has positive effects. Pupils will have access to items needed for school. Learning and grades will improve. Residents who know the joy of being captivated by a great book will be less likely to vandalize. Graduation rates will improve. A more educated workforce will be available.

What business in east Charlotte doesn’t want top-notch employees? For these reasons, keeping bookstores in a tenant mix is a worthwhile design for all communities and corporations.

Knox “Buddy” Porter, Matthews

Learn from tragedy

Regarding “Suspect’s parents charged in Michigan school shooting” (Dec. 4) and related articles:

The school shooting in Michigan was shocking on so many levels. The parents should never have purchased a gun for their child. When presented with his violent drawings and words, if the parents refused to take immediate action, the school should have had the child involuntarily committed to a mental health facility for evaluation. And, of course, both the parents and the school personnel should have examined his backpack. Let’s learn from this tragedy.

Lenore Jones Deutsch, Charlotte

Michigan DA

The writer is a retired N.C. Superior Court judge.

District Attorney Karen McDonald did exactly the right thing in the Oxford, Mich. school shooting. She reviewed the evidence and then charged the parents of Ethan Crumbley with involuntary manslaughter. Generally speaking, involuntary manslaughter is doing an act that is reckless or in thoughtless disregard of circumstances or shows heedless indifference to the safety or rights of others. When these types of cases come up, the district attorney ought to explain why he/she did not charge the parents. We need more district attorneys like McDonald. She’s got hutzpah.

Bob Burroughs, Charlotte

Democracy in NC?

Regarding “No, Republican redistricting is not a threat to democracy,” (Dec. 7 Opinion):

Yes, op-ed writer Ray Martin is correct — Republican redistricting is not a threat to N.C. democracy. When the majority of voters in a state are Democrats, and as was the case in last N.C. election, yet 10 of the 14 U.S. House representatives are Republicans, there is no longer democracy in North Carolina.

Gary D. Johnson, Charlotte

Inspiring others

Regarding “The life and death of Tony Suarez, Charlotte’s forgotten star,” (Dec. 5):

In 1981, Tony Suarez worked out where I rehabbed my knee. He saw me struggling. He joked with me and said I could do more, succeed and recover. He set the weights higher and walked away.

For almost a year he befriended me, pushing me, always increasing weights. Later, he was hurt and I did what Tony did for me — friendship, laughing, pushing. I set his weights higher.

Upon his death I realized that paying better attention to family, friends and others is important. Little acts we do help others so much. The story of Tony’s suicide is a path forward to saving lives. We can all do more. Tony expects no less.

Bill Taylor, Charlotte

I feel your pain

The op-ed “Hanukkah isn’t ‘Jewish Christmas.’ Stop treating it that way,” (Nov. 28 Opinion) recently got widespread attention. The authors bemoaned the commercialization and trivialization of their Jewish holy days, asking non-Jews to bestow blessings, not throw pillows embroidered with “Oy to the World.”

To my Jewish friends I say simply, I feel your pain. I see people of my faith fighting one another to buy the most recent video console, consuming enough power with schmaltzy (to borrow a Yiddish word) displays to electrify a small nation, and preferring “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer” to “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”

Welcome to my world — brother could you spare a blessing?

Rev. Jonathan Heaslet, Charlotte