Tepper’s pick for Panthers coach was offensive | Opinion

New coach

I’m a lifelong Panthers fan who is white and deeply disappointed in David Tepper for continuing the embarrassing, unjust trend of overlooking Black coaches.

A Washington Post investigation in September revealed that white NFL candidates have more pathways to top positions, move up more quickly, and do so with worse records than Black candidates. Black head coaches were twice as likely to lose their jobs after going .500 or better, and were less likely as interim coaches to get hired than white coaches, even with better records.

Steve Wilks won games and won over fans, players and pundits. But interviewers tend to hire people who look and seem like them. Tepper will say this is about an offensive coach. To me, it’s an offensive example of bias.

Mike Smith, Oakland, Calif.

Wood must resign

State Auditor Beth Wood has a lot of explaining to do about her hit-and-run, but she chooses her words carefully so as not to put herself in more legal jeopardy.

I’ve been a fan of Wood, even though we have vastly different political views. She always seemed to put the government’s best interest in front of politics. However, if any state employee had a wreck, abandoned a state-owned vehicle, fled the scene, and did not report it for a day or more, they would have quickly been terminated.

Wood needs to resign!

David Ramsey, Mooresville

Thom Tillis

While some editors and columnists seem in thrall with “bipartisan” Sen. Thom Tillis, let us not forget the other Tillis. Sent to Washington to do the people’s business, which should include putting an end to guns, shootings and violence, Tillis instead channels his coveted NRA, receiving $4.4 million from them in the bargain.

In the span of five days last week, mass shootings claimed 24 lives. According to the Gun Violence Archive, 648 people died in 2022 in mass shootings. In a country of some 331 million people, there are but 535 who can take permanent action to curb such carnage. Senator Tillis is one.

So much for the people’s business.

Harry Taylor, Charlotte

Gun buy-backs

Every day there’s another report of a shooting somewhere in America. In Monterey Park, Calif. during an Asian New Year’s celebration. At a farm in Half Moon Bay, Calif. A school shooting in Iowa. News reports repeat tiresome phrases and hackneyed sentences. They should be talking about the cause: guns.

State and local governments must start “cash buy-back/no-questions-asked” programs for collecting and destroying weapons. Otherwise, the shootings will only increase and children will die. No mincing words here. Time for talking is over. Now.

Jon Schuller, Charlotte

Abortion pills

The FDA recently announced loosening of restrictions when it comes to the ability of individuals to purchase abortion pills through the mail or at pharmacies. Following the announcement, major pharmacies such as Walgreens, CVS and Rite Aid announced they would carry these pills.

This is an absolute disgrace.

These pills can have serious medical risks. Abortion already claims the life of one innocent person, and now, in the name of political pandering, the FDA and these pharmacies have made it possible for this heinous act to claim two lives.

Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid and any other chain that plans to offer these pills should be ashamed.

Jesse Hughes, Kings Mountain

Sanctity of life

With the Jan. 20 “March for Life” that took place in Washington, D.C., many participants and supporters talked about the sanctity of life. Yet many of these same people will not support gun control legislation.

If they truly believe in the sanctity of life, they would also stage marches for overturning the Second Amendment.

Kent Rhodes, Charlotte

NC House rules

North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore wants to dispense with the existing, fair practice of giving a 24-hour notice before bringing a vote to the N.C. House floor, making it easier to pass votes and override the governor’s veto.

Moore wants the power to call a vote without advance notice, which means he could deliberately call a vote when he knows that a House member is unable to be in the chamber.

As a person of faith and a strong believer in our democratic process, I believe that this is morally unacceptable. Such important decisions as Medicaid expansion, health care access, and funding public education are threatened.

I know we can all agree that this is not how the N.C. legislature should function. We deserve a transparent, responsible legislature.

Linda Levy, Charlotte

State health plan

Nothing says “Medicare for all” better than learning that a two-year contract to administer the State Health Plan cost $9.4 billion to cover roughly 740,000 people. That’s “administer,” not actually provide any health care. America, we have a problem.

C. G. Kilburn, Monroe