Trump administration letting churches endorse candidates is latest divisive tactic | Opinion

In response to “‘Enormous pressure.’ NC faith leaders react to IRS endorsement change.”

Many church members believe in the separation of church and state. Many believe churches should not endorse political candidates. The Trump administration has consistently supported measures that attack major societal institutions. Of course, MAGA evangelical churches openly promote Trump.

On the other hand, there are many churches where differences are discussed, ideas debated and decisions and convictions lived out. Opening the issue of whether churches should endorse political candidates creates anxiety, confusion and conflict. Trump is doing what Trump does: creating chaos where there is not any.

Sam Roberson, Fort Mill

Duke basketball

In the July 11 Observer, two excellent articles written by Luke DeCock and Caroline Willis discussed Duke basketball’s preparation for the coming season. Their last game was April 5. They lost in the Final Four, 70-67, after leading with one minute remaining. What many sports fans remember was the rest of the story.

Earlier in the day, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that citizens of South Sudan would be deported. Duke’s center and South-Sudan native Khaman Maluach was aware of this while he was preparing for the biggest game of his life. There was no way he could be ready mentally and physically. He did not play well.

He was picked 10th in the NBA draft. He had tears as he said he was representing the entire continent of Africa and wanted to inspire the next generation.

David Nachamie, Lincolnton

Visit home

I recently visited my hometown of Huntersville, which I left 54 years ago. I attempted a morning walk along Holbrooks Road. Along the stretch, I had to step off the road several times to avoid speeding trucks on their way to the landfill. Sidewalks appeared in the recently built “McMansion-lite” developments along the route.

I guess the folks in the once thriving African American community where I grew up need to sell their property to the latest lowballing developer and be displaced before sidewalks appear. Shameful. By the way, in North Carolina, like most of America, waste facilities are disproportionately located in communities of color and low wealth. Also shameful.

Madlyn Phelan, Greenfield Park, NY

Twilight Zone

During his first week in office, Donald Trump pardoned all of the convicted felons who assaulted officers during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. More recently, Attorney General Pam Bondi has fired justice department employees who were assigned to conduct federal investigations into that matter.

I feel we are living in The Twilight Zone where criminals receive support from a sitting president while federal prosecutors and staffers are punished by their boss, our county’s highest ranking law enforcement officer, for having done their duty.

Arnie Grieves, Huntersville

Nuclear Weapons and Defense

July 16 marked the 80th year since America detonated the bomb — Trinity — at Alamogordo, N.M. From that day forward humanity has confronted uncomfortable truths about nuclear weapons, from their humanitarian consequences to the fragility of deterrence.

Presidents Reagan and Gorbachev understood this, and détente with the Soviet Union and arms reductions were remarkable. The current administration has allocated billions of dollars for a proposed “golden dome” of missile defense. The first nuclear arms control treaty — SALT — in 1972 was coupled with a treaty limiting defense. It was understood that you can’t have one without the other, and that futile attempts at missile defense resulted in a more dangerous arms race.

Western democracies must lead the way in dispelling the ingrained perception of missile defense providing security. Let’s have arms reductions.

Bert Crain, Hickory

CFD Tessie?

I was in Blakeney Town Center, parked next to a Charlotte Fire Department vehicle and did a double take. The vehicle was a Tesla!

Now, I am perfectly tolerant with fleet and personal vehicles being hybrids, but given the fact that a Tesla is not particularly economical in terms of price and maintenance, what provoked CFD to have one?

Taxes are quite high in Mecklenburg county, one of the many reasons why my wife and I live in Union County. Yet, CFD and I am sure other governmental agencies could care less about what the taxpayers are paying when it comes down to purchasing fleet vehicles.

Danton Cardoso, Monroe