Observer Forum: Letters to the editor 01.14.16

Hamid’s removal from rally warranted

The writer is a Charlotte attorney.

In your rush to glorify Rose Hamid and her recent disruption of the Trump rally, you are conveniently overlooking one critical fact: Rose Hamid is wrong on the law.

Despite her assertion to the contrary, Ms. Hamid has no more legal right to disrupt a private, ticketed indoor campaign rally than Trump would have to disrupt a service at her mosque in silent protest of the hate speech in the Quran.

On the public sidewalk outside the event, yes. Inside the private event, no. Check the ACLU website.

That is why the Trump rally security team was able to remove her. Legally.

Matt Joyner, Charlotte

Hough must own up to Islam’s issues

In response to “Why I got thrown out of Trump’s rallies” (Jan. 13 Opinion):

If Jibril Hough wants to speak to more than his own Muslim choir, he needs to occasionally own-up to the problems of Islam.

It is clear that the religion of Islam is feared in the West and for good reasons. Were it not so, Donald Trump would have no listeners.

I have no ax to grind with American Muslims living in peace, but Hough’s one-sided view is an irritation.

Islam has a problem. When Hough accepts that, perhaps he will be worth reading.

Kent Ashton, Concord

Stop ignoring needs of N. Meck residents

In response to “City Council votes to back I-77 toll lanes” (Jan. 12):

The Charlotte City Council vote to continue the I-77 toll project comes as no surprise to North Mecklenburg residents.

Although all in Mecklenburg pay an additional half-cent sales tax dedicated for transit, the City Council continues to use the money to enhance light rail in South Charlotte, and now in University City, but not in North Mecklenburg.

We are tired of Charlotte ignoring the needs of the North Mecklenburg residents, as they have been doing for 30 years.

Sidney Abramsky, Huntersville

There was a failure of leadership on tolls

Anti-toll proponents lost not because they didn’t have a great cause. They failed because they let the wrong people hijack their movement.

Instead of concentrating on the Cintra contract, they tried to destroy former Huntersville Mayor Jill Swain and former Cornelius Mayor Lynette Rinker, and in the end pushed out two faithful public servants.

They tried to say the contract was unconstitutional and the courts handed them their heads.

They didn’t keep their eye on the central issue: the contract. Instead, they tried to destroy everything in their paths like a bunch of French Revolutionary anarchists.

Jim Van Meerten, Charlotte

Toll agitators trying to right a wrong

In response to “Consider the cost of canceling toll lanes” (Jan. 12 Forum):

To label those who care enough about the future impact of this unacceptable toll contract as “anti-toll agitators,” as Forum writer Carroll Gray did, brings to mind other agitators, i.e. Boston Tea Party members and Martin Luther King supporters.

At times it takes an agitator to correct something going very wrong. This is one of those times.

Jay Howard, Mooresville

Now let’s focus on getting cars off I-77

In response to “Mayors talk about their towns, visions” (Jan. 13):

Of the three mayors who were quoted, Davidson’s John Woods struck the loudest chord when he cited “the huge need to develop a functional regional transit system.”

The energy generated by the anti-tolls movement should be redirected toward making such development a reality.

As a start, the three North Meck towns ought to cooperate by focusing on public transportation that would get local automobile traffic off I-77 and get drivers and passengers into clean-fuel-powered modern buses.

Constance Kolpitcke, Cornelius

I kept my plan, doctor but still see flaws

Forum writer Spencer Rackley says President Obama was untrue when he said “If you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan” and “If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor.” (“I don’t trust Obama on 2nd Amendment,” Jan. 8 Forum)

I, like millions of Americans, kept my health care plan and my doctor.

Others have volunteered to me that Obamacare has helped them greatly.

But I say to all, it should not have been mandatory and there should be no fines for not enrolling.

Jim Little, Wadesboro

This story was originally published January 13, 2016 at 6:09 PM with the headline "Observer Forum: Letters to the editor 01.14.16."