Your recent editorial regarding the Dell fiasco has stirred several thoughts in my mind: Some agree with parts of your editorial and some disagree.

It would, indeed, be nice if, somehow, there would be an end to incentives by everyone, though I’m not sure if I would like the Supreme Court sticking their noses into it. But, short of that, we’re just going to have to learn how to manage all this mess better.

It’s not the philosophy of incentives that have caused the problems as much as it has been nuts and bolts. The incentive packages are – and should be – contracts; legally binding, supposedly enforceable contracts. Large corporations have armies of lawyers and experienced businessmen working out their side of the deal. Too often, we have, maybe, one overworked attorney, expected to be an expert on everything from sewage plants to museum operations.

Right here in High Point, we came close to getting caught short on the Radisson deal in the 1980s, when the primary developer, Py-Vavra, was having financial difficulty and asked for a re-working of their agreement with the city over the financing of that project. Part of their request was for the city to agree to subordinate its lien to a new primary loan at a much lower interest rate. No problem. However, they also were asking the city to terminate the personal guarantees of its partners on our loan to them to clean-up their financial statements. Had then-Mayor Roy Culler not been the extremely sharp business man he is, we would have been duped into letting them off the hook entirely.

The companies that seek incentives are not necessarily looking out for our best interest. That’s why we need to elect well-qualified public officials, not just people with good public relations skills. Thankfully, we’ve been pretty lucky in our city.

Mike Quinto

High Point


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America has turned its back on Christian principles

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. Psalms 33:12.

In a recent pronouncement, our president said our nation is not a Christian nation. Does this pronouncement remove us from the blessings of God when about 80 percent of our people propose to believe in God? The obsession with the “great wall” of separation (by some of the enemies of God), has robbed us of our freedom to worship our God wherever we may be – whether it be in the White House or poor house. Our Founding Fathers had in mind a government that would not only be hospitable toward Christianity, but would actively encourage and promote Christianity and a reverence for God.

As the Supreme Court stated so clearly in 1892: Our laws and our institutions must necessarily be based upon the teachings of the redeemer of mankind. It is impossible that it should be otherwise. In this sense and to the extent, our civilization and our institutions are emphatically Christian.

My questions is, when has this opinion been overturned? When will the public wake up and realize what is happening in our country? In the recent news – a lady was hauled into court for having a Bible – in of all places, a public school. Is there any wonder that we haven’t been able to win any wars lately?

May God continue to turn us back to Him, through Jesus Christ our Lord!

James Kestler

High Point


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HopeLine offers help for victims of domestic violence

Domestic violence does not discriminate. It’s an epidemic that affects individuals in every community, regardless of age, gender, economic status, race, religion or educational background. While men are not immune to this issue, statistics show that 23.6 percent of women report at least one lifetime episode of intimate-partner violence. That’s a sister, a mother or a daughter you may know who is a victim or who has been affected by domestic violence.

Although we can’t stop domestic violence overnight, we can work to shift the statistics in a positive direction. Major social change starts small. It’s as simple as an individual deciding to take action because good deeds are contagious.

All it takes is one! One person to donate his or her old wireless phone to HopeLine®, Verizon Wireless’ phone recycling and reuse program. The no-longer used phone – quite possibly stored and forgotten – not only represents an opportunity to help give a victim a connection to support or emergency services but also a link to friends, family and potential employers.

Donating phones is simple. HopeLine collects old wireless phones, batteries and accessories from any wireless service provider at Verizon Wireless Communications Stores nationwide or by mail using the postage-paid label available at www.verizonwireless.com/hopelinemailinglabel. Phones given to HopeLine that can be refurbished are sold for reuse, and those without value are disposed of in an environmentally sound way.

If every person reading this gave just one phone and others did the same, imagine the positive impact we could make in the lives of domestic violence victims.

Each of us has an opportunity to take action and help break the cycle of violence. Remember, the only activity too small is the act of doing nothing at all. Every phone counts. So grab your old phone, spread the word and make a difference now during Domestic Violence Awareness Month!

Ike Parker

Charlotte

The writer is an official with Verizon Wireless.


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Obama has not proven to be ‘peace’ president

I don’t think that President Obama should have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. He has (supposedly) gotten rid of torture, pulled some troops from Iraq, and he is supposed to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay someday.

But, he is trying to give the Pakistani government over a billion dollars in military aid, and he may send tens of thousands of new soldiers to Afghanistan. He doesn’t want Israel to be charged with war crimes, and he may bomb Iran even though that country hasn’t attacked us. He wouldn’t meet with the Dalai Lama because he doesn’t want to offend authoritarian China.

When he leaves office, the permanent members of the United Nations and several other countries will still have nuclear weapons. I think he received this prize just because he isn’t George W. Bush.

Chuck Mann

Greensboro


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What must the United States do to curtail Iran’s suspected development of nuclear weapons? E-mail comments (30 words or less) to letterbox@hpe.com (no name, address required).

• Plan a secret bombing on Iran by dropping Obama, Hillary, Reid and Pelosi on them. That will take care of them as they are sure destroying us over here.

• We will negotiate with Iran until another Pearl Harbor happens unless Israel responds and does what it has to do. Now, they are alone again.