From Acts: “Your young men will see visions; your old men will dream dreams.”

As I decided to take a short drive to Greensboro on Saturday, I drove downtown and was amazed to see what the leaders there have done to their downtown. It was wonderful to see so many people actually walking from store to store, eating at the small cafes on the sidewalks, people at the downtown park talking just sitting and having a great time.

It is a community that has come together as one (“Your young men will see visions”). I drove back to my city High Point with, sadly to say, great disappointment downtown – no one talking on the sidewalks, no one able to stop at a little cafe with friends to talk to share a cool breeze under a small umbrella. Downtown was nothing but furniture showrooms – lights out, doors locked, empty sidewalks. Nothing. Almost a ghost town, except for a few cars zipping through.

I know that at one time the furniture market was a bigger event, but I have noticed not as many visitors as in the past. There are some who will disagree with me (“Your old men will dream dreams”). I say to High Point, wake up. Let’s get some of the old ideas and put them where they belong in the past. Let’s restore downtown High Point. Let’s elect young visionaries with fresh ideas and stand behind those ideas.

I truly believe that what was touted as a great event (the High Point Market) has had its day, or better put, its twice-a-year event. Let’s move on. It can be done. Look what Greensboro has done with old buildings and young visions. As a native High Pointer, I hope to see this become a reality.

Lois White

High Point


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Misuse of quotes alters facts about Sen. Robert Byrd

It’s nice to be able to misuse quotes and information when writing a letter to the editor. That way you can make the exact point you need to, and not worry about such things as facts.

For Tony Moschetti (Your View, July 9 “Surely, this proves the media’s political bias”), the facts/truth only get in the way. In his most recent drivel (albeit hilarious drivel), he changes a quote from President Clinton to fit his narrative. Besides Moschetti’s inaccurate use of punctuation in the quote, he decided to edit it himself. Bravo!

What President Clinton said at Byrd’s funeral (about Byrd’s Klan membership) was, “He was a country boy from the hills and hollers of West Virginia, he was trying to get elected. And maybe he did something he shouldn’t have done, and he spent the rest of his life making it up. And that’s what a good person does.”

I have absolutely no use for bigots, but Byrd did quit at 35, and President Clinton was right, trying to make up for mistakes is a something a good person does. Also, Moschetti wrote (for comparison of media coverage) that Strom Thurmond was “also a segregationist in his early years, but never joined or recruited for the Klan.” Thurmond lived to be 100 (god rest), so Thurmond’s 60s and 70s “could” be considered his “early years.” Although Thurmond never did renounce his segregationist views (as Byrd had), Thurmond did vote at the age of 79 for the MLK holiday.

Also, Byrd was “dean” of the Senate, as its longest serving member. It’s not a title that the New York Times bestowed on him. The current “dean” is Daniel K. Inouye of Hawaii, who also becomes the first awardee of the Medal of Honor to hold that position. I just love to read Moschetti’s opinions, but his cavalier attitude with the truth is troubling.

Ron L. Pitts

High Point


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Do you like the fact that High Point and Archdale switched their city elections to even numbered years? Does this help voter interest or do other elections distract from city elections? In 30 words or less (no name, address required), e-mail us your thoughts to letterbox@hpe.com.

There’s a rally Aug. 14 at Guilford Courthouse National Military Park in support of Americans’ right to bear arms. Will you attend and openly carry firearms? Should such a rally be permitted on national park property? In 30 words or less (no name, address required), e-mail us your thoughts to letterbox@hpe.com. Here is one response:

• Taxpayers fully support Americans’ right to bear arms! All criminals have access to guns. Law-abiding folks will soon carry guns. Taxpayers don’t have access to armed guards like politicians do!