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Alcohol-Sales Vote
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Published: September 5, 2008
Updated: 09/04/2008 08:25 pm
One of my earliest memories is of standing in a cloth-and-pipe voting booth with my parents at the local fire station. They would have a last-minute debate on some candidate or issue and then mark the paper ballots. Then I got to fold and shove (notice I didn't say "stuff") the slips into the appropriate galvanized tin homemade-looking ballot box. Democracy at its best.
On Sept. 9, here in Yadkin County, we'll vote on the countywide sale of the Devil's Own Elixir. Along with instilling a duty to vote, my mother also had the first political saying I ever heard. She got it from her father. (He was a hard-shell Baptist teetotaler who passed away in 1950; Mom said she was 12 before she learned there was a difference between a Democrat and the devil.) It went like this: "Yadkin County will be dry as long as they can stagger to the polls and vote."
In a few days, we'll see if Pa Taylor knew his stuff.
I urge everyone to get up and vote. Right or wrong, the majority rules, and that's what we'll go by.
KIM HINSHAW
East Bend
Their Own
Before self-righteous Republicans persist in making snide comments in letters about the marital infidelity of John Edwards and Bill Clinton ("Scratched," Aug. 29), they should examine the marital infidelity of their own keynote convention speaker and presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain.
Carol McCain, John McCain's first wife, was a former model who fought to keep the POW issue in front of the public while her husband was a captive. When McCain returned from Vietnam, he was dismayed to see that his wife was disfigured as the result of an automobile accident.
She had lost several inches in height because of leg injuries and had gained weight during her recovery. She was no longer the tall model he remembered, and he soon started seeing other women. McCain told his biographer, Robert Timberg, that he engaged in a series of extra-marital "dalliances."
McCain met and started seeing his current wife, Cindy, before his separation from his first wife.
Edwards chose not to attend the convention, and there is no difference between Clinton speaking at the Democrat convention and McCain speaking at the Republican convention -- that is, unless Republicans think McCain's marital infidelity is morally superior to that of Clinton.
R. DARLENE REINHARDT
Clemmons
Democratic Platform
Judging from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's speech at the Democratic Convention, it is evident that the Democratic Party has no regard for the U.S. Constitution and is attempting to lead the country down the road to a communistic society.
Just exactly where in the Constitution does it state that all American citizens are entitled to free health care, adequate food, free housing, a job, etc.? Before the American people vote Democratic, and, to be honest the Republicans aren't much better, they had better revisit how conditions were under the old Soviet system. While the people were promised all of these things, they ended up with none of them.
DONALD R. CREWS
Winston-Salem
Respecting Rights
I have been meaning to do this for some time now, and a recent incident finally prompted me to do it. Do drivers always try to see just how close they can come to us bicycle riders without actually knocking us off of our bicycles? I have been riding for approximately two years now. There seem to be more and more cyclists on the road because of our current economy. So why don't people respect us and move over a little when they pass us? Would they get that close to their own children? There are signs posted throughout our community that state "Share the road." Do bicyclists try to see how close they can get to the cars beside them? No!
So I hope all drivers will please respect our rights to exercise, commute to work or just enjoy our beautiful city for a relaxing ride.
LEANNE YARBOROUGH
Winston-Salem
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