Opinion Letters
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Investments in the community
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Published: October 24, 2009
The writer of "Party ignores small businesses" (Oct. 16) cites "improvised facts," which are false in themselves and quite deceiving to the illiterates who take anything they read to be the truth. For instance, the writer implies that our mayor and most of the city-council members approved a $42 million "giveaway" to bring Dell Inc. and the ballpark to our area. Obviously, he forgot that these were not "giveaways," but investments in the community for all of us, including small businesses. These funds invested in so-called useless ventures were indeed risky, but guarantees were put into place to recoup part or all of the investments in case of default by these corporations.
Why do such politicians continue to spread half-truths and misleading assertions (in reality, falsehoods) in order to achieve their control over our lives? Evidently, a majority of citizens agree that we have the finest mayor, the honorable Allen Joines, serving our city in a time like this that we could hope for. Also, our city-council members have been quite forthright and open to all citizens as they continue to do an excellent job in a tough and trying time. Our Southwest Ward council member, Dan Besse, is an honest and upright leader, and he continues to do commendable work for our city and especially our Southwest Ward. Thank you, honorable mayor and respected city-council members.
THE REV. RAY W. BENFIELD
Winston-Salem
Republican economics
The writer of the letter "Party ignores small businesses" (Oct. 16) tries to take Winston-Salem City Council Member Dan Besse to task for supporting Dell Inc. and the ballpark a couple of years ago rather than helping small-business owners "in these tough economic times" now -- as if Besse could have made that choice a couple of years ago if only he'd learned to foretell the future. But the fact is that the city has helped small-business owners with programs like the Restaurant Row loans and grants to the downtown research park. So city assistance really isn't either/or; our city council has simply tried to help Winston-Salem grow.
But beyond that, I thought that Republicans believed in trickle-down economics. I thought they preached: "A rising tide lifts all boats." Had Dell and the ballpark panned out as initially expected -- before this unpredictable worldwide economic downturn -- they would be feeding dollars to ancillary businesses. They would also be feeding our tax coffers much more substantially than smaller businesses can. (In fact, Dell paid county taxes to the tune of around $745,000 last year.)
So, the writer, an officer in the Forsyth County Republican Party, is condemning Besse for practicing Republican economics. That seems odd.
I can't help but think of the current national Republican Party, always ready to jump in and offer some destructive criticism and a hearty "no."
MEL H. HENDERSON
Winston-Salem
Iran's leadership of hate
Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is a denier of the Holocaust and wishes to see a world without Zionism. While he would settle with the end of Israel's existence, I have no doubt he would be happy to see the end of all Jews.
Arabs who chose to fight against the creation of Israel and simultaneously rejected the creation of an Arab Palestine in 1948 did so by their own free will. The refugee status of Palestinians was brought on largely through their hands and a sad series of events, most of which could have been avoided over the last 60 years if the Arabs desired peace.
Israel has repeatedly and consistently been prepared to make peace. Sadly there have been few partners on the other side of the negotiating table. Iran's current nuclear ambitions to destroy Israel and other targets are the result of Iran's leadership of hate. That there are among our fellow citizens in Winston-Salem sympathizers for Iran is unsettling. That the Winston-Salem Journal chooses to give voice to them so freely is your right, though not appreciated by all.
RABBI MARK STRAUSS-COHN
TEMPLE EMANUEL
Winston-Salem
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