The Readers' Forum

Intended context

Often when I read selected quotes or hear sound bites offered on behalf of elected officials, I wonder how intelligent people who have earned multiple terms could say such things. In fact, I find myself frankly a little embarrassed at times as a Republican.

Then I read an article written exclusively by that official, assuring his or her intended context and my embarrassment dissipates. Such was the case of the Jan. 30 guest column by Rep. Virginia Foxx, "Control of schools should be in local hands, not federal."

To the liberal Santa Clauses giving away our hard-earned tax dollars as if it were Christmas in Washington, when data depicts less than impressive program results, I say: Yes, Santa, there is a Virginia and we are proud of her.

JOHN BOST

Clemmons

Life and its stories

Movies like Avatar are not new; only decked out in modern technology and lingo that proves fascinating for those who wish to keep up with the latest Hollywood promotions. These kinds of stories date back to the myths of the ancient world and introduce motifs found in most major religions seeking to deal with the issues of life, death and the worlds beyond ours. Many stories deal with a continual concern about the origins and destiny of life and the conflicts and resolutions of evil and goodness. However, major religions deal with these matters in real-life situations with much uncertainty and conflicts because of our physical finiteness and the basic divides among human beings: locally and globally and even eternally, in faith and ideologies and partisan politics.

Life and its stories are fascinating, but do raise questions about the resolution of human conflicts and our ultimate destiny. Many are challenged to deal with these problems in real life; with hope, successfully and confidently, despite the plights and tragedies of our human confrontations and tribulations. Becoming absorbed in these stories can provide moments of escape, inducing some to seek to live out aspects of these stories in reality. However, all humans are mortal and do well to follow traditions leading to respect of all people and their eternal well being.

The teachings of Christ, "love God and your neighbor as yourself," have proved effective in story and history, as seen in Haiti, for people who practice them faithfully.

JAMES R. "JIM" HELVEY

Winston-Salem

Corporate personhood

I do not understand the lack of outcry from those hollering "socialism" over the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling and its reinforced sanction of corporate personhood.

What is socialism but the strong hand of government using fiscal power to direct public matters? "Father knows best" -- with military and police back-up. What has corporate personhood led to but the strong hand of private enterprise using fiscal power to influence public matters? "Daddy Big Bucks" knows best, historically with federal military and local police muscle occasionally used to back boardroom decisions.

Government leaders are people and therefore their actions must be monitored carefully and tempered accordingly. Large corporations may have some wiser-than-government understanding of the way things actually work, but I have a hard time accepting that their inside knowledge is universally applied for the greater good of all Americans. Perhaps I can hold a few shares of company stock and vote by proxy, but somehow that seems significantly more useless than pulling a vote lever inside the Vienna Elementary School gymnasium.

Remember, the original tea party was inspired by British overlords legally empowering the East India Co. to control a market monopoly and maintain the colonies in economic servitude.

JIM WHEELER

Winston-Salem

We have spoken

Columnist Eugene Robinson is delusional ("Fighting words, winning actions," Jan. 27). His advice to President Obama to push his health-care bill through the Congress at all costs is an indication that he is as out of touch with the American people as the president is.

Through tea parties, through three elections (Virginia, New Jersey and Massachusetts), and through polls showing that 54 percent of Americans hate the health-care bill, we have spoken. It is time to listen.

The president's answer to every issue is to throw more of our tax money at the problem, increase the scope of government and stifle personal freedom and initiative. Jobs are still being lost. Let's try sweeping tax cuts for small businesses that create jobs. Let's stop transferring vast amounts of money from the private to the public sector and let our capitalist society create jobs as it has successfully done for the past 234 years. I suggest Economics 101 for the White House, Congress and all czars. If they pass the course, maybe our country will get back on the road to prosperity.

MARY LOU WILSON

Winston-Salem