The Readers' Forum

By: Letters To the editor | Winston-Salem Journal
Published: February 28, 2010

Childish behavior

I have a suggestion regarding the childish behavior that's going on in Washington. Build a large football arena-sized playpen, put all the Republican and Democratic members of the House and Senate in it and don't let them out for at least 48 hours. Maybe if they are forced to stay together they will learn to "play" together and stop all the nonsense that's going on today.

My children behaved better growing up than all the politicians in Washington are behaving. Maybe a good spanking would solve the problem.

RUTH WHARTON

Advance

Waste of time and money

I do not live in Winston-Salem, but I am extremely upset over the decision to appeal the federal-court decision that told the Forsyth County commissioners that they cannot allow sectarian prayers during their meetings ("Prayer appeal OK'd," Feb. 23). I can only assume that the commissioners and the folks who approved this stupid and fruitless appeal are just total and complete idiots. They are the same morons who have voted for Rep. Virginia Foxx repeatedly and sent her to Washington to make ridiculous statements on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.

I believe that the money wasted on this appeal could be much better spent on the real needs of the citizens of the county. It is, in my opinion, a complete waste of time and money.

If the organizations promising to pay the legal costs were truly Christian organizations, they would be pledging this money to assist all of the citizens in their community.

BARRY S. HALPERT

Boone

Watched the meeting

I watched the Forsyth County commissioners meeting on TV on Feb. 22, then read the Journal story about it ("Prayer appeal OK'd," Feb. 23) the next day. Here are my impressions:

I know that many will not take kindly to the comments on race issues offered by commissioners Beaufort Bailey and Walter Marshall, but Bailey was right to question the lack of black ministers in the audience. In fact, the audience was not only largely white, but judging by those who commented, it seemed largely Baptist. Why is sectarian prayer primarily a white Baptist concern?

After the commissioners' vote, most of the audience scattered. Apparently, they're not really interested in the business of the county; they're only interested in making sure that their god is advertised adequately. I've got a feeling they won't be returning for the next meeting in two weeks, either.

Seriously: Should these white Baptists be able to dictate the terms of meetings that they're not even going to bother attending? What's the point? That is the height of hypocrisy.

Is it too late for commissioner Dave Plyler to change his vote?

BONNIE TOLIVER

Winston-Salem