The Readers' Forum: Tuesday letters

An insider's view

The majority of comments on the recently finished Career Center are positive, as they should be, but there seems to be lingering controversy over its locale. Parents of students seem to be complaining about the neighborhood and our consequent safety. Honestly, I believe they are judging too hastily and need to grasp the fact it takes all kinds to make the world go round.

There is a police station within a stone's throw of the new Career Center, and the crime rate in the new neighborhood is actually lower than that of the old neighborhood.

I often arrive early in the morning, unafraid and confident, when it is still dark outside.

This brings me to another positive aspect of the new location, the view. It is outstanding. I love seeing the lights in the antiquated water towers and the skyline of Winston-Salem. Knowing that my Career Center is now a part of a booming downtown revitalization is an uplifting feeling and reminds me that we can contribute, too. Just like the ballpark, the newly announced hotel, the new restaurants, the condos, new businesses and so much more. The Career Center is part of it, and the energy is palpable. Even though I am not directly responsible for it, it is very exciting, and I am grateful to be a part of it.

The location of the new Career Center is what it is. Let us revel in it!

BESSIE ROSE WOLTZ

STUDENT, CAREER CENTER

Winston-Salem

Pipeline dreams

On Jan. 18, President Obama quashed the development of the Keystone XL pipeline, which could have created about 20,000 American jobs and helped 20,000 American families ("Obama nixes Canada oil pipeline," Jan. 19). It would not have cost the American public a penny, and we would have moved forward toward more energy independence from the Middle East. Now thanks to him, Canada could send the oil through to China. What kind of president:

• intentionally kills American jobs

• aids China instead of America, and

• maintains American dependence on our enemies in the Middle East?

Also, why didn't the Journal report this on the front page? The next time this president asks Congress for a jobs bill, you'll forgive me if I laugh out loud — in disgust.

CHRISTINE PULISELIC

Winston-Salem

A rich heritage

Winston-Salem has a rich heritage in Old Salem and has spent a significant amount of time and energy building itself a reputation as the "City of the Arts." As the years have gone by and the presence of manufacturing plants has lessened their impact on our city, our leaders have also attempted to build technology assets. All of these facts are noted in the guidelines prepared for art submissions for Civic Plaza. I found all of the submissions to be lacking in both skill and aesthetics ("Creative Corridor art submissions go green," Jan. 14).

The prospect of a "green baby" as a symbol of our progress is distressing and, in my opinion, totally inappropriate. I cannot help but wonder what employees of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and Forsyth Memorial Hospital think about this proposal. I also think a sculpture of this nature would lend itself to vandalism and graffiti.

If the leaders of the Creative Corridors Coalition did not get the submissions they were looking for, I would hope they would reach back out to the broad community of artists and sculptors living in this area rather than settle for an inadequate response, especially on such a long-term project.

JOAN RUTLEDGE

Winston-Salem

Ballot proposal

Gov. Beverly Perdue is proposing a sales tax of three-quarters of a penny to restore the funding that the Republicans in the General Assembly have taken away from public education ("Perdue to push higher sales tax," Jan. 18). Those deep cuts have undermined North Carolina's public educational institutions, from kindergarten to the 16-campus UNC system. Yet N.C. Senate leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, is quoted as saying that the governor's proposal is "dead on arrival at the General Assembly."

Since the Republican-controlled General Assembly was so eager to put the regressive "marriage amendment" on the ballot and "let the people decide," why not put this proposal on the ballot also and let the people of North Carolina decide whether they are willing to pay a little bit more in order to bolster education in our state? I predict that a majority of my fellow citizens would join me in approving "a fraction of a penny for progress."

ERNEST J. LUNSFORD

Winston-Salem