WS Chronicle

Congratulations to The Chronicle for great work

Hello to the Great Pitts,

Congratulations on 1st place Sports, second for Best Layout and Design (Broadsheet), second for Best Special Section – happens to be Black Theatre Festival (definitely 1st), 3rd Historic Photo – Mass Moral Monday March.

Many thanks to Donna Rogers, Todd Luck, Ron Rogers, Tevin Stinson and Judie Holcomb-Pack. All those long hours and hard work paid off.

Please congratulate your staff –great job! The Chronicle is a newspaper I read from cover to cover.

Stay happy & healthy – Love to you.

Claudette Weston 

Winston-Salem

McCrory’s signing of HB 972 is appalling

To the Editor:

I am appalled at Gov. McCrory’s decision to sign HB 972 into law. This law is a disservice to the community.

Recent events have proven that we not only need body cameras, but that their content must also be part of the public record.  These recordings provide an accurate record of police activity which better protects citizens and police.

Gov. McCrory’s actions are yet another example of his tone-deaf leadership.  He is out-of-touch with the community.

U.S. Rep. Alma S. Adams 

NC District 12 Charlotte

Note: N.C. Gov. Pat McCrory, following the recent shootings of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile and Alva Braziel (killed by police Saturday morning in Houston, TX), signed House Bill 972, which excludes police video recordings from scrutiny as public records. 

Tragedies linked to gun violence are horrible

To the Editor:

As a native Louisianan, I was horrified to see the video of the death of Alton Sterling. I have stood on the very corner in Baton Rouge where he died. Seeing the video of the aftermath of the death of Philander Castile, another African-American man at the hands of police [outside]  St. Paul in what should have been an everyday traffic stop, only exacerbated my frustration and the frustration of many across this nation. Unfortunately, this is not new. What is new is social media’s ability to broadcast these occurrences in real time.

Everyday interactions with police in poor, black and Latino neighborhoods should not result in death. We must ensure that interactions between police and non-violent members of the community are safe for all involved.

I was similarly heartbroken to learn of the calculated murder of five officers and one civilian by a lone gunman in Dallas. This heartless act is not acceptable and does not speak for the tens of millions of families of who seek partnerships with police to make their communities safe.

The Winston-Salem Urban League is committed to healing the rifts between law enforcement and the communities they serve. In the coming weeks, the Winston-Salem Urban League and several partners will begin an effort in that regard.

National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial issued the following statement in regard to the deadly violence against police officers in Dallas:

“Like all Americans, we in the Urban League Movement are horrified by the fatal shootings of five police officers in Dallas. The violence in our streets is a crisis of epidemic proportions, and we must come together as a nation to end it.

Our hearts go out to the families of the slain officers and those who were wounded and may be fighting for their lives at this moment. We honor the sacrifices that first responders make and the risk at which they put themselves, and we pray every day for their safety.”

Winston-Salem Urban League 

President and CEO James Perry

Americans must come together as Americans, RNC chief says

To the Editor:

Last night’s [July 7] disturbing and cold-blooded violence in Dallas, resulting in the deaths of five brave police officers and the wounding of seven more, was an ugly continuation of a week of tragedies which have shaken our country.

It is devastating to see those who wake up every day to protect us senselessly gunned down in the line of duty. Our hearts break for the families of these slain officers as well as the families of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, and our thoughts and prayers are with them as they try and put their lives back together.

All life is precious and it grieves us to see it lost in the many ways it has been this week. All of these tragedies need to be investigated and justice needs to be served in an open and transparent way.

It is deeply troubling what is happening in our country, and this dark and divided time must come to an end. We must seek understanding with one another, and work as one nation to prevail over injustice in all its forms. Americans want to see our differences resolved in non-violent ways.

We commend law enforcement officers around the country for serving their communities and putting their lives on the line every single day. The sacrifices they make to maintain law and order allow us to enjoy the freedoms we are so privileged to have in this country. We honor the daily calling of police officers across the nation who represent the shield with professionalism, fairness, and restraint, and we express the highest gratitude for their service.

Now is a time when we must come together as Americans. We are better than racial division, senseless violence, and feelings of lost hope. Now is the time for strong leadership that includes everyone in the same, shared vision of the American Dream. In every era, America has shown an extraordinary capacity to rise above even the bleakest tragedies. Let us work together, let us heal together and let us stay together.

Republican National Committee Chairman 

Reince Priebus Washington, D.C.