WS Chronicle

Young People and Politics 

To the Editor:

As young, concerned students going to Moral Monday rallies, we see mostly senior citizens and middle-aged people participating.

The youth need to realize that their voice is just as important to our democracy as anyone else’s. It is disappointing to see not many young people in politics, which affects their lives in some way.

As summer interns for Democracy NC, we are committed to informing as many people about state government issues and getting more young people engaged in state and local elections. Democracy NC is a great organization to help get more young people informed about what is happening in the state legislature. This will help ensure that our democracy is OF, FOR and BY the people.

For more information, please contact Charles Gray at 336-692-5868 or email him at cgraymtkinley@gmail.com.

Shelby Heart-Armstrong and Charles Gray,
Democracy NC Interns 

Moving with the Movement

To the Editor:

The seventh Moral Monday Rally on the Courtyard behind the General Assembly building in Raleigh on Monday June 17 included over a thousand supporters with  72-, 70- and 61-year-olds reflecting on the meaning of this historic movement. These three met for the first time at the rally and shared civil rights reflections with each other as a way of introducing themselves. The trio was from three different counties: Granville, Wake and Forsyth. The Granville County participant also was present at the March on Washington in 1963.

The Wake County participant was a retired teacher from DOD (Department of Defense Schools) and had many international experiences working with students from Bahrain to Cuba. The Forsyth County participant shared what life was like growing up in a segregated Winston-Salem when the best hotel downtown was the Robert E. Lee Hotel.  The trio had all worked with students in one capacity or another and were appalled at the assault on public education by the policies and budgets passed by the General Assembly. Public education has been the only equalizer in our democratic society that affords access to greater opportunities.

Even though the participants from Granville and Wake Counties were European Americans and the participant from Forsyth was African-American each one was passionate about the misdirection the General Assembly has taken with the lack of support for public education. They agreed that the empty promise of scholarships for at risk students of $4,200 to attend a private school was a cruel joke because the cost of clothing, transportation, etc., to a private school will far exceed $4,200. In addition, the students who are not successful will return to pubic schools and perhaps be behind in their academic progress.

The trio agreed that this movement is essential and encourages all concerned citizens to join the movement and demand your constitutional rights as citizens of North Carolina. Incidently, this writer was the participant from Forsyth County.

Fleming A. El-Amin, Winston-Salem 

Ban Fracking 

To the Editor:

Fracking is a major issue in North Carolina. While some think that it is beneficial to our economy and will not damage our environment, this could not be further from the truth. The jobs that are thought to be created are going to go to experts in the field, which will be hired from out of the state. Also, fracking is dangerous to our economy. Politicians should (instead) support the renewable energy industry.

Margaret Scruggs,
Winston-Salem