Tuesday, October 2, 2012 —
The writer is a life-long Carolinian, the longest serving University president in the state, recent inductee into the N.C. Sports Hall of Fame, author of two books and recipient of The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, North Carolina’s highest civilian honor.
The two national political conventions are in our rearview mirror. In one of them, Charlotte shined in the world spotlight. And now we have less than five weeks until we’ll be asked to vote in a very crucial election.
We in North Carolina have an opportunity to do this right.
As a native North Carolinian, I’ve always thought there was wholesomeness about our state – especially when it comes to politics and government – that you don’t see in other states.
There have been some elections in my lifetime when I was not particularly pleased with the choices we had on the ballot – whether red, blue or green.
But this time I think is unique. In the race for governor we have two very fine candidates who have strong credentials.
One served a record seven terms as mayor of Charlotte, our state’s largest city. Another served in the General Assembly and as lieutenant governor for four years.
They have the experience. They have the character traits we’re looking for in a leader. And no matter which one of these two candidates is elected, I’m going to feel good about our state.
We have two very fine people who have offered themselves to serve North Carolina. We owe them decency. We need to treat them in an honorable way.
If you’re a Walter Dalton supporter, give your money, put out campaign signs, talk to your friends and back your candidate. If you support Pat McCrory on the other hand, I encourage you to do the same.
But there’s no reason and no justification for being mean spirited. There’s no reason to drag either one of these two fine and honorable public servants through the mud. They deserve better. North Carolina deserves better.
There have been a few statewide elections in my lifetime when the name-calling got particularly ugly. Even to this day, it’s an embarrassment to those who remember the vitriol.
When I think back on those races – I knew the candidates personally and respected each one of them – no one deserved the harm he received. And I think everybody involved feels badly about it now.
Let’s not let that happen again in this 2012 governor’s race.
Because of the attention the presidential campaigns are giving North Carolina and due to the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, the world will be watching us like never before.
Opinion & Letters to the Editor
Related Photos
-
Jerry McGee
Discussion
A Call for Civility this Election Season
- Opinion & Letters to the Editor
-
-
We are Uniquely Made
Earlier this week the seniors at our school had one final hurdle to jump before graduation. They had to present their senior projects before panels of community members. Each room had four adults: the moderator and the three judges. You can be sure the students were quite nervous, but they usually do a great job. If they have practiced and prepared then they should experience success.
-
Ronald McDonald House of benefit to us all
On Tuesday, Stanly County Managers Association members heard a presentation concerning the Ronald McDonald House in Charlotte.
-
Celebrating small businesses and continuing new ways of communicating
Some stories are worth mentioning again.
-
Editorial: Seizure of AP phone records insult to independent press
This amounts to spying on an American news organization -- common practice in dictatorships but scary conduct in a democratic system that prizes the public value of an independent watchdog press.
-
Google shuts down SMS search, angers people who had forgotten it existed
Instead of texting back search results, Google responds with a short message noting that the service "has been shutdown" (sic) and that you can continue to search the Web by visiting google.com (duh).
-
Walking by Faith
Last week I wrote about waiting on the Lord. I really needed to hear from the Lord, but all I was receiving was “wait.” I really don’t like to wait, but it is important to give God the opportunity to work things out before we proceed. After we wait on God, the next thing we are going to be asked to do is to walk by faith. That means that God is only going to reveal one step at a time, which is almost as much fun as “wait.”
-
Jettie Parker
Jettie Frick Parker, 89, of Albemarle died at 2 a.m. Friday, May 3, 2013, in Trinity Place, Albemarle.
-
Always Learning
I am teaching a class this semester that I haven’t taught in over a dozen years. Although I have taught it before, it still has a feeling of being new. The curriculum has been updated, and I must spend a good bit of time reviewing and preparing for the lesson each day. It doesn’t surprise me that often that I will come across something I didn’t know. The other day I made a big fuss about learning something new. The kids had a good time with that; their teacher learned something new.
-
West of Memphis: My Favorite Documentary Gets a New Partner
I saw “Paradise Lost: The Child Murders of Robin Hood Hills” when it played in theaters in 1996. At some point during the viewing, it became my favorite documentary. A position it has held for nearly 20 years. I own a copy of it, along with the two sequels “(Paradise Lost 2: Revelations” and “Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory).” Many know part of the story told in the films; it is a story that everyone should witness.
-
Childhood bullying linked to adult psychological disorders
A significant study from Duke provides the best evidence we’ve had thus far that bullying in childhood is linked to a higher risk of psychological disorders in adulthood. The results came as a surprise to the research team.
- More Opinion & Letters to the Editor Headlines
-
