President Obama's speech to the nation's elementary and middle school children reminded me of a kidnapper offering candy to lure a child.
The content of Obama's speech was fine. And the candy a kidnapper offers to children is also fine. I pity the ignorant public who merely looks at the content of the president's message (after it was altered in response to conservative outcry) yet still applaud the speech. What's the difference between Obama's speech and catching a kidnapper red-handed, but letting your child eat his candy anyway?
I am a proud American who did not allow this to happen. I brought my children home from school during Obama's speech, whipped out my pocket U.S. Constitution, and read to them the Preamble and the Amendments, focusing on Amendment X. In this one-hour session, they learned how Obama has exercised no respect for this Constitution and would rather sacrifice this supreme law of the land in order to gain power for himself. They learned how he has ignored Amendment X that explicitly limits the power of the government. His actions to take over our private businesses and treat health care as an inalienable right are two prime examples.
Obama selectively ignores the Federalist Papers #45, where our forefathers limited the reach of the General Welfare clause. Let's not keep our citizens or our children in the dark by exposing ourselves only to the media that facilitate Obama's destructive agenda. I beg you, don't take candy from Obama.
CATHERINE PICUT PARKER
Chapel Hill
'Shifty' was a hero
On June 17, Darrell "Shifty" Powers succumbed to cancer. Unless you had watched the TV series "Band of Brothers," you probably don't know who he is. There were no television specials, no newspaper editorials and no big events in the Staples Center. That saddens me. It saddens me because "Shifty" was an honest-to-God American hero.
BUD ELVIN
Durham
Centerfest conflict
As someone who has enjoyed Centerfest for the past few decades, I was disappointed to see that Centerfest this year was September 19-20, which was also the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah.
I know this conflict of dates happened one time in the early days of Centerfest, but it seems that someone has been checking this for several years. The dates for Rosh Hashanah can be found on all calendars that one can purchase at any store, by calling any area synagogue or by Googling dates of Jewish Holidays.
I hope someone on the Centerfest committee can use this as a constructive reminder for Centerfests of the future.
FAYE TRILLING
Durham
