What NC Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson doesn’t get about abortion law

Mark Robinson

Once again a politician claims to know God’s will and asserts that laws that affect all citizens must reflect a religious belief clearly not held by all citizens. This time it’s Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson telling us that we must outlaw abortion because it offends his religious belief.

Gallup polls tell us that most Americans support abortion, within limits. But the extreme religious right, whose political home is in a cynical Republican party, insists that their belief must be enforced by law. This is the same faction that wants legal exceptions for “religious” biases against the protected rights of LGBTQ citizens.

The major religions rely on delivered truth, on laws “from above.” That’s not how laws are made in a democracy that claims to protect free thought, free speech and freedom of religion.

Don Clement, Greenville

Raleigh police

The March 20 article about the fired police detective is an important story. Another important story is that the Raleigh Police Department faces a shortage of 160 officers.

There is a siphoning off of experience to other communities that residents need to be aware of. The starting salary of a Cary police officer is $10,000 more than a Raleigh salary. Wake Forest is also hiring trained Raleigh police officers.

Our home was burgled recently at 11 a.m. on a Monday by four men in masks who drove a stolen car with a loaded gun in the console. Raleigh police caught three of them.

The officers were courteous and efficient. They did the work they’re paid to do, and that we cannot do. To have a civil society, we need to value our laws and those who uphold them.

I encourage the City Council to pay our officers, train our officers, and attract talent so our city will grow to meet its needs.

Elizabeth Smith, Raleigh

A new low

Regarding confirmation hearings for Judge Ketanji Jackson... After three days of questioning by members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, this very smart, well-qualified female judge has shown exceptional patience in answering a multitude of aggressive, repetitive questions, many of which bordered on the nonsensical.

In fact, these hearings have been more successful in illuminated the incredible bias and extreme partisanship of a group of hardcore hyper-conservative U.S. senators than it has been helpful in defining Jackson.

Why has the confirmation process for an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court been allowed to sink to such a low level?

Dean Prestemon, Cary

Sen. Graham

I found Sen. Lindsey Graham’s attempted browbeating of Judge Ketanji Jackson all too predictable — and all too demeaning of his office. I hope both N.C. senators will come around to voting for this outstanding jurist, whatever her gender or ethnicity.

Stephen Fleck, Chapel Hill

Solar, Duke Energy

Regarding “Rooftop solar installers say Duke Energy’s proposed prices would kill the industry,” (March 17):

Duke Energy’s proposed billing scheme is a disaster. Duke argues that residential solar customers don’t use significant amounts of power and thus aren’t paying enough to maintain the grid.

In essence, they are calling someone like me who pays them each month and recently spent thousands on a rooftop system with no rebate from Duke, a freeloader.

If the proposal seeks to decrease peak usage overall and help reduce grid strain, why are only residential solar customers facing variable pricing instead of all customers? And If Duke Energy wanted residential solar customers like me to help address grid strain, why has Duke always excluded us from programs intended to achieve this, like Nest Renew, Energywise, BeatThePeak?

Scott Neidich, Durham

Gerrymandering

I read with great interest and enthusiasm that in 2018 Ohio passed a constitutional amendment to end gerrymandering. To get this amendment on the ballot, they had to obtain a sufficient number of signatures from Ohio residents.

I immediately started researching how many signatures are needed to do the same in North Carolina. Imagine my dismay when I discovered we have no such avenue for change in our state. Proposed amendments to our Constitution can only come from the N.C. legislature.

When the very people creating gerrymandered districts are also in charge of possible amendments banning this abhorrent process, how can we ever end it?

Our country was founded due to outrage over taxation without representation. Gerrymandering is the very same thing and cannot be allowed in a true democracy.

Jack Unruh, Raleigh

Fighting Putin

We should have Radio Free Russia, as we did Radio Free Europe during WWII. The people of Russia need to hear Putin has been branded a war criminal for bombing children’s hospitals and other civilian targets. They should be encouraged to overthrow him.

In addition, the Poles should be encouraged to paint over the insignia on their planes and call themselves the Ukrainian Air Force. They should bomb Putin’s missile sites, as there is no other defense against supersonic missiles. Or else, we should do it ourselves.

Don Rosenbaum, Raleigh

This story was originally published March 25, 2022 at 2:40 PM with the headline "What NC Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson doesn’t get about abortion law."