State auditor needs to step up, be honest about what happened that night | Opinion

Beth Wood

In “NC auditor indicates she won’t resign over hit-and-run,” (March 1) Beth Wood says, “...all I can do...is take responsibility for the accident and fix what was broken.”

But she isn’t taking responsibility or fixing the chief thing that has been broken, the public trust in our state auditor. Instead, Wood has hidden behind lawyers, avoided a court appearance, and largely ignored the media.

Paying for damages caused by the wreck falls into the “least she can do” category. To truly fix things, she needs to tell us honestly what happened that night. Had she done that in December, all but the legal outcome of this sorry episode would be behind her. Instead, it lingers around her like a bad smell.

Waiting for the facts to come out in court might be a good legal tactic, but for a public official, it’s disastrous. The public deserves and wants more from our leaders.

Jeanne Yocum, Durham

Abortion ban

Regarding the March 2 front-page photo... The group praying with former U.S. Rep Mark Walker for a six-week abortion ban appeared to be primarily male. Perhaps if men were required to pay child support until any offspring reached age 21 and were required to help women who must bear a perhaps unwanted child, maybe they would have second thoughts. Also, at six weeks many women cannot be sure of pregnancy, or have time to consider what’s the best option for her medically, financially or emotionally.

Deirdre Mack, Durham

NC conservation

I recently found a copy of a 2013 N&O Opinion piece titled “How Republicans killed conservation” by Chuck Roe, former director of the N.C. Natural Heritage Program and founder of Conservation Trust for North Carolina.

I think the N&O should republish it, as it reminds us of outstanding state land and water conservation programs repealed or dismantled in 2013 by the Republican-controlled General Assembly. These programs — the conservation tax credit, N.C. Natural Heritage Trust Fund, and N.C. Clean Water Management Trust Fund — were bipartisan legislation enacted by nearly unanimous votes. They served as models for more than a dozen other states.

How many more land and water conservation areas, parks, greenway trails and preserves would there be today if these programs were still in place? Some of the surplus money the state collects each year should be used to reinstate these programs.

John Sutherland, Holly Springs

Dilbert cartoon

Thank you to the N&O for its courageous and correct decision to remove Scott Adams’ Dilbert comic strip from the paper. As a subscriber and daily reader of the comics page, I concur that Adams can freely hold his own views and can express them as he wishes, no matter how heinous and hateful they are. But his freedom to speak should not be subsidized by readers like me who find his racist views appalling, demeaning and destructive of human dignity. I am glad to know that the N&O sanctioned him in the only way you can, by letting him know his panels will no longer be published by your paper.

William B. Lawrence, Chapel Hill

Dropping Dilbert

I was intrigued by the decision to drop the Dilbert comic strip because of comments made by creator Scott Adams. The stated reason was “...we will not allow our platform to be used by those who espouse hatred and bigotry.” Yet there is plenty of news coverage in your platform by those who do espouse hatred and bigotry — anti-LGBT politicians, racist mass shooters and more. In the future I look forward to the N&O being filled with nothing but rescued puppy stories and bake sale coverage.

Spank McCoy, Wake Forest

Foreign aid

We need to acknowledge that the U.S. is not as charitable as we perceive it to be. Many Americans believe the foreign aid budget is 25% of the federal budget, when it’s really just 1%. Foreign aid has been proven to help national security, overpopulation and overall extreme poverty. According to a United Nations report, the pandemic erased over four years of progress on global poverty. It’s more important than ever to help at home and others around the globe. It is OK to help around the world while also working inside your own country. America is capable of doing both, and doing both will make us stronger.

Lillian Lewis, Fuquay-Varina

Jesus movement

Contrary to Katie Walsh’s Feb. 23 review, my friends and I found the film “Jesus Revolution” an accurate portrayal of the Jesus movement of the late late ‘60s and early ‘70s, some of which we experienced, albeit the Raleigh version.

During that time, St. Mark’s United Methodist Church developed a tremendous youth program that exploded across Wake County, and the congregation graciously opened its arms to us barefooted teenage Jesus freaks who had invaded their ranks.

The film brought back great memories for us, and despite numerous ups and (way) downs in my own life, I have somehow managed to hang on to a faith that was first ignited in 1970 thanks to the Jesus movement. Go ahead and read hippie evangelist Lonnie Frisbee’s bio, but then accept that while people may fall, their good works can still achieve lasting good.

Charley Norkus, Raleigh