Letters to the editor: 02/13/03

Runner should be more considerate

To the Editor:

While I believe lame people get what they deserve in good time, I am still concerned about the recent lack of consideration on the part of a downtown jogger.

While standing on Main Street with a group of friends recently, I glanced up and noticed a man jogging in our direction. After stepping in a little closer to make sure he had enough room to pass, I was surprised and disgusted when he spit at us as he passed.

Don't get me wrong. I jog and do other aerobic activities, and I understand saliva can build up. But his spitting in our direction was totally uncalled for. I would never in a million years spit at him, or anyone else for that matter, so why did he feel the need do this? Did he think we were just a bunch of punk kids hanging out?

If by chance this was an accident and the jogger felt an overwhelming need to relieve himself so rudely and loudly in our faces, then I apologize. But how about spitting in the other direction next time, not at the only other people on the sidewalk.

Lisa Franks

Sylva

County leaders should recruit more jobs

To the Editor:

I was just wondering why Jackson County officials won't let any new businesses come here.

We need jobs badly; I'm so tried of being out of work. I have not been able to find one since I lost my job six months.

Why don't the people in office go out and find new jobs. This would help everyone who is on unemployment and those who can't get it because they were not at the job long enough.

I thought when I moved here things would be good. I was wrong.

Nancy Weiss

Sylva

This just in: 10 Commandments have been updated

To the Editor:

Unbelievable.

This was the only word that came to my mind as I read Sen. Bob Carpenter's (R-Macon) letter in last week's Sylva Herald. ("Sadaam Hussein's elimination is a must," Feb. 6)

I thought I would never find anyone whose views so closely resemble my own. I, too, have great respect for the Rev. John Reid. All of that peace and prosperity stuff just seems a little outdated for our time.

Sometimes I feel that Bob, myself and our glorious President Bush, "a fine, Christian man" (I know those are your words, Bob, but I didn't think you would mind if I borrowed them) are the only three people in the United States who have a correct copy of the Bible.

Bob, I know you know what I'm talking about, but I will expound on it for the sake of the other poor, uninformed church-goers out there. Now, I'll admit that I haven't been to church in awhile, but the last time I went over the Ten Commandments, I distinctly remember No. 6 reading something like this:

Thou Shalt Not Kill (unless at least one of the following is true):

A. You are an American and are using your God-given right to assert your dictatorship-like authority over the rest of the world in the name of democracy.

B. You are somewhat sure that someone is hoarding nuclear weapons, the kind which only Americans (God's chosen people) are allowed to use when they see fit.

C. You are "saving" a race of disillusioned, uninformed people from a crazy, murderous tyrant by killing them with bombs and machine guns.

D. Oil is involved.

If you are a Christian and did not know about these amendments to this Commandment, do not feel bad. They are a late addition passed down to George W. Bush himself, who didn't have time to reprint all Bibles. I'm just glad I was lucky enough to get one of the updated ones. I am not trying to preach to anyone here, I just didn't want you to read Senator Carpenter's letter and think that as a Christian he was being a hypocrite.

Insignificant things like names, backgrounds, beliefs or being certain about the status of nukes do not matter when it comes to America's enemies. What does matter is realizing that Americans are favored by God over any other nationality, and that God does not mind if we kill a few people from another country as long as it makes us feel safer.

Let's hear it for Senator Bob for finally having the guts to come out with the truth.

Travis Roland

Cullowhee

Media missing the point on Duke Power relicensing project

To the Editor:

While local media have been reporting on the concerns related to the preservation of the Dillsboro dam as related to the mitigation process with Duke Power, it appears that the media, as well as the citizens and government of Jackson County, have missed the larger issues inherent with this relicensing process.

The future of the Dillsboro Dam is not the heart of the relicensing process. While the dam is of interest to local residents and businesses, the heart of the relicensing process is the mitigation of the cumulative impact of the dams and reservoirs upon the entire rivershed.

The National Environmental Policy Act, under which the federal relicensing review must be conducted, requires an assessment to protect the public's valuable resources. The relicensing process is a bilateral acknowledgement that although Duke Power provides a service, it does so at a profit; the people of Jackson County deserve compensation for the profitable use of their waters. 

This process is a window of opportunity to decide the future use and management of the entire Tuckaseigee River system for the next 30 to 40 years. It is the opportunity for Jackson County, the town of Dillsboro, and other local governments to join together to craft a comprehensive mitigation settlement that should include a watershed/basin wide conservation fund to support, preserve and restore watershed resources and habitat not directly affected by Duke Power's facilities.

The local media has failed to mention alternative proposals in the public interest for the restoration and preservation of the Tuckaseigee, although several have been offered by conservation groups involved with the relicensing process, such as the N.C. Wildlife Federation, Jackson County Greenways, American Rivers and the WNC Alliance. Included are projects such as construction and management of greenways and stream-side buffer zones, management areas, and the creation of educational materials and sites in collaboration with local interest and schools to increase public awareness of conservation principles.

Such mitigation has been used successfully on other rivers such as the Pigeon River Fund that supports projects and activities that provide direct benefits to the surface water quality, fish and wildlife habitat, and public access. Carolina Power and Light initially established this fund with a $1 million contribution as a part of an $11 million dollar relicensing settlement for one dam.

Other examples include a $25 to $30 million settlement in 1994 for dams owned by New England Power on the Deerfield River in Vermont and Massachusetts. In Michigan Consumer Power Co. negotiated a 40-year license for a $50 million settlement over the use of waters on the Manistee, Muskegon and Au Sable Rivers.

How unfortunate that the greater vision for management and public use of this resource has been missing from almost all of the media coverage and public discussion! Only the Jackson County Greenways has presented a concrete and comprehensive $22 million Greenway plan for the Tuckaseigee River as part of relicensing; however, this proposal was not considered newsworthy.

By focusing on the Dillsboro Dam, the media, as well as most of the public, is missing the much larger opportunity afforded by relicensing.

Christine Mericer

Sylva

Back to Archive: 02/13/03.