To the Editor:

Kurt Vonnegut, a prophetic fiction writer of the 1960s, wrote an amusing, disturbing and satirical short story called “Harrison Bergeron,” describing a future day in 2081 when the ruling government has perfected an equalized society. Any natural talents a person might possess beyond the average must be compensated for by the Handicapper General. If one is better looking than anyone else, he or she must be made ugly with masks or distorted features. Taller than average? You wear weights around you at all times. Naturally graceful or athletic? You wear chains to drag you down. And if you are of greater than average intelligence, you hear disrupting noises to impede any sustained thinking you might do. Success in any area of life is met only with punishment. 

It is a society where equality has come at last, and people have no idea how closely their lives resemble those of laboratory rats living in closely-monitored mazes. This futuristic American society of “Harrison Bergeron” operates on communistic principles supporting the idea that all wealth and power should be distributed equally, and individualism and exceptionalism must be suppressed for the good of the whole. It is a society of mediocrity and stagnation where the media tells you what to think and feel. There are no independent thinkers left. 

Hollywood portrays many of these same themes in current movies, such as the “Hunger Games,” “The Dark Knight,” and “The Bourne Identity” series, questioning how we are to survive and keep our human dignity in worlds where powerful forces, usually governmental, try to suppress our beliefs, rights and basic humanity by making us totally dependent upon it. The independent thinker, who stands up to these evil, shadowy forces becomes the savior of himself and his world. 

Are there any independent thinkers left today? Do you call yourself an independent, and if so, just how independent are you?

There is little argument that our Forefathers, the Founders of this nation, were independently-minded fellows. They understood subjugation to an out-of-control government that was telling them what to buy and trade, how to live and behave, when and where they could meet, and which imposed unjust taxes and regulations on many areas of their lives never taxed before. 

Finally they had enough; the American Revolution became fact; and the happy result was a nation of independently-minded people who produced an exceptional country where hard work and success are celebrated and rewarded, where freedoms of thought, speech and religion are cherished values and where educated people are free to make choices which benefit themselves and society as a whole. Is this the society we still want, America? Or is it more important to have “shared-sacrifice,” a “level playing field,” equal opportunities and benefits for all mankind, “political correctness” and a government which recognizes no needs but its own and gives us the “right” to live by its rules, whims, and definitions? How independent is your thinking? 

Laurie Wright

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

To the Editor:

Much has been said this election year on the Republican “War on Women.” Some believe it exists while others doubt it. 

I have believed for some time that it exists, beginning with Rush Limbaugh’s “slut” comment. There are local examples as well. Just the past week, N.C. Sen. Jim Davis (R-Franklin) was quoted in an article regarding funding cuts for pre-K programs for low income children as saying that the government shouldn’t be in the business of “making up for poor parenting.” Sen. Davis was also quoted as saying “I think the greatest gift a father can give his kids is their mother at home.”

Well Sen. Davis, as a single parent, I find your comments personally insulting and really believe you live in some sort of alternate universe. Just because parents are low-income and in some cases single doesn’t mean they are bad parents. I have seen good and bad parenting among all income levels and marital statuses. The low income children need the Pre-K program because their parents can’t afford an expensive pre-school where their higher income peers have the advantage of getting ready for public school. Our world is much more complex these days and kids need to be ready at an earlier age.

As for the comment about the kid’s mother at home, haven’t you realized that the “Leave it to Beaver” show hasn’t been produced for some time? In most instances, it takes both parents working just to make ends meet, much less pay for pre-school. Even if the mother – or father for that matter – is at home, there’s no guarantee they are educating their child or have the ability to do so. 

As for the Pre-K programs being “free babysitting services” that simply isn’t the case. The workers are well-trained professionals who engage the child in meaningful activities throughout the day. They aren’t just plopped down in the front of a television screen.    

I share your belief that the government can’t solve all of society’s ills, but this is one program that will give future generations a head start and enable them to become productive members of society rather than living off the welfare dole. It’s not hard for me to decide who I’ll vote for in this election.

Betty Dishman     

Sylva

Hardly a week goes by without hearing about another tragic shooting, in a movie theater, a grocery store, a Washington, D.C. family political action office or in the streets of New York City at the Empire State building. Wow! We should do something. Outlaw guns is the first reaction, but is it the right one? Let’s examine the facts. 

Germany has some of the strictest gun control in the world. That’s what we should do, it will solve the problem. Guess what? Five of the worst mass shootings of school children in the past decade where in Germany. Then there is Norway, with very strong gun control laws, but one man was able to gun down almost 70 people with no fear of anyone standing up to him. Why? Because he was the only one with a gun. 

Of course, here at home in the state of Virginia, with significant gun regulations, we watched as Cho killed 32 fellow students at Virginia Tech.  

Now, a new threat to our 2nd Amendment rights comes from, of all places, outside the United States. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is trying to commit our country to the United Nations Small Arms Treaty to regulate our American right to bear arms. Fortunately, the treaty has been tabled, but it is far from dead. There is global determination to disarm America from without and within. Note the following quotations from Kurt Nimmo and Alex Jones at Infowars.com from July 29, 2012.

“Disarming America is undoubtedly a front and center political calculation for the globalists. A number of establishment intellectuals, with Joe Klein leading the pack at Time Magazine, are now pushing “sensible” and “moderate” approaches to disarming the American people. Klein’s Time article in August featured a photo of a 100-round ammo drum of the sort James Holmes supposedly used in Aurora. Gun-grabbers in Congress have set their sites on extended round clips and other firearm accessories. After the election finale in November and the installation of Mitt Romney or the re-installation of Barack Obama as chief teleprompter reader in January, not only will there be a push for a new round of restrictive gun laws in America, but the stalled United Nations treaty will be dusted off and the bickering between nations will finally end with a gun-grabbing consensus.”

Who we elect this fall will determine many factors, one of which is our right to bear arms and our freedom to protect ourselves from threats within and without. A weak president who is willing to compromise with our missile defense following the election as promised to the Russian president will not stand up for our rights in the face of global criticism. 

Kathie Flett

Burningtown

To the Editor:

This is really not an “either-or” situation. Maggie Valley should definitely support Ghost Town as an investment (yes, I pay Maggie Valley taxes, so I’m entitled to that opinion). The town already invests in other things (the fairgrounds, etc.) with the expectation of a return on the investment (ROI). There’s no guarantee that they will get a good ROI on Ghost Town, but it looks better than it has for years.

This is not the same as “putting all our eggs in one basket.” We should definitely not do that. The key is balance. Support as much as is feasible, though. It astounds me that an alderman candidate who supports Ghost Town would be opposed merely for that support. Such support is good for Maggie Valley, but it’s all part of the bigger package of supporting the local businesses that bring people to our town.

David Lybrand

Maggie Valley

To the Editor:

I have no problem with Ghost Town, and I wish them well in their efforts. But I don’t think Maggie Valley and Haywood County should count on it being some sort of economic engine to drive all business in the area. People go on vacations with various destinations in mind, like entertainment, historical and natural destinations. I think the entertainment portion is covered pretty well, but more can always be done. The historical is represented but can be improved upon. 

And I think the big thing this area has going for it that seems to be completely taken for granted are the natural destinations — two national parks and two national forests in Haywood County. My feeling is that there needs to be more emphasis made to embrace the natural attractions of the area and find ways to create businesses that cater to them. 

The mountains bring the people here, we just need to find a way to create an authentic experience for them. Pigeon Forge has the Hee Haw/hillbilly thing wrapped up pretty well, and WNC should strive to attract people to the mountains themselves and to all you can do in and around the national parks and forests.

Scott Stevens

Maggie Valley

As part of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and MedWest Health System’s annual Fall Fight campaign against breast cancer, the women’s imaging centers of MedWest-Harris and MedWest-Haywood are hosting receptions on Oct. 5 to dedicate Trees of Hope to honor and remember breast cancer patients. 

MedWest-Haywood’s tree will be located in the women’s center on the second floor of the new Outpatient Care Center at 581 Leroy George Dr. in Clyde, between the MedWest Health and Fitness Center and the hospital. At 1 p.m., a small dedication reception will take place. Light refreshments will be served. 

MedWest-Harris’ dedication reception will take place at noon at the women’s imaging center, on the first floor of Harris Medical Park at 98 Doctors Dr. in Sylva.

Both trees will remain in place throughout October, and anyone is all welcome to place cards on the trees.

www.medwesthealth.org.

The fourth annual ‘Coats for Folks’ collection is currently underway.

People can drop off gently used or new winter clothing articles for children and adults at any Swain County governmental facility such as the County Administration Building, Health Dept., Social Services, all Swain County Schools, the bus garage and the Swain County Chamber of Commerce. Items may include coats, sweaters, jackets, hats, gloves, toboggans, or sweatshirts.

Last year, more than 400 clothing articles were accumulated and distributed by the Swain County Family Resource Center.

828.736.6222.

The Macon County League of Women Voters will host a forum at noon Oct. 11 at Tartan Hall in Franklin for county commissioner candidates. 

Incumbent Democrat Bobby Kuppers is facing Republican Paul Higdon in District 3. Incumbents Jim Tate and Kevin Corbin are running unopposed.

The event is open to the public, and attendees are welcome to bring their own bag lunch and drink.

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan organization that encourages informed and active participation from citizens in government. It is preferred that there be no display of campaign paraphernalia. Signs and banners are prohibited on the premises. 

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Dodie Allen, vice-chair of the Swain County Republican Party, will host a “Conversation with the Candidates” 8:30 p.m. to noon Oct. 6 in the main building at Uncle Bill’s Flea Market, located on U.S. 74 between Cherokee and Dillsboro.

Republican candidates participating include Mark Meadows, candidate for U.S. House; N.C. Sen. Jim Davis, who is running for re-election in District 50; and Mike Clampitt, candidate for N.C. House 119. The event is informal and open to the public

828.226.3921.

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The Swain County Democratic Party is celebrating the election season with  “Roaring on the River,” starting at 3 p.m. Oct. 13 at Riverview Park in Bryson City.

The well-known local band the Freight Hoppers will begin playing at 3 p.m., followed by speeches from Hayden Rogers, candidate for U.S. Congress in the 11th District; John Snow, candidate for the 50th District’s N.C. Senate seat; Joe Sam Queen, a candidate for N.C. House in the 119th District and Swain County Democratic candidates for School Board at 4 p.m.

A buffet dinner with barbecue chicken, lemon-pepper chicken and all the fixings will be served from 5- 7 p.m. while Liz and AJ Nance perform.

828.736.3470.

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Joe Sam Queen, the Democratic candidate for the state House in District 119, is attending couple events in the coming days.

• People are invited to the home of John Highsmith, 472 Cansadie Top in Waynesville, for a “Joe Sam Queen House Party” from 3-5 p.m. Oct. 7. 828.627.9005

•  Meet Queen from 5:30-7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 9, at the Alarka Community Center in Bryson City. For more information or directions, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Construction Career Day will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 3 and 4 at the Haywood County Agriculture and Activities Center.

The event aims to promote the construction field to high school juniors and seniors. Students in the WNC area can talk to contractor personnel, vendors, university and community college representatives to ask questions about training and educational opportunities.

919.508.1781 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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The Alzheimer’s Association is hosting a Walk to End Alzheimer’s at 1 p.m. Oct. 7 at Lake Junaluska.

Participants can learn about Alzheimer’s disease and how to get involved with the cause, from advocacy opportunities, the latest in Alzheimer’s research and clinical trial enrollment to support programs and services.

Start or join a team today at www.alz.org/walk or 800.272.3900.

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The Kiwanis Club of Waynesville is reviving the popular Spelling Bee fundraising event that was run for many years by the Haywood County Literacy Council.

The event is scheduled for Nov. 2 at the First Methodist Church in Waynesville. The club is already seeking sponsors and individuals willing to participate.

828.926.3678 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.452.3573 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Jackson County’s early college program for high school students is holding several information sessions for its 2013-2014 school year during the next few months.

All sessions will begin at 6 p.m. and will be held at Southwestern Community College’s Sylva campus, in the lobby of the JCEC building (next to the Holt Library). The dates are: Oct. 8, Nov. 13, Dec. 5 and Jan. 24.

The high school/college program allows students to earn both a high school diploma and a two-year college degree free of charge. Early application deadline is Feb. 1, 2013.

828.339.4468.

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First Citizens Bank, in partnership with the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce, will sponsor its third annual Community Shred Event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 12 at the branch located at 196 Walnut St. in Waynesville. A Cintas Document Management truck will destroy unwanted sensitive materials free of charge for all area residents.

Residents are invited to bring old documents such as ATM receipts, checks, tax information, credit card statements, copies of bills, mail and other papers containing personal information that could provide thieves an easy way to steal money or an identity. Dry paper only will be accepted (no plastics, media tapes or cardboard).

The event will be held rain or shine. A drawing will be conducted for a home paper shredder.

828.452.6300 or firstcitizens.com.

The Cherokee Indian Police are investigating an apparent robbery and homicide that occurred in the parking lot of the Fairfield Inn & Suites in Cherokee last Saturday.

Witnesses said a person with a black mask and dark clothing grabbed a purse from a woman and fired a gun shortly before 10 p.m. 

MedWest Health System’s Urgent Care Centers in Sylva, Canton and Waynesville are now open from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., seven days a week to provide greater access to care for people experiencing non-life-threatening illnesses or injuries.

The urgent care centers are located at 556 Hazelwood Ave. in Waynesville, 55 Buckeye Cove Road in Canton, off Exit 31 on I-40 and 176 Walmart Plaza in the Walmart shopping center in Sylva.

MedWest’s Urgent Care Centers are able to treat patients with any kind of injury or illness that is not life-threatening and not a chronic condition. Healthcare practitioners are also able to help patients learn about local physicians who can then see them for follow-ups and ongoing care.

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The Town of Waynesville Planning Board currently has three vacancies that need to be filled.

The Planning Board serves as an advisory board to make studies of areas, prepares plans, and develops policies, ordinances and administrative procedures. Regular meetings are held on the third Monday evening of each month at 5:30 p.m. in the Town of Waynesville Board Room.

People interested in applying to serve must reside within the town limits of Waynesville. The town Board of Alderman will make the appointments.

Applications are available at the municipal building located at 16 South Main St. or at www.townofwaynesville.org.

828.452.2491.

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The Haywood County Chamber of Commerce Women in Business and the Young Professionals of Haywood has launched a “Partners in Leadership” mentoring program.

“Partners in Leadership” is designed to prepare Haywood County Young Professional Women to become future business leaders by connecting them with seasoned Women in Business professionals in their field, allowing young women to develop professional/career goals and the skills necessary to achieve them. 

Interested Young Professional Women may submit an application to the program. Applications are available at YPHaywood.com.

828.456.3021 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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North Carolina Department of Transportation is preparing to make safety improvements to the intersection of U.S. 19/23 at Jones Cove Road near Haywood Community College in Haywood County starting in October. The project will include installing a raised concrete median to restrict turning movements from side streets to reduce the number of crashes and streamline traffic flow.

When the project is complete, vehicles traveling on Jones Cove Road will not be able to continue straight through U.S. 19/23 intersection. Vehicles traveling north on Jones Cove Road from Haywood Community College will be able to turn right on U.S. 19/23 East toward Clyde or left to U.S. 74 and vehicles traveling south on Jones Cove Road will only be able to turn right to U.S. 74. Construction is expected to be complete by the end of 2012.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.631.1185.

The third annual Rooted in the Mountains symposium at Western Carolina University will be held from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 4, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5, at A.K. Hinds University Center.

Rooted in the Mountains is designed to raise awareness of the intersection of health, language, environmental and indigenous issues with the stewardship of Appalachia and its resources.

Organizers encourage those interested in the effects of continued destruction of mountain landscapes and learning more about the native ways of understanding these issues to attend.

Presentations include movies, speakers, discussions and concerts, with topics ranging from the human connection to the land to Cherokee language. Several programs this year have a focus on Cherokee issues.

Early registration is available through Sept. 28 for $75 and then increases to $125. Registration is available online. rootedinthemtns.wcu.edu or 828.227.3926.

When the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was created in the 1930s and 1940s, hundreds of families were forced to leave their homes and farms to make way for the new park. An extensive research project is now underway to map and characterize the home sites of the people who once lived in the Swain County section of the park.

A presentation by Don Casada and Wendy Trehern Meyers on the project will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 27, at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City.

This presentation is an overview of their research and will be of interest to anyone concerned with local history or genealogy. The researchers are also looking for descendents of the original settlers, along with pictures and stories to help contribute to the body of knowledge. 828.488.3030.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s Rocky Top Trail Crew is looking for volunteers to help reconstruct a remote section of the Appalachian Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park from Sept. 30 to Oct. 7. Food, gear and equipment will be provided in exchange for labor.

The crew will spend eight days living in the backcountry building steps, turnpike and trail structures to protect and harden one of the most damaged sections of the trail. Paid crew leaders will work alongside volunteers and teach them the latest techniques in trail construction. Partners from the Backcountry Horsemen of America will also provide assistance to the crew by packing up food and tools for a week of hard work.

The Rocky Top Crew is supported by the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club, the National Park Service, the ATC, Mountain Khakis and the North Carolina Recreation Trails Program grant. The 70 miles of the A.T. through Great Smoky Mountains National Park crosses the Trail’s highest point and traverses the most diverse ecosystem and the largest roadless area along the Trail.

828.254.3708 or appalachiantrail.org/crews.

The Haywood County Master Gardener Volunteer Association is accepting applications for grants for horticultural projects in Haywood County. The deadline for submissions is Monday, Oct. 1.

The grant money must be used for research or educational purposes in the area of environment, gardening or horticulture. Beautification projects will not qualify. For example, in previous years, several local schools have requested and received grants for greenhouses and gardens to teach students how to propagate and care for plants. Applications for grants more than $200 should be accompanied by a detailed budget and timeline. Each application must have a Master Gardener sponsor, who will review the application and budget, oversee funding and report to the MGVA on the progress of the project. 828.456.3575.

An effort to re-establish the Cullowhee lily on the Western Carolina University campus gets under way this fall with a fundraising drive, a bulb sale and ceremonial planting in the Centennial Garden.

Paddlers hungry to sample the newest whitewater run to hit WNC’s rivers will flock to the upper reaches of the Nantahala River this Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 29 and 30.

Nantahala Outdoor Center will host its end-of-season Guest Appreciation Festival Sept. 28-30.

A cornerstone of the annual event is the used gear marketplace, a flea market where enthusiasts can buy and sell gear to one another. Kids can experience the outdoor climbing wall, try out NOC’s new Zip Line Adventure Park, catch a live raptor show, enjoy storytelling, bounce houses, games and face-painting.

Adults can watch a range of free outdoor events, including acrobatic bike trials exhibitions, a head-to-head “boater cross” race, a freestyle kayaking competition, and a slalom kayak race. They are also invited to participate in wilderness survival skills clinics and an on-the-water surf school.

Five bands will play live music on Friday and Saturday at NOC’s riverside café and bar. This year’s lineup includes music by the Freight Hoppers, the Vertigo Jazz Project, the Packway Handle Band, the Archrivals and The Secret B-Sides.

The event is anchored by NOC’s used gear sale where the company liquidates gear and equipment used throughout the summer season. Dozens of manufacturer representatives will be on hand to discuss product features and answer guests’ questions.

www.noc.com/GAF or call 866.535.5743.

Grab your axes. The 17th Annual John G. Palmer Woodmen’s Meet at The Cradle of Forestry in the Pisgah National Forest will take place Saturday, Oct. 6. Events will run from 7:45 a.m. to 8 p.m. and feature competitions such as the axe throw, the pole climb and the cross cut saw race. Forestry students from Haywood Community College’s awarding-winning lumberjack team are one of six teams from a several state area that will be competing, along with N.C. State University, Virginia Tech, Montgomery Community College, Warren Wilson College and Penn State Mont Alto.

The lumberjack competition is part of a larger event called Forest Festival Day. Other activities of interest during the day will be exhibitions of Southern Appalachian cultural heritage by more than 30 traditional craftsmen, forestry students, wood carvers, weavers and a blacksmith. The cost is $6 for ages 16 and up and $3 for kids.

828.877.3130 or www.cradleofforestry.org .

The U.S. Forest Service reopened Dry Falls in the Nantahala National Forest Saturday, Sept. 22. The site has been closed since April for repairs. Significant improvements were made this year to the historic and scenic Dry Falls Trail.

Grab the kids and the bikes and head to the trails of Deep Creek outside Bryson City to celebrate ‘Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day’ 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 6.

Bryson City Bicycles will lead a free group mountain bike ride in the Deep Creek section of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, geared for young riders ages 6 to 16. After the ride, there will be bicycling games, prizes and refreshments. Parents can either drop their kids off for the event or are welcome to stick around.

The nationwide “Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day” is supported by the International Mountain Bicycling Association.

Space is limited so reservations are required. Stop by Bryson City Bicycles in downtown Bryson City or call 828.488.1988.

www.imba.com/resources/kids/index.html

Wild foods expert Alan Muskat of Asheville will lead a foraging workshop from 1 to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Sept. 28 and 29, at Haywood Community College in Waynesville.

Participants will learn “find dining,” or how to safely identify, harvest, and prepare wild foods. The workshop will also cover wild medicines, dyeing with mushrooms. Experience the life of a modern hunter-gather firsthand with Muskat’s blend of poetry, story and song.

The workshops are being offered in conjunction with The Heritage Life Skills Fair, taking place at the Haywood County Fairgrounds nearby. The cost is $50, and pre-registration is required. www.NoTasteLikeHome.org or 828.779.2121.

Owls, falcons and other birds of prey will make an appearance at the Haywood Historic Farmers Market in Waynesville from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 29.

Doris Mager, known as the eagle lady, has dedicated her life to rehabilitating and caring for orphaned and injured birds of prey. Mager, who works with the organization Save Our American Raptors, will give people a chance to get up-close and personal with some of her birds, as well as learn about these amazing species. T-shirts will be available for sale depicting some of the North American Birds of Prey. You can also have your picture taken with one of the birds. A $5 donation is requested.

Also featured at the farmers market will be Jim Rigg & the Coffee Branch Band on stage playing some of the finest toe-tapping gospel, old standards and original songs in the area. 828.456.1793

In honor of National Banned Books Week and to celebrate the freedom to read, the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City is challenging patrons to read a challenged book.

From now until Oct. 5, the Marianna Black Library will have a display of books wrapped in plain paper with only an explanation of why the book has been challenged in the past. This will allow patrons to only guess the title of the book they’re about to check out. If you decide to check out a challenged book.

Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Typically held during the last week of September, it highlights the value of free and open access to information. Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community — librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular. By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week attempts to draws national attention to the harms of censorship.

828.488.3030.

The “tween” writing group “Write On!” for 8- to 12-year-olds will meet at 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 4 at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva.

The group will meet twice a month in the conference room of the library. A similar program for older teens, aged 13-16, will be called “WORD” and will begin meeting on Oct. 11 at 6:30 p.m. in the same location. “Write On!” began last year and was a success, with 20 regular attendees. At the end of last year’s workshop, the children submitted stories and poems for a book that was published and put in the library’s catalog. “Write On!” will meet twice monthly through December. A spring schedule will be decided upon at a later date. Like the group for younger writers, WORD will also meet twice monthly through December. No sign-up is required for either of these programs.

828.586.2016 or www.fontanalib.org

To the Editor:

I just don’t get it.

Many Republicans think that Obama is a Kenyan socialist out to destroy the country by creating a permanent welfare state with money stolen from rich people. But why would they not believe that since most Republicans live in a fact-free Fox News bubble. What I don’t get, though, is independent voters, people who still believe in provable facts who continue to believe in that extreme Republican narrative.

 Take for example the Romney-Ryan budget. They claim that it will benefit the middle class and create jobs. Yet, what it actually does, is create new tax breaks for the wealthy; tax cuts which will be added to the already budget busting Bush tax cuts. By their own figures the top 1 percent would get more than $155,000 in tax breaks. This budget also calls for almost no taxes on investment income, which is most of their income.  Mitt Romney’s own taxes rate would be about 1 percent. No that is not a misprint but a provable fact.

So if under the Romney-Ryan plan, the wealthy pay almost no taxes on invested wealth, who do you think will be paying for the government services we all depend on? Answer — the middle class. The poor have little to give. As for creating jobs, their budget  depends only on trickle down money from the top, an idea that was thoroughly disproved during the Bush years.

If you listen to their billionaire paid for ads, you would think that the national debt was the worst crisis facing this country. But the Romney-Ryan budget would not balance the budget for nearly 30 years, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office. And during that time, it would add $4 trillion more to the national debt.

 Republicans accuse Obama of removing the work requirement for welfare. It is an unmistakable attempt to anger white voters using the tried and true “welfare queen” stereotype. Every credible news organization has characterized the ad as outright lies. Yet they continue to run the ad because they believe emotions are more powerful than facts.

On a local level we have only to look at what the N.C.  Republican legislature has done to education funding in to see the disconnect between what they say and what they do. There have been a billion dollars in education cuts in the current budget according to the N.C. Department of Public Instruction. But Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, says that the legislature “continues to fully fund at the state level all classroom teachers and teaching assistants.” That statement would probably come as a surprise to the Macon County Board of Education, which is facing a $550,000 deficit at the end of this year.

If facts don’t matter and emotions rule, then billions in false advertising will work. If you still believe in the truth and provable facts, then make your vote count. 

Louis Vitale

Franklin

To the Editor:

Webster’s dictionary defines the following terms as stated below:

• Conservative: “of or relating to a philosophy of conservatism,” “tending or disposed to maintain existing views, conditions, or institutions.”

• Conservatism: “disposition in politics to preserve what is established,” “a political philosophy based on tradition and social stability, stressing established institutions, and preferring gradual development to abrupt change.”

• Liberal: “of or befitting a man of free birth,” “marked by generosity,” “given or provided in a generous and openhanded way,” “of or constituting a political party advocating or associated with the principles of political liberalism.”

• Liberalism: “a movement in modern Protestantism emphasizing intellectual liberty and the spiritual and ethical content of Christianity,” “a theory in economics emphasizing individual freedom from restraint and usually based on free competition, the self-regulating market,” “a political philosophy based on belief in progress, the essential goodness of the human race, and the autonomy of the individual and standing for the protection of political and civil liberties.”

According to the definitions above, Jesus Christ was a liberal, George Washington was a liberal, Abraham Lincoln was a liberal, and Martin Luther King was a liberal. If any of the above mentioned were conservatives, we would all be Jews, we would still be subjects of England and a king, we would still have slavery, and there would be no civil rights.

So, if you call yourself an American, a Christian, or a patriot, the next time you here someone call their self a conservative, you should be appalled, be afraid, and be enraged because they are what this nation left behind in 1776, 1861, 1964, and finally in 2008. We can’t continue to be a free country if we are controlled by conservatives who would keep us from the very freedom that our forefathers fought and died for.

Stephen White

Franklin

To the Editor:

Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, is apparently living in a world in where up is down, less is more, and the truth in our world is the opposite in his. In a recent “Senate Update” (Aug. 17), he is talking about his accomplishments since he took office and wrote that the legislature “cut the gas tax.” The month before he took office in December 2010, the N.C. gas tax was 31.9 cents per gallon. The gasoline tax today is 37.5 cents per gallon. Maybe in Davis’ world 37.5 cents is less than 31.9 cents. This increase represents approximately $300 million more per year or almost $600 million since Davis took office. The vast majority of this increase is paid by average, middle-class citizens like you and me. I’m sure Davis will probably say he actually did cut the gas tax after he raised it.

Davis wrote himself in the Asheville Citizens-Times on Sept. 18, 2011, that, “It is a fact that teachers and teacher assistants were fully funded in the new state budget.” The N.C. Department of Public Instruction in a news release on Aug. 31, 2011, writes, “This is the first time since the Great Depression in the 1930s that North Carolina public schools have decreased the number of teacher positions during a time of student growth.” Lost educator jobs (both vacant and filled) during the 2011-12 school year that Davis is responsible for were 1,723 teachers and 2,282 teacher assistants. A total of 4,005 educator positions were eliminated that were not available to our students. Clearly the state could have budgeted and funded every one of these lost positions but chose not to, and clearly these jobs were not “fully funded in the new state budget” as Davis wrote on Sept.18.

Davis writes in Macon County News on Sept. 6 that “the facts have not fared well in Ed Morris’ hands.” He is complaining about a quote from the Department of Public Instruction website (www.ncpublicschools.org/budget) that reads, “The 2011-13 biennial state budget that was passed by the General Assembly in June 2011 contained more than $1 billion in cuts to public school funding.” He attacks me for quoting the Department of Public Instruction, but never denies that the quote from the Department of Public Instruction is factually true.

In 2008, because of eight years of disastrous policies by George Bush and the Republican Congress, the United States entered the greatest recession in the last 50 years. When President Obama came into office, the state was facing huge budget deficits because of the economic downturn. Obama was able to pass the Economic Recovery Act that allowed N.C. to receive hundreds of millions of dollars in federal economic aid that helped keep thousands of educator jobs funded until the economy improved and we could again fund these jobs with our own revenues.

Davis apparently would not have taken this federal aid and just eliminated all the teaching jobs this money funded. He and his Republican state legislature did not provide the state funds to replace the temporary federal funds when they took control in 2011. Davis apparently blames loss of education money on federal and local governments, and does not realize that it is our state government that is primarily responsible for funding public education for our children and grandchildren in our great state.

Perhaps the make believe world of Davis’ Wonderland is pleasant place to visit, but the citizens of Western North Carolina cannot afford to have a state senator who lives in “Wonderland” and does not tell the citizens the truth. Let Davis stay in Wonderland, but send John Snow to represent the 50th District on Nov. 6.

Ed Morris, MD

Franklin

To the Editor:

From U.S. media coverage we get the impression that the Muslim world is burning with anti-Western anger over an Islamophobic film, with hordes of violent protesters on the streets threatening us all. Actually, however, most Muslims have found that video as trashy and offensive as we have.

To be sure, the protests have tapped into understandable and lasting grievances over racist, neocolonialist U.S. policy in the Middle East, as well as religious sensitivities about depictions of the prophet Muhammad. But our media have mostly ignored the following facts:

• Early estimates put participation in anti-film protests at between 0.001 and 0.007 percent of the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims – a tiny fraction of those who marched for democracy in the Arab spring.

• The vast majority of protesters have been peaceful. The breaches of foreign embassies were almost all organized by the Salafist movement, a radical Islamist group that seeks to undermine more popular moderate Islamist groups. It was the Salafists that distributed the film far and wide to instigate the rage. Their tactics resemble those of anti-Muslim U.S. pastor Terry Jones (who first promoted the film in the West) and other Western (often Christian) extremists. 

• Libyan and U.S. officials disagree as to whether the killing of the four Americans was pre-planned to coincide with 9/11, and therefore not connected to the film. 

• Apart from Libya and Afghanistan, up to Sept. 20 the protesters had killed no one. The deaths cited by media were protesters killed by police.

• Nearly every major leader, both Muslim and Western, has condemned both the film and the succeeding violence.

• When the pope visited Lebanon at the height of the tension, Hezbollah leaders attended his sermon, refrained from protesting the film until he left, and called for religious tolerance.

• After the attack in Benghazi, ordinary people turned out on the streets with signs, many in English, grieving and apologizing for the ambassador’s murder and saying the violence did not represent them or their religion.

• A leading figure in Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood wrote in the New York Times: “We do not hold the American government or its citizens responsible for the acts of the few that abuse the laws protecting freedom of expression.”

We must be careful not to view the Muslim world as an homogenous unit. In both Western and Muslim worlds moderates far outnumber extremists. The Muslims I’ve known — as a missionary in Malaysia and Singapore, and as a peacekeeper in Palestine — were all among the vast majority who are moderate, friendly, gentle, courteous, generous, hospitable and respectful of me and my faith.

Uninformed, one-sided anti-Muslim comments — whether in pulpit, pew, or private conversation — only serve to perpetuate (and heighten) the us vs. them, good guys vs. bad guys, Christian vs. Muslim climate that legitimates the hate and violence on both sides that we are now seeing.

 Doug Wingeier

Waynesville

To The Editor:

In Carol Adams’ reply to my column (“Proud to be an American … sort of,” SMN Sept. 5, 2012) she asks “Where have you been been these nearly four years, sir?” I would answer that I’ve been closely watching our government and Congress waste time in gridlock, while the president has been trying to clean up the mess G.W. Bush left this nation. Almost from the day Obama took office, the Republican members of Congress signed a pledge to stall any and everything he tried to accomplish in an effort to make him appear as a “do-nothing” leader.

She decries the efforts of the president’s campaign and PACs that have “thrown everything they can conjure up at Mitt Romney,” conveniently forgetting that Karl Rove, the Koch brothers and Sheldon Adelson’s PACs have spent many millions of dollars smearing the president and his efforts, while offering little in substance and few details as to how they would fix things.

She goes on to present her statistics of how much worse off people are, forgetting that the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy have served to increase the national debt, how deregulation of banks and Wall Street has served to increase poverty and trash many people’s retirements, destroyed home values and sent many families to the financial brink — and shaken Americans’ confidence in our government. Does she really think the president controls the price of gasoline?

As a GOP communications chairman, she has an obligation to promote the party’s message, so rather than an opinion of her own we got a regurgitation of the party line which appears to center around “trash and deride the president, without presenting anything substantive or specific about our candidates.”

I also notice the Bushes are somehow missing throughout this campaign, and I can only wonder why.

I thank Ms. Adams for her comments since I feel it only adds to my position that re-election of our president and dumping the Washington do-nothings is the best choice for America.

John Beckman

Cullowhee

To the Editor:

I noticed that last week some of Mitt Romney’s defenders tried to claim that the video from the May fundraising event was “deceptively edited” to make it look like Romney demeaned 47 percent of the electorate.

I find this a very amusing defense considering the ads run by the Romney campaign and supporting Super PACs. Apparently no amount of “deceptive editing” of Obama statements is too egregious for them to try to use against Obama. I guess the Romney camp assumes that if they do it all the time, everyone else does too.

Several fact checking sources have documented numerous lies created by deceptive editing in campaign ads, stump speeches and statements to the press, but they keep repeating the lies anyway. One staff member even said they were not going to let fact checkers dictate the campaign.

Let me suggest two more plausible statements supporters could use in defense of that May speech. One might say, “You can’t believe any other thing Romney has said in this campaign. Why would you think that what he said about 47 percent of the voters was true either?’’  

Or another response might be, “You should know by now that Romney says whatever he thinks his audience wants to hear. Why do you think those remarks at that fundraiser were any different? After all, he is now telling audiences in public speeches that he is for the 100 percent.”

I guess the wonderful editing technology available today has made the ninth commandment obsolete for today’s politics. Thank goodness for video tape archives.

Jane Harrison

Waynesville

To the Editor:

Throughout America’s history courageous women have struggled to achieve social and political freedom and equality. They have fought against laws and cultural and religious traditions assigning them subservient roles in American society. This long struggle has produced many heroines.

Colonial American Anne Hutchinson defied laws forbidding women to speak publicly and interpret the word of God. Forbidden the right to defend herself, she was tried and convicted of heresy, and banished from Massachusetts Colony. Elizabeth Cady Stanton organized the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848, over her frustration regarding the inferior role of women in America. This meeting, attended by 68 women and 32 men, marks the birth of the women’s rights movement.

In 19th century America, women were not allowed to inherit property, sue for divorce or retain custody of their children. Brave women who spoke publicly against cultural and legal restrictions on their freedom were persecuted and labeled unfeminine. Gradually, their cause gained support from mothers, wives, sisters and daughters. Women exerted pressure on male lawmakers and by the end of the century these legal restrictions were eliminated.

Another heroine, Susan B. Anthony, began working for women’s rights in mid-1800. Her struggle to gain the vote for women continued until her death in 1906. The 70-year-long crusade for women’s suffrage became a reality with the passage of the 19th Amendment. No political party can take credit for this victory. It came about because dedicated women worked tirelessly, putting pressure on male legislators and vigorously campaigning against elected officials who opposed women’s right to vote.

Women have struggled for centuries for equality in the workplace. The Lilly Ledbetter Act was passed in 2009, guaranteeing women equal pay for equal work. Responding to corporate lobbyists, Congress later rejected legislation requiring disclosure of workers’ pay by business owners. Inequality continues when women can’t know if their pay equals that of their male counterparts.

Today women are fighting for the right to control decisions regarding their own bodies. Male-dominated legislators pass laws restricting women’s right to choose. Lingering cultural and religious attitudes view women as being emotionally and intellectually inferior, not to be trusted with their own reproductive decisions. Introduction of the “pill” freed women to make choices about family planning. Middle and upper class women can afford good medical care. Many poor and often single women cannot afford this. Planned Parenthood fills this need providing many services including reproductive counseling and cancer screening.

Most women and men understand women are capable of making responsible choices regarding their bodies without government intervention. Some current legislators, including Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, hold contradictory attitudes about a woman’s right to affordable health care. They argue poor women shouldn’t have children while opposing funding for Planned Parenthood providing women access to responsible health care. Concerned voters must examine the position on women’s rights of candidates running for elective office. Today’s women owe a great debt to the courageous heroines from our past. We must carry their torch to the finish line.

Margery Abel

Franklin

Haywood County Chamber of Commerce is launching its 2012 Business Academy from 6-8 p.m. Oct. 4 at The Gateway Club in Waynesville.

The Business Academy is a free seven-session program from October through May that will address and assist business owners with overcoming and identifying the challenges of sustaining and growing a business. Advanced registration required.

www.Haywood-NC.com or 828.456.3021.

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Haywood County Fitness Challenge, which aims to help people get and stay in shape, will take place Oct. 1-Nov. 11.

Cost is $10 to visit a variety of local gyms and private classes 24 times. Registration locations include Urban Athletic on Oct. 1, Waynesville Rec Center Oct. 2, MedWest Fitness Center Oct. 3, the Cooperative Extension office Oct. 4 and The Fitness Connection Oct. 5.

Healthy Haywood is a program of the Haywood County Health Department and certified Healthy Carolinians Partnership.

www.healthyhaywood.org.

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The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership (BRNHA) is accepting grant applications for 2013.

BRNHA grants are investments in collaborative efforts that preserve the character of our landscapes, small towns, farms and historic sites; that nurture and share our distinctive craft, music and Cherokee traditions; and that let the world know about the natural wonders and rich cultural heritage of Western North Carolina.

www.blueridgeheritage.com.

Maggie Valley has hired an outside consultant to help the once-bustling and now-struggling tourist town overcome an ongoing identity crisis.

The consultant is now ready to move from business to business talking to people about what they want for the valley.

During the past two years, several keystone issues regarding abortion and women’s reproductive health have been debated at the state level.

The Republican-led General Assembly has attempted to cut funding for Planned Parenthood and passed the Women’s Right to Know Act, which dictates new regulations for receiving an abortion.

Daydreamz Project is partnering with several local entities to display artistic expressions that promote healing of domestic violence, sexual assault and dating.

Those who want to take part are encouraged to submit poetry, prose, drawings, paintings or decorations of any type (which can be anonymous). These will then be placed on posters and displayed at various galleries and venues throughout Haywood County during the month of October, which is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The deadline for the “Ripples of Hope” collaboration is Oct. 1.

The teardrop blanks can be picked up from Daydreamz Project, by calling 828.476.4231 or at Earthworks Frame Gallery on 21 North Main Street in Waynesville or at the REACH of Haywood office on 1085 North Main Street in Waynesville. Earthworks Frame Gallery is donating the teardrop blanks.

828.456.7898.

Craft demonstrations at Dogwood Crafters in Dillsboro this week include Susie Ray, Susan Lingg, Claudia Lampley and Mary Ethel Prater. Crafters will demonstrate their work and discuss their craft in the Gallery Room.

• Sept. 27 from 2-3 p.m. — Susie Ray will demonstrate how to make felted purses.

• Sept. 29 from 1-3 p.m. — Susan Lingg will do a watercolor demonstration.

• Sept. 30 from 2-5 p.m. — Claudia Lampley will demonstrate rook hooking.

• Oct. 2 from 2-4 p.m. — Mary Ethel Prather return to demonstrate how she creates delicate hummingbirds using hawthorn spikes, maple wings and other materials from nature.

Dogwood Crafters is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with evening hours until 9 p.m. in October.

828.586.2248.

“American Craft Today” opened on Sept. 22 and will run through Dec. 29 in the Bunzl Gallery at The Bascom in Highlands.

Fifty-seven craftspeople from across the nation have been chosen to exhibit baskets, ceramics, decorative and wearable fiber, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, paper and woodcraft objects at “American Craft Today”, a prestigious, juried exhibition of fine craft.

Ticket are still available for Celebration!, a weekend event at The Bascom in Highlands on Sept. 28-29. The itinerary will include a patrons-only cocktail reception; artists’ demonstrations, such as woodturning and ceramics making; a panel on “Collecting Craft: A Love Affair”; a silent auction and cocktail buffet. The festivities will culminate in a live auction of select craft by major American artists.

To purchase tickets, call 828.787.2896 or www.TheBascom.org/celebration. The Bascom is open year-round, Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m.

Professional potters Susan Phillips and Velda Davis will hold a special kiln opening and pottery sale from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 29 and 30 and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday at their studio located in the Utah Mountain Estates.

Both artists’ work is available in local galleries, but this event allows their new work to be seen as soon as it is unloaded from the kiln, and is also a celebration of the “Buy Local” and “Handmade in America” movements.

Everyone who attends the kiln opening will receive a free piece of pottery, while supplies last. Take Interstate 40 to Exit 20 on US 276 (Jonathan Creek) for three miles, turn left onto Utah Mountain Road, then left at Windy Hill. The studio is on the right.

828.507.1305 or 828.400.5494.

The inaugural “SK8 Jam” will take place at noon Oct. 6 on the SK8 Park in Cherokee, with registration available before the start of the competition.

Besides the street comp/open bowl comp, there will also be food and live music by Vic Crown at the park. Entry fee is $20 per skater. There is a $500 cash purse for the advanced/sponsored division. Prizes will also be awarded in other divisions. The event is sponsored by Push, Skis and Tees and the Cataloochee Ski Area.

For more information, go to Facebook and search “WNC SK8 Shop.”

828.400.1252 or 828.452.4040.

A historian and author from the University of Georgia who specializes in Native American history will speak at 7 p.m., Sept. 27, at Western Carolina University in Room 130 of the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center.

Claudio Saunt will address the topic “Beyond the Revolution: North America in 1776” during his presentation. Saunt is associate director of the Institute of Native American Studies at the Georgia campus in Athens. A focus of his work is the indigenous peoples of the Southeast and is the author of two award-winning books. Saunt’s talk at WCU will be based on his forthcoming book, America in 1776, which examines the history of eight communities outside the 13 Anglo-American colonies in the year of American independence. WCU’s Department of History and Cherokee Studies Program are sponsoring the program.

828.227.3867 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The scarecrows are coming to Bryson City from Oct. 6 through Oct. 20.

Western Carolina University brings magician Jason Bishop to the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center in Cullowhee at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 7.

The Rooted in the Mountains symposium — designed to raise awareness of the intersection of health, language, environmental and indigenous issues with the stewardship of Appalachia and its resources — will be held Oct. 4 and 5 in the A.K. Hinds University Center at Western Carolina University.

The Cherokee Indian Fair will mark its 100th year Oct. 2-6 with a five-day celebration of great music and traditional games, dancing, music, crafts, displays and food.

Music acts include Sawyer Brown on Oct. 4 at 9:30 p.m. and Lonestar on Oct. 6 at 8:30 p.m.

Each day is themed to an important part of the Cherokee culture. Parade day, Tuesday, kicks off with the Chief’s Challenge run through downtown Cherokee at 2 p.m. Wednesday is Children’s Day, with special activities and attractions. Thursday, the Cherokee Indian Fair honors the elders with a special meal. Friday, Cherokee salutes the armed forces. This year, the Cherokee Indian Fair is honored to host the traveling Vietnam War Memorial Wall, which will be on exhibit at the Cherokee Expo Center. Saturday’s Community Day completes the celebration.

The fair also includes a carnival featuring games and high-tech rides. Admission to the fair is $10 and tickets are available in advance at www.visitcherokeenc.com.

The Cashiers Valley Leaf Festival will include everything from concerts to crafts during its three-day run Oct. 5-7.

The Lovin’ Spoonful will appear “On the Slope” in Sapphire on Oct. 5. Gates open at 5 p.m. General admission is $25 and VIP tickets are $50.

Glenville Village, about five miles north of the Cashiers Crossroads on Lake Glenville, will have crafters and artists ranging from potters to woodworkers. Also, beginning at 10 a.m. each day Signal Ridge Marina launches pontoon boat cruises to view Lake Glenville’s wooded shoreline and hear a bit of lake lore.

Moving east from the Cashiers Crossroads on N.C. 64, attendees will find a variety of shops and eateries at Sapphire Village.

828.743.8428 or www.visitcashiersvalley.com.

The “Cruisin’ in the Mountains” car, truck and bike show will be held Oct. 5 and 6 at Southwestern Community College’s Driving Course on Industrial Park Loop. Registration is now being accepted at the Franklin Chamber of Commerce. Registration forms can be downloaded from the Chamber’s website or can be picked up at the Chamber Visitor Center.

Friday will kick off with a Cruise In and show pre-registration. The Cruise In is free. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. and close at 8 p.m. Saturday’s gate admission will be $5 for adults, while children 12 and under are free.

Saturday will also feature a Cornhole Tournament at 10 a.m. Registration is open with forms available at the Franklin Chamber.

www.VisitFranklinNC.com or 828.524.3161.

Western Carolina University will celebrate Homecoming 2012 — whose theme is “Tradition Long, Catamount Strong — with a host of activities Oct. 4-7.

Mountain Heritage Day gets under way Sept. 29 at Western Carolina University with a variety of arts and crafts, music, clogging, folk arts, contests and other activities.