Opinion
Vote out those not doing their job
To the Editor:
The “Pisgah Legal’s bind” article in the December 17 issue of your paper was very informative. Once again we can thank the Republicans in office for harming their constituents. Our representatives in Raleigh (and Washington) seem to be ignorant and insensitive.
WCU should step up to help students vote
To the Editor:
Partisan actions to create electoral advantages have likely always been rampant for both factions in the U.S. The fact that social media permits virtually instant communication to huge populations has added to the perception that such manipulations are much worse now than in the past.
A new type of energy for 2026
I was once a real sucker for the New Year’s Eve hoopla — toasting with champagne and making grandiose resolutions, but the past couple of December 31sts, I’ve felt a little lackluster in terms of the anticipatory energy that typically surrounds the beginning of another year.
Administration puts military in a tough spot
Recent events make it clear why senators warning military personnel about the dangers of following illegal orders was so very important. The warning was that the Department of Defense Law of War Manual clearly states that military personnel should not follow illegal orders. Following such orders may make the person following the orders guilty of a war crime.
Never forget what happened January 6
To the Editor:
We all have dates etched in our brain that make us think about certain events. Are you old enough to remember exactly where you were when we heard about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on Nov. 22, 1963? Fast forward to Sept. 11, 2001, when we witnessed the most devastating attack on our country since Pearl Harbor. Do you remember exactly where you were that day?
Closing WCU polling site is a mistake
To the Editor:
I’m disappointed with the Jackson County Board of Elections’ decision to eliminate the convenient and accessible WCU University Center polling location for the primaries next spring. WCU provides the site and parking for free; the county pays the poll workers. The volunteers there have always created a welcoming environment and encouraged young people who are voting for the first time.
The brazen closing of WCU’s voting site
The utter guile of this state’s GOP leaders to rig elections in their favor should cause a hue and cry from honorable, ordinary taxpaying citizens of all political stripes. But when it comes to partisanship, these are not ordinary times, which is an understatement of almost comical proportions.
Advent: A different take on the holiday season
In late fall, after all the Halloween candy has been consumed and the fall décor removed from store clearance aisles, we step on a conveyor belt heading straight for Christmas. Even those hangers-on who kept their rotting pumpkins on their porches through Thanksgiving finally pull out the twinkle lights and decorate their trees. Christmas music blasts in every store. Eggnog and cookies are consumed at will. For many people, the span of weeks from Thanksgiving to Christmas is a blur of planning, partying and shopping.
The oath that guards our republic
In the cacophony of politics, one truth must remain clear: America’s armed forces swear allegiance not to a man, not to a party, but to the Constitution of the United States. That oath is the bedrock of our Republic. It is the firewall against tyranny. And it is being tested as never before.
