Monday, February 28, 2005
Reporting: Ruling could foster government secrecy
A ruling by a federal court last week calls to mind the notorious libel trial of Emile Zola, a case that nearly brought down the Republic of France. Zola was hauled into court in 1898 on libel charges for publishing...Published: Feb 28, 2005 10:26 AM Full Editorial
Sunday, February 27, 2005
Summit: Discussion of schools may do some good, eventually
There’s going to be a Big Three Summit. This time it isn’t the Big Three world powers — as with Great Britain, the Soviet Union and the U.S.A. during World War II. But let’s hope it’s as friendly. This will...Published: Feb 27, 2005 12:45 AM Full Editorial
Friday, February 25, 2005
Terri Schiavo: Finding certainties in a difficult case
Here are some of the facts in the case of Terri Schiavo, the brain-damaged Florida woman whose husband wants to end her life by ordering doctors to remove her feeding tube: •Mrs. Schiavo had a heart attack due to a...Published: Feb 25, 2005 9:44 AM Full Editorial
Thursday, February 24, 2005
State of the State: No new taxes, no lottery — do it with available money
Gov. Mike Easley was right about one thing Monday night. He noted in his speech to the Legislature that the state must do more to ensure a “sound, basic education” for children in poor counties. The courts have ordered it....Published: Feb 24, 2005 11:22 AM Full Editorial
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
Clipped comment: No training needed
A state representative in Cleveland County is toying with the idea of running for sheriff. If successful in such a bid, Rep. Debbie Clary would become the state’s first female sheriff. That doesn’t worry her a bit. She was quoted...Published: Feb 23, 2005 11:36 AM Full Editorial
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Memories aflame: Let’s let our emotions cool before we make decisions
In mythology, the Phoenix is a beautiful bird that symbolizes rebirth. Its lifespan is 500 years or more, and only one lives at a time. As the end of its life approaches, it builds a nest of aromatic sticks and...Published: Feb 22, 2005 10:49 AM Full Editorial
Monday, February 21, 2005
Medicare: Paying for discretionary medicine is a mistake
Medicare has decided to cover sexual-performance drugs in its new prescription drug program. That is a mistake. The cost of providing essential medicine through the Medicare program for the aged and Medicaid plan for the poor already threatens to carry...Published: Feb 21, 2005 9:58 AM Full Editorial
Sunday, February 20, 2005
Hope: The story of a young killer
Stone walls do not a prison make, Nor iron bars a cage; Minds innocent and quiet take That for an hermitage; If I have freedom in my love, And in my soul am free, Angels alone that soar above Enjoy...Published: Feb 20, 2005 12:05 AM Full Editorial
Friday, February 18, 2005
Reform. Look out! There’s that word again.
A couple of years ago, Congress weakened the right to free speech by passing the McCain-Feingold Act. The purpose was campaign “reform.” Reform. That’s one of the most misappropriated words in the language. When a politician tells you something needs...Published: Feb 18, 2005 10:30 AM Full Editorial
Thursday, February 17, 2005
Beware: Ominous echoes from Germany
“Here, in 1945, genocide took place — just like it did in Hiroshima.” The place was Dresden, Germany. The speaker was Franz Schoenhuber, a former Nazi SS officer. On Feb.13 and 14, 1945, Dresden was, indeed, a place of horror....Published: Feb 17, 2005 9:17 AM Full Editorial
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Secret deals: Business group practical but unwise on this matter
North Carolina’s newspapers and its chamber of commerce usually get along quite well together. The common concerns they share are innumerable. The chamber of commerce — or, rather, the organization officially called North Carolina Citizens for Business and Industry —...Published: Feb 16, 2005 10:39 AM Full Editorial
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Go for it! Rewrite proposal on Currituck land
Gov. Mike Easley and his lawyer have prevailed in the Currituck airport issue. The citizens of Currituck County and the will of the General Assembly are the losers. For years, Currituck County has operated its airport on a 535-acre site...Published: Feb 15, 2005 10:04 AM Full Editorial
Monday, February 14, 2005
Too little, too late: CNN’s comment on what its ex-news chief said won’t help
The CNN news chief, Eason Jordan, has done an about face. CNN now says that Jordan does not believe the U.S. military intentionally targets journalists in Iraq. The turnaround is too little too late. Jordan obviously made the statement as...Published: Feb 14, 2005 10:57 AM Full Editorial
Saturday, February 12, 2005
What can preachers preach? Pa. law has them wondering
The Rev. Randy Steele’s telephone rang one morning in November. The caller identified himself as an FBI agent and wanted to know if Steele could meet with agents that afternoon. The minister had intended to spend the day with the...Published: Feb 12, 2005 10:28 PM Full Editorial
Friday, February 11, 2005
Give it up: Republican shouldn’t try to disenfranchise voters
Despite his victory in the state Supreme Court, Republican Bill Fletcher should drop his challenge of the outcome of the Nov. 2 election for state superintendent of public instruction. True, the ruling was a good one. The court said that...Published: Feb 11, 2005 10:52 AM Full Editorial
Thursday, February 10, 2005
Saving jobs: EDC should add a person to help existing businesses
Wayne County’s industry-hunting agency must be an industry-keeping agency as well. The Economic Development Commission should hire someone whose primary duties are attending to the needs of businesses that are already here. The importance of that was reiterated in discussions...Published: Feb 10, 2005 10:40 AM Full Editorial
Wednesday, February 9, 2005
Parole: Don't free this murderer — ever!
In October of 1984, a Wayne County jury found Garfield Noah Prevette guilty of first-degree murder and kidnapping. It had been proven that he had beaten, bound, sexually mutilated and killed 61-year-old Goldie Jones in her Goldsboro home. Ms. Jones...Published: Feb 9, 2005 9:48 AM Full Editorial
Tuesday, February 8, 2005
Question: If stock funds are OK for public workers, aren’t they OK for all?
The debate over President Bush’s Social Security program has become extraordinarily political and, like most political issues, extraordinarily murky. Bush’s political opponents have attacked the plan on every ground except one — that the president has something personal to gain...Published: Feb 8, 2005 10:52 AM Full Editorial
Monday, February 7, 2005
Looking back: Perspective from the Internet
This sort of thing comes every day via e-mail. Ninety-nine point nine percent are not worth passing along. This one was in the other one-tenth of a percent. It went something like this: “Think about taxes. “Accounts Receivable Tax “Building...Published: Feb 7, 2005 10:23 AM Full Editorial
Sunday, February 6, 2005
Rights: Harebrained radicals can express opinions
Ward Churchill, an America-hating Cherokee, became a professor at the University of Colorado, coordinator of the university’s American Indian Studies and associate director of its Center for Studies of Ethnicity and Race in America. Pretty good for a fellow with...Published: Feb 6, 2005 12:18 AM Full Editorial
Friday, February 4, 2005
Fling ’em, boys! Eastern ’cue aficionados may resort to hush puppies
Three insurgent legislators from Davidson County have thrown a bomb that could turn North Carolina into a firestorm of controversy. Davidson County is where Lexington is, and this truculent trio has introduced a bill that would make Lexington the home...Published: Feb 4, 2005 9:18 AM Full Editorial
Thursday, February 3, 2005
Blame? The real enemy could be ourselves
“Only half of the students believe newspapers should be allowed to publish freely without government approval of stories.” “When told the exact text of the First Amendment, more than one in three high school students said it goes ‘too far’...Published: Feb 3, 2005 9:02 AM Full Editorial
Wednesday, February 2, 2005
Hallelujah!
Even those who oppose the U.S. intervention in Iraq must be touched by Sunday’s election. Despite months of barbarous attacks on Iraqi men, women and children, despite threats of death by the most brutal means, millions of courageous Iraqis went...Published: Feb 2, 2005 10:33 AM Full Editorial
Tuesday, February 1, 2005
Shock! Foreign policy brings liberal consternation
Quite a bit of shocked opposition has filled the air in the last week about President Bush’s foreign policy. It has come mostly from liberals during the Senate’s confirming of Condoleezza Rice as secretary of state. Earlier, Democrats reacted with...Published: Feb 1, 2005 9:15 AM Full Editorial