OPINION
The Chronicle
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Ernest H. Pitt Publisher/Co-Founder
oonna Rogers Managing Editor
elaine Pitt Business Manager
Our Mission
The Chronicle is dedicated to serving the
residents of Winston-Salem and Forsyth
County by giving voice to the voiceless, speak
ing truth to power, standing for integrity and
encouraging open communication and
lively debate throughout the community.
N.C. senators
couldn't keep
native Lynch
from destiny
The United States has made history again, but
without the vqtes of North Carolina's two senators.
Senators Thorn Tillis and Richard Burr voted against
the confirmation of North Carolina native Loretta
Lynch. She became the first African-American
woman attorney general of the United States when
the Senate voted 56-43 to confirm her on Thursday,
April 23 and when she was sworn in on Monday,
April 27.
North Carolina's senators have their reasons for
being on the wrong side of history. Tillis said in a
statement: "While I have immense personal and pro
fessional respect for Ms. Lynch, I ultimately voted
against her because of her support for the President's
unconstitutional executive amnesty plan and her
unwillingness to make a firm commitment to reverse
the partisan politicization that presently exists at the
Department of Justice."
In March, he and Burr cited the Justice
Department's lawsuit, filed under former Attorney
General Eric Holder, challenging a 2013 election
overhaul passed by the General Assembly while
Tillis was state House speaker.
Reasons for voting against Loretta Lynch are not
sound. Neither senator said she was not qualified.
While her home state senators rejected her, other
Republicans joined all Democrats in the Senate to
confirm Loretta Lynch.
Ten Republicans voted for Lynch: Mitch
McConnell (Kentucky), Orrin Hatch (Utah), Lindsey
Graham (South Carolina), Jeff Flake (Arizona), Thad
Cochran (Mississippi), Susan Collins (Maine), Mark
Kirk (Illinois), Kelly Ayotte (New Hampshire), Ron
Johnson (Wisconsin), Rob Portman (Ohio).
If Mitch McConnell could put aside differences
with President Obama to vote for Loretta Lynch,
why couldn't North Carolina's senators?
Now the question is, will our senators work with
the new attorney general or harbor an antagonistic
posture against her as they did Holder, the first
African-American male to gain that post? They had
problems with him, too.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
I
Lynch will make
her home state proud
To the Editor:
I am pleased that the U.S. Senate
has finally confirmed [Greensboro
native] Loretta Lynch as the U.S.
Attorney General. She will be the
first African-American woman to
hold this post.
It is regrettable that Senator Burr
and Senator Tillis were part of the
process that held up thq confirmation
of their fellow North Carolinian for
so long.
Mrs. Lynch is extremely qualified
to carry out the important and crucial
duties of Attorney General and will
no doubt make our state and nation
proud.
Patsy Keever, Chairwoman
North Carolina Democratic Party
Raleigh, N.C.
Day to shout,
day to frown
To the Editor:
Today [April 23], after more than
165 days since she was nominated,
the Senate brought U.S. Attorney
Loretta Lynch's confirmation as the
next U.S. Attorney General to the
floor for a vote.
* f /"
in a jo
43 vote, the
Senate con
firmed
Lynch to be
the next
U.S.
Attorney
General and
first ever
African
American
woman to
serve in this
role.
This is a
day for
ihoutine and
Barber
S
celebration for America, with the
confirmation of U.S. Attorney
General Loretta Lynch, and a day of
shame and condemnation in North
Carolina for
Senators
Richard
Burr and
Thorn Tillis,
who chose
to vote
against her
confirma
tion.
America
moves for
ward and
they contin
ue to move
backward.
On Lync"
behalf of
the N.C. NAACP and our Forward
Together Moral Movement, I con
gratulate the 10 Republicans and all
46 Democrats and Independents who
voted to confirm Loretta Lynch as
U.S. Attorney General.
Bringing shame to themselves
and their offices. Senators Richard
Burr and Thorn Tillis from I^th
Carolina chose to disrespect the first
African-American woman candidate
for this high office by voting against
her. Rather than proudly introducing
her and her family, who have given
so much to the cause of Justice and
Love in North Carolina and the
nation, Senators Burr and Tillis
Chose to vote against her because she
was going to carry out her duties to
be the top law enforcement official
for all.
The obstructionist strategy
against Ms. Lynch ? it took 166
days to bring her nomination to a
vote ? is shameful. The country
will be well-served by our highly
qualified new Attorney General.
Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II
President of the N.C. NAACP
Durham, N.C.
Loretta Lynch
has proven
track record
To the Editor:
After nearly half a year in delays,
the Senate finally marked an impor
tant moment in our history by con
firming Loretta Lynch as Attorney
General.
Lynch has a proven track record
as a prosecutor and civil servant,
dedicated to the fight for a more just
democracy. Raised in the South's
dawn of integration, the daughter of
a librarian and a Baptist minister, her
service to our country is also
informed by her personal narrative
and moral conviction. The Senate
made the right choice in confirming
a candidate with the utmost of quali
fications and a firm commitment to
addressing the civil rights issues of
our day. We congratulate Lynch on
her well-earned appointment.
Co-Director Penda D. Hair
Advancement Project
Washington, D.C.
U. S. lucky
to have Lynch
as new AG
To the Editor:
The United States is lucky to
have Loretta Lynch confirmed as our
Attorney General. From modem-day
voter suppression, to a devastating
school-to-prison pipeline and esca
lating police militarization, the
United States is confronted with
issues that demand urgent attention
from our Justice Department's exec
utive. We trust that Lynch will
remain unrelenting in confronting
injustices imposed on communities
of color, and we look forward to see
ing all that she will achieve as our
Attorney General. We applaud her
on this historic day.
Co-Director Judith Browne
Dianis
Advancement Project
Washington, D.C.
<
i
The Advancement Project is a
multi-racial civil rights organization.
The Salvation Army:
Support rezoning
To the Editor:
I am writing to you because
of my concern for a very important
ministry in this community. This is
the ministry The Salvation Army
collaboratively shares with other
homeless shelter providers who care
for the homeless in a way that does
not duplicate, but covers every per
son who finds themselves without a
roof over their head.
Currently, The Salvation
Army's Center of Hope for homeless
families is on Trade Street. On any
given day 50 percent of the residents
are chil
dren.
share the
HRlll building
w,t^ ^
liBl re-entry
Pr?gram
al
ers
Although
carefully
regulated,
this is not the best model of service
to either group.
The Army rents office space on
Cleveland Avenue from HAWS
[Housing Authority of Winston
Salem], and a building behind the "
Command is now for sale at 939
Cleveland Avenue.
It is affordable for the Army and
is already configured with rooms
that have bathrooms, two play
grounds for children and a commer
cial kitchen.
This property alone has been
found to be affordable even with the
addition of a needed sprinkler sys
tem & showers.
This location is near the
Department of Social Services and
Mental Health Services, and it is
central to our transportation system,
which is essential to our guests.
It could be ready in short order
for the families at
the Center of Hope. They would
have their own well-supervised shel
ter at last.
We want to be at this site for
only a season. Our hope is to have
this safe and well-regulated home
while we are looking for space and
engage in a campaign to raise money
to build a shelter and Emergency
Assistance Office in
a Command Center. It is what we
can afford now and be willing to sell
later.
This is our goal for the short
term. This is a PRECIOUS window
of time for our ministry and there
fore community.
We do our best work when we
work together. Please help us contin
ue to serve well by supporting the
re2oning of the property in
the Cleveland Avenue area for fami
ly shelter use.
Lucy Paynter
Salvation Army Board Chair
7
Burr
Tillis
Congratulations,
Erin, on award
To look at Erin Mizelle, a photojournalism intern
with The Chronicle, one would wonder what photog
raohv studio she works for She
I y
carries herself as the professional
she is. Erin, who is a Photographic
Technology/Photojournalism
major from Trinity, was recog
nized Thursday, April 23, by
Randolph Community College
(RCC). She earned a Curriculum
Award in her major area.
Erin is a non-traditional com
munity college student. She has a
four-year degree from the
University ot North Carolina at
Chapel Hill in journalism, with a minor in advertis
ing. She decided she wanted to change careers and
enrolled into RCC's program, which is considered
the third best in the country.
Erin recently was featured on a Fox8 TV report
on people who go back to school to pursue second
careers. She is a serious photographer.
We applaud Erin on ner award and look forward
to her continued great work at The Chronicle.
/, i
1?1 ? I 11?I
Mizelle