OPINION
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The Chronicle I
Ernest H. Pitt
Publisher Emeritus
1974-2015
617 N. Liberty Street
336-722-8624 * 4.1 \
www.wschronicle.com r^j/ear*j
Elaine Pitt Business.Manager
Donna Rogers Managing Editor
wali D. Pitt Digital Manager
Our Mission
The Chronicle is dedicated to serving the
residents of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County
by giving voice to the voiceless, speaking truth
to power? standing for integrity and
encouraging open communication and
lively debate throughout the community.
GO PANTUERS '
Voting issues
need attention
from voters
While national attention was focused on the Iowa
caucuses late last week, groups in Winston-Salem
worked to let the public know about candidates that
voters will have a chance to vote for.
The East/Northeast Winston Neighborhood
Association and the African-American Caucus of
the Forsyth County Democratic Party, Jaequelyne
Barber Branch, provided opportunities for. voters to
meet and greet people running for office. Few peo
ple attended the sessions.
The one candidate at both events was Keith
King, a businessman running in the Democratic
Primary for the Northeast Ward seat on the Winston
Salem City Council. This seat is currently held by
Mayor Pro Tempore Vivian Burke, who also is a
Democrat.
While King told the audiences about himself and
what he would do if elected, he stressed at the neigh
borhood meeting that it's important for people to
vote on Primary Day, March 15.
"Our people need to get out and vote," he said.
Marva Reid, president of the neighborhood asso
ciation, agreed.
"We need to put people in place to keep us on
track," Reid said, adding that Republicans don't
appear interested in helping black people.
The African-American caucus also stressed vot
ing: absentee voting.
Earline Parmonv vice president of the Winston
Salem Branch of the NAACP, asked the audience to
encourage people to get absentee ballots to vote "so
they will not have to face the embarrassment of
being turned away in this era of voter disenffan
chisement."
People at both meetings mentioned how the vot
ing rules are confusing because not all parts of the
2013 N.C. voting law will be implemented on
March 15. That means voters need to start planning
how they will vote physically, whether in person or
absentee. We all need to know the rules of voting for
the March 15 elections.
The caucus has information on a Voter Check Up
flier that will help inform people about voting. Go to
https://www.facebo6k.com/africanamericancaucus
forsythncdp of contact President Chenita Johnson at
chenitajohn@hotmail.com to reach the organization.
The Voter ID hearing of the N.C. NAACP vs.
McCrory trial ended Monday. We must wait for the
judge's ruling. Start determining a plan of action for
March 15 to make sure your vote is counted no mat
ter what the ruling is.
Let's keep race issues
out of Super Bowl
The Panthers are headed to the Super Bowl! This is
exciting for North Carolina. But among the enthusiasm
is an undertone of a race issue concerning quarterback
Cam Newton.
Newton felt the need to address comments about him
being a black quarterback and showing actions that
reflect his blackness. Newton did not apologize for it. He
embraced being black.
He suggested for the first time last week that race
may play a factor in why he's become a lightning rod for
public criticism, The Associated Press reported.
"ftn an African-American quarterback that scares
people because they haven't seen nothing that they can
compare me to," said the 6-foot-5,245-pound Newton.
"People are going to judge, and have opinions on
things I don't have control over," Newton said.
What difference does it make whether Cam Newton
does a special dance or handles himself in other ways as
long as he is doing his job without breaking rales? His
dancing is so popular, a news report says, that people in
a senior living home have been duplicating it. The home
most likely has white residents.
Comments about Newton are frivolous. The public
needs to let Cam be Cam and the Panthers be the
Panthers and let them do their job on Feb. 7 and win the
Super Bowl against the Broncos.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Chronicle staff
deserves kudos
for work with
MLK Day event
To The Editor,
For the past 16 years, the
Winston-Saiem Chronicle and its
publisher, Mr. Ernie Pitt, has provid
ed the Triad community with the
annual MLK Prayer Breakfast.
While an event of this magnitude
(as it pertains to serving the public)
isn't without some minor flaws,
everyone who came to the Benton .
Convention Center was seated,
regardless if they didn't have a tick
et.
Let's not be so quick to criticize
our community leaden with rumors
and "liquor house lies" that shine a
negative light on those who work so
hard to make the MLK Prayer
Breakfast accessible to all who wish
to attend.
Thanks to Mr. Pitt and the entire
staff of the Winston-Salem
Chronicle.
Michael L. James
Community needs
to learn more
about stalking
crimes
To The Editor,
Governor Pat McCrory pro
claimed January to be Stalking
Awareness Month in North Carolina.
He is the first governor to do so.
Stalking can be defined as the willful
and repeated following, watching
and/or harassing of another person.
Unlike other crimes, which usually
involve one act, stalking is a series of
actions that occur over a period of
time. It creates fear in the individual
being stalked.
Approximately 7.5 million peo
ple are stalked in this country annual
ly, most often by someone they
know. Three out of every four vic
tims of intimate partner violence
were stalked by their partners.
Stalking can include watching or
tracking a victim and showing up in
unwanted places, such as the victim's
home, school, or workplace. Most
?stalkers pursue their victims at least
once per week, but many do so daily,
resorting to a variety of tactics
including unwanted phone calls, text
messages, emails, cards, or gifts.
Victims of stalking experience ele
vated levels of anxiety and emotional
distress, particularly if it involves the
destruction of personal property and
being followed. Unfortunately, stalk
ing is difficult to investigate and
prosecute and current laws do not
adequately promote victim safety and
protection.
Stalking is strongly correlated
with domestic violence and sexual
assault. As a community we must
learn more about stalking and take
action to promote the safety and pro
tection of victims of this crime. We
need to bring stalking out of the
shadows.
If you would like to become more
aware about stalking, or if you are a
victim of stalking, domestic violence,
or sexual assault, please contact one
of Family Services' 24-hour crisis
lines, 336-723-8125 or 336-722
4457.
Bob Feikema, President and
CEO
Family Services of Forsyth
County
of those who shaped the civil rights
movement.
On this day, 56 years ago, four
North Carolina A&T freshmen -
Joseph Mcneil, Jibreel Khazan (for
merly Ezell Blair Jr.), Franklin
McCain and David Richmond - put
tneir lives on
the line and
took bold
action by sit
ting at a
whites-only
Woolwprth's
lunch counter
on Elm Street
in
Greensboro.
In the
days follow
ing their
peaceful defiance, students from
across the state of North Carolina
joined in, and this led to a national
movement to end racial segregation
in America. We must never forget
the courage and selflessness of the
Greensboro Four, which helped cre
ate a better America for all people.
i , I
r U.S. Rep. Alma S. Adams
12th District of North Carolina
Note: Adams has introduced H.
Res. 128, a bipartisan resolution to
honor the Greensboro Four. There
are currently 62 members of
Congress who support the legisla
tion. -
Rep. Adams
Adams remembers
sacrifices made by
Greensboro Four
To the Editor,
[The 56th anniversary of the
Greensboro Four sit-ins was
Monday, Feb. 1.]
Today marks the start of Black
History Month - a time to celebrate
the historical and cultural contribu
tions African-Americans have made
to this great nation. In honoring
those contributions, we must
remember the sacrifices and bravery
Photo Queen City Tours and Travel
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