OPINION
The Chronicle i
Ernest H. Pitt
Publisher Emeritus
1974-2015
617 N. Liberty Street
336-722-8624
www.vvschronlcle.com
Donna Rogers Managing Editor
WaLI D. Pitt Digital Manager
paulette L. Moore Office Manager
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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.
GUEST EDITORIAL
Republican
legislature
aims to take
full control
In a deceitful display of raw power, Republican
leaders of the N.C. General Assembly changed from
smiling helpers of hurricane victims to greedy
manipulators determined to expand their power,
even as the federal courts said their legislative dis
tricts (and election) were illegitimate.
Bills introduced on Dec. 14 use a combination
sledge hammer and surgical knife to dramatically
change the court system, board of elections, public
education, and a host of other institutions for only
one purpose - to give Elephants more turf to control
in the face of a few Donkeys winning key elec
tions.
We must fight for the good of the whole and hope
that at least a few Elephants realize this is not a high
school game but a shameful betrayal of their prom
ise of public service.
Senate Bill 4 is one glaring example of the legis
lation aimed at rigging the system to undercut the
election of Roy Cooper as Governor and Michael
Morgan as Supreme Court justice. Among its many
provisions, the bill:
?Combines the underfinanced, overworked State
Board of Elections with the lobbyist regulation
office and Ethics Commission into one agency that
will collapse under the burden of its workload, with
oversight falling even further behind and an expand
ed opportunity for partisan gridlock in lobbying,
ethics and campaign finance regulation. The bill
provides no new money to support the new agency,
which compounds existing problems.
?Expands the countv boards of elections to four
bipartisan members and mandates that a Republican
must be the chair of all 100 county boards of elec
tions in every even-numbered year, when legisla
tive, Congressional and statewide elections are held.
?Subverts the power of the N.C. Supreme Court
by expanding jurisdiction of the Republican-majori
ty N.C. Court of Appeals and adding enormous
delays in any appeal involving, for example, a state
constitutional challenge or redistricting lawsuit.
Bullying far-reaching legislation quickly through
the General Assembly is a mistake. These are the
actions of desperate losers, power mad white men,
willing to destroy any institution and the public's
hope for rational government just to keep a political
advantage. So sad, so deplorable.
By Bob Hall, Democracy North Carolina
Keep hope alive
The political world has
been buzzing about what
Michelle Obama said to
Oprah Winfrey: "We feel
the difference now. See,
now, we're feeling what
not having hope feels like,
you know," she said in an
interview excerpt broad
cart Friday on "CBS This
Morning."
Hope in Barack Obama
might be fading as he
leaves office, but the Hope
ia : tin 1
U1 UIC WUIIU 15 SUli aJVIUIlU.
He was born more than 2,000 years ago and he is still
alive to bring peace, love and joy to the world. But just
as they say about Santa Claus, you have to believe.
Keep hope alive with Jesus.
I
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Burr joins others
in backing measure
on unsolved civil
rights crimes
To the Editor:
The following are bi-partisan and
bi-cameral statements of support for
the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil
Rights Crimes Reauthorization Act of
2016 (S.2854/H.R.5067), which was
passed by the Senate during its final
session of the 114th Congress this
month.
In the Senate, the bill was led by
Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Sen.
Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), Sen.
Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri), and
Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Missouri). In the
House, original sponsors were Rep.
John Conyers, Jr. (D-Michigan), Rep.
John Lewis (D-Georgia) and Rep.
Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wisconsin).
The bill now heads to the president to
be signed into law.
"I am pleased that this bill is now
finally heading to the President's
desk. Investigators can now work to
discover the truth and to seek justice
under our legal system for the fami
lies of these victims. Every American
is worthy of the protection of our
laws. I want to thank the Till family,
Alvin Sykes, Congressman John
Lewis, and all of the civil rights
activists who helped make this law a
reality. Today's victory is theirs."
Sen. Richard Burr, N.C.
"As we work to address current
questions about racial violence and
civil rights, we should be mindful of
our history and why so many in the
African-American community raise
the issue of whether black lives mat
ter. Passage of the original Emmett
Till Act represented a commitment to
resolving the unanswered questions
from one of the darkest periods in
modern American history. This
bipartisan reauthorization represents
further investment in our history and
will allow the Department of Justice
to resolve remaining issues." Rep.
John Conyers Jr., Michigan
"When this bill was signed into
law, family members, academics, his
torians, lawyers, advocates began
working to develop a full accounting
for these long-standing, gross human
and civil rights atrocities. The reau
thorization passed by Congress is a
response to their appeals to make the
law a better tool in their quest for jus
tice. We also worked across the aisle
and across the Dome to develop a bill
that fulfills our promise to remain
committed to the pursuit of truth on
behalf of victims and their families. I
am very pleased that Congress has
passed this legislation and I look for
ward to the signature of President
Barack Obama." Rep. John Lewis,
Georgia
'Too many families suffer from
the unsolved murders of their loved
ones during the civil rights era with
out receiving justice. The way to best
serve these families is to provide our
Federal government with the tools it
needs to investigate these unsolved
crimes, and to hopefully, bring some
sense of closure for these families. I
thank Congressman Lewis for his
tireless work on behalf of the families
of these victims of unsolved murders
from the civil rights era and I am
4
proud to stand with him on this
effortSen. Patrick Leahy, Vermont
"This legislation brings justice
and closure to the families and com
munities affected by the heinous acts
of violence and hatred that are a stain
on our nation's history. The bill will
help us continue the critical work of
better investigating and solving these
crimes, no matter how long ago they
occurred, and I'm thrilled we've
finally been able to carry it across the
finish line." Sen. Claire McCaskill,
Missouri
"The Emmett Till Unsolved Civil
Rights Crimes Reauthorization Act
sets out to investigate racially-moti
vated murders. Sadly, there is still
more work to be done and it's impor
tant that we reauthorize this bill so
that the FBI and DOJ can continue
investigating unsolved crimes."
Sen. Roy Blunt, Missouri
"As an original cosponsor of the
Emmett Till Reauthorization Act, I'm
pleased to see my colleagues came
together and supported this important
bill. This bipartisan legislation will
provide for a sustained, well-coordi
nated effort to investigate and prose
cute unsolved civil rights-era crimes.
There are hundreds of cold cases
from the civil rights era that have
never been solved and it is my hope
that we are able to bring justice to the
victims' families." Rep. Jim
Sensenbrenner, Wisconsin
Opioid antagonist
can save lives
if used right
To the Editor:
The use of Naloxone can save a
life. Naloxone, also known as
Narcan, is an opioid antagonist used
in opioid overdoses to counteract
the life-threatening depression of the
respiratory system. It allows an over
dose victim to breathe normally.
Although traditionally adminis
tered by emergency response person
nel, naloxone can be administered
by lay people or public, making it
ideal for treating heroin and other
opioids overdoses. The training is
simple and use of Naloxone results in
a life saved.
Here is what occurs in an opioid
overdose. When too much of any opi
oid, like heroin, goes into too many
receptors, the respiratory system
slows and the person breathes more
slowly, then not at all. Because
Naloxone basically knocks the opi
oids out of the opiate receptors in the
brain, the overdose is reversed and
the person is able to breathe again.
However, it is a temporary drug
that will wear off in 30-90 minutes
and the person should be watched for
signs of continued overdose. The
overdose victim must seek medical
assistance or call 911.
Lack of oxygen from opioid over
dose may lead to brain injury in as lit
tle as four minutes, yet the average
EMS response time is 9.4
minutes. Seconds can count during
an opioid overdose so it is vital if you
have a loved one or friends who use,
you need to have a plan in place.
Most life threatening opioid emer
gencies occur in the home, witnessed
by friends or family.
Brand names of Naloxone are
Evzio, Narcan injection, Narcan
Nasal Spray. They all come with
simple, lifesaving directions and are
easy to administer. Upon purchase,
read and know how to use these
devices and keep them readily avail
able.
Some states have a third-party
law where a concerned parent,
employee or nurse at a school can
obtain Naloxone and administer it
without facing legal repercussions
(known as the good Samaritan
act). If you come in contact with
a high-risk individual, you should
have this lifesaving overdose anti
dote.
For more information and the
availability of naloxone, go to
http://www.narcononnewliferetreat .o
rg/blog/naloxone-availability.html .
If you are in need of a referral to a
treatment center, call us at 1-800
431-1754.
Ray Clauson
Community Relations Director
Narconon (a S01(c)3 corpora
tion)
Denham Springs, Louisiana
Group stands with
black community
after Dylann Roof
is convicted
To the Editor:
We hope that the jury's decision
to convict [in the Charleston, S.C.,
church massacre case] brings a sem
blance of peace to the families and
community terrorized by the mas
sacre of their sacred space. This tar
geted killing of nine African
Americans in the midst of worship
reminds us of the ever-present dan
ger of White supremacy.
In a time when elected officials
hesitate to denounce White suprema
cists and in fact rebrand and normal
ize them, Dylann Roof's actions
remind us of the consequences of
these hateful ideas.
Whether racism comes in the
form of a gun or a policy that dis
proportionately harms people of
color, it is reprehensible.
In the coming months and years,
we will remain vigilant in protecting
and supporting one another as we
continue to build power to eradicate
the vicious racism that motivates
violence and oppression. We will not
live in fear. We will not rest until we
dismantle the systemic racism that
allows tragedies like the Charleston
massacre to occur, and until its per
petrators are brought to justice. We
stand with the victims, their families
and the Black community in
Charleston in their quest for justice.
Judith Browne Dianis,
Executive Director,
Advancement Project
Washington, D.C.
Note: On Thursday, Dec. 15,
Dylann S. Roof, a white supremacist
responsible for the massacre of nine
Black churchgoers in Charleston,
S.C., was found guilty by a federal
jury.
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