OPINION
The Chronicle
Ernest H. Pitt -vet**//,.
Publisher Emeritus C ?
1974-2015 * /i ? *
617 N. Liberty Street "* 7/mit* <
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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.
Your call
to duty:
Go vote
President Obama was in Greensboro on Tuesday,
rallying the troops for Hillary Clinton. The troop
count is getting bigger since the second presidential
debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump
on Oct. 9. Polls show that Clinton received a bump
after the debate.
Obama told the crowd, when he heard booing
against Trump on Tuesday, "Don't boo. Vote." With
less than 30 days before Election Day, it's time to
think about who will get your vote.
The presidential race can be seen as a no-brainer.
Obama called Donald Trump "unfit" to be president,
and rightly so. With the 1995 videotape of Trump
speaking of his relationship to women in terms of a
conqueror emerging last week, evidence should not
be hard to find.
But what about the senator who still backs Trump
through it all because he said Trump apologized?
GOP U.S. Sen. Richard Burr is running for re-elec
tion. Obama gave a shout-out to his opponent,
Democrat Deborah Ross. So, there's a suggestion for
someone to vote for.
Start planning because the ballot will be long. Not
only will there be national candidates to select, but
also state and local ones, too.
And in Forsyth County, there will be three bond
referenda to vote for. The Winston-Salem/Forsyth
County Schools system, Forsyth Technical
Community College and Forsyth County Paries and
Recreation Department each nave a bond referen
dum to vote for.
To get your personal ballot, go to:
https://enr.ncsbe.gov/voter_search_public/
The point is, now is the time to make some deci
sions. Traditional voter registration ends Friday, Oct.
14. Decide to register to vote so that you can be
ready to. exercise your early right to vote on Oct. 20
or beyond, up until Nov. 5. Then the polls open again
on Nov. 8, from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
The national, state and local early voting begins
on Oct. 20 at the Forsyth County Government Center
at 201 N Chestnut St. Early voting will begin on Oct.
27 at the 16 satellite locations. For full information
on locations and hours of voting, visit
http://www.forsyth.cc/Elections/Documents/One
stop_early_voting .pdf
Here is some good news: Because of a court rul
ing, voters will not be asked to show photo identifi
cation this election, and same-day registration will
be available at all early voting sites.
This is your call to duty. Go vote and let your
voice be heard. ' -
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
School board
member
urges vote for
bond referendum
To the Editor:
Our students in our school sys
tem as well as our staff deserve the
best. They are our future. This
includes both our public schools as
well as our Community College.
With the passing of the 2016 Bond
we can assure that happens.
The school bond includes new
schools, replacements schools, addi
tions, renovations, safety improve
ments, technology, and maintenance
and capital improvements. Our last
large-scale bond referendum was in
2006. Since then, our enrollment has
grown to more than 7,000 additional
students.
We have 17 buildings that are
more than 50 years old and hope to
equip 1,840 classrooms with technol
ogy. Safety cameras will be installed
for the protection of each and every
student. I hope as a member of the
WSFCS [Winston-Salem/Forsyth
County Schools] Board, a mother,
and a grandmother you will vote for
the most important issues facing our
community.
Our students are your future and
my future. To me, nothing is more
important than trying to provide
them with the best education possi
ble.
Lida Calvert Hayes
WS/FCS School Board
Trump is unfit
to lead, says
Black Caucus
chairwoman
To the Editor:
Donald Trump has already paint
ed African-American communities
with a broad, tainted brush, telling
us that we're 'living in poverty,' and
that we 'have no jobs.' Now, he's
doubled down on his slanderous
comments about five black men
who were exonerated for a 1989
assault of a Central Park jogger.
Trump rushed to judgment back
then, and he's not letting up today,
even though another man confessed
to the crime and DNA evidence
proved that the Central Park Five
were innocent.
Trump's reckless and divisive
rhetoric proves that he's tempera
mentally unfit to lead our great
nation.
Presidents don't peddle racist
accusations or baseless charges
against the innocent. They seek to
unite, rather than divide.
Hillary Clinton understands that
our nation is stronger when we lift
each other up, and she has the tem
perament to build upon the progress
we've made under President
Obama. There's a clear choice this
November, and I'm with Her.
Virgie M. Rollins
DNC Black Caucus
Chairwoman
Detroit
Note: Rollins issued the follow
ing statement after Donald Trump
doubled down on his racially
charged accusations against the
Central Park Five in New York City.
Hillary Clinton
urges help for
hurricane victims
To the Editor: Vvr
In times of crisis, Americans
come together to support each
other. That's what we need to do
now, as North Carolina continues to
grapple with dangerous floods,
widespread power outages persist
and communities from Florida to
Virginia begin to pick up the pieces.
My thoughts and prayers are
with the friends and families of
Hurricane Matthew's victims. The
federal government should do
everything it can to help states and
communities respond to the storm
and build back better to withstand
future disasters. Those who can
afford to can help families in need
by donating to the Florida Disaster
Fund and to Team Rubicon, a veter
ans' service organization specializ
ing in disaster response.
As we rebuild and remember
those who were lost, we must also
address the humanitarian crisis
unfolding in Haiti, where it's report
ed that4fyrrieane Matthew killed
more thari a thousand people. I
encourage everyone who can to give
what they are able to Unicef s Haiti
relief efforts here.
Hillary Clinton, Democrat
Presidential Candidate
New York, N.Y.
Note: Clinton issued the state
ment above aS the Southeast
addresses the aftermath of Hurricane
Matthew, which killed at least 26
Americans and caused damage in
Florida, Georgia, South Carolina,
North Carolina, and Virginia.
N.C. Democrats
push candidacy
of Hillary Clinton
To the Editor:
I agree wholeheartedly with
Governor Pence. The language used
by Donald Trump to describe
women in the recently released
video is offensive and inexcusable.
Throughout this campaign and his
life, Donald Trump has exhibited a
repugnant tendency to harass and
demean women.
This November, the people of
North Carolina will come together
to ensure that Donald Trump gets
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nowhere near the White House - and
they will affirm that Hillary Clinton,
who has spent her decades of public
service standing up for the rights
and dignity of all people, is the per
son who represents North Carolina's
best values. I call on Governor
Pence to join scores of fellow
Republican leaders in doing what is
best for our country and rejecting
Donald Trump.
Patsy KeeveriChairwoman
N.C. Democratic Party
Raliegh
Note: North Carolina
Democratic Party Chair Patsy
Keever made the following state
ment regarding Pence's visit to
North Carolina and Trump's behav
ior toward women.
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