6 THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2,2016
Perspectives
American has great potential to do good
A s we read by the
fireplace on a chilly
Michigan afternoon,
we transport ourselves into
the realms of those whom
we study. While we physi
cally exist in the same beau
tiful environment, we risk
becoming so enchanted by
personal adventures that
it goes unappreciated. Our
preoccupation blinds us to
the marvels we encounter
each day.
The same is true for our
American identity crisis.
Self-absorbed, we allow rou
tine living to distort both the
context we live in and the
noble legacy that we share.
While we expect America’s
existence tomorrow, we
overlook the patriotic heri
tage which guarantees its
survival today.
Divided we become our
greatest enemy, yet together
we are an indomitable force
for good. We have historical
ly braved formidable odds
with the sword of justice and
armor of optimism. We are
Americans. We must reaf
firm our faith in what unites
us as a people in order for
our country to survive. Con
ceived through a shared
faith in the idea that there is
no greater force for prosper
ity on earth than spirit of free
men and women, the United
States rose to international
supremacy. Immigrants who
share this faith, including
my grandfather, flocked to
American shores to seek
a brighter future for their
children. We are a people in
spired by an idea that cannot
be touched by our enemies:
Absolute Truth.
Faith in this idea defines
American patriotism. Crit
ics who scourge such pa
triotism as so-called “blind
nationalism” mistake the
former for a hollow belief.
Colin Kaepernick protested
the American flag as a relic
of “oppression,” ignoring
the fact that it represents
much more than the dubi
ous actions of several cops.
The flag not only embodies
American freedom, but it
solemnly drapes the caskets
of those who gave their lives
for it. While Kaepernick’s
disturbing protest is within
his rights, it does not merit
the praise, emulation, or at
tention that it has received.
While we must acknowl
edge America’s failures, we
should not pessimistically
define our country exclu
sively by its flaws. Instead
we should appreciate the in
estimable blessings that our
American lifestyle affords
us. American patriots are not
blind nationalists. We are the
opposite: knowingly grateful
citizens who refuse to take
our freedom for granted.
Patriotism is also essen
tial for us to put our national
motto, E pluribus Unum, into
practice. Love of our country
engenders love for our coun
trymen. When Captain Hu
mayun Khan approached the
Afghani vehicle that would
detonate and claim his life,
he did so selflessly and patri
otically. He commanded his
fellow soldiers to stay back
because he loved them and
willed their safety above his
own. Captain Khan did not
share their religion or race
— only their American iden
tity.
Blinding self-absorption
often leads us to take the
beauty of our country for
granted. This characteristic
breeds the complacency
that, over time, causes us to
forget who we are as Ameri
cans. Once our identity is
lost, so too is our country.
Patriotism keeps faith in the
American idea alive in our
hearts. We will only make
America great again by being
stronger together.
The next time we shiver
with Dante as he explores
the unforgiving depths of
the underworld or bravely
accompany Odysseus on
his harrowing voyages, let
us not take for granted the
story around us. Occasional
ly look up from your books.
A legendary chronicle might
be closer than you think.
' RaA Lane of r Tyner is a junior
studying Politics and History at
Hillsdale College. The Hillsdale Colle
gian originally published this piece.
ADDRESSES
NC SENATE
Bill Cool (R)
N.C. Senate
300 N. Salisbury Street, Room 525
Raleigh, NC 27603-5925
(919) 715-8293
Bill.Cook@ncleg.net
NC HOUSE
Bob Steinburg (R)
919-733-0010
NC House of Representatives
300 N. Salisbury St.,
Room 306 A2
Raleigh, NC 27603
bob.steinburg@ncleg.net
US HOUSE
Walter B. Jones Jr. (R)
202-225-3415
252-931-1003
2333 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515 cong-
jones@mail.house.gov
G.K. Butterfield (D)
2305 Rayburn HOB,
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-3101
252-237-9816
216 NE Nash St., Suite B,
Wilson, NC 27893
Letters to the Editor
Salvation Army once again asks for community’s help
Dear Editor,
It’s that time of year again when
the Salvation Army requests your
help to make the Christmas season
a little better for children in need.
The people of Perquimans County
have always demonstrated the true
spirit of Christmas by generously
supporting the Salvation Army and
those it helps during the Christmas
Season. Last year, a major portion
of the Red Kettle collections never
left the county. Money collected
was applied directly and almost
immediately to help needy fami
lies in Perquimans County by buy
ing presents for children whose
names were not chosen from the
Angel Trees in Woodard’s and Fam
ily Care Pharmacies. This year, due
to flooding caused by Matthew, the
need is particularly acute. Flood
waters targeted many including
those who are most needy.
Our past success has been made
possible by the numerous volun
teers representing churches and
civic organizations in the towns
and county as well as the business
es that allow us to solicit in front of
their establishments. We are now
again asking for your help. This
year the Red Kettle drive will start
on the Saturday following Thanks
giving, Nov. 26, and continue until
Saturday, Dec. 10. Our most faithful
bell ringer, Eldon Winslow, is laid
up again this year so we need all
the extra help we can get. Please
consider volunteering to ring the
bell with your church or a civic
group. We ask people to ring for
only one hour, but you are wel
come to ring longer or more than
once, if you wish. If your church,
club, or civic group has not rung
the bell before but would like to be
involved, please contact Skip Mat
thews at 919-618-2308 or Todd Ill-
ley at 252-331-3787. With your help
we can surpass last year’s record
contributions. Let’s do what we
can to assure a bit of joy for those
children and families in need.
And finally, the Salvation Army
would like to stress that they are
there to help the needy all during
the year, not just during the holi
days. If you are aware of a family
or a person in need, please encour
age them or assist them to contact
the Salvation Army, 602 Hughes
Blvd., Elizabeth City at 3384129.
Skip Matthews & Todd Tilley
Hertford
(Matthews and Tilley are Sal
vation Army administrative
board members.)
Support helped make
Lobster Sale a success
Dear Editor,
I want to thank you on behalf of
Holy Trinity Episcopal Church for
advertising our annual Lobster Sale
in the Perquimans Weekly this year.
The sale was a great success due in
part to your weekly advertising. We
sold a total of480 lobsters of which
380 were cooked. The proceeds
generated by the sale will go a long
way to our support of Hertford and
Perquimans County outreach pro
grams. Thank you also for com
ing by and visiting our cooking,
wrapping and distribution opera
tion. We were blessed with perfect
conditions; calm winds, mild tem
peratures and a sunny Carolina
sky. Although tiring at times, the
results are very satisfying and the
fellowship was enjoyed by all. Next
October we will celebrate our 10th
annual Lobster Sale, see you then.
Rev. Ed Mullins, Interim Rector
Hertford
Remember who tried to pass voting restrictions this election
Dear Editor,
This is why we don’t have
Voter ID in NC. The US Court of
Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
invalidated NC’s discriminatory
voter restrictions, including Voter
ID. The court found that our state
intentionally restricted the voting
rights of blacks.
Beginning in 2000, our state
passed a series of reforms that
benefited all voters, particularly
black voters. Black voter regis
tration and election turnout in
creased significantly, and by 2013,
had reached near-parity with white
registration and turnout rates.
In 2013, our state turned back
the clock and we lost the first week
of early voting, same-day registra
tion, pre-registration for 16 and 17
year olds, and out-of-precinct vot
ing (i.e., voting at the wrong pre
cinct, but in the correct county).
The new law also required photo
IDs starting this year.
Before enacting the law, the
legislature requested racial data
on several voting practices. The
court determined that the legisla
ture used the racial data to “target
African Americans with almost
surgical precision.” What did the
Court mean by that?
Well, the racial data requested
by the legislature showed that
blacks disproportionately used
the first seven days of early voting
and used same-day registration..
The racial data requested by
the legislature also showed that
blacks disproportionately used
pre-registration for 16 and 17 year
olds.
The racial data requested by
the legislature also showed that
blacks disproportionately voted
out-of-precinct.
Finally, the racial data request
ed by the legislature showed that
blacks disproportionately lack
the most common kind of photo
ID, those issued by the DMV.
The racial data also showed that
blacks tend to use in-person vot
ing, while whites disproportion
ately use mail-in absentee voting.
The state claimed that the photo
ID requirement was established
as a measure to control existing
fraud. However, the state failed
to provide the court with any evi
dence of in-person voter fraud.
And although there was evidence
of mail-in absentee voter fraud,
the legislature chose to exempt
absentee voting from the photo
ID requirement.
The court decision prohibits
the state from requiring photo IDs
in future elections, including the
Nov. Stir election.
It restored the other pre-2013
voting policies. We got back the
extra week of early voting, pre
registration for 16 and 17 year
olds, same-day registration, and
out-of-precinct voting.
Think about this on Nov. 8. Who
passed the voting restrictions? A
Republican-led legislature and a
Republican Governor.
Nancy Theodore
Hertford
Ability to discern right and wrong is available
Dear Editor,
As tins election cycle
winds down I’m thinking
acknowledgment is owed
to the many participants
who made it possible. With
out the long running Trump
and Clinton comedy show
there’s not a lot to talk
about. But thanks to the
mostly conservative Fox
channel and kudos to the
kooks on the left-television
has gotten more entertain
ing and real issues more
relevant than ever.
And many thanks to the
newspaper editors who
make local commentary
possible regardless where
it originates. Serious com
mentators or Internet trolls
who love sniping at those
they disagree with all get
a fair shake. Actually, the
name calling, allegations,
inferences and innuendos
reflect their character more
than their intellect and
that’s a sad thing.
News analyst Brit Hume
is due some love for coining
the phrase, ‘come to Jesus
moment’ and I think this
2016 campaign has been as
much about religious liber
ty and traditional American
values as anything else. And
the greatest irony is that
the irreligious Republican
candidate is supportive of
Christian values where as
The Democrat is all about
destroying the Constitution
and the American way of
life!
This writer owes his all
to one who introduced
him to the man 1 person
ally know as Jesus-the one
who made me whole and
now calls me his friend.
He also made me a son of
Abraham by adoption and
has given me a message
to relate to anyone who’ll
listen. In the words of the
inimitable Brit Hume- this
is your ‘Jesus moment’. A
renewed and sharpen mind
able to discern right from
wrong will be yours for the
asking. Party affiliation will
no longer matter. Likely as
not you’ll become ‘unaffili
ated’ and you will vote the
‘values’ party.
Remember Romans
10:13.
Calvin Lacy
Hertford
THE Perquimans Weekly
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