Public policies, not personal life, count

In her letter of July 28, Ms. Elizabeth Mawyer discussed "unsupported allegations" and stated: "Those who have made many such allegations against Patrick McHenry are now called on to support their allegations with facts."

I am a Democrat, and Congressman McHenry is a Republican from the far-right wing of his party. Although I have supported some Republican candidates, I could never bring myself to vote for Mr. McHenry. However, as a former candidate for public office let me add my voice to Ms. Mawyer's advice.

During my campaign in 2006, all sorts of things were said to my family and friends about my personal life — for the record I really do support my son and I am, in fact, engaged to be married again. The fact that I was a bachelor was not an indication of anything about my chosen lifestyle.

Just because Mr. McHenry has chosen the lifestyle of a lifelong bachelor and has chosen not to have a family life, that says nothing about him as a human being or his qualification to represent the people of the 10th District and Catawba County. This is still a free country.

Let us focus on the issues. Discussing the personal lives of candidates may score political points, but the last seven years have seen our country and our county slip further from the greatness that we deserve.

I do not think Mr. McHenry is capable of leading us back to greatness, but that is because of his public policies, not anything about his personal life.

Lyndon R. Helton
Hickory

Potential for tragedy at Hickory intersection

Second Avenue, NE, (a one-way street), and Third Street, NE, (a two-way street), intersect under yellow four-way flashing caution lights. In addition, northbound Third Street has a stop sign, while its southbound counterpart has an oversize metal stop sign with a caution light flashing above it.

None of these devices slow or halt the motorist who does not see or heed the warnings.

This intersection averages an accident every 60 to 90 days, and while no one has died, (at least recently), sooner or later the grim reaper will take his toll. Friday, I watched as a mother and her three children slowed halfway through the intersection when she realized she had run the caution light/stop sign. If there had been a vehicle coming up the hill, the mother and one or more of the youngsters could have been injured, if not killed.

People do not see the flashing lights and stop signs. To the average motorist, a yellow caution light requires a light tap on the brakes, no more. Having seen the caution light they are not even aware of the stop sign on the side of the road. This makes a prime target for a tragic accident to take place.

The intersection needs a traffic flow study, and then a hearing, including input from the police, firefighters and EMTs and — if warranted — removal of the ineffective yellow caution lights and unseen stop signs and installation of regular traffic lights.

Gary L. Eklund
Hickory

Don't want tracts handed out in public

Oh please, enough already. Think of the uproar if the two men who were handing out the literature at Hickory Alive had been of the Catholic, Mormon, Jewish or another faith.

I have been raised and still am of the Church of God of Nazerine faith. My beliefs are of God, Jesus, talking in tongues and the 10 Commandments. If I should wish to change, I would visit other denominations until I found one to be comfortable with. I want no intrusions by being stopped to take a pamphlet or request to talk. My no thank you is sufficient as not interested.

Law officers should not apologize. If that should happen, then there will be an outcry for everyone who is released from jail, guilty or not, get an apology.

Is that what everyone wants to hear?

Shirley Klingensmith
Conover

Support right to repair measure in Congress

Skyrocketing fuel prices have affected the cost of owning and operating a vehicle. As the cost of vehicle ownership soars, the need for Right to Repair legislation has become more critical to protect consumers from the added costs that would be created by a vehicle repair monopoly.

Vehicle technology is increasingly complex with virtually every system either monitored or controlled by computers. Without full access to complete and accurate repair information from the car companies, neighborhood shops will not be able to compete.

The cost to consumers when they have their car repaired only at a dealership is estimated to be as much as 25 percent higher with labor charges alone, according to a study comparing dealer repair tags with those of an independent service center.

Without Right to Repair legislation, many motorists may forgo important vehicle repairs due to higher repair costs.

Congress introduced the Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act (H.R. 2694).

Right to Repair seeks to restore a system that has been in place since the invention of the automobile. Using advances in technology to deny consumers their right to choose where they have their car repaired is not in the consumer's best interest.

Visit www.righttorepair.org to send a letter to your congressional representatives, urging them to support the Right to Repair Act by adding their names to the growing list of co-sponsors.

Kathleen Schmatz
President and CEO
Automotive Aftermarket
Industry Association
Bethesda, Md.