Opinion
All in order in this corner of my world
The hammer felt good in my hands, satisfying and simple, the battered leather tool belt snug but still doing its job of keeping pencil, nail punch, tape measure, chisel, utility knife, speed square and numerous nails and screws at arm’s length. It was a spring day in the mountains, everything around blooming and sweet smelling, wildly colorful butterflies swirling about on a canvas of sky blue.
A vanilla, sparrow-only life would be devastating
Imagine walking into an ice cream shop excited about the many flavor selections, only to be greeted by a clerk who says, “From now on, all we have is vanilla.” Befuddled, you respond with, “Oh… OK, then I guess I’ll have vanilla, but let’s add some sprinkles and chocolate chips.” Then the clerk says, “No toppings. Just plain ol’ vanilla. That will be the only option from now on.”
Trump’s Easter words were horrid
To the Editor:
We all awakened Easter Sunday morning to receive the below message from the President of the United States, who proclaims he is a practicing person of faith: “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the F——— Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah.”
Congress should censure Trump
To the Editor:
A lot of us know that Congress isn’t doing its job. But when Trump went on recent Truth Social rants using obscene language and threatening an entire civilization, most Republicans sat back and said nothing. Bad language is unbecoming of any President, and if Biden and Obama had done such a thing, the Republicans wouldn’t have wasted any time making an effort to censure them.
Wars are justified but still obscene
To the Editor:
With deference to David Crane’s credentials (“The 7th Crusade — U.S. folly in Iran,” March 18 SMN) and respect for his opinions, I would offer a contrarian view.
If the Treaty of Versailles had been enforced as de Gaulle and many others vigorously advocated, then perhaps WWII could have been avoided. What would it have taken to enforce that? Could it have been accomplished? We’ll never know.
The endgame was always just to blow things up
The war with Iran is not only a perfect metaphor for Trump’s presidency and the MAGA movement in general, but it is also revealing of a basic truth that MAGA opponents can never quite seem to grasp: Trump’s supporters do not now, nor have they ever, looked to him for consistency, coherence, dignity, wisdom or even decency.
Facts must come before explanations
Who is to blame for North Carolina losing its industrial base over the past two decades? Misguided federal lawmakers who passed free-trade agreements? Foolish state policymakers who refused to invest in new infrastructure? Overzealous local regulators?
I’ve heard each of these explanations before. Perhaps you have, too. But none constitutes a valid explanation for North Carolina’s shrinking industrial base — because, contrary to popular belief, our industrial base hasn’t been shrinking!
Our nation is better than this
To the Editor:
In reading the official press release from March 31, “USDA Prioritizing Common Sense Forest Management, Moves Forest Service Headquarters to Salt Lake City,” one would think, “All right, common sense!”
Congratulations to GSMNP’s Charlie Sellers
To the Editor:
Last month, Charlie Sellers was appointed to lead the Smokies — an achievement well-earned. A Haywood County native, Charlie began his career with the National Park Service as a draftsman for the Blue Ridge Parkway. He later served as deputy chief of facilities for Great Smoky Mountains National Park — our park — steadily rising through the ranks to this latest leadership role.
