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Published: May 16, 2008 09:34 pm
Our Readers Speak, Saturday, May 17, 2008
Man disappointed in residents’ racism
A native West Virginian, I have always had pride in the state. I lived, went to school and worked there, and it was only recently that I left to attend law school. Although I’ve wanted to write back many times, I only felt the need to recently.
Today, after the primary, I am disappointed. While I support Obama, it is not his defeat that disappoints me. It is the reason some gave for voting for Clinton. According to polls, 25 percent of those voting for Hillary said race was a “factor.” The meaning of this is clear. One in four West Virginians openly admitted their racism. One in four.
When someone learns I am from West Virginia, I receive either the “your state is beautiful” repsonse, or the “You’re not what I expected” one. I never ask what they expected, because I already know. I do not fit into their stereotypical image.
I wear shoes, I am educated, well read and open minded. Perhaps I believed that because West Virginians had always been the butt of jokes, because they were the victims of bigotry, they had learned and were above that. But apparently some have not. One in four.
While we step even closer to the realization of Dr. King’s Dream, and may even elect an African-American president, the primary results show we still have a long way to go. For yesterday, a man was judged by some, not on the content of his character, but the color of his skin. One in four.
I know every state in the union has racists. But I had always thought West Virginia, where blacks, whites and people of all colors entered coal mines, and all came out the same color, was different. I thought we all knew better, that we knew we had to always take the high road. But I guess I was wrong about some of us. One in four.
I will always love West Virginia. My pride, love and passion for the state will never decrease. But for now, my respect has. One in four.
Jeff Fleming
Greensboro, N.C.,
formerly of Princeton
Golf course should pay for house damage
My wife and I have lived in Rainelle at 828 Kanawha Ave. for six years now. There is a golf course behind our property that stretches from 820 Kanawha Ave. and beyond our residence.
For years now damage has been done to our home and the ones surrounding it by wayward golf balls.
Just the other day, a golf ball went through our kitchen window, destroying all four panes and both storm windows and screens.
Last year we replaced the same window and storm windows for the same reason after the Rainelle park board/Rainelle golf course refused to pay for the damages.
Now that it has happened again, we called a chairman on the park board and asked again to be reimbursed for the damages. We were told that we would have to find the golfer who hit the ball and hold that person responsible.
That is nearly impossible due to the fact by the time we could look at the golf course, the person had fled, leaving us with over $300 in damage to fix our self.
We find this unfair and irresponsible of the golf course to do this and it is also unfair to force the golfer to take the blame because they are paying green fees that should be used to cover damages such as these.
Our homes have stood here well before the golf course and we should not have to worry about how we are going to pay for these damages and feed our family.
It should not be an act of Congress to have our damages caused by the man made hazard taken care of by the Rainelle park board/golf course and furthermore, we should not have to live in fear of our own back yard or fear making simple repairs or improvements to our homes for the fact that as soon as such repairs or improvements are made it is damaged by the golf balls.
The golf course states it does not have the funds to make preventive changes or pay for repairs to our homes. Then we say they should close up shop until funds are available to make such changes.
Cecil Honaker
Rainelle
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