Do we need to care for the world?

Opinion

September 17, 2012

Do we need to care for the world?

The Daily Southerner John H. Walker The Daily Southerner Mon Sep 17, 2012, 03:03 PM EDT

TARBORO — My Daddy has been gone for more than 20 years now, but I’m thankful for the lessons he taught me in the years we weren’t at one another’s throats.

Today, even with a (step) son in the military with the potential to come into harm’s way, I think there’s value in the old school practice of loading up the B-52s (not the rock group) and carpet bombing portions of this world where our presence in not wanted — unless we’re handing out money.

And, if you’ll look back over the years, that has pretty much been the role taken by the United States around the globe, regardless of which political party was in charge.

Daddy said our nation wanted to be like that old and long-used slogan belonging to the Holiday Inns of the Kemmon Wilson era ... “The Nation’s Innkeeper.”

He changed the wording a bit, though, modifying it to “The World’s Innkeeper.”

Daddy would have been a wonderful history teacher, because he studied it.

No, he didn’t study the textbooks — which carry the views of those who produce them and the state textbook committees that approve them as much as anything — he studied the current events through the daily monitoring of the evening news and the reading of at least four newspapers.

And that was in the days before the gutting of the newspaper newsroom and the dismantling of state, national and international news bureaus.

Daddy never had enough newspapers and, when we went to visit Granny Walker in Sullivan's Hollow, Miss., no Sunday morning was complete until Daddy got in the car and drove 20 miles to Laurel to the newsstand downtown to pick up a copy of the Mobile (Ala.) Press-Register and the New Orleans Times-Picayune and States-Item.

I will always remember him saying that it made no difference what country we discussed, the end result was always the same — there was upheaval and civil war, we came to the rescue, American soldiers were killed, our flag was burned and, when all was said and done and we were told how dirty we were, there we were ... loading aircraft with food and medical supplies ... throwing money at whatever despot was in power ... and hearing those haunting strains of “Taps” all to often here at home.

We’ve now watched for days as our embassies have been attacked and our citizens killed across the Middle East, in Africa and Asia ... we’ve heard numerous times now about how the military and the police we’ve trained to help ensure a peaceful transition have been responsible for the murder of our troops ... a smiling face preceding a shot in the back.

As a nation, we’ve catered to China’s demands at the cost of job after job after job ... we’ve allowed ourselves to be tied into deals with the European Union that do little, if anything at all, for our people and everything for a system that is failing miserably.

In a question that, in reality, is decades old, why can’t we spend the money at home that we send overseas? Why can’t we feed and shelter our homeless and, instead of trying to bring peace to the streets of Cairo, why can’t we put that same effort into stopping our young people from killing one another?

Holiday Inn changed it’s slogan ... perhaps we, as a country, should as well.

(John H. Walker is editor and publisher of The Daily Southerner and may be reached at 823-3106 or jwalker@dailysoutherner.com.)

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Opinion

We Salute...
Each Friday, The Daily Southerner will recognize individuals, groups and businesses in Edgecombe County who have gone “above and beyond” in their effort to make this a better place to work, play and raise a family.

May 17, 2013
Benghazi: We need the real truth
The American diplomatic mission at Benghazi, in Libya, was attacked on Sept. 11, 2012 by a heavily armed group. The attack began during the night at a compound that is meant to protect the consulate building. A second assault in the early morning the next day targeted a nearby CIA annex in a different diplomatic compound. Four people were killed including U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens. Ten others were injured.

May 15, 2013
With much thanks and love …
The past month has been interesting, to say the least.
As I grew up, my first cousins — a group of us that have simply been referred to as “The Cousins” would often joke that when we died, we knew it would be as the result of a heart attack. That’s the history of the Walker family and my Dad and his seven brothers and sisters, as heir parents had, died of heart-related issues.
But along the way, something else happened, Cousins Joyce, Dudley, Don, Kenneth, Howard and Jimmy all died after a courageous battle with cancer.
Dudley and Don and Jimmy and Howard were brothers. But we were much more than cousins. We were a true Southern family in that no matter how far away we might move, we always wound up back at Granny Walker’s.

May 6, 2013
Favoring Immigrants over Citizens
Should Immigrants ever be given more favorable treatment than those of us who are already U.S. citizens? Apparently President Obama believes this should be the case when it comes to Obamacare. When it comes to the terms of the immigration reform bill and Obamacare almost 11 million illegals will be given a provisional legal status to live and work in this country.

May 1, 2013
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Princeville, the oldest African American community in North America, through the years has had many hurdles and set backs since it was established.Yet with its resilience, it has some how, through some miracles has always bounced back to stay the course of normalcy as best as it could envision. Yet, we must be ever so reminded that our earthly job of being responsible and accountable for and to ourselves shall never cease, until our journey is finished.
This beckoning call for volunteers is being directed to all the local residents who are concerned and aware of the deplorable existing condition of the cemetery on N.C. Highway 111.
This appeal is specifically for churches, community organizations, and all concerned able body men, women and young folks to respond. The purpose of the tentative meeting is to organize a special committee of volunteers within the community, to assumed the responsibilities and duties of maintaining the cemetery. This is where our deceased loved ones are laid to rest and one day for sure some or most of us, if it’s God's will, shall lay rest in this cemetery. It's about pride and cultural respect and decency that we the living owe our beloved ones who's gone over.
Please call or respond to the contact information below and we'll get in touch and arrange a special meeting to start this project. It's no secret that it's an eyesore and a reflection of what we collectively think of ourselves as well as about of our deceased. This mindset can change. With the weather changing, the grass will be growing. Once again we'll be faced with the cosmetic upkeep. There are some simple tasks we as concerned residents can come together as a concerned unit/group to maintain the appearance of our cemetery.
Calling all concerned men and women and children residing in historic Princeville.
Those interested please call (252) 823-3740

Milton Bullock
Native of Princeville

April 17, 2013
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Dear Editor,
Thursday, May 2, is the National Day of Prayer all over the United States. I would like to challenge every minister of the gospel to bring a group from his or her church and meet us on the Town Square across from Edgecombe County Courthouse at 11:45 p.m. Thursday for prayer and unity.
After looking through the phonebook and newspaper church page, there appears to be more than 300 churches in Edgecombe County of multiple faiths. Yet each year we barely have 25 people respond to the advertising for National Day of Prayer.
Prayer has no respective person and does not practice segregation, yet the church segregates itself every Sunday morning. As a blood bought believer in Jesus Christ, I ask all who believes that Jesus was born of virgin, died on the cross and rose on the third day to meet me with an expressive tongue of prayer for our local, state and national leaders. Are you up for the challenge.

Viola Harris

April 17, 2013
We Salute...
Each Friday, The Daily Southerner will recognize individuals, groups and businesses in Edgecombe County who have gone “above and beyond” in their effort to make this a better place to work, play and raise a family.

April 12, 2013
We Salute...
• ELLIS “BUDDY” HOOKS, on being named to receive the BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA DISTINGUISHED CITIZEN AWARD.
Hooks will be officially recognized on May 14.
• ALL PARTICIPANTS in the 76th EASTERN CAROLINA 4-H LIVESTOCK SHOW, held this week at the East Carolina Agriculture and Educational Center.
• Members of the TARBORO HIGH BOOSTERS CLUB, employees of the TOWN OF TARBORO, members of the GOLDEN K KIWANIS CLUB and all others involved in the successul staging of the 20th TARBORO EASTER CLASSIC BASEBALL TOURNAMENT, Despite chilly, wet weather on Thursday, today’s weather is forecast to improve to the point of being a perfect day at the ballpark.
• Edgecombe County businesses recognized for their efforts to promote a safe work place, including Keihin Carolina System Technology, Inc., Air System Components, ABB, Inc., Piedmont Natural Gas, Tarboro Resource Center and QVC, Rocky Mount , Edgecombe-Martin County Electric Membership Corp., Hillshire Brands-Sara Lee Bakery and N.C. Department of Commerce, Division of Workforce Solutions, Tarboro Branch Office.
• LT. FLEMING THOMPSON, a 2005graduate of Tarboro High School, on being named the United States Air Force’s 23rd Bomb Squadron NAVIGATOR OF THE YEAR.

• • •

April 5, 2013
What makes smart people do stupid?
It really gets me to see those you would think are smart people do what are obviously stupid things. I’ve just read about what has been going on in the city of Stockton, Calif. The population of Stockton is about 300,000. It is next to a beautiful downtown waterfront and sports a handsome $46 million glass hockey arena and single-A baseball team, playing in a new taxpayer-financed stadium. Sounds great, but actually this is part of the terrible financial problems the city is experiencing.

April 3, 2013
Your Views
To the Editor:
In response to the column by Bob Harper, “Voter ID causing a great flap”, I have a few thoughts to share. This is the first time in my memory that Mr. Harper has written about something being provided free to citizens by the government (IDs for those without one) without stating that nothing is free, and complaining that the cost is taken out his taxes. So enfranchising voters must surely be one cause he is passionate about.

March 27, 2013
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