Back in forth in the New Bern Sun Journal!

Recently, our chairman Nancy Murdoch read the following letter in the Sun-Journal:



January 31, 2012
New Bern by rail

I recently came to New Bern Jan. 21 on the Amtrak train from New York to Wilson, NC. I was there to visit my mother wishing her a happy 76th birthday with family and a host of friends. After riding eight hours on the train, a friend of the family picked me up in Wilson to take me to my final destination, New Bern. The ride took two hours. I enjoy coming to New Bern with all the historical sites; I will visit as many as I can. Someone please tell me why with all the train tracks in North Carolina, there’s not a train coming into New Bern, James City, Cherry Point or Kinston. I understand there’s a nearby airport, but many seniors and disabled people cannot fly and many as myself have a problem with flying. Who can I voice my concerns to?

Shirley Aikens, Brooklyn, N.Y.
http://www.newbernsj.com/articles/rail-103996-bern-letter.html

THEN.. our Nancy responded with the following letter:
February 01, 2012
Amtrak and Democrats

I read with interest the letter written by the lady from Brooklyn wondering why there is no train from Wilson and points beyond. Her question draws attention to why we have a national debt quickly approaching the $16 trillion mark. Perhaps she is unaware that Amtrak is subsidized by the rest of the taxpayers, most of whom will never ride the train. Eastern NC is not New York nor Europe. I can’t fathom how much it would cost to have Amtrak come to New Bern or how many people would use it. I would guess that the first amount would be astronomical, and the second number would be quite low. And I’m fairly confident the present administration would think it a grand idea; nothing beats spending taxpayer money for boondoggle projects that serve a few. If the fair lady from Brooklyn is a Democrat, she should write the President. With the right sized contribution to the Democrat party and the reelect Obama campaign, she might see her dream come true.


Nancy Murdoch, Havelock

And then that letter solicited the following response:

February 02, 2012
Be Civil

I am troubled by what I see as a lack of civility in the language being used in a number of Letters to the Editor. A recent example is the Feb. 2 letter titled “Amtrak and Democrats.”


The first part of the letter raised legitimate concerns about the cost of operating Amtrak and extending the line to New Bern. Fair enough. The part that I find troubling is: “If the fair lady from Brooklyn is a Democrat, she should write the President. With the right sized contribution to the Democrat (sp) party and the reelect Obama campaign, she might see her dream come true.”


The editor I feel has a responsibility to control the tone of the letters being written to and published in the paper. Unless the editor will allow the person who is being chided to respond to the negative/sarcastic language, then the editor should edit out such language. The editor states at the bottom of the Letters to the Editor: “All letters may be edited or abridged by the editor.”


To those who write using sarcasm before hitting the send button, ask yourself the following question: Would you want to be on the receiving end of what you are writing and how would you feel about it?


I fear that as this election cycle moves on the sarcasm will only get worse. Let’s not be like the candidates running for the presidency and the negativity of their language. Let’s be above that and treat each other with respect.

Tom Balsanek, New Bern

Dog gone it, I did not even realize just how sarcastic and uncivil Ms. Nancy was!  Of course I get confused sometimes cause liberals can call us tea baggers, terrorists, bigots and racists.  I just can't keep up!
~ Lynn