The NC Treasurer is wrong about not investing in companies that have a social conscience
Dale Folwell
So our state treasurer is going to target “woke” investments. Good grief, what next? The dictionary defines “woke” as being aware of and actively attentive to important societal facts and issues, especially issues of racial and social justice.
It makes sense to me that investing in companies that have a social conscience is a good idea. Unfortunately for us, Treasurer Dale Folwell apparently thinks that corporations that are socially unconscious are the better deal. Corporations in general only care about money — the environment and people be damned. Witness the plight of contract poultry producers in North Carolina whose corporate overlords have turned them into indentured servants.
Robert Mulder, Raleigh
Campaigning?
State Treasurer Dale Folwell’s attack on BlackRock CEO Larry Fink seems as politically motivated as those Folwell made against some hospitals in our state and his call for limiting state health plan reimbursement to Medicare rates. The latter was wisely defeated by the legislature.
Anyone in or running for elected office is a politician. Folwell appears to be an undeclared candidate for governor. His attack politics are both a diversion from mediocre investment performance and free name recognition. I wish he’d place as much effort into improving state pensions fund rates of return.
Michael S. Pedneau, Raleigh
Domestic terror
Regarding the Moore County substation attacks... Unfortunately, elevated security at utilities and infiltration of domestic terrorist organizations will be necessary in identifying and preventing threats that could cause expensive damage and shut down services, as we’ve just witnessed. It is time for all Americans to fully acknowledge that these terrorists are enemies of America and our way of life. Congress, federal and state law enforcement, and our courts must focus on arresting perpetrators and giving them long sentences that reflect the seriousness of their crimes.
William C. Delamar, Durham
Guns and minors
Regarding “‘NC teacher talks about disarming student who fired gun,” (Dec. 11):
Wake County teacher Lynn Guilliams is now one one of my heroines and I’d gladly support her with contributions if she decides to run for the legislature. I was astonished to learn that selling or giving a weapon to a minor is only a misdemeanor, according to the Wake County Sheriff’s Office. I must ask where the collective common sense of all N.C. legislators is. This charge should be a felony punishable by a prison sentence.
Mark G. Rodin, Cary
Big Poultry
In response Melanie Sill’s “Decades apart, Boss Hog & Big Poultry raise same question,” (Dec. 13), I’ll assume that her question, “Who’s in charge?,” was a rhetorical one. The members of the N.C. legislature and those to whom they are indebted for campaign contributions are responsible.
Karen Wiebe, Raleigh
Military vaccines
Interesting to read of Kevin McCarthy’s celebration as the military COVID vaccine requirement falls. Perhaps he missed the outbreak on the USS Theodore Roosevelt when more than 1,200 sailors were infected. Did he and his pals not notice the more than 1 million COVID deaths here in the U.S.? As a Navy nurse in the early 1970s we just stuck out our arms and let the vaccines roll in. Protecting the troops wasn’t a bad thing back then.
Rosemary Harrell, Mebane
