Early voting creates the rush that comes from taking part in a democracy | Opinion

In praise of voting

Today, I used my voice to have a say in democracy. I voted.

My general election ballot offered several candidates for various offices. Some names were not familiar. Other names had no opposition. I pondered if my voting for any or all the candidates would matter.

Ultimately, the choice was mine and mine alone.

After I marked my ballot, scanned it, and turned it in, I felt hopeful about the future.

I realized my patriotic rush will not last long. Or will it?

Millions of voters between now and Nov. 5 will experience something similar.

We Americans understand that voting is our right, our duty, and our responsibility.

We may forget that casting our ballots can boost our attitudes about our society and its governing body.

We feel more connected to our neighborhood, our state, and its electors.

After months or even years of disgruntled opinions and rumblings against the government’s status quo, we do something about it.

Whether or not we will rejoice in the election’s outcome remains to be seen.

May all voters be assured that whatever the outcome is, we will one day vote again.

Change begins at the ballot box. May it always be so.

Elizabeth Sumner Jones, Columbia

Truth matters

During the presidential and vice presidential debates both sides complained about fact checks. Here is a good fact: Don’t lie and fact checks won’t matter.

Most debaters paint a beautiful picture of what they are going to do and a bad picture of what their opponent will do. But they don’t give a unit of measure as to how their concepts will promote the betterment of society.

The best example I have heard about achieving an objective in government is that we try three different concepts in various metropolitan areas, study the results, then others can follow the most successful concept.

We as citizens really do expect the truth from our government leaders.

When someone lies to you they don’t mean you any good.

They consider you as being naïve and gullible if you believe what they say. They disrespect you. Whatever policies they implement are based on false information and are bound to be ineffective.

Truth matters, America.

James Muldrow, Columbia

Soul searching at The Nick

Interesting article The Free Times recently ran about The Nickelodeon. Most of us attempting to have these conversations with executive staff have been met with stony silence.

Though cloaked in PR-speak, the gist of their reply is that The Nick sold itself out (“pivoted”) for a pocketful of silver.

The Nickelodeon’s appeal, for years, was as an oasis in a film desert, showing films you couldn’t see elsewhere. But their programming, now outsourced, has been failing to deliver for a long time now.

New Gaspar Noe? New Lars von Trier? Rediscovered George Romero film previously thought lost? Had to go to Charlotte for all.

We are in an actual golden age of film rediscovery and restoration, but these don’t get booked either. Why? Because Hollywood says they can’t?

The Independent Picture House in Charlotte is also a non-profit.

They’ve figured out how to pull this off successfully with vibrant programming.

Has The Nick reached out to them for advice? Or have they just resigned to take a much sadder route?

It’s a pretty building, but where’s the soul?

Joe Roberts, Columbia