What a wonderful essay in the Chapel Hill News Wednesday morning ("My one-year anniversary" by Ashley Osment).

When the writing's that good, I say bring on the "heavy stuff" (especially anything called, "Go to Hell Buddha." I'm interested already!).

Ashley and her family always give so much to our community. Thanks for allowing her to give again through the "My View" column (enlightening Chapel Hill, one breakfast at a time).

I think of Ashley often and look forward to seeing her -- both in town and in The Chapel Hill News.

Boykin Bell

Chapel Hill

Don't give Strom seat to fifth-place finisher

I think there is a significant fallacy in the suggestion that Bill Strom's replacement be "elected" in the form of appointing the fifth-place finisher in this fall's election.

If I can only vote for four people this fall, then I don't really have an opportunity to "elect" five people. The fifth-place finisher could be someone completely different depending on whether folks are able to vote for four or five people on their ballots. That was very much the case in Carrboro four years ago where Katrina Ryan finished fourth but never would have if people had had four votes. The Board of Aldermen rightfully chose not to appoint her and she lost again when she ran two years later while the person (Dan Coleman) who ended up receiving the appointment was easily re-elected because he shared the values of the person (Mark Chilton) who he was appointed to replace.

If appointing a fifth-place finisher is seen as allowing the voters to have their will, I think there is just as strong an argument to appoint Cam Hill to fill the vacancy, as he finished fifth in the most recent election and his appointment would not necessitate having an empty council seat for up to four months.

That said I think the Council's priority in any appointment process should be to choose someone who will bring similar talents and values to the council of the person he/she is appointed to replace. The council rightfully did that in appointing Jim Merritt last fall to succeed my dear friend Bill Thorpe.

I think the biggest loss with Bill's departure is his tremendous leadership on transit. I have not spoken with George Cianciolo in over a year and a half and have no idea if he would be interested but I think he would be a very worthy replacement on that front.

Tom Jensen

Chapel Hill

Editor's note: This letter was originally sent to Mayor Kevin Foy and the Town Council and is reprinted as a letter to the editor with Jensen's permission.

New mandates eat insurance savings

Chase Foster reported in his August 2 guest column, "Voter-owned elections save drivers millions," that our new insurance commissioner, Wayne Goodwin, has proven to be a good commissioner. He recently reached a settlement with the auto-insurance companies that reversed a 9.4 percent rate increase, freezes increases into 2011 and returns $50 million to consumers ... this being worth an average of $102 for Durham drivers and $92 for Raleigh drivers. That is the good news.

There is also bad news that has been arriving in auto insurance bills recently. My semi-annual bill just arrived. It contained a big hike, which I subsequently learned was caused by a North Carolina legislature mandated increase in all insured drivers' uninsured motorists liability and property damage coverage. The old coverage was $30,000/$60,000 liability, $25,000 property damage. The new mandated coverage is $250,000/$500,000 liability, $100,000 property damage.

The new coverage, mandated by our "illustrious leaders" in Raleigh, increased my annual bill by $178, some 23 percent ... this to cover 14-year- old and 10-year-old Toyota Camrys. That is not to be sneezed at.

I hardly know what to say about our "illustrious leaders" in Raleigh. They are also gifting us with a sales tax increase and other tax increases that will soon be painful enough. Perhaps we should refer to them as "dear leaders."

Baron Adams

Durham

Letter writer should brush up on his Bible

A man in Hillsborough who believes he knows what God wants has written a letter entitled "Racial Justice Act a back door scheme" (CHN July 28) that emphatically chastises "Ungodly legislators, judges and jurors who refuse to put murderers to death," stating that by refusing they "disobey God's command."

I thought God's relevant command was "Thou shalt not kill." Is not putting murderers to death a violation of that commandment?

J. A. Davis

Orange County

Double standard in treatment of Muslims

Seven North Carolina men are charged with plotting "violent jihad." What have they done? They wanted to go to Palestine to fight and stop the Israeli army from killing the women and children? What is wrong with that? In WWII many young men left to join the war in Europe before the United States ever got there. They were not punished, nor did they have to give up their right to be a citizen in this country.

In my youth many young men went to Spain to fight in the war of that country. They were not accused of anything. I would venture to say they were respected for taking a humanistic stand. When did things change?

And is it OK for the skinheads to have a camp where they train. The authorities look away. Why? The skinheads are very dangerous, but no one ever called their mission a violent jihad. Don't they present a real danger right here on this soil?

White Christian men who regularly attended church once put on masks to hang a black man. Most were never brought to trial. And now you have a few Moslems who wanted to leave this country to help the cause of their people and the authorities want to arrest them and put them in jail?

So now Bushville is going to have two sets of standards: one for everyone and a different one for anyone Moslem? I am very sad and mourn at having lost my country, the USA.

Estelle Leighton

Chapel Hill

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

The Chapel Hill News welcomes letters and columns from readers. Letters are limited to 250 words, columns to 550. Writers are limited to one letter a month and one column every three months. All submissions become property of The Chapel Hill News and McClatchy Newspapers.

Mail: Letters should be e-mailed to editor@nando.com or typed and sent to Editor, The Chapel Hill News, 505 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, NC 27516. Letters may be edited for space and clarity.